compiled misc.

COMPILED MISC.

Every once in a great while, and I try not to do it all that often, I just throw together a bunch of random thoughts that are too short for dedicated articles.  I don’t try to make it a habit as that is not my writing style, instead preferring to deliver to my eagerly awaiting minions long drawn out excessively ponderous and unwieldy screeds, rants and missives.  Yet, some ideas are worthy of my award winning ( one out of one Lord Bison’s recommend it! ) publication and I would feel remiss for failing to share them.  So buckle up for safety, tie off your propeller beanie cap and let the magic begin.

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I don’t know how many of you have noticed, and I would wager not too many since it would be just like ya’all to ignore all the extra effort I’ve been putting in at my keyboard, but rather than the normal 500 word articles I’ve put out for the last like four years, I’ve been trying to bump that up to 600 to 800 words an article.  Not every single day but more often than not.  I know you claim long or short you will visit, read, buy through my Amazon links and even tithe 5% of you gross income to me, but I prefer long articles.  Both because as a reader of other blogs that is what I personally prefer also  because since you are all rather generous readers supporting me I feel I owe everyone as much effort as possible ( the opening line was sarcasm, for those new readers with a stick or a crucifix up their ass and prone to months long bouts of seriousness, melancholy and general unpleasant-to-be-aroundness ).  I loved doing the old monthly magazine but the last issue I lost my wonder and enjoyment with it, indicating its time was past, and have filled the void of my obsessive need to blather through the written word by extending the blog.  Why don’t I just do 500 words a day, seven days a week?  The same problem that has plagued me the last twenty years, coming up with subject matter.  And not just any subject matter but that which inspires me to great heights.  The writing is easy, the idea formation is not. 

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Duct tape.  Any more, duct tape blows gangrenous cancerous rabid monkey testicles.  Even the “Duck” brand isn’t all that great anymore.  There is always “Gorilla” brand that everyone raves about, but at $8 a roll ( or whatever its cost is now ) I have two rolls I haven’t even dared break the plastic on.  Priced like sticky gold, it seems a shame to use it.  Well, luckily, I’ve “rediscovered” electricians tape.  Twenty and thirty years ago, I didn’t care for it as an adhesive other than its originally intended purpose.  Duct tape, the wondrous material that indeed deserved to have books written about it, was oh so much better.  With duct tape being worse than useless anymore, electricians tape moves up in desirability.  I had my bike seat starting to rip ( as well as my Kindle reader protective cover-twenty friggin bucks and it doesn’t stand up all that well ) and since it was black, as is e-tape, I thought I’d try it.  Damn, it worked good!  So, after I lost a boot knife ( works as a belt knife as it is short enough to sit in the work truck with ), I took another one and wrapped e-tape around the bottom of the clip to keep it secured on my belt.  Worked like a champ.  Furthermore, when you buy those hard plastic cigarette cases for roll-your-own, the hinges for the lid suck-can you guess what tape works great to reinforce them? Hump you, duct tape!

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I love F. William Engdahl.  He is a great geopolitical writer.  Alas, his last book on China was crap, merely a rehash of his other books.  And his twice to thrice weekly blog writing ( go to my web page, bison prepper dot com, for the link ) is almost the same, four out of five articles mediocre and the last one brilliant.  I was almost afraid to spend $22 on another dud.  But even Stephen King turns out a crapfest every once in a great while and you still eagerly await his next one ( if you haven’t read FEW’s “ A Century Of War”, you are missing out in life ) and so I owed it to support one of my favorite non-fiction writers.  And, yes, his new book “The Lost Hegemon” is very well done.  I think it was overpriced for a history of Western intelligence using Muslim extremists for their own ends, but I can’t argue with the brilliant writing. 

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Some writing I am very disappointed with is that of the magazine “Survivalist”, usually available at retail magazine establishments for $8 an issue or $3 each with a subscription.  Issue #1 that I tried, four years ago, was pretty decent.  No great shakes but worth the money.  Which is why I subscribed.  And two issues into subscription, I was relatively pleased.  Then, like the old Popular Mechanics or Mother Earth News, it went from serious, informed writing to eye candy lowest common denominator crap.  Even Doug Bell who I love ( my 1990’s go-to guy for gun info, I’m forever indebted to him for freely sharing with me ) and who was the main reason I decided to support the publication, since the price was reasonable, was dropping off in relevance ( this last issue he had a whole half page of an article and new authors seemed to have taken his place ).  Very disappointing.

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Pipe tobacco.  As an addendum to the previous article on roll your own.  Evidently you can store this for years without it drying out.  Just stuff it in a Mason jar and securely fasten a lid in place.  No need to vacuum pack, and glass is much better than plastic.  I don’t know that you would gain any performance by placing an unopened bag in a Mason jar, but if you go that route you can buy the 6 ounce bags rather than the one pound units.  90 cents an ounce verses 76 cents.

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Remember me telling you about how the Romans used vinegar to render questionable water fit to drink while on campaign?  I finally found a source claiming to have rediscovered the formula.  It is four parts water to one part vinegar.  I wouldn’t propose storing commercial vinegar unless it states it is from a food source, such as apple cider.  Even then the cost is high.  But when you start making or bartering for homemade stuff ( the commercial stuff today is probably too harsh for such large amounts, being from chemical sources rather than fruit ), this is a good tidbit to keep in mind.

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I kept getting a paper catalog from CH Kadels (

www.chkadels.com ) but there never seemed to be anything I wanted in there.  But they seem to have gotten much better.  Their Tooblite ( the “forever” green glow stick ) is a few cents more than Amazon but there won’t be the shipping charge if you add it to something else you buy here.  Amazon sells each stick with the additional shipping.  Their Kukri is only $20.  They have a eight inch knife for only $2!  Okay, stainless steel, but still!  Look for the Wahoo Killer Filet Knife ( looks like a mini Mora knife, with the same kind of sheath ).  And speaking of Mora knives, theirs is only $10!!  Look for “Pro C Fixed Blade Bushcraft Knife”.  Shipping is only $8 under $25 total but even better just $10 for an order under $50.

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Okay, way more than enough for today.

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