Issue #73 January/February, 2002

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DEPARTMENTS

6  Publisher’s Note 7  Editorial:     We should have seen this one coming 69  Ask Jackie:     Power pole log homes, poison oak, elk stew, canning meat, and more 49   Think of it this way...:     The coming American dictatorship, Part VIII 68  Irreverent joke page 74  Ayoob on Firearms:     What’s next? What can you do? 34   The gee-whiz! page 80  Letters 87   Advertiser Index 83  Classified ads (pdf) 83  Classified ad form 91   BHM books 88-89  Subscription Info 90  The last word:      Mistaken for a terrorist Order form or call Toll Free 1-800--835-2418

ABOUT THE COVER      This issue’s cover was painted by Don Childers and first used in Issue 57 to illustrate an article by John Silveira titled The chances of global disaster. It seems appropriate to use that painting again as the cover for this special issue. In that previous article, while writing of the chances of a worldwide plague, Silveira wrote:       “More intriguing is the possibility of a worldwide plague. It may be that the only reason Europeans got a foothold in the New World was because plagues of smallpox, measles, tuberculosis, and other Old World diseases, to which Europeans had some resistance, spread like wildfire through populations that had no resistance. It’s unlikely that Cortez and a band of a few hundred men defeated the entire Aztec Empire. More likely, the entire population on two continents fell victim to catastrophic plagues that ran rampant, and the Europeans stepped in to fill the vacuum.”       The entire text of that article is in the May/June 1999 Issue (No. 57) and is part of the current “15 Selected Issues” special on page 73, or you can order it from the Order Form on page 89.

FEATURES

Independent energy 27  Emergency solar power for $950   By Jeffrey R. Yago       For less than the price of a desktop computer you can ensure long-term power for basic and essential equipment including batteries, solar panels, and a solar charger controller. Jeff Yago explains what you need and how to set up your emergency system. 61  How do you live without electricity?   By Anita Evangelista       Electric power is necessary for light, delivering water, cooking, heating/cooling, and communications. But do you know what to do if the power goes off? Anita Evengelista discusses how to get along if your power fails so you can keep your life running as smoothly as possible. Self-sufficiency 42  Long-term food storage   By Jackie Clay       Jackie Clay talks about a sensible and practical food storage program that will carry your family, and even some unexpected guests, through a year of healthful eating. 22   Living the outlaw life: Freedom tomorrow   By Claire Wolfe       With panic running rampant among America’s politicos, it seems that every solution they offer to combat terrorism is to take away more of our freedoms. Claire Wolfe explains what you and I have got to do to win those freedoms back. 8  Getting out of Dodge   By Luke Lee       With more humor than you’d think possible in such a serious subject, Luke Lee writes about the steps he is taking to get away from the city. He discusses the financial aspects, acquiring tools, learning new skills, evaluating your options, and more. Farm and garden 36  The survival garden   By Alice Brantley Yeager       Among the most important things anyone can do in uncertain times is to ensure a supply of wholesome food for our families. One of the best steps you can take is to plant a garden. Alice Yeager provides an overview of how to go about planning for and preparing a garden, what you might grow, and how to preserve the harvest. Terrorism 14  Biological & chemical terrorism   By Dave Duffy       The threat from biological and chemical terrorism is real, but it is a mixed threat. Terrorists can inflict scattered casualties on us, for sure, but they probably can’t do a lot of damage. Smallpox may be a far greater threat than anthrax, and chemical terrorism with scattered attacks of nerve agent is a concern. Dave Duffy tries to put all the threats in perspective.