The Hippie Survivalist

2012-02-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Vermin Have Inherited the Earth

A Few More Words By Meher Baba

2012-02-11T12:57:00.000-08:00

If memory serves me correctly, Meher Baba said that we live in the Kali Yuga, or the Fourth and Final Age, which is a time of universal pain and darkness. It is the Darkest Hour of the Night, the time when Truth wanes, and Illusion reigns. He called this Kali Yuga THE AGE OF MACHINES, and said that it would be characterized by SPEED. His advice to humanity was "DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY".

Wow, do those last words scare the pee-pee out of me. But I appreciate them. They make no attempt to sugar-coat reality, and they leave the choice up to us: We can be worry-free and happy if we want to, no matter what happens to us or around us. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ATTACHED TO EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCE.

By Jove, that's a tall order, though! It's a challenge, really, cuz becoming detached requires great effort. The upside of the Kali Yuga is that it is a time of great growth, as Humanity struggles to overcome its own limitations and births a new, higher consciousness. The brief and dark Kali Yuga is followed by an Age of Peace, which is heavenly and seems to last for an eternity.

Above: Avatar Meher Baba as a young man. Those liquid eyes are filled with great longing. I once dreamed I was standing on one of them! I was small and that eye was huge. Then, I was me again and Meher Baba hugged me, and my heart grew and grew til it seemed to explode, and I screamed out loud! And He laughed and said, "It can be a bit overwhelming at times, can't it?"

How many lives still to go, Baba?

Fury Road Fan Trailer

2012-02-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

CLICK HERE

Me Again!

2012-02-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

Good Lord, I'm back again. Third blog entry in one day...one very trying day that has reduced me to a low & burnt-out state. Here goes:

I believe that in my last life I was a German officer on the Eastern Front in World War II, and that I had a hard, desperate run across Battlefield Russia. I blew a lot of shit up along the way, and also suffered the soul-fracture that all battle-hardened soldiers suffer. That said, I am perfectly willing to admit that I may be completely full of shit. Reincarnation may not exist, and/or I may be fantasizing. It doesn't really matter, because I carry the story of this wasted man within me, whether it is metaphorical or literal, from this life or another.

But this story/memory/fantasy is why I am a survivalist. I have no illusions about the evil, violence and destruction that man -- even good men! -- can wreak upon humanity and the earth. All men are capable of the same rotten things -- rape, torture, wanton destruction, murder, looting, mayhem, massacres, etc. -- given the right circumstances. Never, ever, ever forget that civilization is a thin veneer which is quickly and easily wiped away. Because that is the truth, and if you don't believe it, then you are a fucking idiot.

I also believe that I have been a monk in past lives, and studied Eastern esoteric traditions. Oh, I know, that's even more bullshit than the soldier BS above! But again, it doesn't matter if it's the biggest, blackest crock of shit ever spouted by mortal man, or a fantasy, or a downright lie, or the truth, BECAUSE...I carry a monk inside me.

And this is why I am a hippie: Because I believe that we evolve as souls, thru the experience of living. Even the bad stuff assists with our growth. It's a very long journey -- 8.5 million human lifetimes alone if I remember correctly! -- and that's not even counting the near-eternal journey from single particle up thru the realms of mineral, plant, animal to human. Describing it is enough to almost make me weep. It sucks. Sucks so bad I just wish it weren't true. But I think it is. God is constantly spawning and re-absorbing an infinite number of universes, in order to experience himself. Every particle in every universe is God, seeking knowledge of Himself. We are advanced particles, if you will.

Oh, Lord. It's all too much to contemplate. It almost makes me sick. But it's there. There it is. Do me a favor. Go smoke a cigarette, or have a shot of Jack, or sniff a little something good, cuz I can't any more. It's not in my cards. I gotta somehow get my shit together while I still can, so when the Shit Goes Down I have the wherewithal to help others help themselves.

It's all so depressing I could sleep forever.

Blog Comments

2012-02-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

Well, Jeez Louise. I didn't even know there were some reader comments on this blog til I happened upon them by chance today while navigating the new Blogger format. Thanks for the support, advice and ideas, everyone! It's great to hear from all of you, on all topics.

I would like to make special mention of a link left by Ray Banister:www.gunadapters.com. Wow! These guys are selling quality sub caliber adapters/inserts for shotguns, including a rifled 9mm insert and a .22 Short/LR insert. Check their stuff out!

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Just one more thing to say, and it has nothing to do with anything written above: I hope God has a sense of humor. Really. Wouldn't that be great? After my miserable life is over, I'd be able to have a good laugh at the whole desperate, fucked-up experience. Sometimes, I despair. I truly, fucking despair. Perhaps that is the plight of all Hippie Survivalists? MAYBE WE ARE ALL EAGLES THAT ARE TOO FAT TO FLY.

Mad Max 4 Fury Road

2012-02-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that filming will begin in April, in Namibia, and that another trilogy -- "a re-imagining of the Mad Max world" -- is on the boards. Here are some rather sketchy photos of some of the vehicles for the new movie(s):

Some of these vehicles appeal to me, some don't. I like the squared-off lines and the heavy duty road tires. The trucks themselves look cool enough, but the car bodies perched on top of them veer dangerously close to monster truck/Bat Man territory. The dune buggies DEFINITELY float my boat.

Below we have an original Mad Max Interceptor that looks as if it might make it into the new movie:

And below we have two Mad Max concept vehicles...I'm not quite sure what purpose they serve if they are not for the new movie:

Sick, Dirty Thoughts

2012-02-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

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From The Dream Report, issued for free by John L Peterson at The Arlington Institute:

Grandmother came in a dream: “There is no more money left in the United States. It’s all overseas. It’s all gone. The big stores are closing. They are empty and dark. The trucks don’t run. People are hungry and upset. They don’t understand what happened to the money. This is worse than the Depression. Be careful, there may be Army in the streets. Lie low. Honey, people are growing gardens in their yards to eat. You need to know how to do this. Chickens and rabbits. You need to prepare. The money is gone.”

It's a poor photo, it's an ugly white trash fix, but I feel obligated to promote any DIY, creative initiative that I come across in this materialistic, throw-away society. Why? Because one day when the strip malls are burning and money is what we all wipe our unwashed asses with, we may have to improvise to survive. So here you have it, the free & effective bicycle fender made from a 2-liter bottle and tape:

I am probably a survivalist because I have a fractured & destroyed inner self, and I am projecting my own desolate inner landscape onto the external world around me. But in spite of that, I do not find life in today's world particularly satisfying. It seems downright dangerous, living the way we do, dependent on money alone to provide us with all we need. I would much rather have my own mini-farm and be self-reliant, than slog thru my days as a wage-slave. How satisfying and fulfilling it would be to be in touch with my own survival, my own livelihood! All I really want are a few acres in the woods for my hippie homestead, and some spiritual, capable, well-armed friends. And I would also like to learn to turn into a bird, but that is beside the point.

The Wasteland Weekend looks kind of silly, but kind of fun. It's a Mad Max-themed weekend in the SoCal desert. Costumes are required and participants are encouraged to Max-out their vehicles, too, so-to-speak. Honestly, it looks more fun than Burning Man. Sometimes a man needs to get his truck out in the sand and wear black and party and pretend he's fighting for gasoline, and that's that. Even hippies have this need. FFS, if my friends don't bail I'm going in September. I'll tell you how it went.

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The End of the World As We Know It

2012-02-05T18:38:00.001-08:00

I'm not too happy with the last few blog entries. They don't seem very complete. But I needed to say what I needed to say. I've really been scouring the internet in the last day or two, for prophecies and visions of the future, particularly those that concern the fate of the United States. It's difficult wading through the christian/religious prophecies because they are so couched in bible-speak and references to things I don't even believe in, like Satan, the Rapture, etc. But two things strike me about prophetic visions: A) Most of the time they don't come true, and B) Thank God, because they are REALLY GRIM. I mean, they are blood-soaked. Cannibalism, rape, looting, lawless gangs, total economic and political collapse, epic earthquakes that radically alter coast lines, famine, looting, plague, pestilence, soul-crushing fear, it's all there. I mean, the prophecies that have arisen from NDEs are literally about the violent death of America.

Now, here's the interesting part. Again and again, prophetic visions spell out that these cataclysmic changes, which MAY come about if we don't alter our behaviors on a global scale, are a purifying process. It seems that they will be accompanied by a spiritual uplift, and what will remain after the cataclysm is a spiritually uplifted humanity. Of course, most everyone will be killed in the upheaval, so there will be very few people left in the New World. BUT, I guess what I am trying to say is that if we really truly want to survive this coming century, we'd better consider our spiritual growth/life as part of the equation. Because it really appears to come right down to the fact that in the end, only a few good people will survive, and yes, I mean "good" people. Let me repeat that: Whoever survives the coming hardships facing humanity will be "good".

That's it. Another really unsatisfying and incomplete blog entry that only partially addresses an emerging realization. Here's another go at it:

THE PLANETARY TRAVAILS OF THE 21ST CENTURY WILL PRESENT HUMANKIND WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SPIRITUAL UPLIFT. THOSE WHO SURVIVE THE ORDEAL WILL EMERGE INTO THE NEW WORLD WITH A HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS, ONE THAT IS THE RESULT OF THE TRAVAILS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED.

The New World will be completely different from the world we now know. Technology may indeed die completely. Governments will disintegrate the world over. Cities will crumble, never to reappear. Capitalism will die. Money and commerce as we know it will disappear. All of the materialistic indulgences we spend our days reveling in will be gone: No more restaurants, movies, cars, dance clubs, bars, shopping centers, vacations...or 9-to-5 jobs. It will all be swept away, never to reappear. Plague, warfare, starvation, natural disasters and pollution will kill most of humanity.

In the place of all these things that make up our current world will be: Universal love among humans, a return to a lifestyle that does not harm the planet, an acceptance of Humanity's place in the world and the Universe, lasting internal and external peace, an appreciation of nature, and lives that are governed by spiritual law and growth. When this next stage of civilization is finally complete, there will be so few people left on the planet, and these survivors will have experienced so much trial and tribulation, that all humans will greet each other with open arms at all times.

We have much to look forward to.

Bugging About

2012-01-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

The Old Plan was to own raw retreat land, for a Bug Out scenario. I did it, with limited success. 4 acres of wooded, rolling land way the fuck out in the mountains, an insulated & sheetrocked 8x14 "cabin"...and unfriendly maryjaners on all sides. After 4 years I just couldn't deal with the unfriendlies any more (seemed like it was tempting fate to stay there), and I sold the bugstead...at a profit, which was nice, since making money on that land had never been part of my plan.

The New Plan is to own a suburban home, for a Bug In scenario. It's in process, the purchase of a 2-bedroom/1-bath semi-detached cottage with a 30x35 yard and an 8x12 outbuilding. Plans include installing an additional 6x10 workshop/shed, planting a combined raised bed/container food garden, and converting the attic into a work/storage room.

It's a completely different paradigm, this new plan. I'm still bewildered at how quickly everything changed. One minute I was looking for a Bug Out cabin in the sticks...the next moment I fell in love with a cottage in an urban housing co-op. Although I still have yet to actually experience the Bug In plan, I've composed a list of the advantages and disadvantages of both plans:

Bugging Out

Advantages: The land was REALLY cheap and I paid it off in 4 months. There was no code enforcement. There was no law enforcement. The air was clean. A low-tech, no-maintenance lifestyle. There was freedom to do whatever I wanted. In the event of a SHTF scenario, I would have been far, far from the crowd.

Disadvantages: Crazy, low-life, outlaw neighbors. No code enforcement. No law enforcement. Random, sustained discharging of weapons by the neighbors at all hours. Half-wild dogs roaming the forest. Illegal clear cutting, legal logging, abandoned vehicles, ubiquitous white trash living on all sides. One neighbor shot another neighbor. One neighbor lit the forest on fire. Someone lost a leg to his friend's deranged dog. The drive up there took 5 hours. Water was non-existent in the Spring and Summer. There was the ever-present danger of robbery and burglary. If the shit had ever hit the fan, my neighbors would have fucked me, skinned me and cooked me within 24 hours.

Bugging In

Advantages: Utilities. Consolidation. No more always having one foot out the door - I can finally focus exclusively on where I live, because now MY HOUSE IS MY FORTRESS. The new pad is on an island with a community spirit. I know a lot of people in the neighborhood. Some of them are preppers. I'll be able to walk and ride my bike everywhere, every day. Even to work. It's a safe city.

Disadvantages: Long-term debt. Nowhere to run. High density living amongst sheeple. Code/permit enforcement. Law enforcement. Dependence on the grid.

I'll have much to write about in the coming months, as I work my ass off setting up the burbstead the way I want.

A Memory

2012-01-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

Once, when I was in college, I fell asleep for just a moment in Physics. For that moment I was deep in Interstellar Space, surrounded by distant stars. There was a milky-white globular cluster above me, and I came up beneath it so that it nestled onto the top of my head. It fit perfectly. Then I awoke, and class continued.

You might say that Interstellar Deep Space was, in that dream-moment, a metaphor for the Void, which is one state of God (the state in which nothing exists, but all things are possible) and which is characterized by absolute darkness. And you might say that in that dream-moment the milky-white globular cluster was a metaphor for the Source, which is another state of God (formless Unity/Consciousness), and which is to be found in the chakra that exists above the human head and corresponds to the color white.

That is my experience: That in that dream-moment I experienced two states of God. They had nothing to do with religion, tradition, words, humans, the world as we know or experience it - they existed completely outside of the human experience. But they were awesome, and perfect, and I miss them.

Update

2012-01-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

Am fighting strep and feeling some grief & stress right now. Combine them all & life has become sort of hellish & I keep wondering when my sojourn thru this Darkness will end. Or, how long will it last this time around?

While we are on the subject of Darkness, you may wish to watch a movie called CITY OF LIFE & DEATH. Consider it a Schindler's List-esque take on the Rape of Nanking. Unceasingly gray and grim, with possibly the best urban battle scene ever portrayed in film (about 30 minutes in). Not for the meek, this movie will scar your soul and remind you why you are a pea shooter-loving Survivalist. My sentiment after watching the film? NEVER AGAIN. Or at least, OVER MY DEAD BODY.

Just when you figured He was dead, you find His signature scrawled on the local parking lot asphalt down the block:

A few months ago I stopped doing drugs, drinking and smoking, as a result of a dream I had. Life since then has been most interesting, with many changes and healing/breaking circumstances arising. Would I wish this kind of circumstance on my worst enemy? Maybe. If I hated him enough. Har har. It is a difficult time, one of transition, but it seems to be yielding positive results. I just hope I feel better soon. The good thing is that I have re-connected with a spiritual side that I once had but buried for many years. Because I am older now, the experience is different than it used to be, but I do feel a presence in my life that I would liken to God, or Spirit. There is a white mist around me. It feels as if it is energy that emanates from the Source. A good feeling.

More Changes of Mind

2012-01-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

Eating a kale salad for lunch. With quinoa on the side, & slices of raw milk Swiss cheese. Mmmmm. &...trying, as always, to pinpoint what is wrong with Survivalism.

Some thoughts:

*The excessive Survivalist preoccupation with physical survival supersedes the call of Spirit, & stifles growth on that level.

*The excessive Survivalist preoccupation with logic & control supersedes the creative/intuitive/spiritual aspects of Mind. The trouble with this is that intuition is almost always correct, but never logical. By its very nature, the creative/intuitive side of Mind cannot be anticipated, controlled or planned for. It is spontaneous, immediate & cannot be quantified. It is also the truest & best survival resource we have.

*Religion & spiritual thought almost universally preach against killing, yet Survivalism places great emphasis on firearms & the use of deadly force to insure one's own survival.

*Survivalism's extreme preoccupation with personal physical survival works against any notion of societal/community survival. This is a fatal flaw. Without true human love & compassion for one another, a viable society cannot exist. Community requires self-sacrifice in order to remain cohesive. Herein lies the rub: As humans, it is in our higher nature to sacrifice for the greater good. To even sacrifice our lives, if necessary. & there is nothing wrong with that - self-sacrifice is a noble & heroic way to exit the earthly playing field.

One conclusion:

*A true Survivalist will incorporate the spiritual aspects of existence into their life & place equal emphasis on logical & intuitive thought. Utilizing both aspects of Mind allows for true adaptability, & also for fulfillment in the NOW. It may also lead to one's demise...but the true Survivalist must accept their place in the greater scheme of things, and understand that Spirit dictates life.

Stuff

2012-01-15T12:50:00.001-08:00

Another successful wine box-tool box conversion:

*This cool "free library" box is in front of someone's flat, down the street. At night they leave little LED spotlights in front of it:

*Lost 10 pounds since Christmas. Started with a ketosis diet (low carb) for the first 5 pounds, then switched to a no-shit-carb diet for the next 5 pounds. Maintaining that for the next 5 or 10 pounds, then re-evaluating my diet. Today's lunch: An awesome organic salad w/kale, carrot, cabbage, tomato, avocado, sprouted sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese & Bragg amino salad dressing. Plus a slice of raw milk Swiss cheese.

*Let's hope that Ron Paul goes far. Far enough to shake things up & change things. The whole world is sick of materialism & lies.

*My Poor cat just tried to lunge thru the window to get a bird. She's too proud to acknowledge how silly that was, so she's ignoring me now.

*Hippie dream I had last night:

Dreamt I was in a landscape of rolling green hills and Oak Trees, somewhere up near Grass Valley. It seemed to be night time, but I could see quite well. This figure appeared on the hill beneath me. He came running along the ridge, right to left, and stopped under an Oak tree. Because I was looking down on him from one ridge away, from my perspective he appeared to be quite small. It was as if I was watching a miniature man in a miniature landscape. The most noticeable thing about this guy was the sounds he was making. They were not human sounds, or animal sounds, or like any sounds I've ever heard. It's very difficult to remember them now, but they were like a long series of different chirps and other sounds that were almost electronic in nature. They were patterns of some sort. But the unusual-ness of this guy did not stop there. He had an owl costume on, and he was kind of dancing, moving in strange sequences as he stood under the Oak tree. He seemed like an electric being. My first thought was that he was a shaman who was in the act of performing practices to enable him to enter a different plane, an energy world. But if that was the case, then he had so mastered these practices that he had in fact entered the energy world completely, and was now residing there. But maybe the sounds he was making and the dance he was doing were what was keeping him in the energy world? I also wondered if perhaps he was a deity, a Kachina, who actually existed in the energy world to begin with. But even if that was the case, it seems to me that the kachinas are shamans who learn to enter the Kachina world so to speak, and commune with the deities. So, whatever this little guy was, he was in the energy world, and he was an electric being.

This all happened very quickly, I simply observed all of this in a couple of seconds.

Next thing that happens is that two figures appear from the right, chasing or tracking the first guy. They are green, and they are also electric beings. Again, it is impossible to clearly determine their origins. But, they are chasing the first guy. Suddenly all 3 of these figures have spears and I begin to back away from the scene, for fear of getting hit in some kind of crossfire. At this point the entire scene/landscape is electric...I am perceiving it as someone on psychedelics might perceive it. It's not like a video game, though, it's more like a brilliant, electric world - I can see at night, and there are these 3 electric figures running around. Anyway, so the owl guy throws his spear at the other two, and it misses them but lands kind of close to me, so I back away, afraid I'll get hit.

That's it. It was awesome.

Prophecies of the Kali Yuga

2012-01-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

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The Kali Yuga is the Fourth Age, the Iron Age, The Darkest Hour of the Night

"In the Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be the deciding factor of nobility, and brute force will be the only standard of deciding what is righteous or just. Mutual liking will be the deciding factor in choosing a partner in marriage, cheating will be the order of the day in business relations, and satisfaction of sexual pleasure will be the only consideration of male or female excellence and worthiness. People will be greedy and take to wicked behavior. They will be merciless, indulge in hostilities without any cause, and be extremely covetous of wealth and women. Deceit, falsehood, lethargy, sleepiness, violence, despondency, grief, delusion, fear and poverty will prevail. Mortal beings will become dull-witted, unlucky, voracious, and destitute of wealth, and women will become wanton and unchaste."

The Limits of Survivalism

2012-01-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

The trouble with survivalism is that it is almost purely materialist and selfish in nature. I know that many survivalists portend to be Christians, but I'm talking about the goals of survivalism as an ethos, as opposed to the goals of religion. Taken to its logical endpoint, survivalism means that I WILL KILL YOU TO PRESERVE MY OWN LIFE. The end.

And therein lies the rub.

BECAUSE, that is a destructive means to achieve my own survival. What is missing is a higher ethos, that of brotherhood and self-sacrifice and genuine love for other human beings. These things supersede the physical. They supersede material wants, even needs. They bring people together, they form lasting community. They assist with our spiritual evolution. And they reduce selfishness.

We must have community in order to survive, and we must have sustainability in order to survive. Survivalism has traditionally relied on weaponry and individualism instead of on community, and on hording instead of producing. I am not saying that weapons and stored supplies should not be part of the hippie survivalist regimen, BUT, they should be tempered with an honest and heart-felt attempt at creating community and viable food gardens.

As this century progresses, and the current trends -- both constructive and destructive -- all reach their logical endpoints, each of us will need to make choices again and again regarding our own inner alignment. Are we on the side of creation, or destruction? Each time we reach a new crossroads, we will need to make the choice and take the road offered. That involves deciding what is most important and dear to oneself.

Me, I will choose the side of creation. For me, the spiritual outweighs the material. It leads to the evolution of my spirit, which has lived human lives before and will live them again. But also, I believe that it can lead to a more fulfilling life, and as mentioned above, to real, sustainable human community that is based on sharing, caring and mutual love.

Nothing Left to Poop

2012-01-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

I like to think outside the box, and I'm pretty sure it's time we re-assessed the concept of dieting. What I propose is a book called Nothing Left to Poop, which examines dieting from the rear end, so-to-speak. Instead of counting the calories that go into our open upper orifice, this book studies the size, content and frequency of our poop. It correlates poop and weight-loss. Because, I'll tell you, I've been dieting for the last week, and I've noticed that I'm simply pooping less. I mean, I still poop once a day, but I poop LESS, once a day. My theory is that if I perfect my diet to a T, I will have virtually nothing left to poop, because my body will absorb almost all the nutrition I put into it. A bit of roughage is all that will remain in my ejectum. So, yeah. Maybe I will go eat a little something now. Feeling light-headed, don't you know!

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-02T12:13:00.001-08:00

OK. It's 2012. We have almost a year left until the world goes down in flaming heaps of plastic shit on the next Winter Solstice ;-). Some thoughts:

•This blog has focused way, way too much on weapons. It's time to bring in some higher love, so to speak. Guns can protect us and feed us and they serve that pragmatic purpose, but they can also easily bring about the end of the American social order thru wanton violence. We need to remember that community is what will ultimately save us. It is foreseen that there will come a day when there are so few people left in the world that people will greet all travelers with open arms, without any head trips at all. We need to re-connect with our own humanity, to make it thru the coming times.

I recently traveled to the Hopi Mesas and the Taos Pueblo. Sadly, last year the last 5 remaining families moved away from the single surviving strictly old-school village on Second Mesa. This means that that village is now occupied only for sacred rituals. I was also told by a local that the new generation of Hopi dancers is not as devoted as their forebears, that they have succumbed to the seductions of the modern world and do not have their hearts in the sacred rituals. This is bad news for the rest of us, because the Hopi are the Keepers of the Earth, and as their sacred rituals die, so does mankind and the planet.

On a more positive note, the Taos Pueblo continues on as it has for millennia, with its inhabitants still living the pure life on their sacred land. They hunt in their pristine ancestral land and still drink from the stream that flows directly thru their village. This is good, good news. I talked directly with Indians who have spent their entire lives on the Pueblo, living the traditional life. They are good, friendly people. Go visit them and talk to them. They reminded me of the old hippies I used to see. Then I realized that those old hippies were modeling themselves on these same Indians. The hippies are now gone, but the Indians remain.

I came away from these Native communities with this thought: The world is in a cycle of unprecedented change, and ancient ways and cultures are indeed vanishing all over the earth, never to return. These native cultures are usually bound in secret earth-based rituals which were designed to preserve their cultures, and by keeping those rituals secret as they die, these cultures are extinguishing themselves completely. I have resisted accepting that technology is part of the future, but now I believe that it will remain part of human culture for the time being, and I embrace it. My thoughts are generally in line with what Penny Kelly expressed in ROBES, when she said that the future surviving "Family" communities of the late 21st & 22nd Century will in fact use high technology (if humanity succeeds in avoiding total collapse and a new Dark Age). That does indeed seem to be the route we are on.

Lastly, I spoke with a woman in Santa Fe who is part of the burgeoning local/organic food movement. She and a friend are getting into sacred bee shamanism, and starting a home-based honey business. They will be adding 10 new hives this year alone. Also, they grew so much food last year that they had to give it away. All this on 2 1-acre plots. Yay! Yay, yay, yay! This is what will save us: Locally grown food and home-based businesses. So, join the trend and choose your alliance. Become a Creator, and get back to your sustainable, earth-based roots.

2011-12-21T19:37:00.000-08:00

Do not lose sight of the purpose of this blog.

Click below for awesome futuristic EOTW shit:

CLICK THIS

HIT THIS

PUSH THIS

WATCH THIS

THIS FUTURE WILL BE HERE IN NO TIME

run, run, run

the bugout land at the end of the rainbow has been sold & the homestead is no more.

moving on 2 the next adventure.
new year

gotta get shit straight & right
before TSHTF

i keep tryna say & no one listens
we R all gonna die
each of us dies
& it's all gone when we do
the only thing we take with us is
WHO WE ARE

we all gonna die 1 day
oughta get the soul 2gether
b4 it's 2 L8.

find the straight line

New Urban Survivalist Blog

2011-12-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

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Check out the VERY cool new urban survival blog called SHTF School. It's written by a Bosnian named Selco who survived 3 years of civil war in 92-95. He went thru the wringer head first, but managed to come out the other side intact. His insights into surviving anarchy are very, very valuable. Keep in mind, though, that the United States is WAY more commercialized, WAY more armed to the teeth, WAY more populated, and WAY more dependent on energy and transportation for daily survival than Bosnia ever was, PLUS the United States is FILLED with drug addicts, mentally ill people, and mall rats who have no survival skills whatsoever and have never had any meaningful connection to the land, society or any community.

I predict that the horrors Selco describes would be ten-fold if TSHTF in the United States. We would probably blow the entire country to pieces fighting each other for food & gasoline & guns & ammo, then eat each other once we emptied the houses and Safeways of food. Very few people would actually garden or hunt, since nobody knows how to survive any more. Survival would probably be one long night-run thru the combat zone, a desperate bid to outlast everyone else as starvation impinged from all sides.

G'night!

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NDE Vision of the future of the United States

2011-12-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

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On October 22, 1976, Elane Durham had a near-death experience in which she experienced the following vision:

A Changed North America

As the angel pointed in front of me a wide view of land and water opened up, so that at first I thought I was seeing two countries. Instantly it was made known to me that I as looking at a vastly changed portion of North America, which was completely divided by a large body of water, and which had lost a large part of both eastern and western shorelines. As I saw this I was given a total understanding of the natural and man-made disasters that would need to occur to make these changes, and I was informed that these might or might not come to pass according to our choices as a people -- according to my choices as an individual.

Great Destruction

In this scenario icebergs and polar icecaps were melting. Earthquakes had occurred and there had been hurricanes and fierce storms -- the whole country had been ravaged by these things. I could also see massive fires burning here and there -- not so much the flames as the smoke that was ascending toward me -- as huge areas of the country seemed to be being burned. There were also explosions in some areas, sort of like sheet lightning in a dark sky, that were doing great damage.

Where Washington and Oregon had been there were mostly islands, the water coming inland over most of California and Arizona and parts of Utah and Nevada. Yet there were also islands there, massive ones, so it wasn't like it was all ocean....

On the East Coast I saw that much of the eastern seaboard was gone, though the water did not come so far inland as it did on the West Coast. I was also aware that the southern half of Florida was under water.

I don't remember seeing anything like Central America or South America, for water surrounded what I was seeing, and I didn't really focus on what was beyond that water. Yet at the same time, I had the understanding that the waters had risen around the entire Earth, and that everything had changed to one degree or another.

Two Separate Countries

The area of water in the middle of . . . the United States was massive, and was widest or most extensive in the north. There were no Great Lakes as I had known them, for all of them had come together into this huge sea that extended northeastward into the ocean. The inland sea also extended southward, filling most of the Mississippi an Missouri River valleys and widening by many, many miles the Mississippi River where it flows into what we know as the Gulf of Mexico. This sea was so vast that I knew it could not be bridged, and so in essence the United States had become as two separate countries.

A New Seat of Power

I was also aware that the seat of power, or patriotism, had moved away from Washington, D.C. There was so much turmoil and warfare on the eastern side of this body of water that no authority really existed there. I understood then that in the scenario I was being shown, our country had come to the very edge of destruction -- to the brink of losing everything, because myself and hosts of others like me had chosen to seek worldly things rather than loving or serving others.

Additionally, we had refused to care for our precious natural resources. Because of our greed and selfishness our national government had lost most of its power, and could no longer completely govern or control. National laws were ignored, and there was no true nationwide governmental infrastructure left. What government there was seemed to be territorial, sort of like large tribes or groups of people who had banded together.

And I saw that because of the ramifications of these day-to-day choices the people, especially on the eastern side of this new body of water, lived in great danger and fear. There was tremendous anarchy and crime -- sort of like the Los Angeles riots spread nationwide. And the normal citizens kept themselves hidden away from all this, barricading themselves into their homes or wherever they had gathered together for security. many children didn't go to school, commerce as we know it had pretty much ceased, many people were starving to death, there was terrible violence from people who seemed like roving gangs -- it was just an awful scene of confusion and turmoil.

Yet in this scenario there was less of that turmoil on the western portion of our country. There was even a certain amount of prosperity, and it was there that I could see the new seat of power, if that is what it could be called. This area, or city or whatever, while on the eastern edge or shore line of the western portion of land, was located in almost the exact center of the combination of both halves of the country. Later when I looked at a map of the United States, I realized that it would have been very near present-day Kansas City.

From this location I could see power radiating outward, almost like light flowing out to strengthen and stabilize other areas. This power was what I called patriotism or strong moral character or spirituality -- a true spiritual force that was the only real governing power over the whole land. This is why I called that area the seat of power.

But I must state this power was totally spiritual -- a true power of spirit such as the angel beside me was exhibiting, or that I had felt emanating from Christ while I had been in His presence.

The Native Americans

I also sensed that some of the Indians -- the Native Americans -- were partially responsible for the peacefulness that was on the western side of this water. Some of these Native American peoples had a knowledge of how to live from the land, or how to be in harmony with it so it would bring forth in abundance according to their needs. They were teaching this spiritual knowledge to the people around them, and all the people were starting to learn to live in harmony with each other. At the same time they were beginning again to prosper by becoming harmonious with nature, or the natural elements upon which they depended.

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The above material was copied directly from Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife.

The Prophecies of Meher Baba

2011-12-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

It's probably not a good idea for me to say much about Meher Baba. He was a 20th Century mystic from India who claimed to be the Avatar of the Age (that is, God in human form). I personally believe that He was who He said He was, primarily because of two traits He possessed: 1) He suffered voluntarily (and greatly), and 2) He did not sugar-coat reality. In my limited experience, these are two traits that virtually no holy man, or human, possesses. Reality is simply too painful for the vast majority of people, no matter how enlightened or well-intentioned, to meet head-on. That said, to mis-represent the Avatar is to bring about extreme karmic consequences - thus my reluctance to say much about Him. In spite of this, I recently went online to see if Baba discussed apocalypse, and found some notable quotes, which I have copied below.

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It seems that every personal ego has to come up to the surface and function, before it can be destroyed, so the national ego, the religious ego, etc., must undergo, in the same way, the same process of destruction. Love can then flow in to replace them. After the war, Baba told us this cleansing had by no means been fully accomplished, and that there was a choice of two ways to accomplish the rest.

One would be a third and devastating world war, and the other way would be through small wars, earthquakes, general physical upheaval, starvation for some groups, and religious groups vying with each other, their adherents killing each other to prove that their way was the only way to God.

Baba then looked around the group, and asked which we thought was the better way. For once unanimous, we said, ‘The second way.’ He made no indication as to the direction in which humanity would be swept, but certainly most of the things that he mentioned as the second way have already happened and are still, in many parts of the world, continuing to cause a general upheaval.

[1945?, India]

—Source: Margaret Craske, The Dance of Love, pp. 153-154

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“One day in the early forties, Baba called all of us and asked us ‘What will happen to this world? I’ll give you five minutes to narrate the worst scenario.’

“Each of us described the horror that the world would experience. After listening to all of us, he said,

“‘This is not even one percent of what will happen. The entire world will cry out. Food will not be available, and people will eat the cloth off their backs.

“‘I will give those who are mine a small amount to eat, but what will happen to the rest?’

“On another day, Baba told us, ‘I will close all the doors very slowly. Only then will suffocated humanity become conscious of fresh air.’

—Source: Mansari Desai, Glow International, February 1997, p. 9

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- - - - -

I spoke to Baba about someone who, in order to protect his family and himself from destruction foretold by Baba, wanted to establish a home way up in the mountains, and stock it with the necessary food.

Baba interrupted me and said, “No place will be safe, not even the top of the Himalayas. Only by the grace of God can one be saved.”

So I asked Baba if this destruction would be a man-made or a natural one.

Then Baba answered, “It will be both.”

[1950s]

—Source: Fred Winterfeldt, in The Awakener Magazine, vol. 7, no. 1, p. 40, http://www.theawakenermagazine.org

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The Hornets Nest

2011-11-13T20:57:00.001-08:00

Good Lord. Came across this beast HERE. Description below the photos. Kind of like a shotgun on steroids...come to think of it, you could load this with snake shot rounds for Boa hunting!

THE HORNET'S NEST -- THESE 40MM AMMO INSERTS PACK SOME FANTASTIC FIREPOWER! MADE FROM PRECISION MACHINED AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM, THE HOUSING IS BORED OUT AND TEN (10) STEEL RIFLED .22 BBL'S ARE INSERTED. YOU LOAD UP WITH TEN .22 LR CARTRIDGES, INSTALL A LARGE PISTOL PRIMER AND FIRE YOUR GRENADE LAUNCHER. WITH ONE PULL OF THE TRIGGER ALL TEN ROUNDS ARE DOWN RANGE, MAKING FOR ONE OF THE ULTIMATE DENSE BRUSH ROUNDS. THE HORNET'S NEST IS MADE FOR A LIFETIME OF USE, NOT LIKE THE UNLINED, HOMEMADE 18 SHOT MODELS THAT WILL DAMAGE YOUR M79. IN ANODIZED RED ALUMINUM, COMPLETE WITH UNLOADER TOOL. $595

M-4 Survival Carbine (AKA the Ripper Pistol)

2011-11-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

So, it dawns on me that the ultimate survival rifle in a sci-fi SHTF, EOTW scenario would be a short-barreled M-4 pistol with a stock, a forward grip & a drop-in .22LR conversion kit. If you configured it with a solid stock, you could stash a cleaning kit & a survival kit in the stock, a mini-Leatherman in the pistol grip & a lighter+ in the front grip. The .22LR converter would allow you to shoot small game for food & the .223s would be reserved for larger game & combat/defense. Or, if you wanted to use a telescoping stock, you could insert a cleaning kit inside the rear grip. Below are 2 cleaning kits designed to fit inside AR-15 grips:

The Samson Field Survivor AR-15 Tool Kit costs US$115 & is a very high quality cleaning & tool kit -

The Otis Grip Kit, 5.56mm costs US$40 & is a lighter, simpler kit -

Drop-in .22LR conversion kits can be found all over the web, though CheaperThanDirt offers several at competitive prices, including this Ciener Kit with a 10-round CA-compliant magazine:

This Ripper Pistol system could be augmented with a sling & dual 30-round .223 mags, plus a 100-round Beta C "combat" mag, plus a few hundred loose .22LR rounds. And of course, being that this is the realm of sci-fi(!), a full-auto selector switch would round the package out.

Hey, who says you can't dream? And if you're going to dream, dream big!
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California Cuisine

2011-11-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

What are Hippie Survivalists going to eat if there is a SHTF scenario and shelves go empty? They are going to eat what California has to offer (not necessarily in order): Acorns, deer, wild pigs, wild turkeys, miners lettuce and squirrels. To that end, there is a series of acorn prep videos on youtube that begins with this video. These are worth watching, because they give you a very good, basic understanding of how to properly process and leach acorns so that they are both edible and tasty. Remember, the deal with acorns is that they contain astringent tannins which are inedible (poisonous even) if not leached out. These tannins are so bitter that they will make you pucker like you have never puckered before! Remember that different kinds of Oaks produce different kinds of acorns, and thus some type of acorns require more leaching than others. In my experience, acorns from White Oaks require very little leaching to be edible - thus they are my acorns of choice. Lastly, acorns are high in fat and protein, making them a good source of calories.
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EOTW Prepper Shit You Should Buy Or Know About

2011-11-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

The Freeze Dry Guy has a large 1-time supply of LRPs (Long Range Patrol) rations in stock right now. They aren't exactly cheap, and who knows when they were built, but they are US Military stock and every survivalist should have at least a case on hand. Food like this is lightweight, takes up little space, and cooks up quick with only hot water. Me, I tend to eat these types of meals when I go camping in the desert or when I'm on a road trip out to Bugout Country.

Surviving Healthy is a website that sells antibiotic kits to preppers. Now, none other than Rawles himself recently recommended this website on SurvivalBlog.com, but I am not 100% sold that this guy is completely legit. A quick perusal of his website reveals that he "cannot find an online processor" (?) and must take all orders via check & snail mail. Hmmm. Furthermore, when it comes to discussing expiration dates and the longevity of the antibiotics he sells, he makes absolutely no mention of any hard numbers or actual dates, declaring (generically) that 90% of all medications remain effective 15 years after their expiration date! Wow! OK, that said, I may chance it and place an order with him. If he screws me, I can always file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Alliance Armament, purveyor of the unbelievably lethal and bad ass 12 gauge Accelerator Pistol (pictured above), will soon also sell the unbelievably bad ass GripShield (pictured below). The GripShield is a polymer front grip that attaches to a weapon-mounted underbelly (lower) picatinny rail. The grip itself is attached to a plate armor shield, turning your weapon into portable armor. Holy shit! I want one for the Hyampom SAW! Probably not legal in CA, though. Oy vay - $115 seems downright inexpensive.

Ballistic Clipboard continues to sell bulletproof clipboards for what I deem reasonable prices. The website itself is kind of sickening, and I detest the scare tactics it uses to promote its products, but at roughly US$50 I don't see how you can go wrong. One of these unassuming clipboards could be kept at your workstation when at work, inserted into a backpack or under clothing or under a car seat cover to serve as a ballistic plate while jetting about town, and carried with you in a bag when slumming to buy Pall Malls at 11:00 at night. Basically, these little fuckers function as portable bulletproof and knifeproof armor. Buy one!

That's all for tonight, ladies!
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Things Change

2011-11-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

While I support the Occupy Wall Street protests in spirit, they may be misdirected. The Age of Protest is over, ladies and gents. Protests just don't accomplish much any more. Let me propose that the best any of us can do at this time on this planet is to put our excess energy to work constructively creating new things. We can do this for ourselves or for others, for family or for strangers.

Example: I could camp out at Oakupation and live on handouts and carry a sign and taunt the police and possibly anger my fellow citizens, riot or get beaten and arrested. Or, I could spend that same time and energy:

*Picking up trash on the streets of Oakland, thus saving tax money while also beautifying the city and spreading good cheer,

*Planting my own garden so that I am no longer as dependent on the entire economic system that created the Wall Street fiasco,

*Handing out free flyers (that I myself wrote) that promote the concept of Victory gardens in order to provide people with added food security,

*Carving a pair of sandals out of a tire, a process which expands my trade skills and increases my own sense of independence while also recycling old materials and possibly inspiring others to think outside the box,

*Having a yard sale to rid myself of unwanted/needed belongings while bringing in income,

*Volunteering at a local grass-roots non-profit which either helps promote self-sufficiency in the local population (such as installing gardens in low-income backyards), or takes care of basic social needs (such as tutoring low-income children or assisting at a nursing home),

*Hosting a bare-bones block party/barbecue so that my neighbors can network, exchange information and form new friendships,

*Working and paying off my own debt, which helps all of society,

*Removing my money from a corporate bank and transferring it to a local credit union,

*Taking First Responder classes so that I can assist my community in times of crisis,

...you get the point. I can't say I've done all of these things, not by a long shot, but I've done a handful of them.

My point, though, is that protesting is dead weight. It doesn't BUILD anything. It relies on handouts. It doesn't teach anyone to fish. It also causes a great deal of divisiveness. It DOES achieve some positive goals, but it is a lesser means of accomplishing new and great things. Instead of protesting the things we don't like, WE SHOULD GO BUILD THE THINGS WE DO LIKE. For fuck sake, this seems so obvious - am I right or am I right?

Tire Sandals Part 5

2011-10-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

Done. Took 4-5 hours of dedicated hard labor to make, I could probably cut it down to 3 on my next pair, using the exact same footprint that these ones have, plus the wood chisels I began using late in the game. Comfy? Sort of. Nothing my chiropractor would condone, but nothing I couldn't get used to in a pinch. Good for off-the-pavement travel, probably. Next project - bike inner tube moccasins for babies? Maybe!

Happy Devil's Night!

This Is Urban Warfare

2011-10-29T19:13:00.001-07:00

Tire Sandals Part IV

2011-10-29T18:24:00.001-07:00

Almost there.
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Saturday Notes

2011-10-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Above: Scored this diving watch off a freecycle table. Waterproof to 200 meters. Lense is scratched but that's OK. Cut off the skankified watchband, forgot to keep the metal buckle pieces. Oops. Scrubbed the watch with hot water and a toothbrush, cleaned up nice. Cut a new wrist band from inner tube, not sure how to attach the ends. Note: Install new watch battery. Below that, a single link from a chainsaw chain can be used as a cord lock.

Above: All free, and almost good to go.
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Dead serious when I say that roughage will make you crap better and also make you feel damn good inside.
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Saying it once again: The key to improving gas mileage is to ease off the gas. Go slower, don't accelerate quickly, coast before using the brakes, keep your speed low on the highway & use cruise control.
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A friend's daughter dreamed that a big, big earthquake hit while she was at school. She was at the table doing art with her classmates and the sound of screaming filled the air. Then the room started shaking really hard and she and her friends ducked under the table. The girl's a kid, not more than 8, the dream scared her badly.

So, I'm rearranging things in the house to EQ-proof a bit - threw away a bunch of jars, double-rubberbanded the kitchen cabinets closed, in the process of moving stacked things to the floor. Also gonna stock the Beast with some food & case of water & keep him gassed above 3/4 tank for the near while.
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Awesome backpack ammo box innovation by some soldiers out of Ohio: VIDEO LINK HERE. This invention has been a long time in coming. Let's hope it goes mainstream.

A Strange & Archaic Military Relic

2011-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

The 1980's German Bundeswehr Military "Fallschirmjäger-Messer" Paratrooper Type 4 FkM Gravity Knife - ever heard of it? It might evoke some faint sense of memory, but you've probably never seen one in the flesh. They are relatively hard to find these days, but a persistent internet search will bring them up. Check out the photos below:

It's a biggie! Plastic handle, metal tip, a folding marlinspike on the side, blade secreted in the handle. These puppies were designed to cut parachute rigging and untangle paracord. They appear to be relatively well constructed.

Another view, showing the locking lever at the front/top of the handle.

Blade extended and locked in place.

Blade retracted.

These are cool knives. The blade simply falls out when you point the handle downward and press the locking lever forward. Then you pull the lever back and the blade locks in place. Or, you can flick the blade out. Not a high-quality blade, but it sharpens right up.

Tire Sandals Part III

2011-10-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

I sweated a pound or two carving these buggers out.

Now I've got a lot of detail work to do. Need to cut all the tabs down evenly, then thin out the tabs, then carve strap slits in them, then install the straps and buckles. But they might require a lot more finessing than that...they are shit-house strong and crude enough that I have no idea how my feet will actually fit in them, or if I will even be able to walk in them. Hang on. OK, check this out, below:

See how they don't sit flat? Yeah. They are tire-shaped. Mm-hmm. OK, one last photo, to give you yet another perspective:

Enjoy your evening, folks.
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Ripper Pistols

2011-10-23T20:06:00.001-07:00

OK, so they aren't all technically pistols, and "Ripper" is a term I made up myself. But I think these tools are awesome. I mean, what they give you is a LOT of firepower in a very small package, and if TS ever HTF and the American suburbs turn into the proverbial frying pan...am I right, or am I right? These photos were all snagged from internet forums. I don't know if any of these weapons are legal anywhere, but it's a good guess that none of them are legal in CA unless they are single shot, with a zero-round sled instead of a magazine.

Love the front grip.

My fav. A pistol with 100 assault rounds in it...yet, it could still use a front pistol grip. And some sights. And who am I fooling, a recoil-absorbing stock. OK, not my fav.

My NEW fav. My idea of an assault rifle. Now THAT'S concealable. AND it rocks-and-rolls.

Don't know what this is.

It looks real, though. That a grenade launcher down below?

Wow. Beta Mag, front armor AND a chainsaw handle. SWAT entry weapon, perhaps?
Good Lord.

I think I figured out why I like these little rippers so much. They remind me of the old Tommy guns the gangsters used to use back in Prohibition, the ones with drum mags, dual grips and the stocks removed. These are like space-age Tommy guns. They are designed to kick out the jams.

Unrelated: Why doesn't someone start a company that designs, builds and sells weapons for survivalists? A whole range: muzzle loaders, pistols, rifles, etc. They could incorporate unique elements into their weapons, such as storage compartments for survival gear, multiple barrels, and multi-caliber adapters and such. Maybe one day. We'll wait and see.

Tire Sandals Part II

2011-10-23T17:07:00.001-07:00

Not very precise, but bigger than it needs to be.

Built like a fucking tank tread.

Suprisingly fun and easy to cut the sandal out of the tire. Used a razor blade. The devil will lie in cutting the tabs to size, thinning them, and chopping out the slits for the webbing. I'll flip the pattern over to trace out the left sandal. This is a very heavy duty sandal, it looks and feels like it will last for 15,000 miles.

Tire Sandals Part I

2011-10-23T14:53:00.001-07:00

Yeah.

Maybe.

More like it.

Gotta trace my foot now and make a pattern.
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Here's a strange little story, pulled from the Tire Sandal link in yesterday's last blog entry:

He punched discs out of tires to make bicycle tires (for those who were lucky enough to still have a bike.) You bought enough of the discs, drilled or burned holes in the center, and ran a sturdy fence wire through the holes. To mount these 'tires' one twisted the fence wire until it was tight enough take up any slack. It was a very hard ride, especially on the old cobblestone roads, but it was better than walking for some people.

Very innovative! He is referring to people in Germany improvising bicycle tires after WW II, when there were no new tires to be had. Necessity IS the mother of invention.

Repurposing Old Tires & An Epic Bosnian SHTF Story

2011-10-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Spotted a tire on the sidewalk in Bezerkeley. Must have been an old, old spare, never used, kind of dirty but no tread wear. Full sized. NOT a steel belt radial. Brought it home. Hosed it down, sprayed it with non-chemical cleaner, brushed it lightly, hosed it again, let it dry. Cut across it with a Leatherman blade. Pounded the edges of the tire off the rim with a rubber mallet and a small pry bar. Cut thru the metal bands in the tire's edges with bolt cutters. The steel wheel/rim will make a good hose reel once it is bolted to a vertical post. The tire itself will be cut into sections and turned into sandals. HERE is a good website for instructions on how to make tire sandals. Photos once the sandal process starts.

Found this LINK on SurvivalBlog today. Holy shit, what a story. Kind of like Leningrad in WW II, but also kind of worse, in a sense. I'm going to take the liberty of cutting-and-pasting the text into this blog, to spread this guy's story. It is something all preppers should read. Here goes (unedited, verbatim):

selco

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 118

Thanks: 105

Thanked 2,721 Times in 112 Posts

OK, i wanna share with you my own experience. (be patient with my English, i am from far away)
I am from Bosnia, and as some of you may know it was hell here from 92-95, anyway, for 1 whole year i lived and survived in a city of 50 000- 60 000 residents WITHOUT: electricity, fuel,running water,real food distribution, or distribution of any goods, or any kind of organized law or government.The city was surrounded for 1 year and in that city actually it was SHTF situation.

We did not have organized army or police force, there was groups of defenders, actually anybody who had a gun, fight for his own house and his own family.

Some of us was better prepared, but most of families had food for couple of days, some of us had pistol, few owned AK-47 when all started.

Anyway, after one month or two, gangs started with their nasty job,hospital looked like butchery, police force vanished, 80 percent of hospital staff gone home.
I was lucky, my family was big in that time (15 members in one big house, 5-6 pistols, 3 Kalashnikov s) so we lived and survived, most of us.

I remember US Air force dropped MRE every 10 days (god bless USA for that) as help for surrounded city, it just was not enough.Some of houses had little gardens with some vegetables, most did not.
After three months rumors started abouth first deaths from starvation,deaths from low temperatures, we stripped every door , window frame from abandoned houses for heating, i burned all my own furniture for heating, lot of people died from diseases, mostly from bad water (two of my family members), we used rain water for drink, several times i ate pigeons, once i ate rat.
Money did not worth sh..
we traded things, black market worked, few examples: for 1 corned beef can you could have woman for couple of hours(sounds bad, but it was reality) i remember, most of that womans were just desperate mothers, candles, lighters,antibiotics,fuel,batteries, rifle ammo and of course food, we fight like animals for that.
In situation like that lot of things change, most of people turned to monsters, it was ugly.
Strength was in the numbers, if you were alone in the house, you ve been probably robbed and killed, no matter how well armed.

Anyway, war ended, again thanks to America (and again god bless USA for that)
It is not important witch side had right in that war.
It was almost 20 years ago, but believe me, for me it was just like yesterday, i remember everything, and i think i learned a lot.
Me and my family are prepared now,i am well armed, stocked and educated.
It is not important what going to happen, earthquake,war, tsunami,aliens terrorists, important thing is that something gonna be.
And from my expirience, you can not survive alone, strength is in the numbers, be close with your family, prepare with them, choose your friends wisely and prepare with them too.

And at the end, this is my first post, and my English is not so good, so don t judge me too hard.

Gadhafi Gets Iced & Other Shite

2011-10-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

"Dragged from hiding in a drainage pipe, a wounded Moammar Gadhafi raised his hands and begged revolutionary fighters: "Don't kill me, my sons." Within an hour, he was dead, but not before jubilant Libyans had vented decades of hatred by pulling the eccentric dictator's hair and parading his bloodied body on the hood of a truck." - SIRTE, Libya (AP)

And so another megalomaniac dictator bites the dust at the hands of the people he brutalized for decades, saving us all the agony of listening to his insane posturings during an expensive and lengthy show trial. Best of luck to all Libyans, who seem like cool people and fought the good fight to its triumphant end.

Sold the remote bug out homestead. Time to move on to the next adventure!

There were two earthquakes today, both underneath Berkeley.

It would behoove all Californians to pay respect to Neptune from time to time. Lord of oceans and earthquakes, he is truly our local deity.

Fuck.

2011-10-15T12:19:00.001-07:00

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Goddamnit, there are a LOT of mass shootings occurring in the fucking United States these days. There was the beauty salon rampage in LA a couple of days ago - 8 dead, 1 wounded to date. There was the Quarry rampage in the South Bay a few days ago - I think 7 people were shot. As I've previously mentioned, there was the Carson rampage a month or two ago, with about 8 dead. And that's just what I can remember off the top of my head, locally. For fuck sake! This shit has become normal. Let me repeat that: This crazy shit has become normal. Get it out of your head that it is all an anomaly, and we will be back to "safe-and-sound" soon. No, this is the path we are on, and it diverged from the American Dream some time ago.

Let me list the bumps in the road we are on: overpopulation, dwindling natural resources, peak oil, climate change, the growing global food crisis, the death of the oceans, impending ecosystem collapse, the drying up of the planet, the ever-increasing likelihood of global pandemic, ocean level rise, economic collapse, social collapse, increasing numbers of mass murders, the threat of world war, the ongoing demise of the US dollar, the continued disintegration of nation states, the rise of stateless cartels and multi-nationals, and the shrinking of the middle-class.

If you are not a survivalist by now, you are nuts, but there is still hope. You still have the chance to look around you, take stock of the world, and become sane by beginning your journey towards self-reliance.

Am I an expert on this shit? Fuck no. Do I pretend to be? Fuck no. Am I intelligent, observant, abreast of world history and world affairs? Fuck yes. Do I really give a shit if you are black, white, straight, gay, a hippie, a redneck, foreign, domestic, vertically challenged, a human centipede? No. What I care about is spreading the message so that it sticks. Wake up and get off your ass if you haven't already done so. Take stock of your life. Learn to garden. Arm yourself. Network. Get an emergency kit together. Pay off your debt. Increase your practical knowledge base. Realize that the best thing you can do for yourself and everyone around you is to stop relying on the systems that keep us afloat, because those systems are breaking or broke.

Your mission is to figure out how to rely on yourself.
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Shots

2011-10-15T12:09:00.001-07:00

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"Emerald City"

"Forest"

"Moonshot"

Smartphones take good low-rez, pixilated photos.
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Notes

2011-10-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

Re-potted 2 dwarf citrus trees and an avocado tree yesterday, in large pots with quality hand-mixed soil and organic plant food. Also pruned them lightly and moved them into more sun. Am hoping they spring back and start to produce.

Gonna re-plant the wine barrel potato garden soon. 24 potato pieces next time, as opposed to 6 last time. Potatoes seem to grow vertically without branching to the sides. No reason to let any container space go unused, then.

Also, need to weed out the nettles in another wine barrel, as they have a white blight/mold on them. Will replace them with onions.

Time to pull all the strawberries and tomatoes, which will leave me with empty earth boxes and a whole lot of empty pots.

Mmmmph.

Franklin Armory

2011-10-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

********************

Ooooh, neat. There is a strange, new me-kind-of-weapon in town: The CA-compliant Franklin Armory XO-26B. It is a crafty and innovative little beast, available in 5.56mm, 7.62mm or Bushmaster .450. It has an 11.5-inch barrel, flash suppressor, forward and rear pistol grips, and no stock. The real catch is that it is sold as a single-shot weapon, ie: it has a zero round sled mag, meaning that the magazine is a spring-less dud with 1-round capacity. The action is standard though, and does cycle when fired, ejecting the round just like a normal semi-auto. Note: The magazine is held in place by a bullet button. The version pictured below must not be CA compliant, as it has a 20-round magazine (or more probably, a 10/20 mag). The version I saw in a local store had the zero round sled mag, which was virtually the same size as a 10-round mag.

Of particular interest is the fact that this weapon is neither legally a rifle, pistol, OR Any Other Weapon (AOW) ... for some reason it skirts the definitions of all the above weapon classifications. Yet, it is still CA legal, "as long as its total length is at least 26 inches and it is not actually concealed on the person".

This weapon appears to be well constructed, with a fully operational charging handle, forward assist and (breech) dust cover (unlike some 22LR assault rifles). The components are name brand and high quality. The rear pistol grip has an internal storage compartment for a cleaning kit or other gear, and the forward grip is hollow. The rear piston tube is padded and meant to be placed alongside one's cheek when aiming. It appears, however, that it could be butted up against one's shoulder, like a stock ... I don't know if that would actually work, or if it would be CA legal. I DO know that firing the Bushmaster 450 this way would bruise the living **** out of your shoulder, though. That is one hot round.

If I owned this puppy, I'd fashion a cap for the bottom of the forward grip, and store survival gear inside both grips. I'd attach a loop-sling to the rear of the receiver, and hang the weapon over my right shoulder. Don't know how I'd carry ammo.

Note that this weapon does not come with any sights. I am informed that iron sites run about $80, but have not verified that. A red dot sight is always an option.

Here's to a CA-compliant weapon that very closely resembles a modified submachine gun. It must be fun as hell to play with.

Happy hunting, Californians!

********************

Container Harvest

2011-10-08T14:59:00.001-07:00

Planted 6 potato eyes in a 1/2 wine barrel last November-December. Barrel was 1/2 full of soil. Mounded more soil around the plants as they grew up, til the soil level was raised 8 inches above the rim of the barrel (held in place by a ring of copper sheeting). Photo above shows the total yield after 10-11 months. Potatoes are unwashed because they will keep much longer this way. This year's yield is 2-3 times last year's yield. Next year's yield should be 3-4 times bigger than this. The key: Plant 24 eyes to begin with. And, increase soil fertility with compost.

Made lunch soup with some of the above potatoes and some homegrown onions (also with purchased organic produce). Yum!

Mendo Fugitive Killed

2011-10-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

A sad end to a riveting, 2-month crime spree/manhunt. Aaron Bassler -- very armed and VERY dangerous -- certainly deserved the end he met, but he was a tragic figure nonetheless, long the victim of undiagnosed/treated severe mental illness. His death is as tragic as that of the 2 men he killed last month. I hope to read a book or see a movie about this incident in the coming years, as many of the themes in this story -- cultivating illegal plants on other people's land in Northern California, untreated mental illness, dropping out of society and living off the land, evading and eluding law enforcement for extended periods of time, foraging and stealing for survival -- are very interesting indeed.

Prayers for all who passed away - may their souls be at peace.

Bug Out Bag revisited

2011-09-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Got the new DRAGO BOB, and it is everything the positive reviews said it was. Not too big, but just big enough. And definitely not too small.

Here's the kicker: Want to see a man get all riled up? Watch him pack his BOB. Holy shit, it's a rough row to hoe. What will fit? What won't? What is necessary? What is imperative? What is fluff? What is the point of a BOB? What is it supposed to do?

Man, the new BOB is half the size of the old, so I am leaving a lot behind and doing a lot of switching down. Realizing it is really a true SHTF bag, basically to keep me alive and that's it. I'll post more when I get this thing wired tight.

Major BOB overhaul

2011-09-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Holy cripes. Checked out the Bug Out Bag today and it was embarrassingly ill-equipped. No fork, no multi-tool, no toothbrush or toothpaste, not enough food, no batteries, no flashlight, no poncho, no knife at all, no quarters, no water bottle, holy shit NO FIRE, to name some oversights. Filled it up right quick with 3 types of fire, 2 water bottles, a CRKT spork, tooth gear, the HAKET, a Mora knife, more socks, more undies, another t-shirt, cans of tuna, packets of soup mix.

Still need to add soap, deodorant, a poncho, the old bivy sack, quarters, TP, a solar battery charger.

What did it already have in it? A PUR water purifier, a self-inflating mattress, a Snugpack desert sleeping bag, MREs, plastic bags, clothing, an Esbit stove, etc.

Truth is, a much better pack is needed. Decided to go with the DRAGO Assault Pack which can be had online at US Cavalry for $49.95 and gets 5 very solid reviews. It's cheap, which I like. Has a very sturdy top handle, which I like. Has lots of webbing, which makes for expansion. I have the Drago roll-up pack and it rocks.

Will post more when the upgraded BOB is 100% complete.

Poison Oak

2011-09-22T13:38:00.001-07:00

A little something about poison oak: Poke is the Queen of the California landscape. Get to know it well. Learn to identify it in the dark, in the winter, in your sleep, with your eyes closed. Be ever reverent towards it, even when you haven't had an allergic reaction to it in years. I grew up with it and got it badly numerous times as a child. By the time I was 20 I was immune to it. But I show it great reverence to this day. I have seen friends do stupid things and get it systemically, so badly that they had to go to the emergency room for cortisone shots. I've known people who ate it by accident, burned it and inhaled the smoke by accident, got it in cuts, got it on their balls, you name it. They should have known better, but perhaps no one ever warned them. You, however, can't use that excuse - not after reading this. And once you understand Poke, spread the word to those around you when you go hiking or camping. The key to protection is reverence.

The Star Necker

2011-09-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

I call this little fucker the Star Necker. It is bar none the cutest little tool I've seen in a long time. Very unique, too. Bought the Kydex sheath on Ebay, and the arrowhead online at Esee. Added the paracord lanyard m'se'f. This tiny little sharp serves as both a concealed carry fighter and a work knife for the little stuff.

Below you can see the arrowhead edge.

Here we show the true size, in comparison to my ugly-ass, white mandible. It's a small'un. Gonna have to check local law to see if it's legal to carry. Sometimes blades that have an edge of less than 2 inches bypass the law. If it is, down m'shirt it goes. I will OWN the night, motherfucker.

P.S. The Star Necker is razor sharp, and don't forget it. I stabbed myself with it by accident (duh!) and found out the hard way. I also dropped it on my keyboard tray and it put a divit in the plastic.

Sunday

2011-09-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Perfect fucking day. Kind of hot, but not ass-kickingly roasting. Went for a walk at sunset and the orange sunlight made me feel so damn good. Images of perfect people and perfect places come to mind - people and places I've never known.

Spent the afternoon working on the lock box. Caulked the extra bolt holes, cut a piece of plywood for the floor, fitted cork spacers under it to clear the bolts, cemented carpet to the top to cushion the tools that will lay on it. Then cemented carpet to the inside walls of the box. Blued the hasp and padlock bolt with a Sharpie. Almost done now.

Gonna get to bed early and get up early tomorrow - gonna be another hot day.

Switching Out One Motherfucker for Another

2011-09-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hey! Missed you :-).

So, today we have a simple DIY mini-project or three. Let's start with the TOPS Haket. The Haket is bar none one of the coolest survival gadgets I have ever come across. The online reviews are stellar, and I wish to add that the Haket REALLY IS ALL THAT. It rocks. Its hollow, flattened handle is made of coated gray chrome moly, and it is a VERY heavy duty (but lightweight!) tool. The tomahawk motherfucker, which is coated to prevent rust, is very solid. It attaches perfectly to the Haket, and when bolted into place there is not one iota of play. It also functions flawlessly on its own, as a knife. This piece of kit is a flawlessly designed and manufactured piece of awesome shit, and every hippie survivalist should have one (Unless they just don't need it cuz they already have better, or other, equally awesome shit that already fulfills the same purpose. You dig?).

Below we have my modded Haket, which I have deemed The Death Dart. You will notice that I have switched out the tomahawk motherfucker for the Alligator Alley harpoon tip motherfucker. I did this because while the tomahawk motherfucker kicks ass, I cannot abide the way it bulks up the precious aerodynamics of the Haket. Not when it's inside my house, or in transit or in storage, I can't. I like compact. So, by attaching the harpoon motherfucker, I have created a giant, evil dart - one which makes me very happy :-). I have also pulled an inner tube down over the exposed handle, because A) it protects the surface beneath, B) it provides sticky gripitation, C) I can secrete survival goodies under the rubber, and D) it looks Delta Force-like and menacing. I also attached both the harpoon motherfucker and its sheath to the handle, via paracord lanyards. The harpoon motherfucker lanyard is long enough to double as a hanger, too. That's basically it. I'm trying to figure out what to store in the handle, besides zip-ties (for securing the Death Dart to a pole or stick).

The only thing lacking on the Haket are more motherfuckers. Why don't they make a pick motherfucker, a shovel motherfucker, an ice pick motherfucker and a hoe motherfucker? Maybe I will never know. But I do know one thing - I am going to write to TOPS and request that they offer additional motherfuckers, cuz I will buy every one. Because I CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY MOTHERFUCKERS IN MY LIFE. I ALREADY HAVE SO MANY, WHAT ARE 5 MORE? FUCK.

P.S. Where do I keep The Death Dart? I hang it from the bedpost. Why? Because it makes me so fucking happy to see it there.

You know, we're almost out of time now, because I got carried away up above and wrote too much. Below I have 2 fun little mods. First off on the left, I fitted a piece of inner tube around a padlock to A) weatherproof it, B) prevent it from clanging, and C) remove it's silvery sheen. I also taped the top of the lock with electrical tape, for the same reasons. Does it look perfect? No. Is it functional? Yes. So if you don't like it, fuck you. I think it rocks. Lastly, on the right we have an orange Bick lighter that I wrapped with electrical tape to make it all Navy Seals-stealthy. Works like a charm.

OK, so we're almost done for today. Just wanted to say that my Lock Box project? The box was rattling around when I drove, so I jammed some inner tube under it, and it sits very tightly now. Also, the above padlock doesn't rattle. Bottom line: THE LOCK BOX ROCKS MY COCK. Take it easy and until next time!

Esee AH1 Arrowhead

2011-09-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

Below we have an Esee Knives AH1 Arrowhead, available at Esee Knives for about $US18 & elsewhere online for about US$14. This is a highly rated edged tool that functions as both a necker and an arrow/spear tip.

Better yet, for about US$21.50 + shipping you can go on EBAY and buy a handmade Kydex sheath and handle kit per the photo below, turning this bad boy into a complete utility tool at a very reasonable overall rate:

I'm nicknaming this bad boy The Stocking Stuffer.

DIY LockBox

2011-09-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

Someone gave me an old ammo box that they had once started to convert into a motorcycle cargo box. Using the existing drilled holes in it's floor, I drilled thru the bed of The Beast and inserted 4 bolts upwards from beneath, securing the bolts with washers, nuts and lock nuts (in that order) from the inside of the box. Below you can see the box in place. It's a biggie, 20mm or some shit like that.

Below is a photo of the other end of the box. Because the lid comes off entirely, this end of the lid had to be permanently secured to the box with a bolt, washers, nut and lock nut. Because of the double nuts on the inside, there is no way to remove the bolt from the outside. I tried, and it just spun in place.

The other side of the lid is secured with a padlock. Because padlocks are easy to snip, I positioned the ammo box so that it butts very closely up against The Beast's tailgate. Thus I can close the box, lock it, close the tailgate and lock IT, and there is no way to open the box. Actually, the padlock is not even needed. There is simply no way to pull the lid handle out and up when the tailgate is in place. Wa-laaah! A free lock box for the truck...well, it cost me a few bucks in nuts and bolts and washers, and 2 hours of my time. And, it was a "learning experience".

One last thing. The box vibrates when I drive, even though it is screwed in tighter than a French whore. Solution? I'll add more bolts to the corners, to hold the box down against the truck bed even when the bed is torquing or flexing.

The Sunday Spread & HubGuv

2011-09-04T17:38:00.001-07:00

***

Scored a wooden ammo box at a local retro store, gonna keep tools in it. It's about the same size as a metal .30 cal box, so it's probably sized to hold .30-.06. Wasn't cheap, but it is priceless. Sound condition except for the leather handle, which is torn and ready to break. Never seen one before. Be interesting if it was made of wood due to a scarcity of metal during WW II.

Below, a Mora Knife: Alone, and with basic mods including a velcro handle strap, a fire steel w/velcro straps and some cord to keep everything secure. This configuration is strictly for my BOB or the truck - I'd never normally need a fire steel in camp, and the handle strap would be a gigantic pain in the arse. One of the best things about this Mora is the awesomely simple sheath, which allows for easy removal of the knife. The strap would only be useful if I was in dire life-or-death straits, and losing the knife meant not surviving. There is absolutely no way to remove the knife with the strap in place.

***
HubGuv

Fuck taxes, fuck government, fuck bureaucracy, fuck budgets, fuck red tape, fuck politicians, fuck the system, fuck the economy, fuck corporations. I've figured out a way to bypass all of them. It's an organic, grass-roots system called HubGuv, which fills in the cracks left by mainstream (corporate) government. HubGuv is, by definition and intent, collapse-proof. Therefore, it has no budget. Ever. It is a flexible, self-governing system by which people directly participate in self-government thru personal responsibility. HubGuv only functions by necessity. It relies on community, simplicity and common sense. It is essentially, but not strictly or dogmatically, libertarian. HubGuv is all about helping people to help themselves, and creating a society of responsible, self-sufficient people. The first rule of HubGuv is: Talk about HubGuv. The most important aspect of HubGuv is gardening, which is viewed as the basis for self-sufficiency, local economy and community.

***

Had a strange idea, one that could prove useful & innovative. It was for some webbing that fits on a person's arms much like shirt sleeves or very long gloves. The purpose of this webbing would be to hold gear and tools. Like, I'm an urban survivor in the year 2023, and I wear a short sleeved army shirt with these arm sleeves velcro'd to it, and I keep a knife, a wrench, lighter, smart phone, some ammo, maybe even a ballistic knife, clipped to them. It's kind of like the concept of those drop-down thigh holsters, but for your arms. Many years ago I once saw a wild-looking urban cowboy on the streets of the Haight Ashbury, and he had tools strapped to his forearms. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. To this day I refer to that guy as Mr Bartertown. Maybe his memory has been percolating in the depths for all these years...

***

Multi-Purpose Survival Tools

2011-09-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

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Been researching multi-function wilderness survival tools, and found several quality examples that are in current production and can be purchased online. Here goes:

Above we have the TOPS HAKET, produced by TOPS Knives. From what I've seen and read online, this tool rates among the best. It consists of a hollow chrome moly handle, a detachable tomahawk head, and an Alligator Alley spear head. The hawk head can be used as a stand-alone knife, scraper, etc, as can the spear head. The hawk head can be attached to the handle via a sturdy bolt, while the spear head can be lashed to a shaft for use as a spear. The hollow handle can be filled with a survival kit. A review of this tool can be found HERE. More to follow on this item when mine arrives in the mail. Cost: US$155 - 250 + tax & shipping. Hint: Do some research and go with the best deal! Prices vary widely.

Above is the ECO HAWK, a tomahawk head that functions as a stand-alone weapon/tool/knife when it is not lashed to a handle. It comes with a survival kit, which does not interest me (I make my own). I like the compactness of this tool, and strongly considered buying it til I came across the tool featured below. Cost: US$85 + tax & shipping.

Above we have the RS6 MOhawk, made to order by Red Scorpion Six out of Sulphur, Oklahoma. Like the ECO HAWK, it functions as a stand-alone weapon/tool/knife when not lashed to a handle. Unlike the ECO HAWK, it is handmade, with a variety of finish options and a high-quality Kydex sheath with leather belt loops. It also comes with a handle. Admittedly, the inverted blade is a very strange shape. BUT...I ordered one anyway, and have high hopes for it. Build time is 4-6 weeks. Stay tuned for a review once it arrives. Cost: US$125 + tax & shipping.

Above we have the TOPS Hoffman Harpoon, available in small, medium or large. The item pictured is the medium (standard) version. It functions as a stand-alone blade, a neck knife, or a spear point. IMHO, probably the most useful, expedient and realistic of this selection of survival tools. Why? It's small, simple, and very functional. Check out this review HERE. This knife has BOB written all over it. Price: US$69 - 79 - 89 + tax & shipping.

And finally, we have the ATAX, pictured above. A very strange and unique survival tool, it was designed by that survivalist dude called Hood, of Hood's Woods fame. FYI: It seems he passed away recently, so if you want one of these tools, better get it while they are still available online. They were only produced in small batches. This gadget has many uses, and I urge you to follow the hyperlink and read up on it. It has applications as an arrow launcher, an axe, a knife, a skinner, a clock, a nail puller, a range finder, and a whole range of additional uses that perplex my simple mind. Also, it has a hollow handle. It was described by one owner as "a beast". I tried to like this strange tool, but in the end I couldn't get into it. It's just too weird, too big, too clumsy and too unwieldy. Probably useful to a true backwoodsman, but THAT I am not, nor will I ever be. Cost: US$199.95 + tax & shipping.

Enjoy the long weekend!
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Yard Sale Score

2011-09-01T19:30:00.001-07:00

Ten bills for the wagon & two for the homemade chest.

Friday Stuff

2011-07-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

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So, here is a list of the mass shootings that took place in the United States in the past few days: CLICK THIS & WINCE. Notice it doesn't count local gun mishaps or the Oslo massacre. We live in a truly fucked up world. How are you dealing with this? Enough said.
*
I like a lot of things about Creek Stewart's website. He talks a lot about Bug Out preparations, which rocks. His bug out wagon, below, is right up my alley:

Time for me to go sleepy-bye. Honk-zzzzzzzz, honk-zzzzzzz, honk-zzzzzzz.
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Sunday Stuff

2011-07-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

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Planted 2 blueberry bushes last week, harvested 2 blueberries. That's right: 2 blueberries. They were good. Tomatoes and strawberries coming in, but none of them are particularly sweet or tasty. It's just not hot enough. Harvested a 1/2 grocery bag of plums last week, gave them to a friend to make jam out of. My potato plant is growing like mad and I harvested 2 potatoes a week ago. That's right: 2 potatoes. :-) I have been watering my garden significantly more than I used to, and the growth rate is exponential. Lesson learned.

If I had to live off of my container garden, I'd get about 2 days worth of food, and that would be in the form of potatoes. So, it's not like I'm busting my own food bank account with this experiment. But I maintain that gardening is nonetheless a worthwhile exercise - it's relaxing & therapeutic, I learn more by experience each season, it seems to make everyone more happy, and if TSHTF I can always rapidly expand the garden to include 3 to 4 times as many plants. AND, my neighbor caught the bug, which rocks!
*
Looked at my knife collection the other day and thought: None of these quite do me right, except for the Mora. So I bought 2 additional blades. Will review all my knives at a later date. It dawns on me that you need several knives for survival work, as no 1 knife will do all you need. The Mora rocks for cutting vegetables or twine & for skinning, but it is small & not able to chop or split wood. Something bigger & heavier is required...as well as a functional boot dagger for backup protection.
*
I want to bring to YOUR attention that mass shootings are becoming a weekly, even daily, occurrence, worldwide. Since Friday we have had the Oslo massacre, as well as at least 2 mass shootings in the United States, as well as a little girl hit by a stray bullet in Oaktown. And believe me when I say that that is probably not half of the mass murders that have occurred since Friday. Probably not a quarter. If I went and did a google search right now, the numbers would at least double. So, what Penny Kelly describes in ROBES is happening: Slowly, we will stop going out in public, due to the the endless stream of mass violent acts that occur in public spaces. Think about this and the implications it has for your future. We are becoming desensitized to an increasingly horrific world. What are YOU going to do about it? Think about that one long and hard, Fellow Survivalists!

Here is a quote that makes my blood run cold. I feel that it perfectly describes this century and the last:

“The faith that humans originally invested in God, they will now invest in barbaric nationalistic brotherhoods interested solely in plundering non-brothers. In the 20th century this will lead to wars catastrophic beyond all imagining.” The First World War was the beginning episode of Nietzsche’s prophecy. And he foresaw something even worse that would follow the great wars.

“In the 21st century will occur something worse than the great wars: namely, the total eclipse of all values. For without a profound belief in an almighty diety or deities, so-called ‘values’ become arbitrary and capricious. The pain the human beast will feel when he realizes he can believe in … nothing … will be worse than any he has felt before.”

-Neitzsche

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Peace out, Brohims.
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Lanyards & Skull Beads & Other Shite

2011-07-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

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CLICK HERE for The Lanyard Zone.

CLICK HERE for Creek Stewart's custom built survival shotgun (an odd but innovative contraption).
*
Today the bomb went off in Oslo, and over 80 people were massacred nearby at a children's camp, all of it done by a white psycho dressed as a cop. It's a new low, a terrible & immense mass murder. It feels like the beginning of the future. There is a deeper seriousness in me now...I know that one day I really will carry a pistol or a knife or a Taser for daily protection....or maybe all three. One day these incidents will be so commonplace & widespread that we will stop going out at all except when we have to, and then when we do we will have to traverse a bleak & hostile wasteland to reach our destination. It's gonna be weird raising kids in that world. It's gonna be a fucked up future.
*
CLICK HERE for Willow Haven Outdoor, Creek Stewart's website. It has a store full of quality outdoor tools & goods, plus a lot of killer Bug Out concepts and articles. Creek is a cool dude. I'll review his Bug Out book once it's published.
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Cool Gadgets & Gizmos

2011-07-07T18:27:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo of some cool stuff I scored from County Comm & the local thrift store:

Clockwise from top left corner:

•Metal storage tins, large and small, w/plastic covers. I like the smaller ones more. High cute factor, also very usable.
•Small driver, orange. High quality, with numerous heads stored in the grip. For small-ish screws.
•Israeli trauma bandage. For treating gunshot- or stab-wounds. The real thing. Expires in 2014.
•Plastic tube vaults. 1st one filled w/disposable towelettes, 2nd one filled w/new button compasses scored from the local East Bay Center for Creative Re-Use for a nickel each.
•Black Delrin safe, ie: a waterproof storage tube. Awesome to the extreme.
•Spool of black Spectra line, 90 lb test, 100 yards. Used for fishing nets, probably usable for repairing clothes & fabrics. The line could be cut into 1/3rds & the 1/3rds woven together to make a 100 ft-long, 270 lb "rope" that would be scarcely thicker than dental tape.
•Blue gun-cleaning stick. Small & not very strong, but inexpensive & usable.
•Black "cord supervisor". Something to wrap cord around, with a quality wire attachment clip.
•Black Delrin storage tubes, sized for AAA batteries & strung on a stainless wire key ring.
•Bag containing mini shears & OD plastic cord ends.
•New signal mirrors, purchased at the East Bay Center for Creative Re-Use for a quarter each.
•An Army robotics technician's key driver & 2 AA-sized Delrin storage tubes, strung on a stainless wire key ring.
•A micro-pen, a micro-pry bar, and a split pea Zippo-type lighter strung on a key ring.
•A wire key ring & an odd clip.

Cool shit, Maynard. If you add it all up, it wasn't cheap, but I'm not complaining. Some of it I'll use in the desert, some I'll keep in my day pack, some in my BOB. If I had to recommend anything above anything else, I'd say go for the Delrin containers & the drivers.

Peace out!

County Comm

2011-07-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

*****

This online store has a really cool selection of gov't overrun prep items - their inventory ranges from US Embassy pens to micro hex head drivers to mini lighters to mini pry bars to small storage/battery containers to mini grappling hooks. They have Spectra thread in stock at the moment, and if memory serves me correctly, they sometimes carry Kevlar thread. Basically, if you want to create any pocket Bug Out kits, or buy a Bro a cool gift, this is the place to go. I've purchased here before and have another order on the way.

Happy 4th of July! Bolinas, here I come!

*****

New Movies

2011-06-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

•

There are 2 new movies that I want to both see and recommend:

Trollhunter (Trolljegeren): A 12-second advertisement is a fair price to pay for this most awesome Norwegian trailer. The movie debuted at a limited number of art-house theaters on Friday, July 17th. If you miss it at the theater, don't worry -- it's sure to become an underground classic once it is released on DVD.

Bellflower: Mad Max fans beware, this movie is getting rave reviews! The official website is HERE. Teaser-trailer HERE. Release date is August, 2011.

"The phrase 'mayhem ensues' is an understatement for this violence-riddled amalgam of fire, alcohol, sex, broken hearts and steadfast bromance."
- Austin Chronicle
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Libyan Opposition DIY Weapons Factory

2011-06-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

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Awesome video HERE!
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Hilarious AR-15 Bullshit

2011-06-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

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LMFAO! This video is awesome.
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What Goverment Should Be

2011-06-08T21:01:00.001-07:00

•
I often tell people that I am anti-government, but that is not really true. I believe that the role of government at all levels should be severely limited, and relegated to the following areas:

1. Providing for the defense of the people

2. Limiting the power of corporations, and

3. Promoting maximum self-reliance amongst the citizenry at all times

All government positions should be volunteer, for this is the only way to A) prevent the build-up of dysfunctional bureaucracies and B) prevent government from becoming a business.

Daily governance should be self-regulated by the public, thru grass roots, bottom-up movements that are governed by necessity and by individual responsibility.

Yeah, I guess I'm a Libertarian or a social anarchist at heart.
•

Electric Boobies

2011-06-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ready to hit the beach? Brooklyn-based designer Andrew Schneider is now taking orders for his solar-powered bikini. Capable of charging your cellphone or MP3 player, the high-tech swimsuit comprises thin, flexible photovoltaic film strips and USB connectors, woven together with conductive thread. Each bikini, coming in at just under $200, is entirely hand-stitched, requiring an average of 80 hours to make. No need to worry about your iPod running out of juice; the solar bikini will charge your favorite gadgets while you soak up the rays.

Thursday Local Time

2011-06-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

•Spent 2 weeks driving around in pinner Israeli rental cars. Got back home, climbed inside Zoom, keyed him up, fired his accelerator, and thought, HOLY SHIT THIS TRUCK IS A BEAST. So I've renamed him The Beast. RIP little boy Zoom, you're all grown up now & Daddy is proud.

•Have a strong yen to buy an SKS. BIG 5 has Yugo models on sale for $399 this week. The Yugo models are supposed to be good, with machined/milled parts & a positive track record. Better even than some Chinese models. All I can think about is buying one, stripping it, sanding & re-oiling the wood furniture, cleaning & oiling the entire assembly, & carefully putting it back together again, with a sling attached. They are butt ugly little bastards, but they are work horses & tin can ammo is cheap. Poor man's AK-47. No need to worry about dents & scratches, the fuckers will last a hundred years if you keep them oiled. & the bayonets, I love those fucking things. When the ammo dries up after TSHTF you still have the folding bayonet to fight with. If I lived in Nevada I'd swap out the box mag for a drum mag & convert to full auto.

•Word is that the current administration is working behind the scenes to institute gun control.

•In Israel, rehydration salts afforded me almost instant relief from headache & muscle ache associated with dehydration.

•Some run-flat tires weigh more than regular tires. One set weighs more than 4 regular tires + a spare...

• time to catch some Zs

Israel Notes

2011-05-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

†

In Israel there are very few police. The police cars do not have sirens, and their roof lights are always on. You can see them coming from a mile away. Without cops, people drive however they want. It is a freeing feeling...but there are accidents and a lot of bad driving.

There are armed soldiers all over the place, and there are armed security guards for some tour groups. The soldiers carry M-4s or Tavors, some with grenade launcher attachments. The private security personnel dress as civilians and carry M1s or pistols. If I was Israeli, I would have worked in private security after my mandatory armed forces stint.

At no time in Israel did I ever feel remotely unsafe. It is fair to say that from a crime perspective, Oakland is far more dangerous than the entire country of Israel. In fact, Oakland is an insane nightmare in comparison.

I am told that every house in Israel has a bomb shelter. The private homes I stayed in were more secure than stateside homes, with 3-bolt locks on the front doors and steel window shutters on all windows and sliding glass doors.

Above, high quality windows with outer steel shutters, a pull-down screen, and locking inner steel-framed window. Many windows have steel security shutters that are electrically raised and lowered.

Israeli plumbing: Cheap and innovative. Typical plastic, bendable S-bend and pipe. Why don't we do that in the US? It's effective and no plumber is needed to unclog the S-bend.

Above and below, mandatory solar water heaters on the roofs of houses. Very simple setups with small water tanks and small black solar heating units, no electricity required, no expensive photovoltaics needed.

†

Japan Slippage Hearkens Immense Earth changes

2011-05-09T20:56:00.001-07:00

There is a newspaper article making the rounds today, and it is both frightening and illuminating. I quote directly:

The March 11 earthquake that hit eastern Japan was so powerful it pulled the entire country out and down into the sea. The mostly devastated coastal communities now face regular flooding, because of their lower elevation and damage to sea walls from the massive tsunamis triggered by the quake.

Some areas in Ishinomaki moved southeast 17 feet (5.3 meters) and sank 4 feet (1.2 meters) lower.

"We thought this slippage would happen gradually, bit by bit. We didn't expect it to happen all at once," says Testuro Imakiire, a researcher at Japan's Geospatial Information Authority, the government body in charge of mapping and surveys.

Imakiire says the quake was powerful enough to move the entire country, the first time this has been recorded since measurements began in the late 19th century. In Tokyo, 210 miles (340 kilometers) from Ishinomaki, parts of the city moved 9 inches (24 centimeters) seaward.

Many predictions -- actually, virtually all the predictions -- concerning the Age of Transition that we live in mention immense earth changes, including massive earthquakes that transform coastlines and landscapes around the world. Penny Kelly mentions such changes in ROBES, and Edgar Cayce mentioned such changes in his predictions of the 21st Century. Until now, such catastrophic predictions have seemed impossible and outlandish. And yet, with the Japanese quake, we see what is truly possible when the earth decides to shift. And I pose the question, Is this just the tip of the iceberg? If we have just now witnessed the earth shift 17 feet sideways and 4 feet down, isn't it possible that the earth is capable of far greater shifts? For we are in for stormy weather, and the storm is just beginning.

GAH-dening, DAH-ling. GAH-dening!

2011-05-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Tis the season to garden, & patio gardening we are. Planted: 5 varied tomato plants in earth boxes, 6 arugulas, 6 dinosaur kales, 2 chives, 16 strawberries, 6 potatoes. The peach tree which grew from a seed I threw in the garden & which I transplanted into a wine barrel 7 months ago has finally come out of dormancy & is now covered in buds which are doubling in size every day. There are still a few onions from last year. The aloe plant is doing well & I used a piece of it yesterday to treat sunburn. It worked wonderfully. Aloe is an incredible plant, one we should truly be thankful for!

Why should we all be gardening right now? Because in today's world, food is becoming more expensive, & the economy & the oil-dependent food infrastructure of the United States are in ever-increasing danger of catastrophic failure. Gardening takes time to learn. You need to start yesterday so that when TSHTF you are at least partly self-sufficient. It's either that, or risk starvation at a later date. Also, home-grown food is good for you, unlike much of the processed crap we buy at the store.

Two forms of probable post-Peak Oil transport:

The Eastern European-ish "stripped wreck"-type vehicle that -SURPRISE!- still runs. Why not, I say? It weighs a hell of a lot less than a regular car and it's a great use of material that has already been thru the industrial process. Use it or lose it. Keep it running til it just don't run no more. Then, cut it in half and...

...create a single-horse cart with rubber tires & steel springs out of it. Can't wait to see these puppies come back, actually. A much saner form of transport than automobiles. More relaxing, less dangerous, less energy-intensive. And, horses eat grass, not oil.

The neighbors had chickens for 2 years but now their chickens are gone, along with the fencing & the coop. Why'd they gave it up?

Self-sufficiency is the goal for Hippie Survivalists, don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Inter-dependence is a great & trendy New Age concept, but it might not feed you after TSHTF, you dig? Even Penny Kelly, who is damn New Age-y, promotes self-sufficiency in both her lifestyle on Lilly Hill Farm & her book ROBES. Community is great, but the goal is to make your community self-sufficient. And as for sustainability, I'm all for it. I believe that self-sufficiency must incorporate sustainability. But never forget...your focus should always remain nothing less than total self-sufficiency, or your Lifeboat might not make it thru the coming storm, Brethren. ONWARD! Amen.

Zoom Got Lifted

2011-04-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

• • • • • • • •

A much higher & heavier feel now. That lurching sensation & a raised center of gravity. He's different. Not at all sure he's better. Every modification I make to Zoom leaves me wondering if he was better off stock. The K&N cold air filter and cat-back exhaust system gave him more power, but lowered his overall fuel efficiency. The ARB bumper & winch gave him more capability and front end strength, but added weight & increased his wind resistance & lowered his mpg even more. I predict that now his fuel economy will dip again, and he will be more difficult to drive on the highway, even though he will perform better off road & over rough terrain. Still, no regrets. Zoom is a work-in-progress, an experiment, & in some strange way a piece of survivalist art. & he's not finished yet.

•

Shtuff

2011-04-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Am twizzled on tequila, beer, vodka, cigarettes, etc. BUT, here is today's copy nonetheless:

•Lightning Striking White House During Easter Means World Is Ending Seriously, let's not fuck around, OK? Fuck.

•OK, here are 70 cool post-apocalyptic novels. This list contains the whole shebang, including the best PA novels I've read, plus a slew of novels I have never even heard of but now want to read.

•Fucking incredible lyrics from a song by Richard Thompson. I am told the lyrics are straight from a letter that an American soldier wrote from Iraq:

(Richard Thompson)

Out in the desert there's a soldier lying dead
Vultures pecking the eyes out of his head
Another day that could have been me there instead
Nobody loves me here
Nobody loves me here

Dad's Gonna Kill Me
Dad's Gonna Kill Me

You hit the booby trap and you're in pieces
With every bullet your risk increases
Old Ali Baba, he's a different species
Nobody loves me here
Nobody loves me here

Dad's Gonna Kill Me
Dad's Gonna Kill Me

I'm dead meat in my HumV Frankenstein
I hit the road block, God knows I never hit the mine
The dice rolled and I got lucky this time

Dad's Gonna Kill Me
Dad's Gonna Kill Me

I've got a wife, a kid, another on the way
I might get home if I can live through today
Before I came out here I never used to pray
Nobody loves me here
Nobody loves me here

Dad's Gonna Kill Me

Dad's in a bad mood, Dad's got the blues
It's someone else's mess that I didn't choose
At least we're winning on the Fox Evening News
Nobody loves me here

Dad's Gonna Kill Me
Dad's Gonna Kill Me

Dawn Patrol went out and didn't come back
Hug the wire and pray like I told you, Mac
Or they'll be shoveling bits of you into a sack

Dad's Gonna Kill Me.

And who's that stranger walking in my dreams
And whose that stranger cast a shadow 'cross my heart
And who's that stranger, I dare speak his name
Must be old Death a-walking
Must be old Death a-walking

Dad's Gonna Kill Me

7 muzzle monkeys standing in a row
Standing waiting for The Sandbox to blow
Sitting targets in the wild west show

Nobody loves me here

Dad's Gonna Kill Me

Another angel got his wings this week
Charbroiled with his own Willie Pete
Nobody's dying if you speak double-speak

Dad's Gonna Kill Me

(Richard Thompson)

Up-Armoring My GOOD Vehicle

2011-04-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

Since nobody has yet published a manual on how to up-armor civilian vehicles, I am on my own and in un-charted territory. Here are my efforts and notes to date, based on viable commercial options, common sense and imagination:

Checklist w/notes:

2003 Nissan Frontier 4x4

Engine:
•3.3 Liter Supercharged V6 w/manual 5-speed transmission (210 HP) (stock)
•K&N cold air filter (12 HP) (add-on, complete)
•cat-back exhaust system (8 HP) (add-on, complete)

Slowly but surely turning Zoom from a stock cat into a survival lion. Stock mileage is 15/18; his current gas mileage is about 16 mpg, with an around-town low of 14 and an Interstate high of 20 (cruise control set at 59 mph w/a tail wind). Nothing left to upgrade on the engine except battery, ignition wires & spark plugs.

Suspension:
•2.5-inch lift kit w/shocks, swing arms, springs, etc. (add-on, in-process)

Paid for, scheduled installation is this Friday. A quality lift-kit with serious off-road capability.

Armor:
•ARB front bumper w/winch (add-on, complete)
•steel rear bumper w/trailer hitch (stock)
•plate steel ram plate (add-on, concept)
•3 tires mounted to front bumper (add-on, concept)
•ballistic film for windshield & side windows (add-on, inquiry phase)
•sandbags in truck bed (add-on, bags & shovel in truck box)
•run-flat tires (add-on, inquiry phase)

The ARB bumper is a serious ass-kicker. Spot-welding additional plate steel to it is always a viable option. If TS ever HTF, I will fasten one big tire to its center and a smaller tire on each side, for added ballistic protection and cushioning :-).

Tail gates are hollow. Is it possible to drill a hole in one and fill it with gravel for bullet-dampening effect? Probably.

To bullet-proof a truck bed, fill it with tires and line it with sand bags.

In Vietnam, some of the US helicopters had thin magnesium skin that did nothing to slow bullets. The workaround? The pilots sat in bullet-proof titanium seats, and the soldiers in the cargo bay sat on their helmets or on segments of armor plating. Am wondering if similar means could be applied to a vehicle cab. The driver and passengers could wear flak jackets or bullet proof vests. Or, segments of bulletproof plating such as the BALLISTIC CLIPBOARD could be attached to the seatbacks or to the inside of the doors/cab.

Ballistic film can be purchased via Amazon for $360. Am inquiring into professional installation. Ballistic film purportedly prevents smashing entry thru windows/windshields and reduces effect of bullets up to 44 Magnum. Will ballistic film strengthen metal if it is applied to the inside of the interior of the door as well?

Preliminary research into run-flat tires seems to indicate that they are problematic, expensive and may not be available for trucks. More research needed.

Gas prices keep climbing.

This Is Urban Warfare

2011-04-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

†

The following images were culled from cyberspace. They were photographed during the heavy fighting that has raged between Loyalist and rebel forces in Misrata, Libya for the last 2 months. Note the extensive use of cars and piles of sand as roadblocks. As of Friday April 22nd, Loyalist forces were in retreat.

†

New Guns Part 6

2011-04-21T20:55:00.000-07:00

That's right, motherfuckers: More cutting-edge pistols that you didn't know existed!

Above we have a Palm Pistol by Constitution Arms. It's a single-shot .38 Special, for use by people who can't hold a regular pistol. Honestly, I'm not quite sure what the advantages of this trippy little number are, but it's unique enough that I had to post a lil' sumfin'-sumfin' on it. The US government produced a version of this during WW II, called a Punch Pistol. The original pistol was riveted to a glove, so that it fired when you punched a person. Cruel & unusual, to be sure. But SNEAKY.

Now for the bad news: The Palm Pistol is due for production this year, but IT IS NOT YET AVAILABLE. I know that sucks, BUT YOU CAN PRE-ORDER ONE by going to the manufacturer's weblink above. Not that you will. Who would, unless they had enough money to have a frivolous gun collection? And we are not frivolous millionaires, WE ARE HIPPIE SURVIVALISTS.

One last thing: Constitution Arms is also selling the Tri-Plex cartridge, which is "a patent pending triple-projectile .38 special standard load cartridge containing three stacked conical projectiles". It's kind of cool, looks like it would debilitate at point-blank range.

Below we have a Wild West squeeze pistol. I suppose it was something you snuck into a poker game and then palmed beneath the table. Kinda cool, probably not too useful. AN OLDER VERSION OF THE PALM PISTOL, dig?

Polymer frame revolvers. They've been out for a few years now. Ruger makes them (BELOW). Smith & Wesson makes them (BELOW THAT). And, Taurus makes them (NOT SHOWN). I'm not going to bullshit you: I haven't done my homework on this subject. I don't know jack shit about these guns, except that they must be cool because they must be as light as feathers and rust-proof. And hi-tech shit is usually cool. So fuck it. If you think they are worth checking out, do some Google-ass online research and fact-find that shit! Hyaa!

That's it!

Items of Minor Interest

2011-04-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Above we have a low-energy urban transportation solution that was parked down on the Avenue. Very European-looking. Not really my style, BUT worth its weight in gold for the next hundred years, I wager. In a collapsed economy, a man could eek out a living with this machine, carting other people's shit around for a fee.

And here we have something called a Burley Travoy Bike Cargo Trailer (more info HERE). The stand-up design allows this trailer to take up less space than other trailers, and also function as a hand cart. Oh, and this puppy is also collapse-able. This kind of gadget is very, very high on my GOOD list, because with a bicycle setup like this you can carry your own shit with you and get the fuck out of Dodge without needing gasoline. And you can also traverse terrain that is completely off-limits to a vehicle. I'm talking about sidewalks, pedestrian paths, gridlocked roads and rubble-strewn urban avenues. Let's face it, if shit goes south, we're going to run out of gas pretty fucking fast. What does that mean? It means: KEEP YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE IN GOOD RUNNING SHAPE, YOU HIPPIE FUCK!

:-)

Another NDE vision

2011-04-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

"I asked how [America's purification] would come about, and they said it would be simple, that our society is very dependent on a lot of very fragile things -- energy grid, transportation. In each geographical area of the United States people used to be relatively self-sufficient as far as agricultural products. Now, how long would any state survive without the transport of food and energy?

"What would happen is these very complex and delicate grids of our economic system would begin to break down. We've created a society of such cruel and self-centered people that the very nature of civilization would begin to break down. The angels showed me that what would happen is that people would begin robbing the grocery stores, hording goods, and killing one another for gasoline and tires, and as a consequence everything would break down and would end up in chaos."

-- The Reverend Howard Storm

Concerning Prophetic Visions

2011-04-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

-
I am continually scanning the internet for prophesies, visions and predictions of the future. Some notes:

*Not interested in overly Christian predictions, as the biblical symbolism usually clouds the message beyond my ability to understand what is trying to be said.

*Accounts of Near Death Experiences (NDEs) contain much of the most detailed prophetic descriptions.

*Most NDE visions seem to come with a caveat that the future is not fixed. And, in reviewing NDEs from past decades, we see that very often what was predicted did not actually happen. Or, only some of it happened.

*And yet, certain themes ring true. For instance, Penny Kelly in her book ROBES, which concerns visions she had in 79-80, says that she saw a "Lost Generation" of dispossessed children rising up and fighting in various parts of the United States, viciously taking what they felt was theirs. And Dannion Brinkely says he saw dispossessed children shooting each other with rifles and shooting at each other from cars, because they had no family structure and thus behaved like wolves. And what we have today is a violent ghetto culture which contains very real elements of both these visions, as seen on a daily basis in Oakland, California.

*Most NDE visions describe the weather going haywire globally, and a rise in natural disasters including flooding, volcanic eruptions, drought, tsunamis and massive earthquakes.

*Many NDEs discuss nuclear war, both limited and global, but the details vary quite widely. There is a sub-theme that the United States, after letting its guard down in a post-Cold War world, is hit by a surprise attack from Russia.

*Many NDEs describe the United States collapsing economically and bringing the global economy down with it.

*There is also a common sub-thread among various types of prophetic visions, in which the Earth heals itself of mankind's ills by shaking itself so violently that the oceans literally slosh over the continents, killing most of humanity and destroying modern civilization. This shaking results from either a near-miss by a large extraterrestrial body, or the Earth consciously healing itself, or a pole flip.

*More later.
-

The NDE Visions of Dannion Brinkley

2011-04-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Thirteen prophetic visions as seen by Dannion Brinkley. He refers to them as "Boxes of Knowledge" in his book, "Saved By The Light" which was published in 1994 after he suffered a near death experience.

BOXES 1 thru 3: Visions of a Demoralized Country

Boxes 1, 2 & 3 showed the mood of America in the aftermath of the war in Southeast Asia. They revealed scenes of spiritual loss in our country that were byproducts of that war, which weakened the structure of America & eventually the world. The scenes were prisoners of war, weak & wasted from hunger, as they waited in the rugged prisons of North Vietnam for American ambassadors to come & free them. I could feel their fear & then despair when they realized one by one that no help would be forthcoming & that they would live out their remaining years as slaves in jungle prisons.

These were the MIAs, those military men considered "missing in action." The MIAs were already an issue in 1975, but they were used as a starting point in the visions to show an America that was slipping into spiritual decline. I could see America falling into enormous debt. This came to me as scenes of money going out of a room much faster than it was coming in. Through some kind of telepathy, I was aware that this money represented the increase in the national debt & that it spelled danger down the road. I also saw people waiting in long lines for the basics of life like clothing & food.

Many scenes of spiritual hunger came from the first two boxes as well. I saw people who were transparent in such a way as to reveal that they were hollow. This hollowness, it was explained to me telepathically, was caused by a loss of faith in America & what it stood for. The war in Southeast Asia had combined with inflation & distrust in our government to create a spiritual void. This void was added to by our loss of love for God. This spiritual depravity resulted in a number of shocking visions: people rioting & looting because they wanted more material goods than they had, kids shooting other kids with high-powered rifles, criminals stealing cars, young men firing on other young men from the windows of cars. Scenes like these played out in front of me like scenes from a gangster movie.

Most of the criminals were children or adolescents that no one cared about. As I watched image after image, it became painfully clear to me that these kids had no family units, & as a result, they were acting like wolves. I was confused because I couldn't figure out how American children could be left to roam & murder. Didn't they have parental guidance? I wondered. How could such a thing happen in our country?

In the third box, I found myself facing the seal of the president of the U.S. I don't know where I was, but I saw the initials "R.R." emblazoned beneath this seal. Then I was standing in the midst of newspapers, looking at their editorial cartoons. One after the other, I saw cartoons of a cowboy. He was riding the range or shooting down bad guys in saloons. This vision was festooned with satirical illustrations from around the country from such newspapers as The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, & the Los Angeles Times. The dates on the newspapers ranged from 1983 to 1987, & it was clear from the nature of the drawings that they were about the president of the U.S., who projected the image of being a cowboy to the rest of the world.

I could also tell that the man in these cartoons was an actor, because they all had a theatrical look to them. One of the cartoons even referred to "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" & played off the famous scene in that movie in which the two outlaws jump off a cliff into a shallow pool of water. Yet despite the vividness of the newspaper clippings, I was unable to see the face under the cowboy hat. I now know that "RR" stood for Ronald Reagan, but at the time I had no idea who the "cowboy" was. A few months later, when I was recalling these visions for Dr. Raymond Moody, the noted psychiatrist & researcher of near-death experiences, he asked me who I thought "RR" was. Without hesitation I said, "Robert Redford." He has never let me forget that mistake & ribs me about it every time we get together.

BOXES 4 & 5: Strife & Hatred in the Holy Lands

Boxes 4 & 5 were scenes from the Middle East, showing how this area of eternal strife would reach a boiling point. Religion would play a large role in these problems, as would the economy. A constant need for outside money fueled much of the anger & hatred that I saw in these boxes. In the first of these boxes I saw two agreements taking place. In the first, Israelis & Arabs were agreeing to something, but what was unclear to me. The second accord was one that I could see in some detail. Men were shaking hands & there was much talk about a new country. Then I saw a collage of images: the River Jordan, a settlement from Israel that was spreading into Jordan, & a map on which the country of Jordan was changing color. As I watched this puzzling collage unfold, I heard a Being speak telepathically to me & say that the country of Jordan would exist no more. I did not hear the name of the new country.

This agreement was nothing more than a front by the Israelis to create a police force composed of Israelis & Arabs. This was a very harsh police force, cruel & unyielding. I saw them wearing blue-&-silver uniforms & having a tight grip on the people of this region. So tight was their grip, in fact, that world leaders became highly critical of Israel. Many collaborators on both sides kept an eye on their own people & reported their activities to this police force. They served to make everyone suspicious, causing trust in these societies to disappear.

I could see Israel becoming isolated from the rest of the world. As things worsened, there were images of Israel preparing for war against other countries, including Russia & a Chinese-&-Arab consortium. Jerusalem was somehow at the eye of this conflict, but I am not sure exactly how. From newspaper headlines that appeared in the vision, I could see that some incident in that holy city had served to trigger this war. These visions revealed Israel as being spiritually hollow. I had the sense of it being a country of strong government but weak morals. Image after image came of Israelis reacting with hatred toward Palestinians & other Arabs, & I was steeped in the sense that these people as a nation had forgotten God & were now driven by racial hatred.

The fifth box showed oil being used as a weapon to control the international economy. I saw images of Mecca & then of the Saudi people. While these images streamed before me, a telepathic voice said that oil production was being cut off to destroy America's economy & to milk money from the world economy. The price of oil was going up & up, said the voice, & Saudi Arabia was making an alliance with Syria & China. I could see Arab & Oriental people shaking hands & making deals. As these images came to me, I could sense money being given by the Saudis to Asian countries like North Korea, all in the hopes of destabilizing the economy of the Asian region.

I wondered where this alliance began, & I was able to see a close-up of Syrians & Chinese signing papers & shaking hands in a building that I knew was in Syria. The date that came to me was 1992. Another date came to me - 1993 - & with it came images of Syrian & Chinese scientists working in laboratories to develop a missile that could deliver chemical & biological weapons. Nuclear weapons were becoming things of the past, & these countries wanted to develop new weapons of destruction. The boxes kept coming.

BOX 6: Visions of Nuclear Destruction

Number 6 was terrifying. I was drawn into the box & found myself in a cool, forested area beside a river. Next to the river was a massive cement structure, square & foreboding. I was fearful & didn't know why. Suddenly the earth shook & the top of this cement structure exploded. I knew it was a nuclear explosion & could sense hundreds of people dying around me as it took place. The year 1986 was given to me through telepathy, as was the word "wormwood." It wasn't until a decade later, when the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded near Kiev in the Soviet Union, that I was able to associate these pictures with an event. It was then that I made another connection between the vision in this box & the nuclear disaster in the USSR. The word Chernobyl means "wormwood" in Russian.

A second nuclear accident appeared in the box, this in a northern sea so badly polluted that no ships would travel there. The water was a pale red & was covered with dead or dying fish. Around the water were peaks & valleys that made me think I was seeing a fjord like those in Norway. I couldn't tell where this was, but I knew that the world was frightened at what had happened, because radiation from this accident could spread everywhere & affect all of humankind. The date on the picture was 1995. The vision didn't stop there. People were dying & deformed as a result of these nuclear catastrophes. In a series of what seemed like television pictures, I saw cancer victims & mutated babies in Russia, Norway, Sweden, & Finland, not hundreds or thousands of people, but tens of thousands, in a vast array of deformity, going on through generations. The poisons released by these accidents were carried to the rest of the world through water, which was tainted forever by this nuclear waste. The Being made it clear that humans had created a horrible power that had not been contained. By letting this power out of their control, the Soviets had destroyed their own country & possibly the world.

The box showed me the fear in people's hearts that resulted from these nuclear accidents. As the images of this fear unfolded, I somehow understood that environmentalism would emerge as the world's new religion. People would consider a clean environment a key to salvation more than they ever had before. Political parties would spring up around the issue of a cleaner planet, & political fortunes would be made or broken based upon feelings about the environment. From Chernobyl & this second accident, I could see that the Soviet Union would wither & die, with the Soviet people losing faith in their government & the government losing its grip on the people.

The economy played a strong role in these visions. I saw people carrying bags of money into stores & coming out with small bags of goods. People with military uniforms wandered the streets in Soviet cities begging for food, some obviously starving to death. People ate rotted potatoes & apples, & crowds rioted to get at trucks filled with food.

The word "Georgia" appeared in a Cyrillic script, & I could see a mafia developing in Moscow that I assume came from the state of Georgia in the Soviet Union. This mafia was a growing power that was in competition with the Soviet government. In scene after scene, I saw mafia members operating freely in a city that I think was Moscow. I felt no joy as I watched the Soviet Union collapse. Although Soviet-style communism was dying right before my eyes, the Being of Light was saying that this was a cautious moment instead of a glorious one. "Watch the Soviet Union," he said. "How the Russian people go, so goes the world. What happens to Russia is the basis for everything that will happen to the economy of the free world."

BOX 7: The Environmental Religion

The 7th box held powerful images of environmental destruction. I could see areas of the world radiating energy, glowing like a radium watch face in the dark. Telepathically I could hear voices speaking of the need to clean up the environment. These voices came out of Russia at first, but then the accents changed & I could tell that they were emanating from South America, probably from Uruguay or Paraguay. I saw the speaker from Russia as he talked with zeal about our need to heal the environment. People rallied around him quickly, & he soon became so powerful that he was elected one of the leaders of the United Nations. I saw this Russian riding on a white horse, & I knew that his rise would come before the year 2000.

BOXES 8 & 9: China Battles Russia

In boxes 8 & 9 were visions of China's growing anger toward the Soviet Union. When these visions took place in 1975, I didn't know that the Soviet Union would break up. Now I think the tension I saw in that vision was a result of the death of Soviet Communism, which left the Chinese the leaders of the Communist world. At the time, the visions were a puzzle to me. I saw border disputes & heavy fighting between Soviet & Chinese armies. Finally, the Chinese amassed their armies at the border & pushed into the region. The main battle was over a railroad, which the Chinese took in heavy fighting. They then pushed deep into the Soviet Union, cutting the country in half & taking over the oil fields of Siberia. I saw snow, blood, & oil & knew that the loss of life had been heavy.

BOXES 10 & 11: Economic Earthquakes, Desert Storm

Boxes 10 & 11 came in rapid succession. They revealed scenes of the economic collapse of the world. In general terms, these visions showed a world in horrible turmoil by the turn of the century, one that resulted in a new world order that was truly one of feudalism & strife. In one of the visions, people lined up to take money out of banks. In another, the banks were being closed by the government. The voice that accompanied the visions told me that this would take place in the 90's & would be the beginning of an economic strife that would lead to the bankruptcy of America by the year 2000.

The box showed images of dollar signs flying by as people pumped gas & looked distressed. I knew this meant that oil prices were accelerating out of control. I saw 13 new nations entering the world mark in the late 90's. These were nations with manufacturing capabilities that put them on a competitive footing with the U.S. One by one our European markets began to give their business to these countries, which slowed our economy even more. All of this led to a greatly weakened economy.

But the end of America as a world power came as visions of two horrendous earthquakes in which buildings were swaying & toppling over like a child's wooden blocks. I knew that these quakes happened sometime before the end of the century, but I couldn't tell where they took place. I do remember seeing a large body of water that was probably a river. The cost of rebuilding these destroyed cities would be the final straw for our government, now so financially broken that it would hardly be able to keep itself alive. The voice in the vision told me that it would be this way while the images from the box showed Americans starving & lined up for food.

At the tail end of box 10 came images of warfare in the desert, a massive show of military might. I saw armies racing toward one another in the desert, with great clouds of dust billowing from the treads of tanks as they crossed the barren ground. There was cannon fire & explosions that looked like lightning. The earth shook & then there was silence. Like a bird, I flew over acres of destroyed army equipment. As I left the box, the date 1990 came into my head. That was the year of Desert Storm, the military operation that squashed the army of Iraq for occupying Kuwait.

Box 11 began with Iran & Iraq in possession of nuclear & chemical weapons. Included in this arsenal was a submarine loaded with nuclear missiles. The year, said a voice in the vision, was 1993. I saw this submarine powering through the waters of the Middle East, piloted by people I knew to be Iranians. I could tell that their purpose was to stop the shipping of oil from the Middle East. They were so praiseful of God, in their speech, that I had the sense that this was some kind of religious mission. The missiles that occupied the desert of the Middle East were equipped with chemical warheads. I don't know where they were aimed, but I do know that there was worldwide fear of the intentions of the Arab nations that had them.

Chemical warfare played a role in a horrible vision of terrorism that takes place in France before 2000. It begins when the French publish a book that infuriates the Arab world. I don't know the title of this book, but the result of its publication is a chemical attack by Arabs on a city in France. A chemical is put into the water supply, & thousands drink it & die before it can be eliminated. In one brief vision, I saw Egyptians rioting in the streets while a voice told me that by 1997, Egypt would collapse as a democracy & be taken over by religious fanatics.

The final visions from box 11 were like many images we now see of Sarajavo: modern cities crumbling beneath the weight of warfare, their inhabitants fighting one another for reasons ranging from racism to religious conflict. I saw many towns worldwide where desperate citizens were eating their own dead. In one such scene, Europeans in a hilly region of the world were weeping as they cooked human meat. In rapid succession I saw people of all five races eating their fellow humans.

BOX 12: Technology & Virus

The 11th box was gone & I was into the 12th box. Its visions addressed an important event in the distant future, the decade of the 90's (remember, this was 1975), when many of the great changes would take place. In this box, I watched as a biological engineer from the Middle East found a way to alter DNA & create a biological virus that would be used in the manufacture of computer chips. This discovery allowed for huge strides in science & technology. Japan, China, & other countries of the Pacific Rim experienced boom times as a result of this discovery & became powers of incredible magnitude. Computer chips produced from this process found their way into virtually every form of technology, from cars & airplanes to vacuum cleaners & blenders.

Before the turn of the century, this man was among the richest in the world, so rich that he had a stranglehold on the world economy. Still the world welcomed him, since the computer chips he had designed somehow put the world on an even keel. Gradually, he succumbed to his own power. He began to think of himself as a deity & insisted on greater control of the world. With that extra control, he began to rule the world.

His method of rule was unique. Everyone in the world was mandated by law to have one of his computer chips inserted underneath his or her skin. This chip contained all of an individual's personal information. If a government agency wanted to know something, all it had to do was scan your chip with a special device. By doing so, it could discover everything about you, from where you worked & lived to your medical records & even what kind of illnesses you might get in the future.

There was an even more sinister side to this chip. A person's lifetime could be limited by programming this chip to dissolve & kill him with the viral substance it was made from. Lifetimes were controlled like this to avoid the cost that growing old places on the government. It was also used as a means of eliminating people with chronic illnesses that put a drain on the medical system. People who refused to have chips implanted in their bodies roamed as outcasts. They could not be employed & were denied government services.

THE FINAL VISIONS

At the very end came a 13th vision. I don't know where it came from. I didn't see a Being of Light bring it forward in a box, nor did I see one take it away. This vision was in many ways the most important of all because it summed up everything I had seen in the 12 boxes. Through telepathy, I could hear a Being say, "If you follow what you have been taught & keep living the same way you have lived the last 30 years, all of this will surely be upon you. If you change, you can avoid the coming war." Scenes from a horrible world war accompanied this message. As the visions appeared on the screen, the Being told me that the years 1994 through 1996 were critical ones in determining whether this war would break out. "If you follow this dogma, the world by the year 2004 will not be the same one you now know," said the Being. "But it can still be changed & you can help change it."

Scenes from World War III came to life before me. I was in a hundred places at once, from deserts to forests, & saw a world filled with fighting & chaos. Somehow it was clear that this final war, an Armageddon if you will, was caused by fear. In one of the most puzzling visions of all, I saw an army of women in black robes & veils marching through a European city. "The fear these people are feeling is an unnecessary one," said the Being of Light. "But it is a fear so great that humans will give up all freedoms in the name of safety."

I also saw scenes that were not of war, including many visions of natural disasters. In parts of the world that had once been fertile with wheat & corn, I saw parched desert & furrowed fields that farmers had given up on. In other parts of the world, torrential rainstorms had gouged out the earth eating away topsoil & creating rivers of thick, dark mud.

People were starving in this vision. They were begging for food on the streets, holding out bowls & cups & even their hands in hopes that someone or something would offer them a scrap to eat. In some of the pictures, people had given up or were too weak to beg & were curled on the ground waiting for the gift of death. I saw civil wars breaking out in Central & South America & the rise of socialist governments in all of these countries before the year 2000. As these wars intensified, millions of refugees streamed across the U.S. border, looking for a new life in North America. Nothing we did could stop these immigrants. They were driven by fear of death & loss of confidence in God.

I saw millions of people streaming north out of El Salvador & Nicaragua, & more millions crossing the Rio Grande into Texas. There were so many of them that we had to line the border with troops & force them back across the river. The Mexican economy was broken by these refugees & collapsed under the strain.

The quickest way to change the world is to be of service to others. Show that your love can make a difference in the lives of people and thereby someone else's love can make a difference in your life. By each of us doing that and working together we change the world one inner person at a time.

Dannion Brinkley

The Lost Road

2011-04-13T17:41:00.001-07:00

I found The Lost Road yesterday. It was really cool - my kind of road. I thought, if I ever make a movie, I'm going to film part of it here, on this overgrown highway. Some Space Age vehicle will make its way down this track, its pilot venturing into a forgotten, future wilderness. And I took photos instead.

There's something about seeing what lies beyond modernity that I really like. You know what it is? It's that when we're on a highway, or in a shopping center, those man-made edifices are so real that they seem permanent. Watch the cars drive down the road all day every day, week in and week out, year after year, decade after decade, and the road just gets bigger and smoother and brighter and faster. Same with the shopping center. Fortunes are made, crimes are committed, mall cops arrest kids, and it's all so fucking important.

But we know it's going to end someday. It has to. It's almost unimaginable, but it doesn't matter. It has to end. There is no other choice. The shopping mall must one day rot, abandoned to the pitiless sun. The road must one day revert back to nature, where it will crumble away and be swallowed by hungry bushes. And that's the shit, right there. That sums up the age we live in, this time and place. The End of Modernity. My time.

Twilight always was my favorite time of day.

* * * * * * * * * * *

An interesting solution to Peak Oil, parked down on the Avenue. The front box appears to be a child's seat, but could also be used to transport materiel. Something tells me this bitch was made in Europe.

Late Night

2011-04-08T22:30:00.001-07:00

*It's Friday night, and I'm not out getting drunk or laid. I'm sitting on the couch with the Couch Behemoth:

This warm fluffmonster has attached itself to my legs and won't let go. For the time being I am stuck right here, where I sit. Life could be worse.

*Courtesy of ML, I present to you an old-school method of keeping one's pencil from rolling downhill:

Seems quaint to some of us, but keep in mind that there is a whole generation or two of spoon-fed Americans out there who have not only never considered utilizing this trick, but probably aren't capable of thinking of it to begin with. That's shopping mall culture for you.

*Movies to recommend: Mesrine, Parts 1 and 2, and Carlos, Episodes 1 thru 6. Mesrine concerns the career of the French master criminal by that name, and is a 2-part, 4+-hour epic crime bio. Carlos is a 6+-hour French fictional mini-series concerning international terrorist Carlos the Jackal and his Dr Evil-esque crime capers. It is even better than Mesrine. If you like 70's crime complete with shootouts, you will like these films. Actually, Munich would complete this series. Don't watch them too close together though, or the stories and events will all start to bleed into one another and you will find that you cannot remember what happened to who, when.

Let me add, as a caveat, that both Mesrine and Carlos were BAD, BAD people, and I in no way condone anything they did. I do, however, really dig 70's crime flicks that have lots of shootouts.

*I probably shouldn't post this, since I lifted it directly from Penny Kelly's blog. BUT, I think it's cool and timely, even if some elements of it are too New Agey for me. Here is what Penny Kelly has to say about:

The Economy

People keep asking me what I see for the economy. Over the years, I have often been present at a global gathering of planetary citizens. This is a gathering that happens in an other-than-physical setting and at which we decide how to move ahead as a collective, as a civilization. Usually, millions of people are present.

Starting in January, 2010, we could not agree on how to handle the situation in the world. For more than ten months there was a deadlock. The impasse was over the subject of money. Some people felt that the money system should be preserved and we would just have to work out the current problems within that framework. Some felt the money system should be abolished as the source of all our problems. Some felt that a shift toward balancing financial systems and changing the rules in First World countries was the answer. Others felt the money system should be left in place but utilized with a totally new kind of license and largesse. And some felt that power in the financial markets should be shifted to new countries, which would not really have solved anything.

Then, in November, 2010, there was a collective decision to allow the old financial system to go down. Everyone agreed that they were willing to work through whatever challenges would come up as a result of this decision. The general consensus was that the stalemate could not go on any longer and that this would serve as a good test of our willingness to work together, to heal ourselves, to heal the planet, and to be more inclusive in our creative designs for the future.

Everyone agreed that the best way to take the money system down was slowly, easily, and with lots of warning so that people could make changes and shift their thinking, while at the same time shifting their money into investments that would build a new world AND develop the basis for a new money system. The critical window of how to start the process was set for March 1st through June 15th of 2011. The idea was that if we could make it through this window of time without a catastrophic crash, we could ease out of the old financial system and into a new one.

We are in that window now. The old economic paradigm is coming apart and the new one is just beginning to come together. New investment money is starting to move into place to fund the business, machinery, research, and systems that are much more Earth-friendly.

If you are looking for signs to tell you what to do with your money, consider the following. The old system is greed-centered; the new system is heart-centered. The old system is predatory; the new system is family-oriented. The old is based on tightly centralized control and hierarchical decision-making. The new is dispersed, individualized, and springs from common sense. The old is global in approach; the new is local in approach. The old system is characterized by careless destruction of Mother Nature, whereas the new system is careful to rebuild and nurture Mother Nature. The old is based on capitalism; the new is based on communalism (take note – that is not ‘communism’). The old is based on democracy and the ability to hide behind big, collective institutions; the new is based on personal responsibility and a willingness to take action on your own. The old operates like a drama queen; the new operates like a monk. The old is based on captains of oligarchy; the new is based on servant leaders. The old is featured in media struggles daily, the new is not even on the radar screen yet. However, the economy of the new paradigm is taking shape as we speak, growing and moving toward a new vision of the future, while the old paradigm keeps talking about recreating the past.

Can we nurture the new paradigm wisely and well, without the mistakes caused by being in a hurry, and get the new system to resilience before the old one is completely defunct?

(The above blog entry was written by Penny Kelly)

*That's it, Champ. I'm off to bed soon. My nephew turns 1 tomorrow. Gotta get up early and head South for the day, get him a present and all that. One more thing - worked on a new tool box today, but it's a bit of a bummer because the box itself just isn't very high quality to begin with. I can't take it apart and put it back together soundly because the pine slats will shatter. So, I reinforced the inside corners with metal brackets and attached the lid with hinges and a hasp lock. Tomorrow I stain it and then I let it dry for a few days. Ciao.

†

Friday Update

2011-04-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

*Some homeless man in Brazil built a car out of junk and scrap parts (LINK). It took him 4 years, and he cut the sheet metal with a hammer and chisel, but as you can see below, the finished product is quite extraordinary! I've seen factory-produced cars that looked far shittier.

*Sarajevo Survival Tools: I recommend taking 10 minutes to view this online museum, which contains all manner of tools that the besieged citizens of Sarajevo hand-built during the 90's in their time of dire darkness and need. I'll tell you, what strikes me about these tools, which range from guns to wood-burning stoves, is the extreme poverty that they exude. Take the wagon - it is made out of an old-fashioned milk crate and old-fashioned roller skates. Not just old-fashioned, but antique. The level of technology used to build all these tools is reminiscent of 70's India or World War II -- they were completely hand-built without the use of any advanced machinery. The shotgun is frightening to behold, it is so crude. I would seriously question whether the pipe-barrels would explode if I pulled the trigger. That said, simple is good cuz it don't usually break, and I like all these tools because they are down-to-earth fixes to the problems of everyday life.

*Let us not forget 2 cool survivalist websites: The Survivalist Blog by M D Creekmore, and Bison Survival Blog by James M Dakin. These guys are low-budget survivalists who walk their own talk. I particularly enjoy Dakin's earthy and critical assessments of Jim Rawles' Survival Blog, though I am the first to admit that I religiously check the Rawles site every day for cutting edge survivalist news.

*Check out this Shockwave Engine. Well, we'll just have to see how this pans out, but this engine has extraordinary potential. Reminiscent of a hi-tech rotary engine, it has few moving parts and can run on a variety of fuels. Sounds as if it has the potential to replace traditional generators. My fantasy car is a series electric hybrid powered by small, horizontally stacked shockwave engines. As I need more power, the engines kick in one-by-one, then they shut off instantly when not needed. If we imagine that each engine has 20 horsepower, and they each feed into a central battery pack/capacitor that in turn powers the 4 hub motors on my 2024 Nissan WRX STI Road Commando, we can also imagine that there might be 4 5-engine stacks under the hood, providing a total of 400 horsepower. Shoot for the moon, and you might hit a branch!

†

Sunday

2011-04-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

*OMFG, I just had authentic Mexican food at my neighbors' house and I'm so full I'm just trying to keep it all down. Good Mexican food is the bomb.

*There is a high-quality hand crank butter churn for sale at the Homestead Store. It's what I've been looking for. Honestly, the hand crank butter churn in the Lehman's catalog sells for the same price and it has plastic gears and looks like a piece of crap. This one is going on my list of MUST-HAVES. Steel, wood and glass construction.

*Warm kitty beckons from couch...must go now...must snuggle.

More Shit, All of It Cool

2011-04-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

*Parry Blade (Brute) Survival Knife (pictured above) - costs a ripping US$325, but I gotta say it's the nicest survival knife I've ever seen. The details are very impressive. Here is the description, from Survival Cache:

In the Mid 1990's, Mel Perry, a retired Warrant Officer QGM, and a veteran of the well known 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (British SAS) saw the requirement for a new generation of of professional blades that could replace the legacy of survival tools that had been standard equipment through the decades. Mel Perry knew that these professionals deserved something better. Collaborating with both service members and retirees from elite special forces throughout the world, he began to design what would be recognized as a breakthrough in both functionality and quality of manufacture. This breakthrough took the form of the Perry Blade in 1995.

Unfortunately due to various commercial considerations the production of the Parry Knife did not proceed after 1995 as planned, and therefore a period of some 13 years has elapsed since the current model, incorporating a number of improvements over its predecessor was re-introduced in 2009. The knife is hand crafted in Sheffield, England by Samuel Staniforth a cutlery maker since 1864 and acknowledged as producing the finest knives available, being part of an industry that was first established over 700 years ago. The knife is fairly simple in design with a bellied Bolo/Bowie type clipped blade with a serrated back edge, and finished in a black Dupont Teflon coating. However, on closer examination the knife offers several different cutting edges and holds, making it extremely versatile.

The knife is strong and heavy, with a blade 9 inches long made from ¼ inch thick X46Cr13 420 stainless steel. The main cutting edge is bevel-ground for strength, whilst the deep belly shape takes the weight forward, in the manner of a Khukri, giving the knife a powerful chopping stroke. The point looks clipped in shape but is ground to provide a spear point that accentuates its use for prying /levering and digging. Also near the choil is a hollow-ground section which is honed to razor sharpness for fine cutting and whittling, ideal for making fire sticks The serrated edge on the spine of the blade provides for a sawing action capable of cutting rope, webbing or gristle. The knife is of a full tang construction, with black linen micarta screwed to the tang providing for ease of replacement, resulting from either wear, damage or the choice of an alternative grip to be fitted.

Also in order to extend the survival attributes of the knife it has been found that by wrapping paracord around the handle, this provides some 2m of cord for use in either a survival situation or correspondingly as a means of restraint for when the role is reversed to one of combat.

*WREX Titanium Adjustable Pocket Wrench (pictured above) - costs a surly US$179, but it's TSA compliant. Here is the description, lifted straight from PocketToolX:

The WREX adjustable pocket wrench is precision machined in the USA from high-grade 6AL-4V titanium, heat-treated 154CM stainless steel, and weighs only 2.9 oz. Boasting a trigger-lock adjustable wrench jaw, this tool will adapt to any situation. Add a replaceable titanium coated knife blade and you are truly ready for anything, including stripping the occasional wire. Forget about the blade at airport security? No problem - use the onboard driver bit to remove the blade so that you are TSA-friendly! This USA made, full-sized, rust resistant bit is secured by the built-in neoprene bit holder and conveniently hides in the body.

*All good survivalists know that silver is the new gold. And so they should also know about The Lydian Mint, which mints some exceptionally beautiful silver (and gold) bullion coins and bars. And they mint them in interesting denominations: Silver in 1 oz and 1/4 oz rounds and 5 oz bars, as well as gold in 1 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10th oz rounds. Silver is usually found in 1 oz rounds, but that could prove problematic in terms of barter - 1/4 oz rounds allow for a more precise transaction. Example: If a loaf of bread was priced at 3/4 oz silver, would you rather trade 3/4 oz silver...or 1 oz silver? Well, if you only have 1 oz rounds, you may well pay 1 oz, my friend. I'm sure you get the jism of the situation.

*The age of high-speed warfare has arrived. The Road Warrior is alive and well in Libya. I viewed a news video the other day, and it showed the rebel convoy racing down the highway, deep in the wasteland. Supposedly they were traveling at 100 mph...though that seems impossible, loaded down as the cars and technicals were with men, machine guns, AA guns and ammo. But it doesn't matter. The point is, armor and artillery have their place, but increasingly motorized masked freaks with AK-47s and RPGs rule the battlefield. Warfare has degenerated into guerrilla warfare, and now the guerrillas are going high speed.

Wanna make a fortune? Build high-speed armored vehicles like the Oshkosh M-ATV Special Forces Vehicle or the Carbon Motors police car or the extremely badass Local Motors Rally Fighter. These vehicles are the future, folks. And the future has arrived. Speaking of which, why doesn't someone start a service to up-armor conventional vehicles? I'm not talking armored limousines as much as I'm talking plate steel spot-welded to the cab of my pickup truck, or solid steel ram-bumper installation, or bulletproof radiator grills, or custom roll cages. Hopefully it'll happen. Soon.

Lates.

News

2011-03-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

*China's Revenge: Fake silver & gold coins/rounds/bars are hitting the US market. Buy a $10 digital scale that measures in Troy ounces and save your pocket book. Video HERE.

*Free land for the modern homesteader. Kansas video HERE. Other states HERE.

*Oh F me, I just erased 75% of today's blog. %#*! Screw it, I don't have the energy to re-write the entire thing now. Maybe tomorrow.

The Backup BOV

2011-03-27T20:47:00.001-07:00

–

Not the best photo. But, here's my trusty mountain bike, ready to transport me once the Big One hits and Oaktown collapses into a maze of rubble-filled streets. Dual disk brakes, 24 speeds, aluminum frame, bar ends, toe clips, front and back racks, an LED Cateye, toolkit bag & 2 Kryptonite locks w/an additional cable. I don't know what brand this bike is, but I like it. It's not high-end but it's well made. I got it half price by using an REI dividend and a 20% coupon. Added most of the extras after the fact. Bar ends were $2 at a yard sale. Pannier bag (not shown) was %20 off due to a flaw. Still need to investigate flat-proof Kevlar tires.

My rule of thumb: Always lock you bicycle, even at home. Always keep it inside. Never leave it locked up unattended in public for more than 10 minutes. Everyone I know has had bicycles stolen, but no one follows these rules.

–

More Libya

2011-03-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Above, rebel fighters reminiscent of characters from The Road Warrior. Below, scenes of urban destruction following the retreat of Loyalist forces.

Today's Estate Sale Scores

2011-03-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

1 new-condition axe handle - $1.00
1 vintage coffee can - $.50
1 brass fogger hose attachment - $.50
1 fruit crate - FREE
1 army duffle bag - $3.00
1 folding slingshot - $2.00
2 antique cobalt blue pill bottles - 2 x $2.00 = $4.00

There have been old-fashioned estate sales at 3 local houses recently. Lots of cool, vintage stuff.

Images from Rebel Libya

2011-03-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

These are images I gathered from the internet. What they show are a lot of irregulars armed with AK-47s, anti-aircraft guns and pickup trucks, out in the flattest sandbox you never saw. I sincerely wish these guys the best of luck, but without training, armor or aircraft, they are going to continue to have a tough row to hoe, even with the extreme help being provided by the Allied bombing runs.

Above, a Long Range Desert Patrol Vehicle. Note the civilian mattresses lashed to the sides, as well as the inevitable anti-aircraft gun with accompanying wooden crates of ammunition.

Note that the anti-aircraft gun in the above photo is being fired on the run, but it is not being accurately aimed. Spent bullet shells are in the air.

OK, this dude is firing an assault rifle at aircraft from a desk chair in the middle of the road. I'm not knocking it, just wish he had better options.

Above, the Road to Nowhere

I like this dude above, and I hope he makes it out alive.

Shit, an anti-aircraft gun on-the-fly. Hope he hit his target, cuz whatever he's shooting at is carrying a bigger gun than he is.

The above truck has so much machine gun ammo in it that it is seriously overloaded. Note how in other photos the AA guns don't fit correctly in the back of the import pickups. They are probably meant to be stationary, and would need to be loaded onto a flatbed to function properly. I suspect that they are of limited use to the rebels. Would like to know how they are supposed to be used. Are they effective for anything other than AA fire?

Above, clearly under attack and desperate.

Gotta love these dudes, above. What better use to put that car to, than a run towards the front lines?

Go, Bro!

So the above truck looks like a green bush. The only green bush for a thousand square miles! Well, it's either that or coat the white paint with mud.

Improvised roadblock, I'm sure.

Ciao, Brothers.

2011-03-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

2011-03-23T17:50:00.001-07:00

2011-03-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

61 Uses of Baking Soda

2011-03-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.
3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches.
4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. Rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cup or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.
61. To eliminate dog odors or just freshen up the air, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet where your dog lies and vacuum up. Leave the soda on the carpet for half an hour. It also eliminates odor in your vacuum after it has been vacuumed up. A great way to freshen up your home air during the winter when everything is closed up.

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS WRITTEN BY HARRY GODWIN

More DIY Crafty Goodness

2011-03-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sample carpet squares, purchased for 1 dollar each at the most awesome & local East Bay Depot for Creative Re-Use, can be cut up & used as liners for wooden toolboxes, saving the bottom from wear & tear.

What else can be purchased at the Depot? You never really find much of the same thing twice there, but they sell metal tins, glass vials, paper towel rolls, old records, fabric, picture frames, glass jars, odd containers, plastic prescription bottles, industrial cardboard yarn cones, plastic spools, candles, burlap coffee bean sacks, and ten thousand other used things that defy easy description but can be used for crafts. All at the cheapest prices imaginable. And they accept as donations things that we'd normally throw away or toss in the recycling can, things like plastic strawberry baskets, cardboard toilet paper rolls, wooden brie rounds & clean peanut butter jars.

Recycle & Re-use

2011-03-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Bottom tray-type box was found on the sidewalk, has been reinforced with nails & corner brackets, & also stained. Smaller toolbox was re-conditioned from a whiskey box, & now holds my box-repair toolkit. Pint-sized Jack Daniels bottle on top is now a canteen. Funny how fast I can empty the JD bottle when it's full of H2O.

Newshworthy Shtuff

2011-03-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

•Today the UK/France/USA launched 112 cruise missiles at Libyan air defense targets, to prepare for a UN-sanctioned No Fly Zone. I sincerely hope that we blew the shit out of Qadaffi's air and armored forces. And I sincerely hope that we continue to keep crippling his mercenary army until the rebels kick his ass and hang those motherfuckers from telephone poles.

•Killer video HERE.

•There's a Super Moon tonight - the full moon will be its closest to Earth in 18 years, and will appear much bigger and brighter than usual. Only problem is...it's pissing cats and dogs outside. We ain't gonna see anything except rainclouds tonight.

•I'm getting scared that we are going to have a big quake in NorCal. I mean, TS is really hitting TF right now, all across the world. What's next?

•Have you noticed how orderly the Japanese are in the face of this mega-disaster? No rioting, no looting, no crime. The sign of a very homogenous & well-behaved middle-class society. Amazing. Compare that to the United States, where every man is for himself and we are all armed to the teeth...

More soon, byatches.

Another Thneed - The JakPak

2011-03-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that a Seattle-based couple is selling a third version of the 21st Century Thneed, this one called the JakPak. It is a jacket, a sleeping bag and a tent, all in one. I don't know what to make of these garments. They are kind of geeky, and a bit silly, but I can see that in the right circumstances they would be useful, and very possibly life savers. For instance, if I was homeless, I'd want one. And if TSHTF and I was a nomad, I'd want one. If I was a pilot, I'd want one in my survival kit. Anyway, there you have it. Honestly, I'd rather see innovation than not, and I am always a proponent of compact, multi-use tools/appliances/garments.

But wait a second. I have a tiny & super-light Snuggy sleeping bag, and a Gore-Tex bivy sack, and a micro-fleece jacket, and they are awesome. So I don't need a Thneed.

El Toolboxo

2011-03-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

In Image 1 above we see a simple toolbox made out of a whiskey bottle box that was purchased for 1 dollar at a local re-use store.

In Image 2 above we see the same box, open.

This box was first cleaned & lightly sanded, then partially taken apart & reassembled for a tighter, squared fit. Then it was painted with a layer of boiled Linseed oil & left to dry for several days. The oil finish gave the wood a warm glow, & also acts as a protectant & sealant. Lastly, hinges & a hasp lock were added. A handle will also be added, & when the weather warms up the box will be painted with another layer of boiled Linseed oil & left to dry again. Once the excess oil is wiped off, the box will be left to air out for at least a week while it off-gasses, then it will be attached to the rear rack on my bicycle, to serve as a "trunk".

Is this box perfect? No. The lid has a crack on one end, & an additional crack on one side. There are discolorations where two leather cinch belts were once attached. But she looks way, way better than she did before she was re-built. And, she's more functional.

†

Dreams

2011-03-17T04:07:00.000-07:00

When I was 20 years old, I went through a particularly rough 6-month period. It sucked, day in and day out. I will spare you the excruciating details. But during this time, I had the most amazing dreams. In hindsight, they seemed to offset some of the pain I was experiencing.

Once, I went to sleep and dreamed that a green bird was sitting on my shoulder. We had a long, long conversation. We were good friends and we loved each other very much. When I awoke, I was happy. Another time, I dreamed that the animals of the forest assembled before me in a field and sang a beautiful song to me. Again, when I awoke, I was happy. I wish I remembered that song. Still another time, I fell asleep and dreamed that a clown was doing slight-of-hand magical tricks for me. I laughed and laughed, and woke up smiling.

Perhaps the most profound moment of this 6-month misery stint was a particularly transcendent state I found myself in one night. It is hard to describe what I experienced, because it was a non-ordinary state of consciousness. It was a bliss so extreme that it transcended any high I had ever previously experienced. Nor have I encountered it since. This feeling of profound spiritual peace was accompanied by images: I was in an alabaster city, walking its cobblestone streets with a group of bald monks who wore white robes. Everything was pure and white. That night I experienced ecstasy.

Back then, I could go out into the woods, and sit down in a Redwood grove, and actually feel the peace and beauty emanating from the trees. I walked and biked most everywhere, and lived in the foggy forest. I was still connected to nature at that time, and it was everywhere around me. Santa Cruz was the most beautiful place I ever lived.

Now, I spend my days plugged into computers and driving East Bay streets. I don't feel as much as I used to. I've lost touch. The dreams are gone, but so is much of that pain I once felt.

2011-03-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

2011-03-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2011-03-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

What a fucked day. So angry I could scream. I arrive at work this morning not in the best of moods and the first thing I get is another sarcastic, biting comment from my coworker. One in a long line. I can only take so many before I lose my cool. But I also know that no matter what I say, what I do, it will cause some kind of commotion, and with commotion comes payback. You can't fucking win.

Trying to think of something positive to say. Hey, I left work early before I had a complete meltdown. Yay. Probably shouldn't have driven though. A car is a dangerous weapon. Uh, Japan sounds fucked six ways from Sunday. Core meltdown in progress? Probably. Me and Japan both! Hold on. Gotta take a piss. ... ... ... ... ... ... Uh, much better.

FUUUUUUUUCK!