Emergency Appeal From Patti Patton-Bader at Soldiers' Angels

This came in my e-mail today, and I am passing on, knowing that many readers will want to help.

"Dear Soldiers’ Angel ,


Right now I have 10,000 Soldiers’ Angels Relief Packs designated for the USS Ronald Reagan, the aircraft carrier heading to Japan as part of the U.S. relief efforts following the recent tragic earthquake.

And I’m hoping these 10,000 Relief Packs are the first of many more that we’ll send in a second wave.

Our troops will fly them from the carrier group to shore, to be distributed by our servicemen and women as part of our official “Operation Tomodachi” - - Japanese for “friendship.”

I’m sure your heart was broken, as mine was, at the sight of the terrible ruins, the loss of life, and the hundreds of thousands now without a home.

I’m thankful that our troops are leading the way in the relief efforts, and I’m also thankful that we’ve been asked to be a key part.

I had to act quickly. There was no time to mail a letter and wait for enough response to see if we could help or not. Those poor people are desperate and just can’t wait.

So I had to act first and pray you and my other good friends will help me pay for these first 10,000 Relief Packs and hopefully many more to come.

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation for the Relief Efforts in Japan.

Each Soldiers’ Angels Relief Pack has a blanket and some basic food and drink supplies for those who have lost almost everything.

Each of these Relief Packs costs about $16, including the cost of getting them out to the USS Ronald Reagan. So I need to raise this $160,000, and I’m hoping we’ll raise enough extra to send even more help.

So now I’m in financial trouble. But wouldn’t you do the same thing I did?

I need to recover the funds I spent, and of course we need to keep all our other worthwhile Soldiers’ Angels projects going.

I didn’t know what else to do but write my most loyal and generous friends and supporters.

This is an emergency appeal for your help.

I am writing to ask you to make your very best tax-deductible contribution for this massive relief effort to Japan while keeping the other Soldiers’Angels programs going.

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation for the Relief Efforts in Japan.

I realize I’m asking you to make a personal sacrifice.

But I’ve gone out on a limb to get these first 10,000 Relief Packs to Japan, and now I need to pay for them plus future Relief Packs.

I must have your immediate help.

In fact, there is so much more that needs to be done, so much more we could do if we just had the resources.

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation for the  Relief Efforts in Japan.

The big question on my mind is this: Can we go forward with all we’re doing, and even more?

The answer to this question will be decided by the response I receive to this message, which I’m sending to our most loyal supporters - - friends like you I feel I can count on when the need is truly urgent.

This is certainly one of those times. Please send your best contribution today. We can’t succeed without you.

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation for the Relief Efforts in Japan.

Thank you so much for attending today to this matter of urgent importance!

Sincerely,

Patti Patton-Bader

Founder, Soldiers' Angels

P.S. Our troops will be distributing the first 10,000 Soldiers’ Angels Relief Packs to the Japanese devastated by the record 8.9 scale earthquake.

I desperately need your help to pay for this first shipment, keep our other programs going, and hopefully send more Relief Packs as we can.

You have been such a loyal friend to the Soldiers’ Angels and me. I am counting on you to come through again. Please help!

Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation for the Relief Efforts in Japan.

Gravity Wins!

This interesting accident was next to IL Highway 15 in Jefferson County, Illinois recently.  I could see as I drove by that the cutter had planned on the tree falling parallel to the fence, but the tree saw things differently and fell 90 degrees the wrong way.

A close look at the stump and the butt end of the tree reveals that the cutter left no hinge when he cut this tree, but he did make an opening in the direction he wanted the tree to fall, and he also angled his back cut, which people often do, thinking that the stump will somehow push the tree in the right direction.  You can see that the tree was severed except for some fibers in the middle, which pulled out of the butt log.  Those fibers are pulled over in the direction the tree fell when it let loose.

The cutter attached a rope to the tree to pull it in the right direction, so he probably recognized that the tree had weight the wrong way.  Ropes and cables are useful to bring a tree over when they are pulling 180 degrees to the lean, but if a tree wants to go 90 degrees to the side, they do no good at all.

At least there was plenty of room for the tree to fall without hurting anything.  As you put your chainsaw skills to use, and push your limits, remember to push those limits only where no harm can come from your plan falling apart. 

Links to posts about your falling plan and making trees go where you want are on the left side, just above the FTC disclosure.

Biathlon Rifles; Courtesy of Ruger Firearms

I don't expect to ever do any shooting while on skis, but it is great to learn about this sport. Note how these competitors use their bones and a sling to support their rifles rather than relying on muscle power. That is an important lesson for all shooters.

Inspiration For The Work Week!

Back To The Old Grind!

Many Thanks to Victrolaman for posting this gem!

GBR Is Coming! Start Planning!

Derek, The Packing Rat is the unofficial photographer for the Gun Blogger Rendezvous every year, and he does a great job documenting the good times in Reno. He graciously allows me to use his photos for slide shows to promote the event, and this collection is from GBR V, which was held last September.  GBR VI will be September 8-11, 2011, and you should mark it in your datebook right now and start making your travel plans.  The Rendezvous gets better every year, and Mr. Completely says that this year is going to be a big one!  Watch for regular updates on his blog, and on the Gun Blogger Rendezvous blog to keep yourself informed. 

As Mr. C says, "You don't have to be a Gun Blogger to attend, or even a blogger at all, but if you enjoy shooting, shooting sports, guns, 2nd. Amendment and Right to Carry issues, or even if you'd just like to meet and hang out for a couple of days with the Gun Bloggers you read regularly, you are more than welcome to attend."

Not My Victrola

This is just too beautiful for words to describe. Shared with us by Pax41.  The artist is Alice Nielsen.

Weekend Steam

Emperor100 posted this nice little video of a roller over in the UK. 

Info from Emperor100's comments:  David & Ritta on their steam roller in North Wales UK. 
... the roller was buried for many years in the playground untill a group decided to restore her and ownership passed on to the Black family in North Wales.

...officially they were 10 ton rollers and had a brass plaque to state this, this could have been a legal weight limit but I understand that with a full load of water and coal they weigh in at 12 tons, imperial tons that is!

While The Media Covers Sheen and Lohan...

they ignore the people looking out for us.

Crankin' It Up

1

Frank Crumit recorded this old favorite on May 26, 1921. Push back the furniture and start waltzing.

Extreme Wedging

If you have been practicing your tree tipping, (See "Drop That Tree Where You Want It" posts on the lower left sidebar.) you have run into a few trees by now that need a little more than the lift you get from two wedges.  There are a couple of easy methods to gain that little bit extra.  I keep several wedges in my kit that have been cut from stumps, so I can stick in a 2"  or larger shim, then add a plastic wedge to it to finish liftting the tree.  Another quick and easy method is illustrated here.

Fire up your saw, and do a bore cut under your wedges, being careful to remove only half the wood under the bottom wedge as you punch in parallel to it.  (Remove too much wood under the wedge, and the tree will clamp down on the bar of your saw.)  Pull out your saw, pound in your wedge, and you will soon have the tree on the ground.