The Urban Shiv Prototype.
Words Of Wisdom On A Winters Morning
11 hours ago
Monday, December 27, 2010
Air Travel Magazine Rejects Scott eVest Ad
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to tell you that I do not own any of ScotteVest / Scott Jordan's products, nor have I ever owned one of his products. I have been eyeing them with the common Pavlovian response that most gearheads would suffer from whilst perusing Mr. Jordan's website - gross salivation and clothing-envy.
Something happened in the advertising world that Mr. Jordan must swim in, because he is a businessman, that is most interesting to me. It will be to you as well.
I get hammered by some people because I don't like sacred cows. I don't like being taken advantage of, to say the least. Our Beloved Country, once the shining example of liberty and opportunity has become a sheep-shearing festival. We are taking every financial hit that every opportunist can throw at us. It's a contagion of greed. No amount of money is ever enough to these locusts.
So, Mr. Jordan wanted to place an ad in Delta Sky Magazine.
There was a problem. You see, Mr. Jordan specializes in turning sharp-looking light jackets, vests and other garments into the civilian equivalent of load bearing gear. He has designed clothing to carry all of your day-to-day necessities and niceties, gadgets and gizmos and this sort of thing is very attractive to the traveler as well.
Me? I'm not going to subject myself to the circus that is going on now at airports. FORGET IT! I have better things to do with my time than be irradiated or groped. I also have no interest in paying additional "security" fees to pay for the bureaucratic buffoons to irradiate or grope me. They have quite the scam going on! "Money for nothing and your chicks for free," like the old Dire Straits" song goes.
So, Delta Sky Magazine rejected his ad for one of his ingenious pieces of clothing because he is selling a garment that allows a traveler to efficiently and effectively carry their stuff without resorting to more carry on luggage which the airlines get to charge outrageous fees for.
Here is a link to the story on Mr. Jordan's website.
If you have to fly for business (to make a living), and that's the only reason I can see to subject yourself to the unnecessary exposure to radiation as well as the humiliation and degradation of the current security procedures, you should seriously consider negating the airlines money-grubbing, gouging fees. Purchase one of these fine garments and crank up your MP3 Player or iPod, kick back and enjoy the flight.
Mr. Jordan is encouraging people to download a high-resolution version of the advertisement so they can print it out and leave it where air travelers can find it. Wonderful idea!
The only problem is, if he hits them hard enough and they cry to the TSA, you might find garments that have the ability to conceal things more tightly controlled.
On EDC
Has someone at work ever asked you if you have a knife so they can cut something? Then, after they use your knife or you cut whatever item they needed to be cut, they say something totally stupid like...
"Why are you carrying a weapon?"
There are many versions of that. Some quite stupid like asking why you are carrying "that sword" when it's just a folding pocketknife with a blade four inches or less.
"Is that thing legal?"
This has been discussed on various forums many, many times. This has been going on for quite some time. I hate to sound rude, crude and socially unacceptable, I know it is unpopular to have these thoughts and opinions and even more crass to voice them - but are people becoming more stupid? Some people would say that I am stupid for thinking such a thing.
Yet, it appears as though people really are becoming more stupid as the years wear on in this country. Someone asks you if you have a knife and then you produce one and hand it to them or cut something for them and then they ask you why you carry such a thing. I usually answer something like this: "To cut things that need to be cut, like you just needed something to be cut..." And the temptation to look at them immediately after you say that and contort your visage to resemble one of the hillbillies in "Deliverance" and allow a big and noisy "DUH!" to tumble out of my mouth is almost more than I can bear.
I know a lot of this has to do with the media, special interest groups and changing social norms and a host of other things, but, still...this is common sense! I am 42 years old and I feel as though I have more in common with George Carlin (RIP) than at any other point in my life. I used to think that Carlin was really hard on people and just made a lot of money making fun of people.
No, he really was on to something. I don't know how this country can flourish in the future with all of these stupid people running around.
Sometimes I need to cut something, so I carry a pocketknife.
Sometimes I need to write something down, so I tend to carry a Moleskine or a Rite-In-The-Rain Notebook, sometimes both.
Since characters don't generally appear on paper magically, I usually carry one or two pens as well. Imagine that!
"Time is of the essence." Well, sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. I usually carry a watch because when I want to know what time it is, I don't want to have to ask someone.
Simple.
Since there are many hours of the day that are actually late evening, early morning or nighttime, I generally carry a flashlight. Darkness is never more than a few hours away, right? Sooner or later, darkness will occur. I don't carry huge Maglite flashlights, but I generally carry a small pocket flashlight and/or a penlight. Why? To see stuff in the dark that needs to be seen. Even in the daylight, something falls behind the desk or something, a flashlight is a handy thing to have, is it not? Power might go out in a large building, you might need a light just so you can properly watch your step and not take a fall, etc.
"You sure do carry a lot of stuff. Why do you do that?"
Well, it just seems to be the intelligent thing for me to do.
Extra keys...my car only has one ignition. So, I only get to use one set at a time. That having been said, once in a while because of life's stresses or whatever, you can lock yourself out of something that you need to get back into. Locksmith calls can be very expensive. Having spare keys cut is a lot cheaper than one Locksmith call, let alone multiple calls over a period of time.
"Why do you carry an extra set of keys?"
Because spending $5.25 on an extra car key and door key for the home is a lot cheaper than ONE Locksmith call.
Yet, people just don't get it. They think it is stupid to do these things and I sit and scratch my head and think they are stupid for not carrying these simple items.
Everyone has a wallet, right? Well, on rare occasion, I see someone with a wad of assorted papers, some money and a beat-up Driver's License wrapped up with a rubber band or something. So, I guess we cannot even assume that everyone has a wallet. But most people do. Why? To carry stuff that needs to be carried. Most people tend to see the value in this but not in the other things I am talking about.
Cellphones (Errah, excuse me, "Wireless Phones."). I avoided them like the plague for years. I had friends who spent astronomical amounts of money on cellphone calls over the years and I simply refused to purchase one. Then I started working as a supervisor for a company and they issued me one for work. Then after I left that position, I went ahead and purchased my first cellphone. That was about five years ago. I actually made it to about 37 years old without owning one. There were other issues involved as well. Payphones began to disappear from the sub/urban landscape and those that were left in place seemed outrageously expensive.
I don't live with a wireless phone plastered to the side of my head and definitely not while driving. I use a Blue Tooth Device and I have for about three years now. Why? Seemed like the common sense thing to do. I observed all manner of idiocy on the roads with people using these marvelous little devices and I don't want to be an idiot, so I purchased a Blue Tooth. Simple, isn't it?
They are great and they can save your life or the life of someone else. I text very little with my wireless phone which also makes me decidedly un-hip, un-cool and pedestrian to some people. It's a good option to have for communications, I can see that and I utilize it at times. But it also seems stupid to have such awesome capabilities in a wireless device to simply use it in this manner constantly. It's a phone, after all, isn't it?
My little Casio Rock is a wireless phone with a lot of unique capabilities. It even has a very bright LED flashlight for a camera flash and the camera is not too shabby either! Compass, Thermometer, Sunrise/Sunset, High/Low Tides, it has a lot of handy tools. It's even a great little MP3 Player and I can play music through the Blue Tooth or through a Stereo Blue Tooth (wireless) Headset...something I have not yet purchased because it's a communications device first and foremost, but I still have music loaded up on it...
It also has a really great set of stereo speakers built into it that sound very good!
Of course, it has a calendar, alarm clock and memos and it is also a Mass Storage Device like a USB Flash Drive you might carry on your keychain. Pretty cool tool!
Throughout my life, there have been many times when I needed that knife or flashlight or that pad and pencil or pen. You ever run into a long-lost acquaintance or friend and you have nothing to scribble their phone number or address on? I mean, with a wireless phone, you can input all of that and if you pay attention to your surroundings in your day to day life, you will see many people doing this. That's fine. It's easier, for me, to simply jot stuff down in a little pocket notepad and transfer it later to whatever storage area I wish to use.
Maybe you're passing by a new Sushi Restaurant or the new Asian Happy Wok is opening up down the street and you want to jot down the number. Maybe you are waiting for the Wife to exit the grocery store and you see something hinky going down (Police euphemism for "suspicious.") and you want to get a general description of person or persons involved, what they are doing and make model and approximate year of vehicle and a tag number. All things that are easier to do in seconds with a notepad and pen.
You might need the flashlight to do that as well, "hinky" happenings sometimes happen in low levels of light. Then you might need the wireless phone to call the police! See! Cross-pollenation of gear!
This is obviously not an all-inclusive list of things to carry every day, but just some random thoughts on some of them.
"Why are you carrying a weapon?"
There are many versions of that. Some quite stupid like asking why you are carrying "that sword" when it's just a folding pocketknife with a blade four inches or less.
"Is that thing legal?"
This has been discussed on various forums many, many times. This has been going on for quite some time. I hate to sound rude, crude and socially unacceptable, I know it is unpopular to have these thoughts and opinions and even more crass to voice them - but are people becoming more stupid? Some people would say that I am stupid for thinking such a thing.
Yet, it appears as though people really are becoming more stupid as the years wear on in this country. Someone asks you if you have a knife and then you produce one and hand it to them or cut something for them and then they ask you why you carry such a thing. I usually answer something like this: "To cut things that need to be cut, like you just needed something to be cut..." And the temptation to look at them immediately after you say that and contort your visage to resemble one of the hillbillies in "Deliverance" and allow a big and noisy "DUH!" to tumble out of my mouth is almost more than I can bear.
I know a lot of this has to do with the media, special interest groups and changing social norms and a host of other things, but, still...this is common sense! I am 42 years old and I feel as though I have more in common with George Carlin (RIP) than at any other point in my life. I used to think that Carlin was really hard on people and just made a lot of money making fun of people.
No, he really was on to something. I don't know how this country can flourish in the future with all of these stupid people running around.
Sometimes I need to cut something, so I carry a pocketknife.
Sometimes I need to write something down, so I tend to carry a Moleskine or a Rite-In-The-Rain Notebook, sometimes both.
Since characters don't generally appear on paper magically, I usually carry one or two pens as well. Imagine that!
"Time is of the essence." Well, sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. I usually carry a watch because when I want to know what time it is, I don't want to have to ask someone.
Simple.
Since there are many hours of the day that are actually late evening, early morning or nighttime, I generally carry a flashlight. Darkness is never more than a few hours away, right? Sooner or later, darkness will occur. I don't carry huge Maglite flashlights, but I generally carry a small pocket flashlight and/or a penlight. Why? To see stuff in the dark that needs to be seen. Even in the daylight, something falls behind the desk or something, a flashlight is a handy thing to have, is it not? Power might go out in a large building, you might need a light just so you can properly watch your step and not take a fall, etc.
"You sure do carry a lot of stuff. Why do you do that?"
Well, it just seems to be the intelligent thing for me to do.
Extra keys...my car only has one ignition. So, I only get to use one set at a time. That having been said, once in a while because of life's stresses or whatever, you can lock yourself out of something that you need to get back into. Locksmith calls can be very expensive. Having spare keys cut is a lot cheaper than one Locksmith call, let alone multiple calls over a period of time.
"Why do you carry an extra set of keys?"
Because spending $5.25 on an extra car key and door key for the home is a lot cheaper than ONE Locksmith call.
Yet, people just don't get it. They think it is stupid to do these things and I sit and scratch my head and think they are stupid for not carrying these simple items.
Everyone has a wallet, right? Well, on rare occasion, I see someone with a wad of assorted papers, some money and a beat-up Driver's License wrapped up with a rubber band or something. So, I guess we cannot even assume that everyone has a wallet. But most people do. Why? To carry stuff that needs to be carried. Most people tend to see the value in this but not in the other things I am talking about.
Cellphones (Errah, excuse me, "Wireless Phones."). I avoided them like the plague for years. I had friends who spent astronomical amounts of money on cellphone calls over the years and I simply refused to purchase one. Then I started working as a supervisor for a company and they issued me one for work. Then after I left that position, I went ahead and purchased my first cellphone. That was about five years ago. I actually made it to about 37 years old without owning one. There were other issues involved as well. Payphones began to disappear from the sub/urban landscape and those that were left in place seemed outrageously expensive.
I don't live with a wireless phone plastered to the side of my head and definitely not while driving. I use a Blue Tooth Device and I have for about three years now. Why? Seemed like the common sense thing to do. I observed all manner of idiocy on the roads with people using these marvelous little devices and I don't want to be an idiot, so I purchased a Blue Tooth. Simple, isn't it?
They are great and they can save your life or the life of someone else. I text very little with my wireless phone which also makes me decidedly un-hip, un-cool and pedestrian to some people. It's a good option to have for communications, I can see that and I utilize it at times. But it also seems stupid to have such awesome capabilities in a wireless device to simply use it in this manner constantly. It's a phone, after all, isn't it?
My little Casio Rock is a wireless phone with a lot of unique capabilities. It even has a very bright LED flashlight for a camera flash and the camera is not too shabby either! Compass, Thermometer, Sunrise/Sunset, High/Low Tides, it has a lot of handy tools. It's even a great little MP3 Player and I can play music through the Blue Tooth or through a Stereo Blue Tooth (wireless) Headset...something I have not yet purchased because it's a communications device first and foremost, but I still have music loaded up on it...
It also has a really great set of stereo speakers built into it that sound very good!
Of course, it has a calendar, alarm clock and memos and it is also a Mass Storage Device like a USB Flash Drive you might carry on your keychain. Pretty cool tool!
Throughout my life, there have been many times when I needed that knife or flashlight or that pad and pencil or pen. You ever run into a long-lost acquaintance or friend and you have nothing to scribble their phone number or address on? I mean, with a wireless phone, you can input all of that and if you pay attention to your surroundings in your day to day life, you will see many people doing this. That's fine. It's easier, for me, to simply jot stuff down in a little pocket notepad and transfer it later to whatever storage area I wish to use.
Maybe you're passing by a new Sushi Restaurant or the new Asian Happy Wok is opening up down the street and you want to jot down the number. Maybe you are waiting for the Wife to exit the grocery store and you see something hinky going down (Police euphemism for "suspicious.") and you want to get a general description of person or persons involved, what they are doing and make model and approximate year of vehicle and a tag number. All things that are easier to do in seconds with a notepad and pen.
You might need the flashlight to do that as well, "hinky" happenings sometimes happen in low levels of light. Then you might need the wireless phone to call the police! See! Cross-pollenation of gear!
This is obviously not an all-inclusive list of things to carry every day, but just some random thoughts on some of them.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Survival...Liberty...Everyday Life...
From time to time, you are going to see news (horror) stories like you see directly below this post. You know, claims that candy canes being sucked into miniaturized stabbing implements and Sharpies in a classroom bleeding through paper and onto a desk...and that these are not only cause for concern, but good reasons to potentially ruin the future of children who do not comply to the stinky directives of The Orwellian Overlords in Public Education.
I'm sorry, I really am. I do my level best not to write about politics on this blog. For the most part I have been victorious over my own desire to stick my Cyberthumb in the Cybereye of every maniacal bureaucratic control freak and looting-locust of the financial realm that I read about.
At a glance, it seems outside the realm of "survival." However, if you put a little more thought into it, you might see the link(s). Sometimes it is murky, but it is always there for those that wish to see the connection(s).
There are a few different ways to look at things. One way is to come to the conclusion that we are continuing to drift into a police state. Sure, it's mild right now, compared to the bloodbaths of Stalin, Pol Pot and Hitler, but that can change very, very quickly. Once the police state infrastructure is in place, you only have to accelerate it to achieve a nightmare.
All of these news stories, and many more that I don't post...every time a police officer uses a Taser and he or she doesn't really have to...every, single abuse of American Citizens from the local or federal government down to the credit card and banking industries...these are all signposts on the road to ruin we are currently on. And that is what we have to survive.
That's why you will occasionally see these stories. Avoid these places and people like the plague they are. If you happen to meet one of them in conversation, don't engage them. Nod your head in whatever manner you believe will sate them and simply hold them in contempt as you walk away.
Sun Tzu stated that all warfare is based on deception. True, that. Similarly, every day life is also fast becoming a proving ground for all manner of deception.
To be blunt, now is not the time to enagage every mindless Bushbot or Obamatron about what you really think. Keep it to yourself. The people running all levels of government and most of the private sector are crooked enough to sleep in a trumpet. There is a power in knowing that. Am I being paranoid? Well, here is just one example. Congressman Charles Rangel wasn't expelled from The U.S. House of Representatives and he was the guy writing tax laws while he was breaking them. Go figure. That's just one example and there are many, many more.
I really don't think it's going to get any better in this country. I think this is it, you're looking at the long slide into Banana Republic corruption and mediocrity or something much more sinister. Only time will tell.
I'm sorry, I really am. I do my level best not to write about politics on this blog. For the most part I have been victorious over my own desire to stick my Cyberthumb in the Cybereye of every maniacal bureaucratic control freak and looting-locust of the financial realm that I read about.
At a glance, it seems outside the realm of "survival." However, if you put a little more thought into it, you might see the link(s). Sometimes it is murky, but it is always there for those that wish to see the connection(s).
There are a few different ways to look at things. One way is to come to the conclusion that we are continuing to drift into a police state. Sure, it's mild right now, compared to the bloodbaths of Stalin, Pol Pot and Hitler, but that can change very, very quickly. Once the police state infrastructure is in place, you only have to accelerate it to achieve a nightmare.
All of these news stories, and many more that I don't post...every time a police officer uses a Taser and he or she doesn't really have to...every, single abuse of American Citizens from the local or federal government down to the credit card and banking industries...these are all signposts on the road to ruin we are currently on. And that is what we have to survive.
That's why you will occasionally see these stories. Avoid these places and people like the plague they are. If you happen to meet one of them in conversation, don't engage them. Nod your head in whatever manner you believe will sate them and simply hold them in contempt as you walk away.
Sun Tzu stated that all warfare is based on deception. True, that. Similarly, every day life is also fast becoming a proving ground for all manner of deception.
To be blunt, now is not the time to enagage every mindless Bushbot or Obamatron about what you really think. Keep it to yourself. The people running all levels of government and most of the private sector are crooked enough to sleep in a trumpet. There is a power in knowing that. Am I being paranoid? Well, here is just one example. Congressman Charles Rangel wasn't expelled from The U.S. House of Representatives and he was the guy writing tax laws while he was breaking them. Go figure. That's just one example and there are many, many more.
I really don't think it's going to get any better in this country. I think this is it, you're looking at the long slide into Banana Republic corruption and mediocrity or something much more sinister. Only time will tell.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
13 Year Old Boy Sent To Juvenile Holding Facility by Teacher and Cop For Sharpie Marker Possession...
Two days ago. The teacher made a Citizen's Arrest and the police honored it and took custody of the child.
This brave educator needs to come to Baltimore City Public Schools, we could really use someone that will stand up to these ruffians!
Of course, she would last about three hours in (C)Harm City before they transported her and she wouldn't be going to a holding cell, she would be going to Shock Trauma.
And...we know she wouldn't stand up to someone in the good old inner cities of this country and try this stuff.
Link.
This brave educator needs to come to Baltimore City Public Schools, we could really use someone that will stand up to these ruffians!
Of course, she would last about three hours in (C)Harm City before they transported her and she wouldn't be going to a holding cell, she would be going to Shock Trauma.
And...we know she wouldn't stand up to someone in the good old inner cities of this country and try this stuff.
Link.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
You thought the teacher that wanted to ban pencils was bad? Candy Canes...can you believe this?
There are three main areas that the smart person should never enter:
1. Courtrooms
2. Airports
3. Public Schools
We all know that an absolutely great way to be sodomized is to enter a courtroom, it's a given.
For men, the airport might be a great place to go in the future. You might be able to get your prostate examined by a government buffoon while they make sure you don't have some sort of assbomb up there.
Schools...
Schools...
Schools...
HAYMARKET, Va. (WUSA) -- They call themselves the "Christmas Sweater Club" because they wear the craziest ones they can find...
"They said, 'maliciously maim students with the intent to injure.' And I don't think any of us here intentionally meant to injure anyone, or did," said Zakk Rhine, a junior at Battlefield High School.
The boys say they were just tossing small two-inch candy canes to fellow students as they entered school. The ones in plastic wrap that are so small they often break apart.
Skylar Torbett, also a junior, said administrators told him, "They said the candy canes are weapons because you can sharpen them with your mouth and stab people with them." He said neither he nor any of their friend did that.
...Their disciplinary notices say nothing about malicious wounding but about littering and creating a disturbance.
"It was at 7 in the morning, before school even starts, so I don't what we'd be really disrupting," said Cameron Gleason, also a junior.
The boys' parents think the school went overboard and maybe administrators were trying to stop their boys from spreading Christmas cheer.
Mother Kathleen Flannery said an administrator called her and explained "not everyone wants Christmas cheer. That suicide rates are up over Christmas, and that they should keep their cheer to themselves, perhaps."
Source: Click here.
Now, I could really have a grand time writing about this one, but I just don't feel like it. It doesn't matter if the people running this school think a candy cane can be sucked into a dangerous point or if they just did this to take a dump on Christmas, either way...there is a word for these people - self-censored.
I remember several years ago, forums and websites dedicated to gun ownership and self-defense - screaming for teachers to be armed. You must be joking.
1. Courtrooms
2. Airports
3. Public Schools
We all know that an absolutely great way to be sodomized is to enter a courtroom, it's a given.
For men, the airport might be a great place to go in the future. You might be able to get your prostate examined by a government buffoon while they make sure you don't have some sort of assbomb up there.
Schools...
Schools...
Schools...
HAYMARKET, Va. (WUSA) -- They call themselves the "Christmas Sweater Club" because they wear the craziest ones they can find...
"They said, 'maliciously maim students with the intent to injure.' And I don't think any of us here intentionally meant to injure anyone, or did," said Zakk Rhine, a junior at Battlefield High School.
The boys say they were just tossing small two-inch candy canes to fellow students as they entered school. The ones in plastic wrap that are so small they often break apart.
Skylar Torbett, also a junior, said administrators told him, "They said the candy canes are weapons because you can sharpen them with your mouth and stab people with them." He said neither he nor any of their friend did that.
...Their disciplinary notices say nothing about malicious wounding but about littering and creating a disturbance.
"It was at 7 in the morning, before school even starts, so I don't what we'd be really disrupting," said Cameron Gleason, also a junior.
The boys' parents think the school went overboard and maybe administrators were trying to stop their boys from spreading Christmas cheer.
Mother Kathleen Flannery said an administrator called her and explained "not everyone wants Christmas cheer. That suicide rates are up over Christmas, and that they should keep their cheer to themselves, perhaps."
Source: Click here.
Now, I could really have a grand time writing about this one, but I just don't feel like it. It doesn't matter if the people running this school think a candy cane can be sucked into a dangerous point or if they just did this to take a dump on Christmas, either way...there is a word for these people - self-censored.
I remember several years ago, forums and websites dedicated to gun ownership and self-defense - screaming for teachers to be armed. You must be joking.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
A Nation of Cowards
If you want to see the tyrannical philosophy that has fueled the gun control movement, examine the words of former Attorney General Ramsey Clark...
"Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark calls gun ownership an insult to America: 'A state in which a citizen needs a gun to protect himself from crime has failed to perform its first purpose.' Clark denounces this kind of society as a return to barbarism, and anarchy, 'a jungle where each relies on himself for survival.'"
Here is the source for that excerpt.
A human being that does not rely on themselves for survival has a name - "victim." There is another name for such a person - "fool."
Please read this: A Nation of Cowards.
"Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark calls gun ownership an insult to America: 'A state in which a citizen needs a gun to protect himself from crime has failed to perform its first purpose.' Clark denounces this kind of society as a return to barbarism, and anarchy, 'a jungle where each relies on himself for survival.'"
Here is the source for that excerpt.
A human being that does not rely on themselves for survival has a name - "victim." There is another name for such a person - "fool."
Please read this: A Nation of Cowards.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Man Who Said No To Wal-Mart
This article is always worth re-reading. For those first timers among us, well, enjoy it for the first time!
The Man Who Said No To Wal-Mart.
The Man Who Said No To Wal-Mart.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Three Penlights...
When I was a little kid, the moment the Pediatrician shined the penlight in my eyes, I was hooked! What's not to like? Well, back then, penlights were mostly disposable affairs, use them until they were used up and chuck them in the trash. Of course, there were units that used 2-AA batteries but they were sort of clunky and didn't last long. I had a couple good ones though, always seemed to lose them or someone would hijack my handy penlight, never to be seen again.
About three years ago, I was in some store and spied this Energizer battery display. Energizer was now making a penlight, say it isn't so! Long-life LED, so far, so good. I gave one a spin for about $9.00 and it turned out to be an awesome penlight. The only drawback was the exposed LED, but that was a small complaint for the tradeoff of having a 2-AAA battery powered LED penlight!
Then I found them at AutoZone for about $6.00. These are probably the best "stash lights" for glove compartments, between the seat console storage and visors you can get. Nichia LEDs have been overshadowed in the constant search for more power (CREE!) in the LED world but it is still a solid performer, to say the least. It has some scatter so it is more of a flood than a spot but it's a great buy. The Energizer penlight provides more than enough light for various types of emergencies or simply finding your way around in a power outage, etc.
A couple years ago, Wal-Mart was selling a single-AAA penlight, obviously shorter, I think the manufacturer was Ray-O-Vac. What a total waste of money. I think I bought two of them on sale for like $2.25 each and they were totally worthless devices.
Dorcy has a 2-AAA penlight which was rather disappointing at first. It appeared to be built better than the great Energizer penlight but the switch seemed a bit unreliable. After clicking it a bunch of times, screwing around with it, it has become more reliable. I guess there is a break-in period for them. I have no idea.
I don't remember where I purchased the Dorcy but it is a solid light and similar to the Energizer. It has a shielded LED unlike the Energizer. Output is roughly the same. A good deal if you can find them. I saw one and purchased it and have not found any more since.
Then, while waiting for my wife to get done wading through sale items at Target, I spied a Coast Lenser Brand penlight, branded with the name EDDIE BAUER. Never was into the whole Eddie Bauer thing...
This penlight also uses two-AAA batteries and has a protected LED and a lens to focus the light into more of a spot as opposed to the flood of the other penlights mentioned.
I think it was about $12.00 which is a bit pricey for what it is...you can usually pick up two of the Energizer penlights for the cost of one of the Lenser Brands.
All penlights mentioned have pocket clips and the Lenser also has a small, triangular metal ring for attaching a lanyard.
Something so simple and stupid as a good flashlight can make the difference between life and death in some situations. But, in most situations, it's not life and death but perhaps an injury or being able to repair something better and faster.
Like all modern LED flashlights, the LED will last between 50,000 and 100,000 hours, depending on the type of LED and all of them sip power. LEDs that might be considered power hogs are nothing compared to regular flashlight lamps/bulbs.
You get so much more bang for your buck out of the batteries with these things, it's amazing. You save money, less chance of having to change a battery in the middle of something, the advantages are many.
Dirt cheap, the batteries last many times longer than more conventional flashlights. The output is excellent and the handiness of penlights is just great.
The Energizer penlights are so cheap, you can afford to dedicate one in the driver's area of the car, one in a survival kit, one in the first aid kit, the list is endless.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Julian Assange Attempting to Play Hardball...
It's interesting to note that most of the jingoistic rockheads on talk radio have cited the fact that Julian Assange put people's lives at risk by releasing the documents that he has collected. Apparently, he held back at least some of the information as "insurance" against being set up, etc., so...I don't know who is telling the truth but it appears as though he is.
Here is the story as of right now.
My question is, how in the hell can Americans be ranting about arresting this man for "treason" when he is not an American Citizen...eh? I mean...I know there are a lot of stupid people...but damn!
Well, I've heard enough idiots on talk radio and C-SPAN's Washington Journal to really answer my own question. I guess in what passes for the minds of extremely jingoistic people, ANYONE that doesn't agree with us is guilty of "treason."
I guess Mike Judge is a genius.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
New York Times Article on "Knife Rights."
The article is titled, "Pushing a Right to Bear Arms, the Sharp Kind."
As with firearms, knives have no friends in the major media. This is a pretty tame piece considering it is The New York Times.
Doug Ritter of Knife Rights Dot Org sent this out in E-mail today.
You can find the article here.
Doug Ritter needs all of the help he can get. It's a noble cause, trying to keep The United States from morphing into The United Kingdom. Some "Americans" seem to be breaking their backs to change this country into the very country we ran from over two centuries ago. I wish all of the "Americans" that want our country to be like other countries would simply move to the countries they so admire. Then we could get on with the business of being Americans instead of a bunch of wishy-washy milksops that a good number of people here apparently want to be. Terrified of their own shadow, fearful of everything except that which they should really be scared of.
As with firearms, knives have no friends in the major media. This is a pretty tame piece considering it is The New York Times.
Doug Ritter of Knife Rights Dot Org sent this out in E-mail today.
You can find the article here.
Doug Ritter needs all of the help he can get. It's a noble cause, trying to keep The United States from morphing into The United Kingdom. Some "Americans" seem to be breaking their backs to change this country into the very country we ran from over two centuries ago. I wish all of the "Americans" that want our country to be like other countries would simply move to the countries they so admire. Then we could get on with the business of being Americans instead of a bunch of wishy-washy milksops that a good number of people here apparently want to be. Terrified of their own shadow, fearful of everything except that which they should really be scared of.
"Lake Effect" Snowstorm strands hundreds for hours in New York State
"Jack Geiselman, who was stranded for 14 hours in 32-degree weather, took it all in stride.
'I tend not to be a ranter-and-raver about things and the point is, it's nothing I have any control over,' the 60-year-old semi-retired civil engineer said. 'I guess the way I look at it is, it's over. I guess stuff happens. It's not the end of the world.'
Geiselman was traveling in a Honda Civic from Keene, N.Y., to Cleveland with his black lab Boomer to help his daughter get her house ready for a baby due between Christmas and New Year. He had with him a sleeping bag and plenty of warm clothing and gas. He said state troopers came by with coffee and food for people in cars."
Source.
Everyone should have a survival kit in their vehicle. It was great that NYS Troopers were able to provide food and warm beverages to people...but what if they had not been able to do so? If the storm had been worse, this could have turned out much worse.
The great thing is, you don't have to expend a lot of money to have a pretty good survival kit in your vehicle. Because you won't be hiking around in the wilderness, you can get by with a lot of cheap Wal-Mart gear in reality. A couple cheap Wal-Mart sleeping bags which would not fare too well out in the wilderness, or even many trips to the local campground, will do just fine to keep you warm and relatively safe.
'I tend not to be a ranter-and-raver about things and the point is, it's nothing I have any control over,' the 60-year-old semi-retired civil engineer said. 'I guess the way I look at it is, it's over. I guess stuff happens. It's not the end of the world.'
Geiselman was traveling in a Honda Civic from Keene, N.Y., to Cleveland with his black lab Boomer to help his daughter get her house ready for a baby due between Christmas and New Year. He had with him a sleeping bag and plenty of warm clothing and gas. He said state troopers came by with coffee and food for people in cars."
Source.
Everyone should have a survival kit in their vehicle. It was great that NYS Troopers were able to provide food and warm beverages to people...but what if they had not been able to do so? If the storm had been worse, this could have turned out much worse.
The great thing is, you don't have to expend a lot of money to have a pretty good survival kit in your vehicle. Because you won't be hiking around in the wilderness, you can get by with a lot of cheap Wal-Mart gear in reality. A couple cheap Wal-Mart sleeping bags which would not fare too well out in the wilderness, or even many trips to the local campground, will do just fine to keep you warm and relatively safe.
Friday, December 3, 2010
How long can they hold together and lie?
The Labor Department released bad numbers this morning. 39,000 jobs created when they expected at least three times as many. Approximately 9.8% unemployment - but anyone who has been following this knows that the government, at the core, can not and will not tell the truth - when someone goes off of unemployment, they are no longer counted as "unemployed." Nice, huh? Unemployment is probably closer to 20% than 10%, some say more. Who do you believe? I mean, if you believe the government, you should have to wear a Scarlet "S" for "SUCKER."
How much longer can they keep things going with the constant lying?
"Things fall apart the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned." ~ Yeats
Innocence was sacrificed on the Altar of Globalism years ago.
How much longer can they keep things going with the constant lying?
"Things fall apart the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned." ~ Yeats
Innocence was sacrificed on the Altar of Globalism years ago.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Julian Assange: Told You So...
Don't mess with the moneyboys. Interpol actually blew several millimeters of dust off of its laughable badge and they're coming for you, too.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
WikiLeaks from the WikiSneaks...
Well, the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, is promising to drop another bomb on the world, this time he is going to lay bare a bunch of internal memos from a major U.S. Bank. Yes, you will be able to find out how one major bank operates from their secret, internal memos and you will also find out what they think about you - consumer.
If he thinks he is in danger because of what he has done in the past, wait until he paints a Bull's-Eye on himself going after the moneyboys.
What does this have to do with "survival?" My friends, it is our world, quaking all around us, it matters.
If he thinks he is in danger because of what he has done in the past, wait until he paints a Bull's-Eye on himself going after the moneyboys.
What does this have to do with "survival?" My friends, it is our world, quaking all around us, it matters.
6th Grade Teacher Attempts to Ban Pencils and Pens...
"Wendy Scott, a teacher of at North Brookfield Elementary School in Massachusetts, tried to ban pencils and pens in her classroom. It's completely ridiculous because you sorta need them to do schoolwork and because it's just a freaking pencil and pen.
Students would no longer be allowed to bring writing implements to school. It said pencils would be provided for students in class and any students caught with pencils or pens after Nov. 15 would face disciplinary action for having materials 'to build weapons.'"
Attribution: Gizmodo.
There were a couple of hot threads over on EDC Forums about the TSA arresting someone for carrying a writing instrument that they had on their paranoid watch list of items to be confiscated. You see, if a writing instrument is marketed as a self-defense weapon, Big Daddy Government won't let you fly with it. You understand, slave?
I have always maintained that if they are going to do that, then all writing instruments should be banned from flights because targeting and acting upon only those pens with "tactical" marketing hype is just cosmetic. It's meaningless. So, in a way, this teacher is much more sane than the people at TSA who decide what is "OK" and what is to be banned. I disagree with this teacher's desire to ban pens and pencils from her classroom, but I have to say, at least she realizes that all rigid writing instruments can be weaponized. Even in the hands of a maniacal child.
There are Patents you can search for, for rubberized writing instruments that were developed with an eye towards use in prisons and other restrictive environments. Perhaps TSA should just ban everything except these types of pens and then they could get kickbacks from the airport kiosks that sell only Government/TSA Approved writing instruments.
I mean, they did that with bottled water for a time. Must have been a wonderful time to own a airport kiosk peddling water at scalper's prices.
Oh yeah, let's make shoes checked luggage only as well and issue Government Approved flip-flops. Outstanding!
I'm just being sarcastic...about some of it. This country is scared of its own shadow now, how sad. Terrified of the world around it and desperately trying to control it and more fearful of the Citizenry than terrorists and illegal aliens. Sad days.
Students would no longer be allowed to bring writing implements to school. It said pencils would be provided for students in class and any students caught with pencils or pens after Nov. 15 would face disciplinary action for having materials 'to build weapons.'"
Attribution: Gizmodo.
There were a couple of hot threads over on EDC Forums about the TSA arresting someone for carrying a writing instrument that they had on their paranoid watch list of items to be confiscated. You see, if a writing instrument is marketed as a self-defense weapon, Big Daddy Government won't let you fly with it. You understand, slave?
I have always maintained that if they are going to do that, then all writing instruments should be banned from flights because targeting and acting upon only those pens with "tactical" marketing hype is just cosmetic. It's meaningless. So, in a way, this teacher is much more sane than the people at TSA who decide what is "OK" and what is to be banned. I disagree with this teacher's desire to ban pens and pencils from her classroom, but I have to say, at least she realizes that all rigid writing instruments can be weaponized. Even in the hands of a maniacal child.
There are Patents you can search for, for rubberized writing instruments that were developed with an eye towards use in prisons and other restrictive environments. Perhaps TSA should just ban everything except these types of pens and then they could get kickbacks from the airport kiosks that sell only Government/TSA Approved writing instruments.
I mean, they did that with bottled water for a time. Must have been a wonderful time to own a airport kiosk peddling water at scalper's prices.
Oh yeah, let's make shoes checked luggage only as well and issue Government Approved flip-flops. Outstanding!
I'm just being sarcastic...about some of it. This country is scared of its own shadow now, how sad. Terrified of the world around it and desperately trying to control it and more fearful of the Citizenry than terrorists and illegal aliens. Sad days.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Not Survival Gear, just some good memories from 1986-1987...
I once spent almost a year living in a rural area, in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. I have a love for Appalachia that I cannot even find the words to properly express.
I was staying at my half-sister's house and all I had to do was walk out the back door and I could disappear in one minute. If I walked out the front door, I could be gone like a ghost in five minutes.
I used to walk up near the top of the mountain and sit with my brother-in-law's old, beat-up bolt action .22 rifle and plink to my heart's content. No law enforcement contact from wacked-out, crazed, paranoid, busy-body "neighbors," no SWAT Call-Out, just peace and relaxation.
Being around people who are okay with guns is a wonderful experience. It's the most stupid thing in our urban areas. People being terrified of guns and knives.
My half-sister fixed "spaghetti" one time. I remember there were plenty of leftovers and she put them in this sickly, light-lime green Tupperware container. It must have been the designated "spaghetti" container because it was stained so bad you could never get the reddish coloration out of it. Her idea of "spaghetti" was really interesting. She would fry up some ground beef and then when it was done, she would just dump a jar of the cheapest spaghetti sauce into it. Drain the grease? No way! The cooked ground beef was in a puddle of hot grease and she didn't drain any of it off, just slopped the sauce in there and then cooked the noodles and then dumped the whole skillet full of grease and sauce and meat into the larger pot of spaghetti noodles.
It was enough to make your stomach churn...I asked her another time what we were having for dinner and she said, "Spaghetti." I started feeling sick as soon as she said it. Off to the woods! Two squirrels shot, start a fire, cleaned them and then cooked them right over the fire.
Now, some people would probably call me an "ingrate" because of this...but I don't care. I mean, terrible cooking is terrible cooking. Are you supposed to be grateful for eating that kind of stuff? I mean, this woman was such a terrible cook, she almost fried bacon in lard. Lard was like a food group to her.
Yet...for that short period of time in my life, it was one of the best. Not because of anything she did or did not do, but because of things I was able to do.
The water at the house was so terrible, so sulphurous you could not drink it. When you ran a bath, it, too, made you sick to your stomach because it was like bathing in rotten eggs. So, I had to get used to that, which was no small feat. Being funky with body odor was almost a breath of fresh air compared to that. The water didn't just smell bad, it was really bad when heated by a hot water heater.
We had to go to a spring and fill water jugs for drinking, coffee and everything else that required potable water. Carrying a lot of water long distances is work, man.
Chopping up wood, splitting it, splitting some up fine for kindling, all work but all enjoyable. Going down on the "four-lane" and picking up chunks of coal on the side of the road, the fall-out from passing coal trucks, also enjoyable in its own way. Working to get your water, working to get your heat. All things that everyone should experience in their life.
Eating Rattlesnake that you killed, cooking it over an open fire - priceless!
Lying down in a ramshackle lean-to and watching the sun go down into the trees and then disappear as the mountain blocks it out and feeling the chill settle in on a warm Autumn day - priceless.
I was just outside a few minutes ago at 3:15 and the manmade mountains blocked the wandering sun out in the same way, the chill creeps in, but it's just not the same.
This is what I would like to have in what Ronald Reagan referred to as the sunset of his life.
"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life, I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."
Only the most optimistic among us, and children, really believe that now. But it was beautiful back in the mid-1990s when he wrote it out. Very eloquent Man, no wonder they called him "The Great Communicator."
A joke that went sour once the media found out about it all bounced off of The Teflon President. On August 11, 1984 - "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes..." We were not on the brink of nuclear war but the Soviets were not too amused by the joke that was never supposed to be recorded. Or...did he intend to do just that? I've oftentimes wondered if he did.
Two years and two months later, almost to the day, Reagan walked out of the summit at Reykjavik, Iceland.
But I digress...
But, for now, I think back to not being able to get a metal five gallon paint bucket to use as a hobo stove like I had back home and I had to settle for a five pound Maxwell House Coffee can instead.
Warm...maybe I will write more tonight...
I was staying at my half-sister's house and all I had to do was walk out the back door and I could disappear in one minute. If I walked out the front door, I could be gone like a ghost in five minutes.
I used to walk up near the top of the mountain and sit with my brother-in-law's old, beat-up bolt action .22 rifle and plink to my heart's content. No law enforcement contact from wacked-out, crazed, paranoid, busy-body "neighbors," no SWAT Call-Out, just peace and relaxation.
Being around people who are okay with guns is a wonderful experience. It's the most stupid thing in our urban areas. People being terrified of guns and knives.
My half-sister fixed "spaghetti" one time. I remember there were plenty of leftovers and she put them in this sickly, light-lime green Tupperware container. It must have been the designated "spaghetti" container because it was stained so bad you could never get the reddish coloration out of it. Her idea of "spaghetti" was really interesting. She would fry up some ground beef and then when it was done, she would just dump a jar of the cheapest spaghetti sauce into it. Drain the grease? No way! The cooked ground beef was in a puddle of hot grease and she didn't drain any of it off, just slopped the sauce in there and then cooked the noodles and then dumped the whole skillet full of grease and sauce and meat into the larger pot of spaghetti noodles.
It was enough to make your stomach churn...I asked her another time what we were having for dinner and she said, "Spaghetti." I started feeling sick as soon as she said it. Off to the woods! Two squirrels shot, start a fire, cleaned them and then cooked them right over the fire.
Now, some people would probably call me an "ingrate" because of this...but I don't care. I mean, terrible cooking is terrible cooking. Are you supposed to be grateful for eating that kind of stuff? I mean, this woman was such a terrible cook, she almost fried bacon in lard. Lard was like a food group to her.
Yet...for that short period of time in my life, it was one of the best. Not because of anything she did or did not do, but because of things I was able to do.
The water at the house was so terrible, so sulphurous you could not drink it. When you ran a bath, it, too, made you sick to your stomach because it was like bathing in rotten eggs. So, I had to get used to that, which was no small feat. Being funky with body odor was almost a breath of fresh air compared to that. The water didn't just smell bad, it was really bad when heated by a hot water heater.
We had to go to a spring and fill water jugs for drinking, coffee and everything else that required potable water. Carrying a lot of water long distances is work, man.
Chopping up wood, splitting it, splitting some up fine for kindling, all work but all enjoyable. Going down on the "four-lane" and picking up chunks of coal on the side of the road, the fall-out from passing coal trucks, also enjoyable in its own way. Working to get your water, working to get your heat. All things that everyone should experience in their life.
Eating Rattlesnake that you killed, cooking it over an open fire - priceless!
Lying down in a ramshackle lean-to and watching the sun go down into the trees and then disappear as the mountain blocks it out and feeling the chill settle in on a warm Autumn day - priceless.
I was just outside a few minutes ago at 3:15 and the manmade mountains blocked the wandering sun out in the same way, the chill creeps in, but it's just not the same.
This is what I would like to have in what Ronald Reagan referred to as the sunset of his life.
"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life, I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."
Only the most optimistic among us, and children, really believe that now. But it was beautiful back in the mid-1990s when he wrote it out. Very eloquent Man, no wonder they called him "The Great Communicator."
A joke that went sour once the media found out about it all bounced off of The Teflon President. On August 11, 1984 - "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes..." We were not on the brink of nuclear war but the Soviets were not too amused by the joke that was never supposed to be recorded. Or...did he intend to do just that? I've oftentimes wondered if he did.
Two years and two months later, almost to the day, Reagan walked out of the summit at Reykjavik, Iceland.
But I digress...
But, for now, I think back to not being able to get a metal five gallon paint bucket to use as a hobo stove like I had back home and I had to settle for a five pound Maxwell House Coffee can instead.
Warm...maybe I will write more tonight...
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
"Quantitative-Easing..."
"Warning, this is all part of the Fed’s ongoing Ponzi scheme to bail Wall Street out of the destructive subprime decisions that sank the economy in 2008. Bernanke’s latest Ponzi scheme will soon backfire, this time bringing down the economy again, further reducing the retirement savings of America’s 95 million investors." Link.
The Duct Tape Wallet
Well, the U.S. Dollar has been devalued again. This duct tape wallet seems to be the perfect public housing unit for it.
Seriously though, this is a cool thing to learn to make. You can get ideas to make other things from it.
And, hey, it seems fitting that your devalued dollars should go into a wallet made out of duct tape instead of some high dollar Gucci wallet.
Seriously though, this is a cool thing to learn to make. You can get ideas to make other things from it.
And, hey, it seems fitting that your devalued dollars should go into a wallet made out of duct tape instead of some high dollar Gucci wallet.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The Purse Game Net
So, when I was a teenager, The Brigade Quartermaster's Catalog, The Parallax Corporation and U.S. Cavalry were the big wish books, right?
In The Brigade Quartermaster's Catalog, on the same page with the Thompson Steel Snares and British Brass Wire Snares was something called a "Purse Game Net." (Also known as a "Ferreting Net.")
There was no description as to how this marvelous device was supposed to work but I always wanted a few of them and never got around to ordering any.
So, folks that hunt with ferrets use these purse nets and they stake them out in front of a rabbit hole. Actually, they use multiple nets on multiple (escape) holes. They run the ferret down a rabbit hole and the rabbit is flushed from hiding and runs into a staked out purse game net which is basically a net with a drawstring. The fellow hunting with the ferret then goes up and kills the rabbit.
Dinner!
I didn't know any of this as a teenager. I even had an old hunting book that was massive and even though it covered Falconry and Ferreting, it had nothing about using a net like this in the Ferreting section.
It's pretty easy to see how a half dozen of these Purse Game Nets could net you a lot of food, pardon the pun. They would weigh absolutely nothing and take up hardly any space at all.
I guess you could also spread them out on small game runs and then stake them so you get the same effect. Then you could scare up some dinner, literally, and then go up and take care of business once you caught one.
Here is a good page on how to set them up.
And, here is a page on how to make your own. Sitting around the house or even out in the woods, this would probably make me pull my hair out. For those of you who are incredibly patient, you might want to try that out.
I need to order a dozen of these purse game nets to go along with the rest of my food procurement equipment.
In The Brigade Quartermaster's Catalog, on the same page with the Thompson Steel Snares and British Brass Wire Snares was something called a "Purse Game Net." (Also known as a "Ferreting Net.")
There was no description as to how this marvelous device was supposed to work but I always wanted a few of them and never got around to ordering any.
So, folks that hunt with ferrets use these purse nets and they stake them out in front of a rabbit hole. Actually, they use multiple nets on multiple (escape) holes. They run the ferret down a rabbit hole and the rabbit is flushed from hiding and runs into a staked out purse game net which is basically a net with a drawstring. The fellow hunting with the ferret then goes up and kills the rabbit.
Dinner!
I didn't know any of this as a teenager. I even had an old hunting book that was massive and even though it covered Falconry and Ferreting, it had nothing about using a net like this in the Ferreting section.
It's pretty easy to see how a half dozen of these Purse Game Nets could net you a lot of food, pardon the pun. They would weigh absolutely nothing and take up hardly any space at all.
I guess you could also spread them out on small game runs and then stake them so you get the same effect. Then you could scare up some dinner, literally, and then go up and take care of business once you caught one.
Here is a good page on how to set them up.
And, here is a page on how to make your own. Sitting around the house or even out in the woods, this would probably make me pull my hair out. For those of you who are incredibly patient, you might want to try that out.
I need to order a dozen of these purse game nets to go along with the rest of my food procurement equipment.
Don't Feed The Bears: What Really Happened To Timothy Treadwell...
I know that Werner Herzog plays fast and loose with facts but his film, "Grizzly Man" about the life and death of Timothy Treadwell is really worth a viewing for anyone interested in outdoor survival. If for no other reason, you should see what happens when you act stupid in the wilderness around bears.
Here is an excellent article for you to read, The Timothy Treadwell Incident: A Full Report and Examination.
Here is an excellent article for you to read, The Timothy Treadwell Incident: A Full Report and Examination.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
I was going through my links list...
because over time, people lose interest in their websites or they don't have the money to continue them and they die off. The links then go to some unsavory place and I try to clean up the links I have by visiting them.
I checked Opa City this morning, which is a Urban Exploration website, and it is active. As I was going through some of the first page... Man! We used to have a lot of mental hospitals in this country!
I guess most of the people released by changes in laws about involuntary psychiatric committment now run the TSA.
I checked Opa City this morning, which is a Urban Exploration website, and it is active. As I was going through some of the first page... Man! We used to have a lot of mental hospitals in this country!
I guess most of the people released by changes in laws about involuntary psychiatric committment now run the TSA.
More Resources...
The Doan Firestarter remains one of the best pieces of equipment the outdoorsman can have, period.
Another good resource is Four Seasons Survival, they have been in the business for a long time.
Possibly the best Survival Wire Saw you can get, Bestway also has coping and hacksaw blade versions of their saw.
I picked one of these up from Jeff Randall a couple years ago, you can get yourself The Original Dog Tag Knife from their website.
The Pocket Survival Kit in a tobacco tin, the best one, from Penrith Survival, accept no substitutes!
Another good resource is Four Seasons Survival, they have been in the business for a long time.
Possibly the best Survival Wire Saw you can get, Bestway also has coping and hacksaw blade versions of their saw.
I picked one of these up from Jeff Randall a couple years ago, you can get yourself The Original Dog Tag Knife from their website.
The Pocket Survival Kit in a tobacco tin, the best one, from Penrith Survival, accept no substitutes!
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Rip-Off Mortgage: Walk Away
An interesting read can be found here.
There is a reason why I didn't take out an ARM in the mid-1990s even though I was offered that multiple times. I can't believe people sometimes. I can't believe the people involved on both sides of this fiasco.
It's an old article, but it's still timely.
There is a reason why I didn't take out an ARM in the mid-1990s even though I was offered that multiple times. I can't believe people sometimes. I can't believe the people involved on both sides of this fiasco.
It's an old article, but it's still timely.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
PBS Frontline: Secret History of The Credit Card
Well worth the read. You can find the article right here.
Cut your cards up unless you absolutely need one. Get out of debt now, it's not going to get any better.
Cut your cards up unless you absolutely need one. Get out of debt now, it's not going to get any better.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Vagabond Journey Dot Com
Here at the Survival Lab, we (Meaning, "me.") want you to be safe and happy! 8-)
Even if you are not a world traveler, you can get a lot of wisdom from those who do.
Here is yet another interesting site for you to peruse.
Even if you are not a world traveler, you can get a lot of wisdom from those who do.
Here is yet another interesting site for you to peruse.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Another Excellent Thread...One Man's Tornado Shelter...
Also to be found over on AR-15.com. This is really a great thread! You can find it right here.
You wonder why flashlights are important?
This is a Copperhead (Latin name, stepponus, bite-your-footus) I could have stepped on had someone not smashed it with a vehicle. In the "dark" picture, it is illuminated with a Energizer Brand Penlight. A terrific buy at your local AutoZone for about $6.00 or $7.00! The inferior picture was taken with a Motorola Razor cellphone, for the record.
I went back and took another picture when the sun came up, opossums or racoons had their way with the carcass so there wasn't much to look at it after that but does show the stunningly beautiful coloration that a Copperhead has.
And, this is a pretty big Copperhead, too. The ones I have run into in the past have never been much more than 14 inches long.
I went back and took another picture when the sun came up, opossums or racoons had their way with the carcass so there wasn't much to look at it after that but does show the stunningly beautiful coloration that a Copperhead has.
And, this is a pretty big Copperhead, too. The ones I have run into in the past have never been much more than 14 inches long.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Leave Venomous Snakes Alone...
This is an incredible, eye-opening page. This young man did not "play" with a Rattlesnake, he was not messing around with it at all. It was just an unfortunate incident and sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can become involved in an unfortunate, life-altering event. Justin was lucky. Check out his website and make sure you click on the links to his pictures. You can find them here.
Rattlesnakes are quite tasty and they are a very real survival food source. You are advised, however, to have the means to kill them instantly and from a safe distance. A six-feet long hiking staff will put the instant death strike to the Rattlesnake, to be sure. A Ruger MkII .22LR handgun or 10/22 .22LR will do nicely as will a classic Smith & Wesson Kit Gun.
Here is a rather amusing page, I like the way this person thinks although I prefer my Rattlesnake roasted over an open campfire.
Reject The Rattlesnake Lobby who believe Rattlesnake proliferation is something to be desired. If you have them on your property, by all means, kill them. Side benefit is, they taste good. Be careful and have fun.
Rattlesnakes are quite tasty and they are a very real survival food source. You are advised, however, to have the means to kill them instantly and from a safe distance. A six-feet long hiking staff will put the instant death strike to the Rattlesnake, to be sure. A Ruger MkII .22LR handgun or 10/22 .22LR will do nicely as will a classic Smith & Wesson Kit Gun.
Here is a rather amusing page, I like the way this person thinks although I prefer my Rattlesnake roasted over an open campfire.
Reject The Rattlesnake Lobby who believe Rattlesnake proliferation is something to be desired. If you have them on your property, by all means, kill them. Side benefit is, they taste good. Be careful and have fun.
The USGI Survival Strobe...
ah...yes... The SDU-5/E Marker Distress Light. They have come out with a newer version that utilizes more commonly available AA-sized batteries, but this old boy is hard to beat.
(Comments on the picture - ancient USGI Survival Strobe Light with a couple accessories and one of the Vietnam-era pouches that lace up the back. Although it has two hollow rivets on the front to lace a lanyard through, I sewed a Fastex plastic D-ring onto it as well.)
You can find a page dedicated to this historic piece of gear by clicking on this link - right here.
Mine has a battery cover that has been custom made by a machinist so I can use two (2) CR123 Lithium batteries. The original battery was a Mercury battery and the rear of the battery was the "cover." The battery cover and battery were an integral unit. This little custom modification breathed new life into an old survival strobe light.
I had one when I was a teenager back in the 1980s but like many things, it slipped through my fingers. I had so much gear stolen, which is why I carry everything I can on my person when I am doing any outdoors activities like camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, etc., or...that I lost. Stolen through stupidity!
I lost my last "Firefly" in The Chesapeake Bay around 1989 or 1990, I don't remember which. I had it attached to a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and I was diving off the side of one of my brother's boats at the time with a Scuba Pro Mask, Snorkel and Fins, just screwing around and having fun in the water. I guess I didn't tie it off well enough. (More lesssons learned from loss...)
I had a friend back in the early 1990s and his mother was kind enough to let me swim in the in-ground swimming pool quite a bit and that strobe was always cool for such activities! Throw it in the pool and dive and retrieve it in the dark with the pool lights out. Fun-fun-fun!
I still had the green pouch with the lace up back and I used that on a Medium ALICE Pack for years on one of the shoulder straps to carry a Recta DP-2 and a waterproof instruction sheet for that compass that Recta used to produce but no longer does. Lost the sheet and traded the compass to Ken and then started feeling nostalgic about the compass and traded something back for it. 8-)
Still...have...the...POUCH! So, now I carry the survival strobe in it, the strobe and custom battery cover which makes it work with CR123 batteries was a gift from Ken as well.
This is a worthwhile piece of gear to have. Or, if you prefer to keep in the AA and AAA realm so you are not carrying so many different types of batteries, the newer version that uses AAs.
I think the newer version has a sliding lens for IR as well. I don't know, I don't own one! Perhaps I should purchase one of these next!
There are a couple other pieces of gear that I need to acquire in the near future, hopefully, from Tactical Tailor. I own a laptop sleeve from Tactical Tailor but I own no laptop! It's a good piece of gear, everyone that knows me knows that I am a Bag Whore. Tactical Tailor materials, designs and stitching is top notch. Terry Trahan over at Weaselcraft Blog gave me the Tactical Tailor Horizontal E & E Pouch for my birfday or Christmas some time ago and I then obtained the Vertical E & E Pouch. They do excellent work!
Anyway, Tactical Tailor also makes a nifty compass and strobe pouch designed to fit either a USGI Strobe or the USGI Lensatic Compass. I think I need one for each, actually.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Ragnar's "G.H.B."
Over on ARF DOT COM, AR-15.com, that is, a fellow named Ragnar posted up his "GHB" which stands for, "Get Home Bag." You can read this epic thread that stands at 17 pages as of right now and you can read it here.
One of my all-time favorite threads on any internet forum, ever. Lots of food for thought, to say the least.
One of my all-time favorite threads on any internet forum, ever. Lots of food for thought, to say the least.
A Cornucopia of Survival Information...
can be found at Woodcraft Wanderings Dot Org. I had to add that website to my links list. An excellent resource.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
ESEE-3 Attached to SpecOps T.H.E. Pack
Dude on Bladeforums wanted to see how a ESEE Cutlery MOLLE Attachment looks on a pack.
The sheath has a MOLLE backing attachment.
The pack is a bit sagging because I just unpacked it after the camping trip the other day and I'm in transition to morph it back into emergency gear for Wintertime for use in the car.
More Lessons Learned...
Other lessons learned on this simple camping trip include...
"Hefty" and "Ziplok" Brand sealable containers (not bags but the tupperware-like containers) are not to be trusted. They are a tempting purchase and okay for home use but for use in a cooler that might get tilted or otherwise jostled around being moved in and out of a vehicle, etc., not too good.
Raccoons like to lick the remnants of Starbuck's Instant Coffee from the bottom of a metal canteen cup at 3:30 A.M. The raccoon's tongue leaves a resounding "DING!" on a metal cup - SLUUUURP-DING!, yeah, just like that.
Petzl Headlamps are not just for spelunkers, miners and crazy gynecologists, they are absolutely invaluable for camping, hiking and general outdoors activities. I resisted them for years because they looked more than a little dorky and also looked uncomfortable. Now that we have advanced LED technology, you can get one of these excellent little headlamps for about $40.00 and they run on three "AAA" batteries for hours and hours. And hours and hours...
They are so comfortable that you will forget you have one of them on your forehead. Mine has a high and low setting as well as strobe and then has a red LED with two settings, on and strobe. Throw in a low battery indicator light and you have a great little package that once you use a few times, you will not want to be without.
SO! Here is to my Petzl Tikka Plus 2 LED Headlamp! One of the best pieces of gear I have ever purchased. More on flashlights to come...soon...I had all of them out there with me testing them out!
ESEE Cutlery once again comes through with my whittling desires and food preparation and a host of other duties. The Izula is just an outstanding little knife to hang around your neck when camping and, like the Petzl headlamp, once you carry one around, you will find it a comfortable and very, very valuable companion to have. The H.E.S.T. and ESEE-3 are also must-have items for people who like rugged cutlery that performs great.
I didn't clean three dozen squirrels and a cottontail with them, I didn't gut a squalus with it. Much more mundane stuff but I hope to put them to good use on some fish and small game in the future.
As I mentioned in the post below, the ground does get harder every year.
Thermarest pads are excellent.
The Eureka(!) USMC "Combat" Tent is the best tent I have ever owned, hands down.
Dinty Moore Beef Stew, cooked right in the can over an open fire and lifted out with pliers, is still one of the greatest things in the world and I actively encourage you to partake of some as soon as you can.
"Hefty" and "Ziplok" Brand sealable containers (not bags but the tupperware-like containers) are not to be trusted. They are a tempting purchase and okay for home use but for use in a cooler that might get tilted or otherwise jostled around being moved in and out of a vehicle, etc., not too good.
Raccoons like to lick the remnants of Starbuck's Instant Coffee from the bottom of a metal canteen cup at 3:30 A.M. The raccoon's tongue leaves a resounding "DING!" on a metal cup - SLUUUURP-DING!, yeah, just like that.
Petzl Headlamps are not just for spelunkers, miners and crazy gynecologists, they are absolutely invaluable for camping, hiking and general outdoors activities. I resisted them for years because they looked more than a little dorky and also looked uncomfortable. Now that we have advanced LED technology, you can get one of these excellent little headlamps for about $40.00 and they run on three "AAA" batteries for hours and hours. And hours and hours...
They are so comfortable that you will forget you have one of them on your forehead. Mine has a high and low setting as well as strobe and then has a red LED with two settings, on and strobe. Throw in a low battery indicator light and you have a great little package that once you use a few times, you will not want to be without.
SO! Here is to my Petzl Tikka Plus 2 LED Headlamp! One of the best pieces of gear I have ever purchased. More on flashlights to come...soon...I had all of them out there with me testing them out!
ESEE Cutlery once again comes through with my whittling desires and food preparation and a host of other duties. The Izula is just an outstanding little knife to hang around your neck when camping and, like the Petzl headlamp, once you carry one around, you will find it a comfortable and very, very valuable companion to have. The H.E.S.T. and ESEE-3 are also must-have items for people who like rugged cutlery that performs great.
I didn't clean three dozen squirrels and a cottontail with them, I didn't gut a squalus with it. Much more mundane stuff but I hope to put them to good use on some fish and small game in the future.
As I mentioned in the post below, the ground does get harder every year.
Thermarest pads are excellent.
The Eureka(!) USMC "Combat" Tent is the best tent I have ever owned, hands down.
Dinty Moore Beef Stew, cooked right in the can over an open fire and lifted out with pliers, is still one of the greatest things in the world and I actively encourage you to partake of some as soon as you can.
Peace and Tranquility
Man, who can beat the bliss of sitting next to a campfire on a chilly night, cooking and eating food cooked over it...sleeping outside. As Ken has reminded me, and it has held very true, the ground seems to get harder every year. At 42, the ground is pretty hard for me! But there is nothing like it really. I can still sleep well on a Thermarest Pad, so, I'm going to keep doing it for as long as I can.
I have a neighbor and we were talking about camping a little bit and he said, "Man, I had enough of that shit in the Marine Corps, practicing to be homeless..."
Another acquaintance remarked, "'Roughing it' to me is a hotel with no room service..."
My Dad hunted the week after Thanksgiving, camped in a tent, every year until he was about 50 years old. I think he finally bought a camper in 1975 and said he had enough of the tent in the late Autumn / early Winter.
I remember back to 1990 through about 1994, I had a pickup truck and I would just take off wherever I wanted to on my days off. A nasty USGI sleeping mat and a USGI mummy bag and a poncho liner, too, and I was off! I had a tent but sometimes I would just stretch a tarp across the bed of the pickup truck, rig it up so that if it rained I would not get wet then I would peel back half of it and sleep under the stars. A nice fire and a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew is generally all that is required for a young man to have a good time under those conditions.
I like surplus military gear, "USGI" (United States Government Issue for those that don't know...) gear is good gear, from the lowly and brilliant P-38 can opener to the mummy bags and mess kits...and that mess kit spoon which you could almost use as a shovel...there is a lot of good stuff to be had from The Quartermaster!
The USGI Poncho Liner of old, along with the even older military wool blankets, is still a favorite piece of gear. It is so lightweight. You can roll it up until it is nothing and it's a really great, warm piece of gear. My Eureka(!) USMC "Combat" Tent is the best tent I have ever owned but it would be a bit heavy to carry on some type of extended hiking trip. Although you could split it up between two or three people and everything is just fine.
Here are some more pictures of the last trip for you to look at. Hot fire, tent, scenery...peace and quiet. I need more of this. I think I am going to make The Halloween Camping Trip a Tradition now. SAMHAIN!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Lessons Learned...
Lessons Learned from a simple two-night camping trip.
A regular sized whole chicken, clean any gizzard/heart/liver package or clump out of the center of it, rinse it out. Place that in a three layer bundle of the Reynold's Brand Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil that is marked for use on grills. It's not regular Reynold's Brand Foil. One-quarter to one-third stick of butter on it, spice it up as desired and wrap it up. Wrap the first layer, just folding the ends over the top, then repeat for the second layer and then the third.
Have a very hot fire for 2-3 hours so you have a good bed of coals. Then put more wood on one side of the fire to keep it going and place the aluminum package of wholesome goodness on the coals.
Don't be alarmed by all of the sizzling and think it is going to burn, it's not.
Using a pair of heavy duty work gloves, every 30 minutes, rotate the chicken a half turn so the tail takes the place of the head area, repeat until you are about at the halfway mark (2.5 hours overall) then flip the chicken upside down, the top will be on the bottom. Then 30 minutes later, rotate as before by picking it up and rotate so the tail area replaces the head area, or vice-versa.
When you flip it upside down, liquified chicken fats and the small amount of butter will seep through your three different folds and flames will gather at that area and burn hotter, you will see this plainly. Don't panic! Everything is as it should be.
Right at about the two and a half hour mark, you should be good to go! Pull it back from the flame area and off of what will now be the extremely hot ash bed that was once glowing coals and let it sit back there for about 20-30 minutes.
Put it some place safe and open it up!
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of position in the fire area, etc.
In one of the pictures, you will see a single chicken in foil pulled back out of the hot ash and coal bed and away from the fire while the other one is being pulled apart at a table. The pictures should show the positioning and type of fire, etc., clearly.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A Modern Rendition of The Classic OSS Escape Aid
Made by Mickey Yurco, Police Officer and Custom Knifemaker.
Mickey doesn't make the hollowed out coin, I just thought I would add that in for a bit of flavor. Interestingly, U-2 Spy Plane Pilot Francis Gary Powers is reported to have carried a hollowed out silver dollar with a neurotoxin-treated stick pin for committing suicide to avoid capture by enemy forces. Obviously he didn't utilize it.
Here is a shout out for Jenkins, Kentucky and Pound, Virginia, SAL-OOT!
Hollowed out coins were also used for smuggling microdot and other interesting espionage activities.
Getting back to what Mickey does make, the Kennedy (Silver) Half Dollar is an excellent modern day rendition of the classic OSS Coin Knife.
They are $100.00 each, a high-quality item and, as Mickey reminds me, you get a $1.00 instant rebate on the dollar coins and a fifty-cent rebate on the halves.
It really is a quality item.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Three Compasses
Someone wanted to see my Military (genuine, Swiss-made) Silva.
When you put that big old USGI Waltham Lensatic up next to the Recta DP-2 and the Type 3 Silva, they try to go their separate ways. (joke)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
How much are your coins worth?
Measuring the intrinsic metal value of coins from around the world and updated daily - "Coinflation.Com."
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
McCarthy's "Road" coming soon to a neighborhood near you?
I am not saying that I believe this is going to happen. I found the link over on James Keating's wonderful site, MAAJAK WORLD. It is well worth a read, however. You just never know. I mean, the people at Pompeii didn't know when there last day on the planet was going to be, either, now did they? It wasn't the end of the world, but it was the end of their world.
British Petroleum and The World Killing Event.
British Petroleum and The World Killing Event.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The (Verizon) Casio G'zOne "ROCK."
The (Verizon) Casio G'zOne "ROCK."
The features I happen to like:
Mil-Spec on shock and vibration resistance, water and dust resistance, immersion in water, exposure to salt fog and extremes of altitude, high and low temperatures and solar radiation.
Bluetooth compatible
Camera
Music/MP3 Player
Removable Memory / Micro SD Card
Speakerphone w/ dedicated speakerphone key
Mil-Spec requirements for exposure to the elements and abuse
Emergency Flashlight
Earth Compass
Walking (Pace) Counter
Thermometer
Tides
Sunrise and Sunset
Astro Calendar
Speech recognition w/dedicated voice dial key & Voice commands
Alarm clock
calculator
calendar
stop watch
Phonebook / 500 entries with multiple contacts
Battery and Data/Charging Port Covers have gaskets!
The Casio ROCK is a clamshell/flip phone that also has Push To Talk (PTT) capability...which I have absolutely no desire to have!
Interesting though, Casio is a cool company and they did something really neat with that PTT button if you do not have the PTT service on the phone. Most companies would just have that button there, doing nothing. Casio did it right, you can assign that red PTT button as a hot key to some other feature on the phone of your choice. This is wonderful as I have the MP3 Player on tap via this red hot key so the Black Sabbath is only a touch away.
Being a clamshell/flip phone/communicator, this one has a neat switchblade feature. There is a coil spring in the internal area of the hinge and when you push a silver button on the side of the hinge, VOILA! it opens right up for you!
It can also be opened manually in typical drone mode.
Another hot key on the bottom of the phone is for all of the Casio G'zOne G'zGear features such as the Earth Compass and Thermometer, etc.
I am quite pleased with it so far. It is my first departure from Motorola. My first phone was a Motorola E815 and then after two years I "upgraded" to a Motorola Razor...some would say that was a step down...even though I have stepped away from the Razor, I still cannot decide if I ever really liked that phone.
This Casio Rock Thing? Yes...it is to be enjoyed...so far.
The MP3 Player, playing it with the speakerphone on is actually a cool little device!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Survival Kit Contents from Salvaged Aircraft
A friend of mine works for an aircraft salvage company. He was kind enough to send me a few items that were still in good condition in an otherwise ruined survival kit from an aeroplane.
The compass is an all-but-exact copy of a Brunton Trailbuster compass.
The whistle is very flat and suitably annoying to be acceptable as a survival whistle.
The snare wire is quite stiff. It's as stiff as steel but appears to be anodized aluminum...
The pencil is...well, it's a pencil!
A small instruction sheet for the compass and a decent little pamphlet of survival instructions and "mirror" inserts in the center of the book that appear to be Mylar, used as an improvised signal mirror.
The cord on the whistle appears to be quite tough and could serve other purposes.
The pocketknife is quite a find! It's basically a small version of the classic "Hobo" Knife. Folding Hobo Knives are generally quite large, this one is a great little pocketknife made by Colonial.
Knife blade, can opener, fork and spoon, great little knife! Not quite the quality of Victorinox...
New Survival Food - Emergency Ration Bar
They taste pretty good, too! Very Earthy and wholesome tasting. Here is The Bible Bar next to a full-size MetRx Bar, Blueberry Crisp Clif Bar and a package of Raspberry Gel Blasts from PowerBar...just for size comparison.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"There's something about a train that's magic..."
Old AMTRAK commercial! What a jingle!
This entry is about freights and not passenger trains. It is also about O.T.T. which stands for, "Old Time Tough."
Enjoy.
There is a massive amount of information to be found on the "North Bank Fred" website. You can find it here.
This entry is about freights and not passenger trains. It is also about O.T.T. which stands for, "Old Time Tough."
Enjoy.
There is a massive amount of information to be found on the "North Bank Fred" website. You can find it here.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Mainstay Rations
This is a very simple review indeed. The question is, if you had to eat this type of "Survival Ration," would it be an unpleasant experience for you and your family? The second part of that question is, how about young children who are picky eaters?
This ration is almost too good to be true. The Mainstay Survival Rations actually taste good, they taste great, actually. I think they taste like a slightly weakened Archway Lemon Frosted Cookie, my Wife does not think they even taste that "lemony" but she considers the individual portions to be large, shortbread cookies, after reading the ingredients information on the package and tasting them.
In an emergency, anyone can suffer from more than a little anxiety, especially children. Having something tasty to eat instead of lightly-flavored cardboard should pick up even the most dour person's spirits for at least a few minutes, right?
True to the company's claims, they do not make you thirsty, another thing that amazed me.
These rations are well worth the price. They are an incredible value.
The manufacturer sells these packs of Mainstay 3600 bars, each package has 9 individual bars in it and each bar is 400 calories. A case is ten (10) of these packs. They sell them for just under $50.00 per case. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to arrive at "$5.00 per pack."
Excellent price! You can really afford to put in a lot of these into your emergency food supply!
A word of caution now. At the risk of being considered a "liberal" or a "communist" or "anti-capitalist" or "anti - free market," I have to warn you that there are companies out there selling a case of ten of these packages for almost $150.00 Yes, you are reading that correctly.
I'm sorry if I offend some of my readers by saying this, but these people are scum. They take advantage of people, it's incredible.
The packaging is quite tough and should protect the rations for a long, long time. Also, when you open the rations, you can use the package for other survival tasks like carrying water or wild edibles like wild onions, garlic, black berries or mulberries.
Here is the generic description/information you can find out about Mainstay Rations online, on various websites that sell them.
Mainstay 3600
5 year Shelf Life
Non-Thirst Provoking
Withstands Temperatures of -40° F to 300°F (-40°C to 149°C)
Ready to Eat: Each package contains 9 pre-measured 400 calorie meals.
Individualized Portions eliminate the messy breaking-up that occurs with other bars
Allows for on-land emergency consumption in a high-stress active situation.
Contains no cholesterol or tropical oils.
Meets the US Coast Guard standards (160.046/23/0). It's new modern packaging even meets the stringent guidelines set by the Department of Defense (SOLAS 74/83).
Enriched with vitamins and minerals exceeding the RDA requirements.
Pleasant lemon flavor which appeals to everyone.
Mainstay™ is Kosher and it meets the dictates for Halal.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
When disaster strikes, you will know where...
A most interesting website. Breaking, worldwide news on disasters...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Rite-in-the-Rain Paper, does it really work?
Yes it does! It's marvelous!
So, I decided to try a few different writing instruments.
A PILOT Razor Point - total failure. It did not want to stick to this paper and when I placed the paper under the bathroom faucet, it washed the ink off as if it were dirt on the paper.
A PILOT G2 Gel Ink Pen, which happens to be my favorite pen when I have to do a lot of writing. It did not want to write on this paper but as you can see from the photographs, it did not wash off the paper as the other PILOT brand pen ink did.
Pencil was, as expected, just fine.
Sanford Sharpies are just great markers. The top-most text in black and blue Sharpie was five to six minutes old (dried), approximately, when placed in the sink. The lower black and blue text was under two minutes old when placed under the water.
I could not believe it! It is the paper because Sanford Sharpies will smudge on a host of papers and boxes, etc. Not on this stuff!
Then I deliberately tried to smudge the ink on the paper with my thumb, it didn't smear.
This excellent product line can be found here: Rite-In-The-Rain.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Huevos Rancheros Uno
My El Cheapo-Norte Americano Huevos Rancheros
However many eggs you wish to cook and however you wish to cook them. I prefer scrambled.
One (1) can of Mild, Original or Extra Hot - RO-TEL.
Three (3) cans of Del Monte sliced (pre cooked) potatoes or Hanover (whole, small) New Potatoes.
One (1) Chorizo per person.
Find a can opener or you will thtarve!
You desperately need a can opener to open the RO-TEL and canned potatoes.
If you don't have the can opener, you will thtarve...errah, you'll starve.
Or you will have to pound the can on the ground or perhaps use an axe or hatchet to open the can.
It's easier to use a P-38 Can Opener or a Camillus "Demo" Knife or Cub/Boy/Girl Scout (Camillus) Knife.
Or, you could make a deal with the mouse, see if that works. It usually doesn't work and results in being electrocuted when you stick your hand in the wall through the mousehole or all of your hair being blasted off of you when you try to blow the mouse up. If you are a duck, you will usually have your bill spun around or have to pick it up.
Huevos Rancheros Dos
Scramble your eggs.
Fry the potatoes and add black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Just use a little bit of butter.
Fry the Chorizo.
On the plate, add Ken's Cajun Seasoning. Oh, you don't have any, do you? That's a shame!
Survival Product
I picked up a container of this Instant Chicken Soup, very good!
If I remember correctly, it was about $5.99 and the container lists 67 servings.
Drawbacks? It has MSG in it, so if you are sensitive to that chemical, you need to avoid this or use it minimally.
If I eat at the wrong Chinese Food Carryout, my ears will look like they are ready to burst into flames, some people end up in the emergency room over MSG.
I had one cup of this instant soup last night and a cup about 15 minutes ago, don't feel bad at all. I guess the Chinese Food Carryouts really pile the MSG on...
OSEM Chicken Consomme / Instant Soup
Ingredients: Salt, Corn Starch, Sugar, Dextrose, Spices, Flavor Enhancers (Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate), Maltodextrin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Dehydrated Onions, Yeast Extract.
Now, say you have your little alcohol stove made from a soda or beer can, you have you some HEET (Methyl Alcohol) and you have your steel cup and some water and a package of this instant chicken soup. You're cold and you're trying to get warm...and this will go a long way towards making that a reality.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Gerald Celente's Article on Neo-Survivalism
Posted with the permission of Gerald Celente: Trends Research - Gerald Celente - Neo-Survivalism PDF - Click here to download or view.
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