Ted’s essays

dog stress management techniques

I have been ‘a dog guy’ my entire life. They and I understand each other. Some call it “Being able to speak Dog”. As with human-to-human interaction that actually means more listening than speaking. Thus, when the article below arrived in my e-mail, I recognize its truths. Dogs fully live in the moment without fretting over past or future. Most excell at relaxation, but apply extreme vigor to their exercise periods. This applies far more to confident dogs, who are usually larger than average. Those are the ones I am attracted to. Among the top dogs in my history for that was Opie, my 125-pound Newfoundland runt who is responsible for my interest in Mastiff relatives. Beagle Brain, our […]

banashing bad dreams

Occasionally I will have dreams several nights in a row where my life is in extreme danger but the firearm I have does not match the ammunition available, I am unable to deploy not-quite available guns, am grossly out-gunned or some other failing. These dreams stop coming as soon as I take some time during the day, go to a range, and do some shooting … handgun, shotgun, rifle … what I shoot doesn’t seem to matter. Defenseless dreams disappear. Recently my wife and I seeemed to be on a streak of unpleasant dreams that did not involve shooting. They just weren’t good interpersonally or physically, and left us lying awake for longer than sweet dreams would have. Even the […]

enemy of the state

I am in good company.  Perhaps the greatest ever is Murray Rothbard (March 2, 1926 – January 7, 1995). I use the present tense because he not only was an economic, cultural and political genius, he also was a prolific author of books that clearly explained the real world in contrast to the ones the supreme charlatans would have us believe in. His lessons live on through his writings and his students. I am a relatively inconsequential disciple of his, with America’s Great Depression and What Has Government Done to Our Money? among the more significant books in my reference library. Those two, by the way, along with Albert Jay Nock’s Our Enemy, The State and F. A. Hayek’s The […]

Bitterroot threat analysis

With a little help from my friends, we developed a current list of threats we could imagine to the world as we know it – specifically, our little corner of the world. The process, and threats are applicable to much of our country. Developing a useful list is a four step process. It is best to have several minds involved. I doubt the results change significantly from four participants to fourteen or more, but there is a minimum number to have the synergy of ideas from one triggering thoughts from another. 1) Brainstorm a list Hewlett Packard taught this for working in groups. It had to be fast, fun and friendly. Ideas came out and were scribed onto the board […]

The Amateur’s Code

An anonymous gift through the Darby Library for me was a binder containing PREPAREDNESS COMMUNICATIONS written by David Pruett / KF7ETX. It covers Ham radios, non-Ham optons, communications plans, study and other resources. Some new, some refresher, all well organized. I was particularly taken with this cultural bit written by a licensed amateur radio operator ninety years ago. Modern hams would do well to pay attention. While much has changed, the desirable personal attributes have not. I typed it in as written. – Ted – P.S. The photo is from my archives. I have no idea who it is, but doubt it is Paul Segal. It simply represents what amateur radio stations used to look like. The Amateur’s Code by […]

Who has my back?

A friend who rarely goes out unarmed was relating the attitude expressed by some in a hiking group of hers. Me, carry a defensive weapon??? Why should I, Jane has my back? (not her name) The question then becomes who has Jane’s back? Many of us are defensively armed for more than personal preservation. It is a civic duty, and obligation we feel for our community – both large and small. Could I watch a handful of thugs beat somebody to death? … and live with myself??? I know the answer is a lifetime of nightmares and recriminations about what I should have done. Yet I have no hopes of ever becoming a martial arts master … other than […]

Veterans’ Day

The April Fools’ Day counterpart. I mis-spent four of my younger years being what Henry Kissinger proclaimed to be “dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy”. I am thus qualified to titles variously offered us as veteran, veteran of foreign wars, Vietnam era veteran, hero and others equally meaningless to me. I gave almost no thought to who was profiting from my grossly sub-minimum-wage $100 a month labor. I served my time without question as if it were an inescapable prison sentence… not too far off the mark, in retrospect. For 3 years, 8 months and 11 days I did what I was told to do. My awakening puts me in good company many of whom […]

The most fun you can have

with your clothes on. Okay, that phrase refused to stay where it belongs regardless of its limited applicability here. What I am talking about looks like a TON OF FUN, though. I have been hankering for and looking at various ways of having a carbine I could shoot inexpensively AND quietly. Quiet is nice for several reasons. #1 – It is neighborly. I live in a rural area where my neighbors are mostly shooters, accustomed to sight-in, target and hunting shots taking place, BUT they are also very appreciative of the peace and quiet we have most of the time. There is no GOOD reason for modern firearms to be so dang LOUD. #2 – Good hearing protection is […]