Bear Ridge Project

The Bear Ridge Project - Planning and Planting

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Christopher “BigBear” Eastin was an average I.T. worker who spent most of his life climbing up and down the corporate ladder. Too many bills, too many rules, and not enough vacation. After his second lay-off, he knew his life needed a new direction. He traded in his overpriced condo, SUV and BlackBerry and headed to the deserted mountains of Southern Colorado. No longer would his future be bound by the rules and instability of the broader consumer culture.

The Bear Ridge Project is the true story of Big Bear’s life at Bear Ridge, chronicling his struggles and triumphs. From wicked winters to sweltering summers, murders and midnight shot-gun blasts, The Bear Ridge Project is a four-part series taking you on the real life journey of survival homesteading in America today.

Planning and Planting is the first volume in the four part The Bear Ridge Project. From planning a homestead to raising food, Big Bear uncovers the many problems encountered when moving from mainstream society to a self-sustaining existence.

Whether you want to make off-grid living your goal, or you just want to see how the other “other half” lives, enter into the world of survival as you join in the adventures at Bear Ridge.

Paperback: 237 pages / 10 page photo section
Publisher: Survival Press
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1466333839
ISBN-13: 978-1466333833
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches

Some of the topics explored include; land selection, local resources, solar/wind power, crop choice, livestock decisions and the day-to-day issues faced living off-gird in the middle of nowhere.

Preorder your copy of The Bear Ridge Project, Planning and Planting today for $14.99.

Preorder a personally autographed copy of The Bear Ridge Project, Planning and Planting for $24.99.

Both products will ship the week of December 26th, 2011. I would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support I have received while writing this book. Thank You!

The Home Survivalist's Handbook - Now Available Through Amazon

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:24:00 +0000

A great survival guide for people living in the city. Violent storms driven by global climate change and Americas crumbling infrastructure are two major problems faced by our country. When the lights go out you don’t want to be at the mercy of government aid or local faith organizations! The Home Survivalists Handbook is a great guide with practical advice for surviving any emergency from the comfort and safety of your own home.

The Home Survivalist's Handbook is now available through Amazon as well as Kindle!

Sometimes “gettin’ the hell outta Dodge” just isn’t an option. Finally, a survival guide for the average Joe or Jane. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook is designed to help urbanites hold down the fort during a crisis, so that they can get back to life when things return to normal. This practical, concise, well-structured and easy to read guide provides simple solutions to making your home prepared for any disaster, small or large, that may arise. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook will help you and yours through short-term and long-term crisis. From a week without water to a complete breakdown in society’s infrastructure, you’ll be ready for most any event. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook is a must have in any house or apartment.

Features: survival scenarios, real life examples, easy to use check-lists, and survival tips for every household.

The Home Survivalist's Handbook is an informative guide for anyone who loves city living but wants to be prepared for anything nature or man throws their way!

The Home Survivalist's Handbook - Available Now!

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:54:00 +0000

If you like my practical survival advice here at the Bear Ridge Project and enjoy my daily posts over at the Bear Ridge Trading Post, you'll love my first book. I wrote the The Home Survivalist's Handbook with the unique survival problems faced by city dwellers in mind.

Sometimes "gettin' the hell outta Dodge" just isn't an option. Finally, a survival guide for the average Joe or Jane. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook is designed to help urbanites hold down the fort during a crisis, so that they can get back to life when things return to normal. This practical, concise, well-structured and easy to read guide provides simple solutions to making your home prepared for any disaster, small or large, that may arise. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook will help you and yours through short-term and long-term crisis. From a week without water to a complete breakdown in society’s infrastructure, you’ll be ready for most any event. The Home Survivalist’s Handbook is a must have in any house or apartment.

JUST $19.95! Includes FREE shipping and handling! (Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.)

PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!

Check out The Home Survivalist's Handbook website for more information.

We just finished! A lot of time and effort has gone into making sure the The Home Survivalist's Handbook is a realistic guide for people living in apartments and homes inside the city limits.

I Shot A Really Big Gun Today

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sat, 22 May 2010 05:03:00 +0000

Last night was the first night I didn't need any heat.

Day started out fairly uneventful. Ran to town to get some roofing nails with Axel saw Dave and Bee outside the hardware store and we visited for a while. They have been down here for about 3 weeks now and love it. Just had their well put in 270 feet is the depth. Anyway they will do fine if they don't kill each other in their 10 x 12 cabin!

Got back did some roofing work and put down the cheap carpet I picked up yesterday in Colorado Springs. It is that indoor outdoor stuff and I put it on the decks. The dogs love it and it absorbs heat. I have to run a line of staples around the outside to keep the wind from taking it.

Ran down to the Hermits place early afternoon to pick up my two 104 gallon collapsible rain barrels that UPS had just delivered. He actually has one of those fancy government registered addresses where things can be delivered. Plan on putting the barrels on either end of the cabin to catch the gutter run off. That is a dedicated 208 gallons of water for the chickens and garden. If they work out I may grab a couple more cause I think they would make great heat sinks this winter. Now we just need rain. Last May was cold and rainy the entire month but this year nada. Not that I am complaining but I need the water.

Chickens are laying again. I have no chicks...that damn rooster may be firing blanks. I think their estrogen had to level back out from brooding before they would start laying. Fixed a couple for breakfast and honestly didn't enjoy them. Way to many eggs this winter and I think I am sick of them. Plenty of people to give them too.

Ruby had her first visit from Aunt Rose last week and I can tell you that it was one of the most horrible experiences of my life. Had to cover everything in plastic. I am not mentally equipped to deal with this type of problem. I feel bad yelling at her "Dammit Ruby stop dripping on the good couch" she just looks at me like I am stupid. I thought about a diaper but couldn't bring myself to get close to the thing.

She is going in to the vet next Tuesday, I am putting a stop to this nonsense. I was actually going to have her spayed last fall but the vet was called out on an emergency and I never rescheduled. I may be traumatized for life over this. At least she didn't start this when we were cabin bound for 3 months.

So I was out walking the dogs and kept hearing this cannon going off. Now this was not a regular rifle or shotgun it was a huge deep boom like I have never heard before. I went to investigate. Ended up over at the Hermits. He was standing in his driveway looking through these binoculars at the mesa Ken, a new neighbor in the valley, was laying on the ground with this huge gun pointed at the mesa. Of course I wandered up.

Ken just got out of the Marines where he was a competitive sharp shooter and now is building a place over on the mesa above the lake. He was sighting this gun on a rock some 1700 yards away at the top of the mesa. It is a big gun I can't remember what exactly but 50 caliber like. It was one of those big guns with legs. When he shot the it you could see the concussion wave shoot out in a circular pattern from the gun.

Ken asked me if I wanted to shoot the thing, he said it was easy to shoot and didn't have much of a kick. I laid down behind the beast and sighted a rock on the side of the mesa near the top. Now I am not accustom to shooting from this position or firing a cannon so when I pulled the trigger I dropped my head slightly and that with the kick smacked the scope back into my forehead. Let me tell you that my idea of a kick and a Marine sharpshooters idea of a kick are not the same.

Now I have this half moon imprint on the fat chunk between my eyebrows...well worth it...but I think I missed the mesa.

After much thought I have decided that the best way to defend yourself against a sharpshooter is to sneak up on them while they are sighting their gun and club them with your 22.

It was a fun day.

Long Hard Winter

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sat, 15 May 2010 02:10:00 +0000

Three months cooped up in the cabin with limited internet access and broken truck. Let me tell you it was a long hard winter. Although I did learn alot about myself and the difficulties of true self reliance and isolation.

All Ok

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:28:00 +0000

Thanks for the concern and I am fine. I am working on a couple of other projects that are occupying most of my brain. I will get back to blogging here soon.

Thanks Big Bear

Coyote

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:00:00 +0000

I can usually tell when there are predators around the house. My oldest dog Axel does this thing where he covers his pee with snow or dirt when something bad is in the woods. Well last night and this morning not only was he covering his pee but he was following Conway and Ruby around burying their urine.

About 2 this afternoon the dogs started barking like crazy. I figured it was a deer. This coyote was standing between the front door and the truck, about 10 feet from the house. The dogs were raging but the coyote just stood there looking at them. When I started yelling the gray devil turned and trotted off down the driveway not a care in the world.

This worries me somewhat. The coyote should have taken off when the dogs first started barking and especially when I started yelling. It is possible that he is really hungry or maybe sick. Need to keep my eyes open.

The People Are Irrelevant

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:03:00 +0000

The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations may spend freely to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress, easing decades-old limits on their participation in federal campaigns.

By a 5-4 vote, the court on Thursday overturned a 20-year-old ruling that said corporations can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to pay for their own campaign ads. The decision, which almost certainly will also allow labor unions to participate more freely in campaigns, threatens similar limits imposed by 24 states.

Unlimited corporate spending on campaigns means the government is up for sale and that the law itself will be bought and sold. It would be political bribery on the largest scale imaginable. This issue transcends partisan political arguments. We cannot have a government that is bought and paid for by huge multinational corporations.

The Supreme Court ruling mandates that the American people push an Amendment to the United States Constitution removing person-hood from corporations or completely submit to the Corporate/Government complex.

Missing My Guns

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:01:00 +0000

I am not a violent person nor do I ever really have violent thoughts that being said...

I Had a scary dream last night. I was over at the lake ice fishing it was dark. A couple fishing buddies saw this guy walk by and warned me about him. They said he was crazy. I get back to the cabin and head to bed. I noticed a truck go by real slow. It turned around at the end of the road and drives back past. I just figured it was kids out joyriding.

A few minutes later the crazy guy I had seen at the lake kicked in the door and starts towards the bed. The dogs were out back for some reason. Jumping out of bed I grab my practice rifle, a little semi automatic .22, which was a couple of steps from me. As the crazy guy is walking towards me I bring it up, cock it and pull the trigger...click...nothing happens.

Reaching me he pushes the gun aside and walks past. I swing around and cock the gun while pointing it at him. He laughs and says the gun ain't loaded then grabs the barrel and puts it to his throat. I pull the trigger and like before nothing happens. He is laughing hysterically now saying he will kill me for stealing his woman and that god is protecting him. With the barrel against his throat I cocked the little .22 once more and pulled the trigger. The gun fires knocking him backwards he is laying on the floor gasping with a small red hole in his throat. I empty the magazine into his head. Then wake up.

Strange thing, I always keep Mossberg 500 Tactical shotgun within arms reach of the bed but a few days back, after some target practice, I stored it with my other guns. I also keep a small .22 pistol on the night stand but placed it on top of the shelves next to my bed after practice. Subconsciously I must have been worried about the zombie bikers coming to call. The pistol is back on the night stand and the shotgun next to the bed. Both are loaded with a round in the chambered ready to go.

I never have really thought about having to shoot someone. I could do it but honestly the only thing I have ever killed was that 20 foot rattlesnake last summer that was trying to wrap around the house. Four shots it took to kill that monster. Couple of times I had to fire a few rounds into the air to scare the bears away from the compost pile and once I used it to run off some coyotes but that's about it.

I started keeping the gun by the bed because I worried about a bear breaking in at night. I was already in the habit when we had the weirdness last year with the people disappearing. It is just odd that my mind would conjure up such strange imagery to remind me that the gun goes next to the bed.

Local Banking Local Currency

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +0000

After posting record profits and issue massive bonus in the banking industry for 2009 the American Bankers Association said today that if Obama imposes a fee on banks to recoup the bailout cost the banks will stop lending.

I say fine.

It is time for each state to create a state run bank that actually serves the needs of the public not massive corporate profits and bonuses for its executives. Nebraska has a state ran bank and guess what...the people of Nebraska are still able to get loans and the state is in the best economic health in the nation with the lowest unemployment rate. The model obviously works.

Take it one step further. The states should start issuing their own currency which is perfectly legal. Local currencies help keep the money in the state stimulating local economies and building local business. Many American communities issue local currency for just this purpose. Local merchants simply need to sign onto the program and accept the local money usually discounting products purchased with the local currency or better charge a premium on goods bought with the unstable U.S. dollar.

State authorized and controlled localized currency would cut the strangle hold that the privately owned Federal Reserve has on our economy and greatly reduce their influence over our elected leaders. It also reigns in the "to big to fail" banks that trashed the American economy in the first place.

If the Federal government is unwilling or unable to fix the problems with out economic system and bring the Federal Reserve under the control of the people then local communities must band together to protect their citizens and ensure their freedom.

The Dogs Love Global Warming

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:53:00 +0000

Super nice here today it has been incredible here all weekend. About 1:30 and the thermometer is reading 62.5 degrees. Many parts of the country are still experiencing deep cold fortunately most of that has missed me. A couple of days last week it got a little cold at night down around zero but all in all not that bad.

I have been up cutting wood on the ridge and dogs have spent the day playing and sunning on the deck. I think they were hunting either a mouse or rabbit in the picture. They have been out there all day. Was able to open up the house past couple of days and air out the dust and general stink I create.

Last year January through April were really warm with little snow. I am hoping that the trend continues this year. Some people like the cold and snow...I don't. The low humidity here in the high desert means that even temperatures in the 30's can be short sleeved days.

Global warming does not mean we won't have cold winters...winters are supposed to be cold. Global warming simply states that overall temperatures are slowly increasing globally and have been over the past 130 year...which is the truth.

A Simple Plan

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:14:00 +0000

With the coming Supreme Court ruling that will dismantle any campaign finance restriction on corporations it is only a matter of time until our lives and our money are completely controlled by corporate America. The mandatory health insurance fiasco disguised as reform is only the tip of the iceberg. Now it is simply a race to see which politicians can write the most lucrative legislation for their corporate overseers on the backs of working Americans.

Here are a few things you can do in 2010 to minimize your value as a corporate commodity and continue providing for your family.

Eliminate Debt - If you are in an upside down mortgage walk away from it as soon as possible. One of the first thing Congress will take up after the 2010 elections is legislation that will allow banks to recoup losses on negative equity mortgages that are defaulted. Right now all a bank can do is take the house. After Congress "reforms" the mortgage industry financial institutions will be allowed to reclaim losses through garnishment or indentured servitude in a corporate debtors prison. The percent they can claim will be determined by a corporate controlled Congress so expect it to be high. The same will be true for credit cards and car loans. If you cannot pay off your debt now walk away from it and use the money to minimize your life.

Grow Food - China is not going to be happy with a defaulting United States and will demand first pick from the bread basket. Receiver counties will demand food for payment of our debts. What ever is left will be divided among the starving American public. Grow your own garden and encourage your neighbors to do the same. But do it quietly because mega corporations like Monsanto are already buying legislation to make feeding yourself illegal.

Stop Buying Crap - Focus your remaining finances on securing a minimized life. Buy a old used travel trailer and vehicle to pull it...pay cash. Build up long term food stores and items that will help transition to growing your own food such as canning and gardening implements...pay cash. Warm practical clothing and solid footwear is a must...pay cash. Pick up a chain saw, splitting maul and small wood stove for your trailer...pay cash. A hunting rifle and some ammo would also be handy...pay cash.

Learn A Cash Trade - Learn a skill that can by traded for cash or bartered for necessary items. Here are a few use skills; food caner, chain saw sharpener, booze maker or auto repair. Stay away from construction work there are millions of out of work construction workers. Find a niche that is necessary and can be traded.

The end is here! Corporations are going to pick the American carcass clean to the bone...then sell the bones to China.

The Terrorism Lie

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:50:00 +0000

The Christmas Day underwear bomber was just another false flag "terror" incident to redirect the public's short attention span away from the corporate sell out that was "health reform" and justify giving billions more to the American corporate prison and fear complex.

Billions of dollars will now be made by those companies selling full body scanners that don't really work. These devices do nothing but reinforce America's siege mentality instilled to control a restless and unhappy population. Remember after the shoe bomber they rolled out billions of dollars worth of those ineffective sniffers that didn't work. Same deal here a convenient underwear bomber who can only be thwarted with billions of dollars worth of scanning equipment that happens to be in a warehouse ready to install.

Do not fall for this crap. Remember Al Qaeda was a CIA created militant group formed to fight the Russians in Afghanistan. They are now simply a CIA boggy man that can be rolled out whenever the government needs to ratchet up the fear level or divert attention from the corporate criminal looting of our country.

Terrorism is simply an excuse to monitor and control American citizens.

Cheap Dog Toys

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:57:00 +0000

One of the big expenses I had to due away with when I moved to Bear Ridge was dog toys. The things are terrible expensive.

Here are a few simple and cheap ways to keep your pet happy.

Take an old plastic Pepsi bottle or possible an empty Parmesan cheese container. Scramble an egg getting it really well done. Place the scrambled egg, or a small piece of meat if you don't have an abundant egg source, in the bottle and give it to the dog. They will spend hours ripping the plastic before they actually get to the egg treat. I usually cut a slit in the bottle so they can smell the eggs. Watch them at first to make sure they don't eat the plastic.

Another fun thing I have discovered is used stuffed animals. The kids love to tear up stuffed animals but at $5 to $10 apiece it is an expense way to remove anxiety and burn off excess energy. There is a junk store in town that buys up storage units at auction and sells the stuff really cheap. Anyway they have many many bins full of stuffed toys. They sell them at six for a dollar. You can pick them up cheap at goodwill type stores as well.

I also started giving them deer and elk bones that I find laying around. Great source of calcium and they love them. Make sure the bones are not to small or they will choke and no bird bones.

Keep your pets happy

Greatest Threat to the American Survivalist

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:47:00 +0000

The greatest threat the American people face is the merging of the Federal Government and Corporate America to further profits during the Great Decline. You need to prepare for an economic tyranny that controls your wages guaranteeing corporate profits first and leaving your family to live off the feeble leftovers. Family needs are secondary to mandated participation in whatever business has the influence to purchase congressional favors.

In the name of profit Corporate America, with the help of a willing congress, has destroyed this once great country by dismantling our massive manufacturing base, exporting middle class jobs and gambling in risky unregulated economic schemes. Unfortunately for them the cash cow that was the American economy has run out of milk. Eternal unemployment rates over twenty five percent, runaway inflation and increased civil unrest are here to stay further eroding profits margins.

Americans have finally woken up and are paying down debt, reducing consumption and dropping unnecessary financial burdens. Additionally, the shortsightedness of globalism left the world with no country to replace America as the apex consumer nation. The capitalist model, which is based on continuous growth, is crashing leaving Corporate America searching for next great thing.

Federal Government and Corporate America Merge

Corporations are facing the perfect storm of their own creation. For thirty years the quest for bigger profits has functionally destroyed the purchasing power of the American consumer base. Rather than fix the economic problems stemming from globalization the corporate world has moved to a model of growth supported through government mandates and collections over innovation and competition. Through naked bribery Corporate America created an unholy merger guaranteeing profits through federal legislation and government mandates laid on the backs of American workers and our gutted economic system.

Democracy has grossly failed everyone with politicians in all parties instantly being corrupted by unregulated industry influence. The only real power we have as American citizens at this point is debt revolt. Unfortunately banking, insurance and a growing list of other industries have already insulated themselves from this collective populace action by having the Federal Government guaranteed loans, investments and mandated participation enforced by the IRS through imprisonment.

The Federal government through the IRS will become the enforcement and collection agency for most industries. If you refuse to pay your power bill they shut off your power. You can live happily without power. But, if the power company uses the IRS as its collection agency you pay or go to jail. We are seeing this model emerge fully through the criminal health care reform and banking bailout legislation.

For instance, the Federal Government will "purchase" any defaulted loan from the bank then collect the debt through the IRS. There is no risk to the loan institution. We see this now with the criminal student loan scam. Students are given a loan from a bank at a high rate of interest, say 8%. If these loans are guaranteed by the government why such a high interest rate? If the student defaults the bank is paid off and the IRS uses wage garnishment to collect the debt. We are seeing this more and more with the "mortgage rescues" but soon the practice will be everywhere from car loans to credit cards.

If you default the government purchases the loan and the IRS chases you forever garnishing the top of your paycheck leaving the leftovers to provide for your family. The worker has no choice! The government and their corporate overseers determine your take home pay. You will go along with the scheme or face imprisonment. Even bankruptcy will not stop the IRS as government loans such as student loans and soon all loans are exempt from bankruptcy.

Paying off your debt will make no difference.

It is not just the banking industry that is benefiting from this corrupt little model of commerce. Soon all Americans will be forced through congressional mandate to purchase policies in the failed private health insurance industry with the IRS as the enforcement and collection mechanism. Next we will see the energy industry reaping windfall profits from the cap and trade scheme. To help the energy industry "retrofit" a fee will be accessed on all Americans, even those living off grid. Collected by the IRS of course and distributed back to corporate America maintaining the profit margin.

Popular Uprising and the Police State

Organized dissent against the government or any of its corporate handler will be quickly and harshly squashed. The massive surveillance infrastructure rolled out over the past few years, was never to hunt foreign terrorists but rather control a starving and desperate population unwilling to give their last dollar to Corporate America.

The telecommunications industry, internet and cell phone providers, are selling American citizens personal data to government and corporate entities making billions in the process under the umbrella of retroactive immunity granted last years by a Democratic Congress and signed by a Republican President.

Right now corporations are buying data from companies like Google and Facebook on American citizens who speak out against their business agendas. Right now the government is buying data, tracking and recording your whereabouts through your cellphone provider and monitoring for civil malcontents. Through third party data miners the government/corporate complex is building lists of your acquaintances even casual meetings at a coffee shop can be tracked through cell phones GPS location system. Your mind and your actions are being mapped and recorded for future culling.

If you start advocating against the powers you will simply disappear as an enemy combatant. They know what you are doing...they know what you are thinking...they know where you are. ICE agents will show up at your door, take you away and hold you indefinitely in an undisclosed/unregistered American prison. ICE currently focuses on immigration roundups...which is the perfect practice for rounding up the hidden American patriots standing against the fascist state.

What you gonna do now?

Key Provisions in the Senate Health Bill

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:32:00 +0000

Reform it ain't!

I got this from firedoglake.com. A liberal group is starting a petition to stop the Senate version of the health insurance industry giveaway. Sign the petition if you would like after reading the points of the giveaway to the insurance industry. Remember this is a liberal group.

The Senate's health care bill must be killed. Sign our petition to Congress and President Obama: We must do better for health care than this bill.

The Senate health care bill is an ungodly mess of errors, loopholes, and massive giveaways. When the American people find out what's actually in this bill, they will revolt. Here's why:

1. Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations -- whether you want to or not (#)

2. If you refuse to buy the insurance, you'll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS (#)

3. After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses (#)

4. Massive restriction on a woman's right to choose, designed to trigger a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court (#)

5. Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-pays (#)

6. Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won't see any benefits -- like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions -- until 2014 when the program begins (#)

7. Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others (#)

8. Grants monopolies to to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive biotech drugs from ever coming to market (#)

9. No reimportation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years (#)

10. The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of 4 will rise an average of $1000 a year -- meaning in 10 years, you family's insurance premium will be $10,000 more annually than it is right now (#)

We desperately need health care reform. But we can't pass the Senate's bill.

Sign the petition!

Winter Solstice

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:16:00 +0000

December 21, 2009 at 10:49 am the Sun is reborn at Bear Ridge.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation appears to be the same for several days before and after the solstice. Hence the origin of the word solstice, which comes from Latin solstitium, from sol, sun and -stitium, a stoppage. Following the winter solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter.

In pre-historic times, winter was a very difficult time for Aboriginal people in the northern latitudes. The growing season had ended and the tribe had to live off of stored food and whatever animals they could catch. The people would be troubled as the life-giving sun sank lower in the sky each noon. They feared that it would eventually disappear and leave them in permanent darkness and extreme cold. After the winter solstice, they would have reason to celebrate as they saw the sun rising and strengthening once more. Although many months of cold weather remained before spring, they took heart that the return of the warm season was inevitable. The concept of birth and or death/rebirth became associated with the winter solstice. The Aboriginal people had no elaborate instruments to detect the solstice. But they were able to notice a slight elevation of the sun's path within a few days after the solstice -- perhaps by December 25th.

The winter solstice may have been immensely important because communities were not certain of living through the winter, and had to be prepared during the previous nine months. Starvation was common in winter between January and April. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was almost the only time of year when a supply of fresh meat was available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time.

I used to live in Illinois and let me assure you that after three months of gray and ever darkening skies the rebirth of the sun is truly a time to celebrate. Although you will have another three months of gray dark skies you have made it past the mid point and from here on the days get lighter and longer with the promise of warm days ahead.

Living in the high desert I don't have quite the problem with gray overcast misery...most days are brilliant blue sun filled skies. Cold yes, but lots of wonderful sunshine. Unfortunately the day still ends at 4:30 with the cabin settling into the shadows by 3 in the afternoon. This becomes critically important when your house is solar powered. The dying sun impacts more than your mood it reduces peak charging from 10 hours of supercharged light in the summer to 4 hours of anemic sunshine mid winter.

The winter solstice is truly a time to celebrate for myself and anyone using the abundance of our sun to power their home. So how best to celebrate this rebirth of the sun. Well here are some some ancient festivals our distant ancestors partook in to celebrate the winter solstice.

ANCIENT EGYPT: The god-man/savior Osiris died and was entombed on December 21st. "At midnight, the priests emerged from an inner shrine crying 'The Virgin has brought forth! The light is waxing" and showing the image of a baby to the worshipers."

ANCIENT GREECE: The winter solstice ritual was called Lenaea, the Festival of the Wild Women. In very ancient times, a man representing the harvest god Dionysos was torn to pieces and eaten by a gang of women on this day. Later in the ritual, Dionysos would be reborn as a baby. By classical times, the human sacrifice had been replaced by the killing of a goat. The women's role had changed to that of funeral mourners and observers of the birth. Wine miracles were performed by the priests, in which priests would seal water or juice in a room overnight and the next day they would have turned into wine. The miracle was said to have been performed by Dionysus.

ANCIENT SAMI: The indigenous people of Finland, Sweden and Norway, worship Beiwe, the sun-goddess of fertility and sanity. She travels through the sky in a structure made of reindeer bones with her daughter, Beiwe-Neia, to herald back the greenery on which the reindeer feed. On the winter solstice, her worshipers sacrifice white female animals. They also cover their doorposts with butter so Beiwe can eat it and begin her journey once again.

ABORIGINAL AND NEOPAGANS: These groups see time as circular and repetitive, with lunar (monthly) and solar (yearly) cycles. Their rituals guarantee the continuity of nature's cycles, which traditional human societies depend on for their sustenance.

I kinda dig the ancient Greeks but I think the neighbors would complain and that butter on the doorpost would drive the dogs crazy.

So, I shall build a large and bountiful bonfire of freshly cut pinon and cedar maybe even some old sacred plywood. Around this roaring fire I will dance drinking my most rare ale and sampling my most tender meats. (bud light and spam) I will continue until the sun peaks shining its approving countenance upon me. (or I run out of scrap wood) Then without haste I hurry inside and run the microwave for 10 minutes...with nothing in it...now that is a sacrifice.

Seriously if you are bone chilled and have not seen the sun for 2 months or are having to cut back on power hungry niceties this really is a day to celebrate.

Happy Solstice Everyone!

Coming Down From The Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:40:00 +0000

In June this past summer while looking for a place to cut wood I was introduced to this guy living way up in the mountains behind my cabin. Frank and I hit it off and he let harvest as much wood as I needed from his land. He had only been living up there for about a month staying in an old 32 foot trailer while building his cabin.

I took a break from cutting one day and wandered over to check his progress. Franks cabin was an actual log cabin built with big felled logs from the land. An ungodly amount of work cutting the trees, dragging them to the site, trimming the logs and eventually lifting the foot round monsters into place. By mid July he had the foundation and one full run of logs around the outside of the place. It was roughly 20 x 30 and two stories. A ton of work.

Anyway he told me that he had planned on having the place enclosed by the first snow which would happen in mid September. He actually had to have the cabin ready because his place was inaccessible after the first snow until April. If it was not quite finished he told me he would stay in the trailer and work through the winter.

As the summer progressed he enthusiastically worked on the cabin but it became clear by the middle of August that it wouldn't be anywhere near ready. I started asking him if he was prepared to winter up there, you know standard questions like do you have plenty of food and water for 6 months, how are you planning on heating that camper (he had 2 twenty pound propane bottles), can you survive the isolation through the winter. I knew that he was going to town to visit and pick up groceries every couple of days but Frank assured me that everything was fine as he continued to work on the cabin.

End of August Frank dropped by to visit and show off a shotgun and rifle he had picked up after selling a couple cords of wood. He was worried about bears he told me.

About a week into September Frank shows up at the house with a look of panic on his face. It had snowed the previous night up in the mountains and it took him a couple of hours to get off his land and down the road to my place. Frank asked if I could help him pull his trailer down to the lake. My truck was big enough to pull the massive thing. He said he was worried about getting snow bound. I said "isn't that plan, isn't that why you stored food" he told me that he had planned on storing plenty of food but didn't get around to it and only had a few days worth up there. Even worse both his propane tanks were empty.

So I went up and after much wrangling we were able to pull the beast down the mountain through the mud and ice. It was slick, treacherous and the master cylinder had gone out on the truck about a month before so stopping was a difficult task. Another day and we wouldn't have gotten the thing out of there. Fortunately Frank was able to make arrangement with one of the ranch owners down here and rented some land on a maintained road to camp out for the winter.

The point I am trying to make is don't get caught up in the fun and forget the necessary. It doesn't matter if you are staying in a camper, tent or cabin. Without heat, food and water you will not survive.

Intolerance

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:30:00 +0000

Black/White, Gay/Straight, Female/Male, Illegal/Legal

I really don't understand why born survivalist tend to be more prone to discriminatory influences than their less prepared brethren.

I used to run a site called SurvivalistNews.com. Many of you may remember it. The site tracked the blog-spheres survivalist sites giving a brief rundown on the pertinent daily postings. I really enjoyed running the site until early January of 2009. At that time almost universally the survivalist bloggers took a racist tone in their daily postings. I tried to ignore it and even skipped daily posters that were overtly racists but in the end it overwhelmed me and I stopped updating the site. The site remained wildly popular until I closed it down last month even though I had not updated it since mid February 2009.

I cannot say if it was intentional or simply an attack on the most recognizable attribute of our current President but as a Gay American I cannot tolerate nor stomach the hatred that was directed towards a minority group in this country.

In America we are played against each other...We are played like a cheap walmart guitar. Whites against Blacks, Gays against Christians, Undocumented Immigrants against American Citizens.

It is a divisive illusion...An illusion designed to occupy our minds and distract us while the powers that be destroy our livelihood and imprison all of us in a web of debt and corporate control.

Get over it...
Get past it...
Grow up and understand those who seek to destroy us.

Oral and I

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:34:00 +0000

About 20 years ago I was working as a sports reporter for a news paper in Oklahoma. The state tournament for girls basketball was held at Oral Roberts University and I was covering it. I had a press pass and was sitting in a box next to the court. I had to change the camera lens and stood up to dig through my bag.

A gentlemen in a box directly behind me yelled "Down in front...sit down". I said "just a minute" and continued to dig for my lens. Again he repeated "Down in front...sit down" with a little more annoyance in his voice. I kept digging but yelled an apology over my shoulder. The second the apology was out of my mouth he yelled "you need to sit down now".

Well, thoroughly annoyed at this point I spun around and yelled "give me a fucking minute" right to the scowling face of Oral Roberts. Being the good reporter I quickly raised the camera and snapped off a picture of irritated pastor in his green/yellow plaid pants and unmatched argyle sweater. Ever the professional Mr Roberts instantly donned a benevolent smile the second he saw the camera. Although the two massive black bodyguards flanking him did not.

I quietly sat and watch the rest of the game. I still have the picture somewhere.

Anyway I had to run and pick up some insulation from the lumber yard about 40 miles from here. On my way back I just kept thinking of that night at the state tournament, rolling the events over in my mind for some reason. Had not thought about it in years.

When I got back to the cabin I checked the news and saw that Oral Roberts was dead. Ain't that weird.

Heating Problem

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:03:00 +0000

The new stove is heating great. I start the fire between four and five in the evening let it burn hot for a while then load it up between six and seven, damper it slightly and have good heat until around two in the morning. At two I throw a few more logs in the stove, damper it down a little more and have it smolders until six when I open the dampers toss a couple small logs on and let the fire roar as it warms the house. Plus the hot fire burns off the creosote from the night before. It burns down about nine after getting the house to the upper 70s. The sun takes over around ten. On very cold days or if the wind is particularly fierce I burn the stove through the day. I did this from mid November until just a couple of days ago. I like the house really warm during the day.

Here is the problem. I am burning through a cord of wood every two weeks. Now the temperatures here have been cold since late November but nothing outstanding. Running 20 to 30 degrees in the day and dropping to around 0 at night this is fairly typical. January may have some spells of slightly colder nights. Fortunately with the days starting to get longer in January the sun will be able to pick up more of the daily heating.

The cabin is located on the north side of the ridge. I am sheltered from the more wicked winds but this time of year the sun can only be counted on to give me good heat from ten to around two thirty. Most days are brilliant sunshine but do to the ridge and trees behind the house I am in shadows a good portion of the day.

I had planned on seven cords of wood based on last years usage. The new stove and fact that last February and March were on the warm side has thrown my planning off. With wood running about $150 a cord now if I have to buy it this becomes a costly mistake.

So here is the plan. I will top out three trees behind the house that are stealing the most sun. This should increase the solar gain in the house especially in the mornings. Shove some more insulation in the ceiling and fill in some of the more drafty cracks. Finally cut back on the wood I am burning and adjust when I fill the stove to let the logs burn out around six in the morning rather than nine. I just have to keep the house cooler at night and not burn any wood during the day.

My wood usage needs to be down around one cord per month on the coldest months. I will let you know how this works out

UFO Invasion Imminent

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:48:00 +0000

UFO Invasion Imminent

This mysterious spiral blue light appeared over Norway last night December 8th, 2009.

The following article ran on October 21, 2009 in the Examiner.

Official disclosure of extraterrestrial life is imminent

An official announcement by the Obama administration disclosing the reality of extraterrestrial life is imminent. For several months, senior administration officials have been quietly deliberating behind closed doors how much to disclose to the world about extraterrestrial life. Dissatisfaction among powerful institutions such as the U.S. Navy over the decades-long secrecy policy has given a boost to efforts to disclose the reality of extraterrestrial life and technology.

The impending disclosure announcement follows upon the secret implementation of a year long openness policy on UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Over the period February 12-14, 2008, the United Nations held closed doors discussions where approximately 30 nations secretly agreed on a new openness policy on UFOs and extraterrestrial life in 2009. The openness policy was implemented but never publicly announced due to threats against UN diplomats not to disclose details of the secret agreement. h The secret UN agreement was based on two conditions. First, UFOs would continue to appear around the world; and second, the openness policy would not lead to social unrest in liberal democracies. Both conditions have been satisfied making it possible for the next stage to begin – official disclosure of extraterrestrial life.

Obama’s September 24, 2009 chairing of the UN Security Council meeting on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, signaled his emerging leadership role in tackling major global issues such as nuclear weapons. The Nobel Peace Prize was an important step in giving global legitimacy to President Obama in making an extraterrestrial disclosure announcement. Obama is therefore poised to play a prominent role in the increased global governance that will be necessary after an extraterrestrial disclosure announcement. The timing would most likely coincide sometime soon after his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech on December 10, 2009 in Oslo, Norway.

There have been various sources that have revealed deliberations are underway to make an announcement concerning the existence of extraterrestrial life by the end of 2009. These include, Dr Pete Peterson, a whistleblower who has recently emerged revealing high level discussions have taken place concerning announcing the existence of extraterrestrial life. In a Project Camelot interview, Dr Peterson revealed that “Obama is planning to disclose the reality of ET contact by the end of the year; and that most, but not all, of the ET visitors are friendly.”
Another source is David Wilcock, a prominent researcher of emerging scientific paradigms. Wilcock has been told by additional independent sources that extraterrestrial disclosure will take place by the end of 2009. He furthermore claimed in a Coast to Coast AM radio interview that “a 2-hour international TV special has already been booked that will introduce an alien species, similar to humans, to the world.”

In addition, popular NASA and space researcher, Richard Hoagland, has publicly come forward to reveal that the October 9, LCROSS ‘bombing’ mission of the moon, discovered an ancient base at the moon’s South Pole. Reviewing the scientific data achieved by NASA’s LCROSS mission, Hoagland concluded, also on the popular late night Coast to Coast AM radio show, that “LCROSS is part of a carefully constructed campaign to prepare the populace for imminent disclosure. The President of the United States will soon announce that scientists have discovered ruins on the moon, he added. Nobody saw the LCROSS debris plume because the probes struck a building which swallowed the effects of the explosion.”

Finally, two independent and confidential sources have revealed to me that face to face meetings have recently occurred between U.S. military officials with one or more groups of extraterrestrial visitors. This has allegedly led to confidence being built for future cooperation with the extraterrestrials that will be formally announced to the world public either at the end of 2009, or early 2010.

In conclusion, a diverse number of sources and events point to some form of extraterrestrial disclosure being made by the end of 2009, or early 2010. Official disclosure will most likely emerge in either of two scenarios. One is that President Obama will announce the existence of extraterrestrial visitors, and describe one or more of these to the world. This scenario is supported by Peterson, Wilcock, and my own confidential sources. The second scenario is that an announcement will be made concerning the discovery of artificial structures at the moon’s South Pole, as revealed by the LCROSS mission. This scenario is supported by Hoagland.

Which ever of the above scenarios is used for announcing the existence of extraterrestrial life or technology, President Obama will figure prominently. Behind the scenes, powerful institutions are ensuring that nothing derails the planned disclosure announcement. The disclosure will follow upon a year of greater government openness on UFOs in accord with a policy secretly developed at the United Nations. If extraterrestrial disclosure does occur at the end of 2009 or early 2010, President Obama will lead an unprecedented effort to promote global governance through the United Nations. The Obama administration and its supporters are poised to take a bold step forward in helping our planet become an interplanetary culture that openly deals with the challenges posed by extraterrestrial life.

Unless of course it was swamp gas

Little Cabin on the Ridge

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:01:00 +0000

The Bear Ridge Nudist Retreat & Meditation Cottage is finally nearing completion.

May 2001 I picked the location and started building this tiny 8 by 10 foot structure on the top of Bear Ridge. The small cabin is situated in an area that cannot be seen from any road...maximum privacy but with great views. Unfortunately the privacy came with a price.

Everything had to be carried from the road up the hill to the ridge. So this little building project was back shelved half finished until I got the big cabin at the bottom of the hill livable. Axel and I spent many nights in the small unfinished cabin that first summer. It was cold and rainy all summer and the coyotes would come right up to the tarp covered walls and sniff us out. It was an adventure but not a priority so it sat there for the last eight and a half years waiting for me.

Late this summer I started packing the building supplies up the hill to finish project.

Originally there was an unfinished barn roof on the structure and you slept on the current roof. But this roof style fell out of favor when the unsheathed rafters fell off the building. Deciding this was divine intervention and not wanting to carry all the roofing plywood up the hill I kept the flat roof.

The upside is that the flat roof is a great star/ufo gazing platform. The view from the roof is fairly well unobstructed while still lending a degree of privacy. A cap installed around the top of the cabin is where the deck railings will be attached. Rolled roofing is install on the decking it will probably leak really bad but that is nothing new.

The two big windows were originally installed in the big cabin but were replaced when I added the front addition. So they were packed up the hill along with the big and very heavy sliding glass door I picked up at ReStore in Colorado Springs for $20. The sliding glass door is orientated to the south.

Power is generated with an old 80 watt solar panel charging a 115 amp hour battery through a 10 amp charge controller. There is a 400 watt inverter that the laptop or LED lights can be plugged into. Real simple and plenty of power for a long evenings work.

The cabin is heated with a Big Buddy propane heater attached to a 20 pound bottle. Of course the big south side sliding glass windows provide plenty of heat during the day easily keeping the well insulated cottage between 60 and 80 degrees. The temperature is maintained into the evening with the Big Buddy running on medium even on the coldest nights.

I was wanting a really small wood stove possibly a military tent heater but decided that there was not enough floorspace to install the unit. If I build on I will consider this but until then the propane will do just fine.

I picked up an old futon frame and mattress at the local junk store for about $10. Very comfortable for sky gazing and folds out into a cozy but adequate full size bed. Covers and pillows are stored in a couple of plastic bins located on a shelf above the futon. The bins are protection in case a mouse happens to get into the cabin.

A small fold down desk is built into the wall under the north window. Great view for computer work or cooking. There are a couple of small stools that work as desk chairs or just additional seating. The stools are hollow cubes that are also used for storage.

The place still needs the top railing installed, inside finish work plus more shelving and a small deck built in front of the sliding glass doors but it is comfortable and livable as is.

I am using the place as a getaway when the dogs are driving me crazy and also as a little guest house.

The next big addition for Bear Ridge is a small 4 by 7 foot steam hut located about 20 feet south of the little cabin. Steam will be produced with an old turkey roaster, pressure cooker, assorted valves and hoses plus a small albino dwarf named Fredrick who will bring the water up the hill (I got him real cheap on CraigsList...I love CraigsList).

The Kids Are Bored

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:25:00 +0000

The kids are bored it is a beautiful day but only about nine degrees outside. Very cold. From left to right we have Conway who is five, Axel who is nine and of course little Ruby Jean the baby.

Damn Aliens Again

noreply@blogger.com (BigBear) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:17:00 +0000

SAN LUIS, Colo.— A creepy string of calf mutilations in southern Colorado has a rancher and sheriff's officials mystified.

Four calves were found dead in a pasture just north of the New Mexico state line in recent weeks. The dead calves had their skins peeled back and organs cleared from the rib cage. One calf had its tongue removed.

But rancher Manuel Sanchez has found no signs of human attackers, such as footprints or ATV tracks. And there are no signs of an animal attack by a coyote or mountain lion. Usually predators leave pools of blood or drag marks from carrying away the livestock.

Two officers from the Costilla County Sheriff's Office have investigated the mutilations but say they don't know what's killing the calves.

"There's nothing really to go by," said Sanchez, who's ranched for nearly 50 years. "I can't figure it out."

A spokesman for the sheriff's office told The Pueblo Chieftain that investigators doubt a person butchered the calves because there is no blood at the scene.

"I've butchered a cow before and I know what kind of a mess it leaves," Sgt. James Chavez said.

Some in the area believe the mutilations are the work of aliens. An area UFO chaser, Chuck Zukowski of Colorado Springs, has been to the Costilla County pasture to investigate.

He told the paper there have been other unexplained calf mutilations in the area, including three in March. One of the other calves, found dead on a ranch near Trinidad, had its ears removed, Zukowski said.

"We're trying as much as we can to find a pattern," said Zukowski, who runs a UFO Web site called ufonut.com.

Sanchez said he has sold off his 32 remaining calves out of fear more would be mutilated. He hasn't decided how he'll manage the remaining 40 animals in his herd.

"It's a big loss for a small rancher," he said.

Information from: The Pueblo Chieftain, http://www.chieftain.com

================================================
Four years ago mid summer I was down here for the weekend. About 3 am I had to use the bathroom. As I was passing the windows I glanced down towards the lake.

There was what looked like a helicopter hovering over this small lake side village...just a few houses. Anyway the "helicopter" was hovering and spotlighting an area to east end of the lake. It hovered there for a few minutes then flew back over the lake and disappeared behind the mesa. Its spotlight was on the whole time and made absolutely no noise. I just assumed it was a drug sting or some sort of military training. I used the bathroom and went back to bed.

The next afternoon I was heading out and drove over through the little village on my way to the highway. Right past the town about 20 feet west of the road was a large white bull laying there on its side legs sticking straight out. It was not there the day before. I stopped and snapped a couple of pictures (lost) but didn't go over and investigate up close. The bull laid there until it finally rotted away.

I can't say that the hovering light dissected then dropped the bull but they did appear connected.

My only question is why would aliens selectively remove parts from cattle then simply drop the evidence back into the field.

This was a terrible problem that peaked back in the 70's with sporadic mutilation occurring through the years up to today. I only hope we are not returning to the mass harvests of forty years ago.

Oh and I really hope they don't have a taste for chicken.