Day: August 2, 2012

Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of Oregon cattleman David Lawson Shirk (born August 2, 1844). He was my great-great-great uncle. He was the first man to document the early cattle drives from Texas to Idaho, just after the Civil War. His journals were published in the book The Cattle Drives of David Shirk: From Texas to the Idaho Mines, 1871 and 1873. This rare book also describes his later life, establishing a large cattle ranch in the Steens Mountain region of eastern Oregon, and his subsequent range war with famed cattleman Pete French. This is a scarce and collectible book. — …


The Survival Garden, by Chris S.

History is our best teacher and we can learn a lot about human survival strategies of the past. Our ancestors somehow survived famine, drought and a host of natural disasters. Some used brute force to take what they wanted; others were skillful thieves or were just lucky. A few of these ancestral survivors actually thrived. They thrived because they used their wits and prepared for any unforeseen disaster.         Beyond natural disasters there has always been the most un-natural of all disasters, war. War is arguably the most difficult of all conditions to survive, soldier and civilian alike. We can …


Letter Re: Color-Coded Medical Gear Cases

Goal:  To help organize medical supplies into easily accessible modules of like items within your medical kit(s). Two years ago I was looking at pre-packaged medical kits on-line and noticed one with various items organized in colored bags.  For example the red pouch had everything a person needed for simple wound care.  Some ambulances carry trauma and pediatric bags with contents organized by color.  The kit on the internet was over my budget, but I was intrigued by the idea.  On my next trip to town, I was looking for office supplies and noticed zippered pencil pouches, which are intended to …


Letter Re: The Listening to Katrina Web Site

Jim: I’d like to recommend a great web site: Listening to Katrina. The author weaves his personal Katrina story together with fresh and different survivalist advice in a page-by-page format. He gives advice that I don’t believe I’d seen before. As a survivalist for years before the event, he explains the mistakes made and lessons learned. His section on protecting your wealth is outstanding. For example, if you had a regional disaster and needed to bug out/relocate within 60 seconds, would you have your resume, education certificates and references updated and ready to grab, so that you could start a …



Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader C.D.V. spotted this: Build a Self-Regulating, Automatic Plant Watering System with a Plastic Bottle and a Tray    o o o Power restored after huge Indian poswer cut. Enormous demand for power, aging grid infrastructure…    o o o Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) suggested this: Create Your Own AR-15 Semi-automatic Pistol At Home Legally    o o o Brett G. mentioned the Short Lane brand chamber adapters, as well as this video: Shooting 9mm from a 12 gauge?    o o o Study shows that water fluordation lowers the intelligence of children. [JWR’s Comment: So General Ripper was right, …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk… ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children’s ice cream. Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: [very nervous] Lord, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began? Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I… no, no. I don’t, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without …