Three Letters Re: Road Maps

Dear Jim, As a very long time ebayer, I know the site quite well. In response to where to purchase old U.S. road maps (and indeed other countries), currently there are almost 3000 maps on ebay. Some are so old that some of the newer big interstates are not on there, but the back roads and rural county roads will be. That is probably how most people will plan their bugging out. – H.L. o o o Hugh, In a recent letter, reader C.B. notes that Rand McNally’s map book is sometimes the only available map of the area. From …


Recipe of the Week: Beefburger Stroganoff

Ingredients: 1½ lbs lean ground beef 3 slices of bacon, diced 1 small onion 2 tbs flour ¼ tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 1 (10¾ oz) can of condensed cream of mushroom soup 2 tbs dry red wine 1 cup dairy sour cream 6 to 8 hamburger buns, toasted and buttered Directions: In a large skillet brown beef and bacon until red color disappears; then, drain. In a slow cooking pot, mix together drained beef, bacon, onion, flour, paprika, and salt. Stir in undiluted soup and wine. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in sour …


Letter Re: The Golden Moments of Silence

Hugh, This article, “The Golden Moments of Silence” struck me by its coinciding with my experience from just last week while traveling through a very majestic and picturesque part of the country. This paragraph in particular by Sarah Latimer: “This article, I hope, will inspire you to look up from the computer, smart phone, iPad, or pull out the ear buds ….” While camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota last week I was appalled at the behavior of those who drove up to scenic overlooks that jumped out of their vehicle and went to the perch and held …


Letter: Road Maps

3

Hugh, On two recent trips this summer, one two week trip to eastern Pennsylvania and one to Las Vegas, I tried to find the old style folding road maps. In Pennsylvania’s Allentown, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia, and both Pocono’s and New Jersey shore area, at every gas station I stopped at, I asked about folding paper road maps. At some of the more modern stations I was met with a quizzical stare. I finally settled on a Rand McNally book. Fortunately, having grown up in that area, I knew my way around. I did find a paper map of the Las …


Guest Article: The Real Dirt About Gardening For Survival, by Melisa Mink

I know the “survival” mindset is very popular right now. There’s always a new threat of earthquakes, pandemic, flooding, wild fires, and so on. So, I would like to take a minute to pass on some truthful knowledge to the folks who are not avid gardeners but may find themselves in a disaster or other scenario where it could be a needed skill to survive. You need to be doing it now, to know how to do it later! Should a disaster, such as an earthquake or other event ever occur, your mind, body, and resources will be pushed yet …


Letter Re: Missouri Constitutional Carry—Not So Fast

Gentlemen, The recent override of Governor Nixon is indeed a step in the right direction. However, it is important to remember that Missouri citizens do not enjoy state preemption. This bill only allows permitless concealed carry where permitless open carry is currently allowed. Many localities ban carrying a firearm (concealed or unconcealed) without the state concealed carry license. If you choose to carry a concealed firearm without a valid permit, you will NOT enjoy any of the exemptions that are enjoyed by those who DO carry on a valid CCW permit, including exemptions to federal laws that prohibit firearms in …


Quick Reference Manual Regarding Disaster Survival and Recovery on the Road- Part 2, by J.P.R.

C. MASSIVE EMP (ELECTRO-MAGNETIC PULSE) ELECTRICAL FAILURE Identify Level of Failure The power grid is down Your cell phone is dead Your land line may not work Most electronic devices do not work or are impaired Your car will not start or stopped running Airplanes are falling from the sky Small fires or explosions may be observed This is a different event than a regular power failure. In this case, the power grid and many electronic devices have been permanently damaged. This is more serious than a power grid failure, depending on whether it is in a small or large …


Letter Re: Offensive Against ISIS

Hugh, Regarding ysterday’s posted story: Another potential mass shooter at the Oregon Clackamas Mall turned the long gun on himself, after killing two, when confronted by one civilian armed with a pistol. With a new administration, if we can stop subsidizing those of the do-nothing immigrants with undeserved and costly welfare, many of them will self-deport. Also, fewer of that type would come in the first place. They have no reason to assimilate if they don’t have to work. Why are you and I financing this? Syrian refugees are not only potentially very dangerous, but our government is purposely not …


Taking the Offensive Against ISIS: A Historical View- Part 2, by S.G. in Florida

Bret Stephens in the Wall Street Journal recently identified political beliefs that are endangering Europe.iii Mr. Stephens should have broadened his view to the West in general. Piggybacking on his ideas, the first thing that the West must do is recognize that there is something in the West worth preserving. It requires a great unlearning of the political mythologies on which modern society is ingesting. Among those mythologies: that the relative peace of the post-World War II world is the result of a postwar moral commitment to peace rather than a Paz-Americana; that Christianity is of merely historical importance rather …


Letter Re: Fireproof Safes

Hugh: I did some consulting for a well-known gun safe manufacturer. They make a premium product, and their clients never suffered loss due to either break-in or fire damage. The only heat resistant insulation they used was common sheetrock. They used multiple layers with offset corners and edges, similar to the wall between living space and garage in a modern home. They did not tape or use any mud, just a snug fit. It seems reasonable that the heat resistance of an ordinary inexpensive safe could be enhanced by fabricating a welded enclosure insulated with sheetrock and inserting the safe …


Taking the Offensive Against ISIS: A Historical View- Part 1, by S.G. in Florida

Islamic mass casualty attacks have been all the rage among the Islamic barbarians. Unfortunately, the current administration has allowed the Jihadi idea to metastasize so that now, instead of taking the fight to the enemy, the enemy is bringing the fight to our homes. This article will examine the implications of the current wave of Islamic attacks and contemplate the possibility that this is a world wide clash of civilizations, requiring a systematic and unrestrained unconventional military response. When it comes to the prevention of mass casualty attacks, it is very difficult to discuss successful prevention methods, since by definition …


Letter Re: Storing Cash at Home

Hugh, Caution. My dad stored several mason jars around the property stuffed with $100 bills rolled tightly. When he moved from the old homestead, we helped him dig them up and found mold had invaded the jars so the outer eighth inch of $100 bills turned to dust. The bills were in so tight we had to break the glass to get them out. We will never know how much was lost, but if i were doing the same thing today I think I might look at vacuum packing to insure survival. – M.


Recipe of the Week: Summertime Salsa

Reader J.C. presented this modified recipe, which originated at Old World Farms Garden Ingredients 35 tomatoes (preferably Roma, along with whatever tomatoes are harvested that day) 3 green peppers 2 sweet red peppers 3 medium onions 6 cloves of garlic 4-5 various peppers of your choice to add sweetness and/or heat **I used 3 cajun belle and 2 jalapenos 1 handful of cilantro 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup lime juice 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (or eliminate the lime juice and put in 1 cup of vinegar) Instructions Peel tomatoes – …


Letter Re: Storing Cash at Home

Hugh, Every small fire resistant safe I’ve found has a warning that the fireproofing material emits moisture, and they recommend putting papers in plastic to protect against mildew and rot. They also recommend airing the box out periodically, which might be difficult if it’s cached someplace. We use our Foodsaver to protect against this. Just wanted to mention it in case someone doesn’t read the instructions that come with the safes. Regards, – P.T.


Letter Re: Storing Cash at Home

Hugh, A caution to those storing cash at home: Those “fire-proof” lock boxes are only relatively fire proof and are typically rated for temperatures up to 1000F for up to 20 minutes. High temperatures for long periods will completely destroy them. A severe house fire can easily exceed 1000F and take hours to extinguish. The best place to keep them is in a basement or crawlspace, which tends to remain (relatively) cool even in a devastating fire. Regards, Don in Oregon