More on Survival

Basic Wilderness Survival Skills

Probably the most important skill needed in order to not just survive but possibly thrive in wilderness environments is the ability to throw a mental switch in our minds that shuts off civilization. Not morals or beliefs but the prejudices we carry around without realizing it. Just a couple of generations ago indoor plumbing was extremely rare. Today I know many people who can not bring themselves to use an outdoor washroom facility. If you can’t use an outhouse how are you going to manage to go in the woods? Do you know enough to dig a hole and bury your waste? To make sure it is not where it may pose a risk to your water supply. Little things everyone knew a hundred years ago.

If You are a picky eater how are you going to get by when nature plays a big part in planning your meals instead of marketing executives at fast food chains. You have to learn to eat what is available. In the wilderness you will not be able to make your favourite thing for dinner. Most especially if you favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations. One major piece of advice, don’t venture into the woods for a survival situation unless you have worked up to it. The most important kind of preparation you can make is mental preparation.

The advances in the development of outdoor clothing, equipment, emergency food and techniques have been growing rapidly in recent years. For those beginners interested in using the outdoors there is unlimited information on wilderness survival skills and equipment available. However, experience is the best teacher in any outdoor situation and your reaction in a wilderness survival situation depends on your education, training and practical experience. Always keep in mind that it can happen to you. Those who are mentally and physically prepared to survive are more likely to do so. To deal with an emergency situation one must be able to make decisions, improvise and remain calm. Running though possible scenarios in your mind or even better having drills or exercises to practice those may make the difference between life and death in a real setting.

Fear - For anyone faced with a wilderness emergency survival situation, fear is a normal reaction. Unless an emergency situation has been anticipated, fear is generally followed by panic then pain, cold, thirst, hunger, fatigue, boredom and loneliness. It is extremely important to calmly assess the situation and not allow these seven enemies of survival to interfere with your survival.

Pain - Pain may often be ignored in a panic situation. Remember to deal with injuries immediately before they become even more serious. Getting the best first aid training available to you is extremely important. Next would be seeing that all members of your group are as up to date with their’s as is practical. Finally carry the best first aid kit you can under the circumstances. The kit you can throw in a car and take to a permanent campsite is going to be far more extensive than the one you backpack into the mountains. Few think of ascending levels of first aid kits. My largest is at home and is made up of other kits inside it which can be taken instantly in the event of needing to move quickly. The first aid and survival kits you keep on hand should be updated at least four times a year. They need to be adjusted to keep up with seasonal variations in conditions and the area you are in.

Cold - Cold lowers the ability to think, numbing the body and reducing the will to survive. Never allow yourself to stop moving or to fall asleep unless adequately sheltered. This becomes many times more important in the event you are wet as heat is conducted away from your body extremely quickly in such situations.

Thirst - Dehydration is a common enemy in an emergency situation and must not be ignored. It can dull your mind, causing you to overlook important survival information.

Hunger - Hunger is dangerous but seldom deadly. It may reduce your ability to think logically and increase your susceptibility to the effects of cold, pain and fear.

Fatigue - Fatigue is unavoidable in any situation so it is best to keep in mind that it can and will lower your mental ability. Remember that in an emergency situation this is often the body’s way of escaping a difficult situation. Soldiers have a saying, never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down and don’t pass up an opportunity for sleep.

Boredom & Loneliness - These enemies are quite often unanticipated and may lower the mind's ability to deal with the situation.

HOW TO:
Build a Fire

Building a fire is the most important task when dealing with survival in the wilderness. Be sure to build yours in a sandy or rocky area or near a supply of sand and water as to avoid forest fires. The most common mistakes made by those attempting to build a fire are: choosing poor tinder, failing to shield precious matches from the wind and smothering the flames with too large pieces of fuel. The four most important factors when starting a fire are spark - tinder - fuel - oxygen. In days gone by it was unthinkable to travel without tinder. Tinder being the easily lit fuel you use to start a small fire which you build into a larger one by adding fuel.

The most common ways to create spark are:

1. Waterproof, strike-anywhere matches are your best bet. Matches may be water-proofed by dipping them in nail polish. Store your matches in a waterproof container.

2. A cigarette lighter is also a good way to produce a spark, with or without fuel.
3. The flint and steel method is one of the oldest and most reliable methods in fire starting. Aim the sparks at a pile of dry tinder to produce a fire.

4. The electric spark produced from a battery will ignite a gasoline dampened rag.
5. Remove half of the powder from a bullet and pour it into the tinder. Next place a rag in the cartridge case of the gun and fire. The rag should ignite and then may be placed into the tinder.

6. Allow the suns rays to pass through a magnifying glass onto the tinder.

7. I personally like to take with me special matches prepared ahead of time. I use a whipping knot to wrap the match. Which should be of the strike anywhere type then dip it in paraffin wax? This in effect makes the match a candle providing you with much more time to start your fire.

Dry grass, paper or cloth lint, gasoline-soaked rags and dry bark are all forms of tinder. Place your tinder in a small pile resembling a tepee with the driest pieces at the bottom. Use a fire starter or strip of pitch if it is available. I carry some powdered magnesium in my survival kit. I also carry a small bar of it with a flint side. It will not burn in solid form but a single spark can ignite the powder. It burns at thousands of degrees so is useful in igniting even damp wood.
It is important to keep in mind that smaller pieces of kindling such as, twigs, bark, shavings and gasoline, are necessary when trying to ignite larger pieces of fuel. Gather fuel before attempting to start your fire. Obviously dry wood burns better and wet or pitchy wood will create more smoke. Dense, dry wood will burn slow and hot. A well ventilated fire will burn best.
Build a Shelter

A small shelter which is insulated from the bottom, protected from wind and snow and contains a fire is extremely important in wilderness survival. Before building your shelter be sure that the surrounding area provides the materials needed to build a good fire, a good water source and shelter from the wind.
Wilderness shelters may include:

1. Natural shelters such as caves and overhanging cliffs. When exploring a possible shelter tie a piece of string to the outer mouth of the cave to ensure you will be able to find your way out. Keep in mind that these caves may already be occupied. If you do use a cave for shelter, build your fire near its mouth to prevent animals from entering.

2. Enlarge the natural pit under a fallen tree and line it with bark or tree boughs.

3. Near a rocky coastal area, build a rock shelter in the shape of a U, covering the roof with driftwood and a tarp or even seaweed for protection.

4. A lean-to made with poles or fallen trees and a covering of plastic, boughs, thick grasses or bark is effective to shelter you from wind, rain and snow.

5. A wigwam may be constructed using three long poles. Tie the tops of the poles together and upright them in an appropriate spot. Cover the sides with a tarp, boughs, raingear or other suitable materials. Build a fire in the center of the wigwam, making a draft channel in the wall and a small hole in the top to allow smoke to escape.

6. If you find yourself in open terrain, a snow cave will provide good shelter. Find a drift and burrow a tunnel into the side for about 60 cm (24 in) then build your chamber. The entrance of the tunnel should lead to the lowest level of you chamber where the cooking and storage of equipment will be. A minimum of two ventilating holes are necessary, preferably one in the roof and one in the door.


CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Clothing

Clothing must provide warmth and offer protection from the elements. Layers of light, natural fibers are best. Hats are a must, as they offer protection from both the heat and cold. Water proof outer layers are necessary.

Equipment
Equipment must be easily manageable and promote survival in any situation. Items to carry in your pockets may include a fire starter, waterproof matches and/or lighter, a pocket knife, goggles, compass, small first-aid kit and some sort of trail food.

Survival Kit

Items for your survival kit should be packed in a waterproof container that can double as a cooking pot and water receptacle and be attached to your belt. I guess I always wanted to be Batman when I grew up and have made myself a utility belt with a number of pouches. In my case they are digital camera cases. Each case has items for a different purpose. Purposes range from fire starting to first aid. To signaling to twine and pocket duct tape. One note duct tape does not work well in extreme cold.

Backpack
In addition to a survival kit, a good, comfortable backpack is mandatory. Loads of about 18 kg (40 lb.) are average. Items to include are; flashlight, extra jacket, socks and mittens, a pocket saw, gas camp stove, first aid kit, emergency food, and a tent and fly. Depending on season a sleeping bag or substitute may be a must.

CHECK LIST
Useful items to include on your hike are:

1. A map and compass.

2. A large, bright plastic bag will be useful as a shelter, signaling device or in lieu of raingear.

3. A flashlight with extra batteries.

4. Extra water and food.

5. Extra clothing such as raingear, a toque and gloves, a sweater and pants.

6. Sun protection such as sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat and long sleeved clothing.
7. A sharp pocket knife. Your main knife should have a locking blade to prevent slipping and injury. A second Swiss army knife or multi tool can also be very useful.

8. Waterproof matches a lighter and/or a flint.

9. Candles and fire starter.

10. A first aid kit.

11. A whistle, flares, a tarp.

Remember this list is an absolute minimum. Your own location, situation and training will determine what else to add to this list. Never take anything with you which you have no knowledge of how to use.

Outdoor Skills

Camping, Climbing, Map & Compass Reading ( Orienteering ), Fishing, Trapping, Outdoor Cooking, Wilderness Survival, Emergency Survival.

Of late I have been discussing all of the above things with several friends by email. These were among the variety of skills which I had picked up in the course of my life by first Cub Scouts, then Scouts, Royal Canadian Army Cadets, The Cadet Instructors List, and the Infantry of the Canadian Armed Forces.

On top of that spending most weekends from the age of 5 on at my Grandparent’s cottage where for several years there was no power or running water a great number of “tricks” to make all of those things easier were acquired.

It is time to pass on those tricks. Add several of them together and you have a skill. Add all of them together and you have mastered an art. Eventually they become so second nature that you don’t even think of them. Two generations ago most of them were pretty common place. Few lived in cities, most in farms and many in what we today would consider the wilderness. For most the first thing that they would do if coming home would be light a lantern if it were dark then start a fire. On the family woodstove home heating was provided, meals were cooked and it was the place around which all gathered for social life. If outdoors a campfire served the same purpose. Then woodstoves gave way to Gas or Electric stoves. Microwave ovens began to replace those for many purposes and rooms were illuminated with the flick of a switch.

I am going to try to bring back some of those skills which technology has atrophied as well as point out some ways that technology created to make them easier. For example I am not going to recommend hemp rope when lighter stronger nylon and even Kevlar rope is now common for climbing. Some basic knowledge of physics and chemistry can also be a tool to make outdoor skills easier. Along with how these can be used outdoors I will cover how variations of the outdoor skills can help us get by in the event of power outages, severe weather or even how having stocks of food and other supplies can help smooth over things such as temporary unemployment or times of unexpected expenses.

I also hope to present these things in such a way that learning them becomes play rather than work. The name of the blog will remain Useless Information. Just remember all information is useless until you need it.

20 Random things

One of the friends who follow this wealth of useless trivia I sprout challenged me to write 20 Random things about myself. So in no particular order than how they pop into my head here is 20.

1. There are only 3 mens hair styles. Parted, unparted and departed. I fall in the 3rd group.

2. I'm fairly short at 5 ft 7 in or 170 cm.

3. I am currently 55 years old but like all males decided to stop maturing at 12.

4. I have lived alone a total of 28 years which means more than half my life.

5. I suffer from Panic Disorder with agoraphobia and have for the past few years. It is not as bad as it was but forced me to retire early and cost me all I had acquired all my working life with the exception of my pension. I find it strange in that until the illness hit I really didn't know what fear was really like.

6. I worked at the Toronto Transit Commision for 29 years. Mostly as a Mechanic on Subway, Streetcars or the light rail system.

7. I was a cub, a scout, a Cadet then an Officer with the Cadet Instructors list then transfered to the Infantry. I served there as a Platoon Commander and was in a Highland Unit so dress uniforms included a kilt. The uniform at the top of the page is the lowest on the ladder of Dress uniforms and is called Patrols. I am on the right.

8. I am an expert Mountain Climber and taught it in Banff way back in 1974.

9. I am an expert Marksman but hate to shot as I did so much of it in the Military I got sick of it.

10. I miss school. If I didn't have this illness I would be attending classes at some college or university.

11. I have an interest in Languages and have some skill in English, French, Latin, Japanese and am currently learning Mandarin Chinese.

12. I have been married twice. I'm a slow learner I guess because I am open to the idea of a 3rd time.

13. I am allergic to dogs and especially to cats. I have a dog and a cat.

14. Rocky my Dog went blind last summer so now I am a seeing eye human.

15. I have a tendency to run to trouble instead of away from it.

16. My favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations.

17. I may well be the world's worst house keeper.

18. I tend to remember anything I have ever studied even if it was 40 years ago.

19. I tend to be a good friend to others but don't have many close friends myself.

20. I love to learn or help others learn.

My Personal Hero & Role Model

William Graham Tolland January 31 1910 to 12 January 1987


My Grandfather was always my personal hero and role model. He was in all ways an exemplary man. Listening to him let me set and develop my personal codes of morality and behavior. It was his examples that led me to my military career and I also ended going into the same civilian career that he did.

Each of us needs someone to hold up as what they wish to become like. I was fortunate enough to have mine present in my own family.

What I Learned today

Normally when I write something for the blog it is not a log. Blog being short for Binary log or I guess diary and journal would be just as good.

I don't get much out of describing my day and am working on keeping a personal journal but to be honest I don't find that easy.

My blog articles are generally intended to uplift, instruct, educate, edify or inform.

I am going to bed early tonight and as I lay down thought to myself what did I learn today. Today was a very ordinary day but everyone should learn some things every day. I didn't do any studying or reading today, I normally do. However I did learn some things.

First I am very out of condition. I bought some bookcases on sale. Small 3 shelf units which will go almost anywhere. I got 10 and they came home with me 5 at a time. They weigh 6 kilos each. I was beat after getting them home and my arms are still sore. In my Army days I carried more than that all day and thought nothing of it. So I learned I really need to get back in better shape. My age is no excuse for letting myself get old. My next planned purchase was a weight machine. My motivation for this just increased.

I make and repair costume jewelry as a hobby. The amount I now have was getting out of hand so I came up with a new way to display it. part of the wood I was using as part of the method of holding up the display board I made kept splitting as I tried to drive the nail. I learned tow things practice on a piece of scrap first and second that you should always drill a pilot hole. This is not new but if you are not a born carpenter it is a good idea to hold the nail you are about to drive with a pair of needle nose pliers so save on smashed fingers.

I am heading back to bed for an early night and wondering what will I learn tomorrow?

My Favorite Romatic Poem

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love a poem
by Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the rocks,
Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of th purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my love.

The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love.


Christopher Marlowe(1564 - 1593) English Dramatist, Spy, Poet

Marlowe was one of the dramatists who made the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st brilliant in English history. You will find The Nymphs Reply to the Shepherd a poem by Sir Walter Raleigh worth reading as it was written as a direct reply to this poem ! The word madrigals means songs and a kirtle was a kind of petticoat, often of a bright colour, fine material, and beautiful embroidery, worn above the gown. Marlowe was probably the first of the "Gentlemen Spies" an era which ended with post WWII. Ian Fleming's James Bond was said to represent the last of that dying breed. Marlowe died in a knife fight in a Tavern. No one knows if it had anything to do with work for Queen and Country or was a case of wrong place wrong time.

A Poems by Kipling

IF.....


IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!


Gentlemen-Rankers
By Rudyard Kipling
Born 1865

To the legion of the lost ones, to the cohort of the damned,
To my brethren in their sorrow overseas,
Sings a gentleman of England cleanly bred, machinely crammed,
And a trooper of the Empress, if you please.
Yea, a trooper of the forces who has run his own six horses,
And faith he went the pace and went it blind,
And the world was more than kin while he held the ready tin,
But to-day the Sergeant's something less than kind.
We're poor little lambs who've lost our way,
Baa! Baa! Baa!
We're little black sheep who've gone astray,
Baa--aa--aa!
Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree,
Damned from here to Eternity,
God ha' mercy on such as we,
Baa! Yah! Bah!

Oh, it's sweet to sweat through stables, sweet to empty kitchen slops,
And it's sweet to hear the tales the troopers tell,
To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimental hops
And thrash the cad who says you waltz too well.
Yes, it makes you cock-a-hoop to be "Rider" to your troop,
And branded with a blasted worsted spur,
When you envy, O how keenly, one poor Tommy being cleanly
Who blacks your boots and sometimes calls you "Sir".

If the home we never write to, and the oaths we never keep,
And all we know most distant and most dear,
Across the snoring barrack-room return to break our sleep,
Can you blame us if we soak ourselves in beer?
When the drunken comrade mutters and the great guard-lantern gutters
And the horror of our fall is written plain,
Every secret, self-revealing on the aching white-washed ceiling,
Do you wonder that we drug ourselves from pain?

We have done with Hope and Honour, we are lost to Love and Truth,
We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung,
And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth.
God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
Our shame is clean repentance for the crime that brought the sentence,
Our pride it is to know no spur of pride,
And the Curse of Reuben holds us till an alien turf enfolds us
And we die, and none can tell Them where we died.
We're poor little lambs who've lost our way,
Baa! Baa! Baa!
We're little black sheep who've gone astray,
Baa--aa--aa!
Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree,
Damned from here to Eternity,
God ha' mercy on such as we,
Baa! Yah! Bah!

Merry Christmas & about Boxing Day

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Future filled with Joy & Accomplishment

I am spending this Christmas completely alone except for the pets. The family members living nearby are all ill at the moment. I myself don't drive anymore so this year I am having it quietly at home.

Tomorrow is Boxing day. I don't know how many other countries have Boxing Day the day after Christmas as a Holiday but I do know most Canadians no longer know the meaning of this particular Holiday. I do so let's just distribute that information.

In year gone by say more than 50 ago, people didn't have the extravagances we do today. Children had a few toys rather than more electronics than it took us to send men to the Moon. Also most people had one or at the most two warm jackets etc. These pieces of Clothing were often replaced at Christmas as gifts were often of a practical nature then. Especially in the depression.

Boxing day came about from people boxing up their old jackets, gloves, hats, toys they had outgrown etc and taking them down to charities or churches to donate to the poor. Thus it became a holiday a way of continuing to give at Christmas.

Today it is a retail shopping spree. However if more knew of the origin of this holiday and it's continuing of the Christmas spirit of giving. We could still box up that we have replaced at Christmas and donate it. After all it really does feel better to give than to recieve.

Potholes & Santa Claus

A couple of years ago just before Christmas my brother was driving me back from his place and the van hit a pothole. No big deal just a bump but I said to the kids "Potholes in the Road prove that Santa Claus exists" ( they were a year or two past the believing in Santa stage ).

Of course my niece said "How"

My explaination was that to make sure they got all the right houses the flying Riendeer followed the roads. People left treats like carrots and celery out for Santa's Riendeer. Santa of course gave them to the deer and like all animals after eating had to get rid of the waste. I told them that since they fly at about 10,000 feet it is very cold up there and the deer droppings freeze solid. Also that in falling by the time they hit the ground they are really moving. The result is the frozen droppings hit the road so hard they blast potholes in the road and that proves Santa exists.

My nephew after a few seconds replyed. " Uncle Sid that doesn't prove Santa exits. That just proves your Nuts "

Out of the mouths of babes.

Ladies take Warning

Recently a number of my female friends have commented that they wish they knew guys they had dated where the way the were before dating them. Well I am no expert at recognizing who I should or should not ask out in women I don't find it hard to pick out those of my own gender that are going to turn out to be jerks to women. For that reason I am going to list a few of the warning signs give aways or what ever you want to call it women should watch out for.

1. Take a look at how he treats his mother and/or sisters. There is no way he will treat you any better.

2. Listen to how he speaks of his ex's. For some to have been good relationships and some bad is normal. If they were all monsters the problem likely isn't them but him.

3. Some of his relationships should have ended with them now friends. If he is a decent guy he won't mind you asking someone he has dated in the past about him.

4. Watch his manners, is he only trying to impress you or is he really well mannered. For example does he open doors for women in general and pay special attention to those who would not be potential dates for him such as elderly women.

3. See how he is around kids and animals. They are generally better judges of character then we are as adults.

4.Pay attention to how others who know him react to him. Is he respected, admired, thought well of. Are people automatically polite to him and he to them. Do people seek his opinions or dismiss them.

5. Does he speak ill of others. Decent men generally don't have bad things to say about others and when the don't think well of someone generally keep it to themselves unless specifically asked.

6. Does he treat you politely and with respect.

7. Watch his driving. Is he a considerate driver or does he let rage and anger out in his driving. It may seem a simple thing it shows if he really is patient or angry deep down.

8. Does he treat you as a respected equal or as a possession?

I will edit this and add others over time however this last piece of advice applies to people of both genders.

Never go out with anyone your Grandparents would not approve of.

Puppy Whipped

Not all articles can be serious. Actually they could be but why should they be? After all life is much more fun when it’s not being serious.

So why not some articles that are just some of life’s more enjoyable or just plain funny moments.

My Dog’s name is Rocky. I didn’t want a dog ( or a cat but I have one of those too ). So what happened? Why do I have a dog? What happened?

To be honest life happened. A few years ago my daughter ( I adopted her a week before I married her mother ) decided she would rather live with me than her Mom. The marriage between her mother and I had only lasted 3 year but my wife divorced me not my daughter. They were living in New Brunswick while I was in Ontario, two provinces away. Her Mom had said get rid of the dog if you are moving to Ontario. I simply said I will fly him up with you.

When Jess turned 18 and decided she wanted to live on her own she got a bachelor apt and it was too small for her and a dog so guess what Dad. You have a dog.

She named him Rocky because he likes to get up on his hind legs like he is boxing. He does it because he is very affectionate and friendly. In fact I have never seen such a sociable animal. I think Rocky is the most popular person in town.

Earlier today I was talking to a friend on the phone who also has a dog and she asked how he was. I said he was in his room. The bottom of my bedroom closet is Rocky’s room. She commented that I spoil the dog giving him his own room even if it is only the bottom of the closet. I said I didn’t give it to him he took it. She commented so he was sleeping on the other stuff and you took it out. I then realized she didn’t know the story of Rocky’s room so told her. I didn’t empty the bottom of the closet he did. When I moved to this apartment I was using the closet as anyone but Rocky wanted his own place. In my last apartment he had used under an end table as his room. Here he decided on the closet and moved everything on the floor out of it and dragged in his stuff. He placed my stuff neatly in the middle of the bedroom. So I moved the rest of his stuff in there. Water dish food bowl pillow. ( I gave him a dog bed but he only puts his head on a pillow and dragged the dog bed out.

He even cleans the room using his paws like brooms every few days.

When Gail found out he had moved my stuff out she was laughing out loud. He sleeps there and if he isn’t right at my side odds are he’s in his room.

I never really viewed him as pet as much as my room mate and like all dogs he thinks he’s people.

However I guess I have to face facts. I’m puppy whipped.

Over Coming Adversity & All Limits

The following article appeared in My Company Employee Newsletter this month. It is about a friend. In fact I trained him for the line when he became a line ( emergency ) mechanic out of the carhouse & when I was promoted he took the position I had held. As a Foreman I considered him to be my best and most reliable mechanic. He once worked 72 hours solid during a terrible snowstorm. He returned home for sleep and was back to resume his normal shift later the same day. He is and always has been someone I am proud to call a friend.


By SAHAH CURRIE
After taking up running as a way to stay fit, Rick Ball decided to take his hobby to the
next level. Ball is a Subway Line Mechanic. He is also a below-the-knee amputee from the
result of a motorcycle accident in 1986, when he was 21 years old. Many assume the loss of a
limb would be an obstacle to living an active life; for the husband and father of two boys
it opened a door to new opportunities.

Why his story is unique is his recent athletic achievements.

In spring 2007, he joined his local YMCA to exercise, and took to the indoor track. That's
where is running career began.

Ball started training with the help of his coach, Roger Deplancke, and made fast strides on
the running circuit. After only four months of training, he ran his first half-marathon last
February placing 54th out of 604 runners. Two months later, he qualified for the 2009 Boston
Marathon with a time of 3:17:38 in the able-bodied category. That's a commendable
accomplishment for any runner let alone someone who took to the sport just months before the
race.

"I wake up every morning and want to pinch myself," he says. "Who would have thought 1
could get this far in such a short timeframe?"

Ball credits much of his success to his strong support system, or as he calls it his
"family." It includes his immediate family and his extended family - his coach, chiropractor
and TTC colleagues. Ball stays motivated through words of encouragement from those around
him.

"My friends, colleagues and management at the TTC have given me so much support and
encouragement, I can't thank them enough," he says.

While a strong support system helps, it hasn't always been an easy road for Ball. He has
been challenged by infections and fitting problems with his prosthetic.

A recent training injury forced him to cancel a run in Paris, France. And he has put a hold
on his next big goal - that's to beat the world-record time for amputee marathon runners. Ball intended to break that record at the Toronto marathon in October. Ball continues training and will attempt to beat the world record next spring,

"It was a disappointment to have to canceel my races, but it also taught me a lesson in learning to listen to my body and which is currently held by athlete Amy Winters with a time of 3:04:16. This past summer Ball proved to be close to beating this time at the Massey Marathon with a finishing time of 3:10:11. Along with his regular training schedule, which involves running 80 kilometres a week rain or shine, snow or sun, Ball has taken up swimming.

"Running is a great stress reliever, while swimming a great activity that allows you to
exercise with minimal risk of injury," he says.

Ball's long-term goals include attempting to qualify for the 2012 Paralympics on Canada's
relay team. Adding to his already busy schedule, he spends time educating and motivating
recovering amputees. He takes inspiration from Terry Fox, who ran 48 kilometres a day during
his Marathon of Hope.

Ball feels lucky to have accomplished so much and believes that it's his duty to give back
to others. Ball has even inspired his co-workers to get active and try running.

"His story is a truly uplifting," says co-worker Peter Lawryshyn. "It's one that needs to
be shared with the rest of the TTC family."

Let's Bring Ladies & Gentlemen Back In Our Lives

My friend Linda in Florida made a comment to me in an email that inspired me to write this. She had commented on how I always try to be a gentleman and have a thing about honour. In particular my wish that it was a common virtue not a rare one. I made a comment that people have been trying to inspire it centuries and the Creation of the Order of the Garter as an example. Since outside the Commonwealth and even within it's history may not be commonly known I am inputting this article.


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The Most Noble Order of the Garter

The Oldest and Highest British Order of Chivalry, founded in 1348 by Edward III.

The Order consists of Her Majesty The Queen who is Sovereign of the

Order, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and 24 Knights Companions.

It was thought that in 1344 King Edward III inspired by the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, made a spectacular demonstration of his interest in Arthurian legend during a massive joust at Windsor Castle. He also promised to renew King Arthur's fraternity of knights with all the paragons of knightly virtues with a complement of 300 men. Work also even began on a gigantic circular building two-hundred feet across within the upper ward of the castle to house this so-called Order of the Round Table. The renewal of war with France intervened with this project but in 1348 it was revived in a different guise.

Originally it was intended that the Order of the Garter was to consist of twenty four knights, however during 1349/50 it consisted of himself as Sovereign together with twenty five Knights Companion, one of whom was the Prince of Wales, the black Prince. These 'founder knights' were military men, skilled in battle and tournaments, few of these knights were much over the age of 30 and four were under the age of 20. The other founder-knights had all served in the French campaigns of the time, including the battle of Crécy and three were foreigners who had previously sworn allegiance to the English king, making twenty six knights in all. it was intended by Edward III to be reserved as the highest reward for loyalty and for military merit.

These Knights included some who owed allegiance to King Edward not as King of England, but as Lord of Gascony . These Companions were known as Stranger Knights a distinction from subjects of the English Crown. Such was the prestige of the Order that during the next hundred years Foreign monarchs in the Order are admitted and known as 'Stranger Knights' and are in addition to the number allowed by statute.

The origin of the symbol of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, a blue 'garter' with the motto Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense will probably never be known for certain as the earliest records of the order were destroyed by fire, however the story goes that at a Ball possibly held at Calais, Joan Countess of Salisbury dropped her garter and King Edward seeing her embarrassment picked it up and bound it about his own leg saying in French, Evil, (or shamed) be he that that thinks evil of it' this is almost certainly a later fiction. This fable appears to have originated in France and was, perhaps, invented to try and bring discredit on the Order. There is a natural unwillingness to believe that the World's foremost Order of Chivalry had so frivolous a beginning.

The holders of this Order as a Knights Companion, entitles the recipient the right to use the title 'Sir' before their Christian names as well as being entitled to add the letters 'K.G' ( Knight of the Garter ) or in the case of a Lady Companion 'L.G.' Lady of the Garter, after their surnames or title.

The Garter

The Star of the Order of the Garter

The Garter Insignia circa 1640

Our Theft Proof Valuable

The other day my daughter IM'd me she was having trouble with homework. She is studying auto mechanics and I was an Electric Vehicle Mechanic so I was sure I could help but told her to send me the question. I texted back a single letter and Her replay. Now it seems so obvious how could I have missed it. I told her of the answers it was not the only correct one but the only which would always be correct, a bit of a "trick" question. She followed that up with how do you and your brothers learn so fast and so easily?

I answered that part of it was just genetic but also that part of it was a number of skills. Hundreds of tricks that over the years we aquired that make learning something new easier. Study skills if you will plus something my Grandmother drilled into us. What she drilled into us is what will be the most valuable part of this article. It may be the most valuable thing I have ever learned.

What she said was this. Everything you have can be taken from you. You can lose money, your job, your home your possession even your country and your family. There is however one thing that once you have it only God can take it away. That is your Education. Not the piece of parchment you get as a degree, diploman or certificate. The material you walk out of the classroom with a new skill, talent or bit of knowelege. Once you have mastered this it is yours for life unless you suffer an illness or injury which removes your memory.

In church I was once appointed "Teacher Development Director" the job was to teach others how to teach. It turned out all of my "students" were school teachers. The first week they were all complaining to the Bishop ( before the first lesson ) why is he the one teaching this he is a Soldier we are all professional teachers. Two weeks later I was being asked in class why aren't we taught this in teachers college, we have been using it at school and it works so much better than what we were taught.

I asked a question. "What is the worst consequence if one of your students doesn't master the material you teach in class?" Most answered he or she repeats the year.

I replied, in the Armed Forces if your student does absolutely know what you are there to teach him he will most likely die as a result and likely take others with him. If it is some one under my command very likely I and the rest of my men will be the ones taken with him.

It was a new way of looking at the importance of teaching to them. Until that moment none of them had thought of teaching and failing to do it well could have any consequence for them beyond job loss and with teacher's union here that was unlikely.

I went on you have degrees in teaching. Part of training is in what the Military calls Method of Instruction. I am certified to instruct Rifle, Pistol, Sub Machine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Medium Machine Gun, Rocket Lanchers, Hand Grenades and use of Explosives. I am also qualifed to run the Ranges for all of those. Plus I taught Mountian Climbing and Glacier travel in the Rockies for the Army. Not that the other training we do is not dangerous just these are obviously dangerous. They have permanent physical consequences if someone fails to learn and I and others like me will not pass a person who has not mastered those skills beyond a doubt.

I then went on, you will be teaching spirtual things here in chruch. If you fail to get through to a student the consequences are not physical but eternal. Think about it. From then on I had a very attentive class who it turned out all individually went and appoligized to the Bishop about complaining for his calling me and telling him God must have inspired him.

So the rest of this article is in response to my Daughter's question. Can you tell me some of those tricks that make learning easier.

1st and foremost is motivation. Imagine a chasm with no bridge. You are on one side of it the knowelge you need is on the other. Motivation is what causes you to get across that chasm no matter the cost. In each case the needed motivation is different. Find the right motivation you yourself need and I promise you will find a way to cross.

That is first motivate yourself. Find you buttons and push them and push them hard. Until you have done that all the learning tricks in the world won't help.

That said I will bring up some of those tricks. Some I found by accident some were taught by the few good teachers I was lucky enough to have. The Army taught me a few. Some came from College professors and some the Lord taught me the hard way.

1. I high school we were issued our texts a couple weeks before the school year started. In college I bought them right after enrolling and getting a text list. With the time between getting the texts and the start of school and being insatiably curious by nature I had always read all of the texts through before school started. ( Math was an exception but eventually I learned to force myself though those too ). It gave me a huge edge in class everything was review.

2. A high school chemistry teacher taught me the next one. Ask the instructor what the next few lessons are going to be. Use the text to teach yourself them before the class. Try to stay 2 or 3 lessons ahead. When you do take the class it is a mix of review and filling in any bits you may have missed and you will know what to ask in order to make sure those bits get filled in. Also in the event you get ill and miss a few classes it is easier to catch up.

3. Review the material after class making sure the bits you needed filled in are filled in and stay filled in.

4. Use memory aids. Little sayings to help you remember. In Trigonometry most of you were probably taught SOHCAHTOA for Sine Opposite over hypotenuse, Cosine Adjacent over hypotenuse Tangent opposite over adjacent. Until I brought it up how many of you remembered that? It is too weird too hard to remember. I learnt it this way. We think Sine Cos Tan anyway so that order is not a problem. Use this line. "Only Hippies Are Happy On Acid". Now it is Sine only hippies O/H Cosine A/H Tan O/A. Try to forget that one I haven't in over 35 years.

In other words make sure the memory devices you use work. The dumber and more rediculous you can make them the more likely they are to work.

5. Have more than set of you texts. This can be a matter of cost but with copiers today you may only need to copy relevant passages. Keep a set at home one at school and a spare you can travel with. Until you finish your courses this third set should never be out of reach.

6. I never made notes durning class. If I was making notes I wasn't paying attention to the instructor. I made them right after class or right after school. Went quickly over them again in the morning and before the next class. ( this technique may not work for all of you )

7. Flash cards. Don't buy them make your own or when you do buy them make sure they are relevant. Transparent language has a free language learning download called BYKI short for Before you know it. It not only is it good for languages but you can create your own cards. For my LDS friends they even have available for download a set on Presidents of the Church from Joseph Smith on. Also periodic table for chemistry and others plus the big thing is you can make you own. Then review them on the computer or print them out and make them portable which is the whole point of flash cards. Study anywhere.

8. If your school from public to university has a study skills workshop available take it. Take it at least once a year. Read books on study skills. The ones I covered here are ones I use that I think everyone knows of.

Good luck and may all of you take with you the ability to increase that theft proof treasure. A better Education.

Icons, Emblems, Mottos

I have had many people comment on the image I use in many of my posts. The Knight in Armor image which is the image I use here on the blog and is the center of the crossed broadswords at the start of this post.

There is a story goes with this image. It was chosen for me by my daughter. A few years ago the 2 of us were at the CNE ( Canadian National Exhibition ). There was a booth were a computer would merge your image with a fantasy picture. Most would for example put your head on Arnold's body or a girl's on the body of a supermodel. My daughter and I decided to each get one but I asked her to chose which one for me. She looked over a great many and finally chose the Knight in Armor. As it was tried she could see the computer screen and what it look like while I could not. She said to me " Dad, this is the real you ". When the result came out I was impressed and flattered. I put it in a drawer when we got home and it sat there a while. It was when I needed an icon that was looking for something else and came across it again. I scanned it and asked the opinions of a few friends. All said the same thing "That is the real you"

So I used it and have only gotten positive feedback on it. The broadswords crossed in the back of the image at the top of the page are exact same kind as I wore/carried as an officer in one of Canada's Highland Regiments, The Lorne Scots whose regimental crest is at the top left of these pages. It was a great honor to serve my country. What I was taught during those years changed me in many ways. I can't think of any that was not for the better. The skills I acquired have given me the abilities to save lives on occasion and the things we went through the training to do it without hesitating. The Queen's Commission commands us to conduct ourselves as an "Officer and Gentleman". I for one have taken that command to heart. I have even adopted as a personal motto and code of conduct the English translation of the motto of the Order of the Garter. Can an Honorable Man Think Evil. It is sometimes translated as Evil to him who thinks evil.

Of course we all think evil at times. The point is not to act on it. To strive to live our lives as the most Honorable men or women we can. What I strive for is to be a good example. Not to any one person but to all. Whether they know me well or only in passing. Something I have learned over the years is it is extremely difficult to stand against a good example. It is harder to live as that example. However it is a very worthy thing to strive to become and I can honestly say I do my best to live up to that motto.

Oxymoron

I chose the name Useless Information for this blog because I truely believe that in reality there exists no such thing. No one in High School ever expects to use algebra for example and I ended up using it in one form or another everyday all my adult life. I took Latin thinking it would never be used for anything other than translating mottos. Something I had a mild interest in due to Cadets. I found I ended up using it to figure out the meanings of new words I ran into that had Latin roots on an almost daily basis.

Almost every obscure unusual skill I aquired in the Armed Forces ended up being used at one point or another in my life.

At this point while retired and not really needing to do or learn anything ( that is never true btw we always need to learn new things ) I find myself with a great interest in learning additional languages. Right now I am working on my 5th and trying to improve the first 4. I am toying with the idea of adding more than one new one at a time and have pretty much talked myself into doing that.

If anyone has suggestions for a school were the study of primarily languages could lead to a degree. Especially an online school I would be very interested in any suggestions.