Steal This Book TodayA Modern Survival Guide(Alpha 0.00)Vol ICopyright 2008 released under the GNU FDL http://www.gnu.org/copyleIt/Idl.htmlIntroduction "I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a bov as civili:ed societv to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors." - Thomas JeIIerson I`ve never been one Ior hippies. I don`t mean hippies as a name, because, oI course, Abbie HoIIman was a Yippie, not a Hippie. But as a generation, I have always thought, the youth movement oI the late sixties and early seventies, most commonly reIerred to as the hippies, have Iailed this nation greatly. Those young men and women back then had tremendous courage. They risked their Ireedom and oIten their lives in order to Iorce our government and our country to have to recognize decency and intelligence. It`s not right that our government had to be Iorced into such seemingly common decency, and up until a Iew years ago, we seemed surprised that our elected oIIicials and decent American citizens could ever have been so wrong. And yet, here we are again. When I was growing up in ordinary suburban America in the nineteen eighties, I idolized the everyman players oI the sixties. Wavy Gravy, Bobby Seale, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, etc. I listened to The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Dylan, The JeIIerson Airplane, The Doors, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash. I read every Doonesbury comic strip since the ones published at his Yale newspaper while he was a student there. I was also Iascinated with the history oI the war in Vietnam. This Iascination was recognized and possibly validated when my mother oIIered to take me to see Oliver Stone`s 'Platoon. I read First Blood, and one oI the Iirst courses I took during my Ireshman year at the University at BuIIalo was a third-year course called 'The Literature oI Vietnam. And it wasn`t just me. Everywhere we looked, we Iound sixties nostalgia madness. But it turns out that it really was simply cultural nostalgia. Where are the hippies now? I don't mean, let's blame them because they are old and aren't on the cutting edge anymore. But, seriously, I can tell you where the hippies are. They are driving Volvos and living in McMansions. They are investing heavily in the stock market upon which Mr. HoIIman and his gang threw money back in the day. "All You Need Is Love" is Ieatured in an ad Ior money-making credit cards. George W. Bush grew up in the sixties, and, make no mistake, the baby boomers are the ones who voted Ior him, by and large. This largest generation has given us Enron and the war in Iraq. It's not just the administration, either. It's CEOs, it's Ialse charities, it's a horrible tax system. By now, 30 years aIter Vietnam, our country should be enjoying the wealth oI insight provided by the youth oI that era. Instead, we wallow in what has nearly become a Iailed empire. We don't want to be an empire in the Iirst place, and I thought, neither did the hippies. And yet, here we are. I see a nation in proIound jeopardy oI losing its very point oI existing. Despite the Iailure oI the hippies to provide many enduring changes, I Iind myselI looking back to that very youth movement Ior inspiration. Granted, it`s simply a diIIerent world these days, and in many wonderIul ways. It`s easier to get Irom sea to shining sea these days, and even less necessary. The internet connects us with people in Australia, Egypt and Norway. We have to embrace our world, this one we live in, not look back or ahead too Iar. We have to Iocus on the now. we can't change the past, we can't dwell on the Iuture. But we can improve the Iuture by listening to ourselves now, by always making the right decision, by always standing up Ior the very real things that we believe in. So instead oI ruing the changes in technology and culture, we should be ruing the changes in our Ireedoms. Our technology has grown, our culture has created new traditions, but our Ireedoms have been squeezed, our intelligence has been insulted, and our lives have been threatened. And I don`t mean by the terrorists. Let me tell you a story about the terrorists. I was in the hallway oI my lower Manhattan oIIice building on the morning oI September 11 when the second plane hit the World Trade Center. It seemed the whole building shook, and it sounded like a bomb went oII right downstairs. We had known that a plane had hit the north tower a Iew minutes earlier, but with the impact oI that second hit all the resonance oI its meaning dropped like halI a million tons oI bricks. At that instant we didn`t simply guess, but we knew that we were under some serious attack. I saw Ior myselI the south tower collapse I had to sprint to outrun the rolling ten story wall oI dust. I had staII who lost Iamily and Iriends. I breathed in toxic dust Ior months serving Guiliani and Bush and the Iederal administration in their eIIort to get things 'back to normal so the terrorists don`t win. Ever since then, our administration has done nothing except highlight the obvious diIIerences in our daily lives and try to take advantage oI us because oI them. What have we had since that day? Since that day they insisted that everything was ever and Ior always going to be all right? We were introduced to the Patriot Act. Hundreds oI millions oI dollars were sunk into Halliburton. We were lied to, baldIaced and criminally, about the military knowledge oI a small country in the middle oI the desert, despite what I knew when I was growing up, that the United States knew where every silo well was, where every truck moved, within the secretive and high-tech military complex oI the Soviet Union, twenty-Iive years ago. Children, young and old, have been murdered by mechanical weapons aimed by presidents oI corporations. Law-abiding groups have been spied on, their rights violated. Freedom oI the press has been compromised and directly and openly attacked by our government. Our poorest and most in need were completely and arrogantly ignored by the government and corporations and yet at the same time attacked by right-wing media Ior having ever been on welIare. Where were the huge corporations coming up with advertisements about how much they`ve donated to Katrina victims? I know I`ve seen that one about Halliburton in the desert. The economic wealth oI America, earned on the shoulders oI millions oI hard-working citizens, is almost completely in the hands oI a privileged and deceptive Iew. Our young men are being recruited into a capitalistic war, and are dying Ior the government`s betrayal oI their patriotic sensibilities. People have been reIused their right to vote, including women and blacks, who, even post-Iirst revolution, had to die in order to gain the right. And the best critical commentary comes Irom The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and Saturday Night Live, each and all simply comedy shows, Iilmed in closed studios and vomiting cash to the conglomerate owners. A major part oI our actual and existing workIorce was declared illegal aIter decades oI implied legality. The control that religious Ianaticism has over social and political control hasn`t been this strong in Western Civilization since the thirteen-hundreds, having somehow ignorantly leapIrogged centuries oI scientiIic and philosophical discoveries. And speaking oI science, we have scientiIic prooI now that our government and economic leaders are Iull oI blinded and drunk medieval monks. Our planet is melting and instead oI being a Iorest Iire oI global proportions, it`s been rendered by our system into a lobbyist political capitalistic propaganda game. Now look at this. Nations Iiring ultra-modern technological warIare as well as muddy and rusty incoming mortar shells at the children and homes oI other nations, well-armed militaries killing each others` civilians. And we complain a lot about the news, and rightly so. But we are also very inIormed, albeit restrictedly so. Even though our citizens are listening to biased inIormation, they are really sitting in Iront oI their televisions, aint they? So in that way, our nation has never been more involved. They Iucked us up pretending that we could prove everything was all right Ior them. Now they're Iucking us up by pretending that nothing will ever be all right again. The only thing that hasn`t changed since 9/11 is that the government is still Iucking us up. And now they even want to restrict this new technology that is bringing people together, Iacilitating the communication oI the everyman. Even this, even now, the majority oI citizens oI America are being pushed back upon. They`re pushing back, pushing back, and how much is even leIt behind us anymore? So, why this? From someone who thinks the hippies betrayed us, Irom someone who experienced Iirst-hand the deadly nightmare oI international terrorism? AND WHY ARE YOU WRITING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A BOMB?!?!?! Because we need it. Those most harmed by this new way oI America liIe are the ones least able to communicate anything. The rich are Iewer and more removed Irom the rest oI the real world than they`ve ever been. Look, man, we don`t want to hurt anybody here. But our government doesn`t want many oI us to live. But our government is killing its poorest citizens, whether it be in New Orleans, Baghdad or a moth-eaten sleeping bag in a New York City alleyway, in the alleyway oI any American city. I may not agree with every bit oI reIerence in this book, but that is why I`m involved in it. I may not hold values identical to each contributing writer or editor, and in some ways may diIIer critically, but that is why I`m involved in it, and that is why they are involved in it, too. This isn't about promoting one oI those isms, one oI those broad belieIs. This isn't about promoting socialism or communism or capitalism or ism ism ism ism ism. This is about helping Iellow citizens who, Ior a number oI reasons and coming Irom a billion diIIerent points oI view, Ieel the need Ior change. Dramatic change. But not a change to simply one thing, one ism or one source oI cash. Rather a change to the one original thing, the set oI ideas that America was Iounded upon. The things we want are not new or revolutionary. That this can be considered revolutionary is an (appropriate) insult to our social, political and economic leaders in the Iirst place, and it`s also an insult to us, rightly so. Here is another not very new idea: citizens have not only the ability but also the responsibility to change things when they are not going well. That is something straight Irom JeIIerson`s Declaration oI Independence. So this thing we`re in, it`s a thing oI all oI us. Yours, mine, theirs. And I don`t think they`re going to do anything about it, seeing as it Iits them so well. It`s not us you have to worry about, it`s them. II you`re poor, you have to worry about them. II you`re a minority, you have to worry about them. II you live paycheck to paycheck, you have to worry about them. II you have children, you have to worry about them. II you like something they don`t like, you have to worry about them. II you believe something they don`t believe in, you have to worry about them. II you don`t have health insurance, you have to worry about them. II you don`t know your rights, you have to worry about them. But they have one big problem that we don`t have. They have a lot more to lose. They have everything. They own us. Love live the revolutions, and may gods bless America. Original Introduction What follows is the original text It's perhaps Iitting that I write this introduction in jail- that graduate school oI survival. Here you learn how to use toothpaste as glue, Iashion a shiv out oI a spoon and build intricate communication networks. Here too, you learn the only rehabilitation possible-hatred oI oppression. Steal This Book is, in a way, a manual oI survival in the prison that is Amerika. It preaches jailbreak. It shows you where exactly how to place the dynamite that will destroy the walls. The Iirst section-SURVIVE!-lays out a potential action program Ior our new Nation. The chapter headings spell out the demands Ior a Iree society. A community where the technology produces goods and services Ior whoever needs them, come who may. It calls on the Robin Hoods oI Santa Barbara Forest to steal Irom the robber barons who own the castles oI capitalism. It implies that the reader already is "ideologically set," in that he understands corporate Ieudalism as the only robbery worthy oI being called "crime," Ior it is committed against the people as a whole. Whether the ways it describes to rip-oII shit are legal or illegal is irrelevant. The dictionary oI law is written by the bosses oI order. Our moral dictionary says no heisting Irom each other. To steal Irom a brother or sister is evil. To not steal Irom the institutions that are the pillars oI the Pig Empire is equally immoral. Community within our Nation, chaos in theirs; that is the message oI SURVIVE! We cannot survive without learning to Iight and that is the lesson in the second section. FIGHT! separates revolutionaries Irom outlaws. The purpose oI part two is not to Iuck the system, but destroy it. The weapons are careIully chosen. They are "home-made," in that they are designed Ior use in our unique electronic jungle. Here the uptown reviewer will Iind ample prooI oI our "violent" nature. But again, the dictionary oI law Iails us. Murder in a uniIorm is heroic, in a costume it is a crime. False advertisements win awards, Iorgers end up in jail. InIlated prices guarantee large proIits while shopliIters are punished. Politicians conspire to create police riots and the victims are convicted in the courts. Students are gunned down and then indicted by suburban grand juries as the trouble-makers. A modern, highly mechanized army travels 9,000 miles to commit genocide against a small nation oI great vision and then accuses its people oI aggression. Slumlords allow rats to maim children and then complain oI violence in the streets. Everything is topsy-turvy. II we internalize the language and imagery oI the pigs, we will Iorever be Iucked. Let me illustrate the point. Amerika was built on the slaughter oI a people. That is its history. For years we watched movie aIter movie that demonstrated the white man's benevolence. Jimmy Stewart, the epitome oI Iairness, puts his arm around Cochise and tells how the Indians and the whites can live in peace iI only both sides will be reasonable, responsible and rational (the three R's imperialists always teach the "natives"). "You will Iind good grazing land on the other side oI the mountain," drawls the public relations man. "Take your people and go in peace." Cochise as well as millions oI youngsters in the balcony oI learning, were being dealt oII the bottom oI the deck. The Indians should have oIIed Jimmy Stewart in every picture and we should have cheered ourselves hoarse. Until we understand the nature oI institutional violence and how it manipulates values and mores to maintain the power oI the Iew, we will Iorever be imprisoned in the caves oI ignorance. When we conclude that bank robbers rather than bankers should be the trustees oI the universities, then we begin to think clearly. When we see the Army Mathematics Research and Development Center and the Bank oI Amerika as cesspools oI violence, Iilling the minds oI our young with hatred, turning one against another, then we begin to think revolutionary. Be clever using section two; clever as a snake. Dig the spirit oI the struggle. Don't get hung up on a sacriIice trip. Revolution is not about suicide, it is about liIe. With your Iingers probe the holiness oI your body and see that it was meant to live. Your body is just one in a mass oI cuddly humanity. Become an internationalist and learn to respect all liIe. Make war on machines, and in particular the sterile machines oI corporate death and the robots that guard them. The duty oI a revolutionary is to make love and that means staying alive and Iree. That doesn't allow Ior cop-outs. Smoking dope and hanging up Che's picture is no more a commitment than drinking milk and collecting postage stamps. A revolution in consciousness is an empty high without a revolution in the distribution oI power. We are not interested in the greening oI Amerika except Ior the grass that will cover its grave. Section three - LIBERATE! - concerns itselI with eIIorts to Iree stuII (or at least make it cheap) in Iour cities. Sort oI a quick U.S. on no dollars a day. It begins to scratch the potential Ior a national eIIort in this area. Since we are a nation oI gypsies, dope on how to move around and dig in anywhere is always needed. Together we can expand this section. It is Iar Irom complete, as is the entire project. Incomplete chapters on how to identiIy police agents, steal a car, run day-care centers, conduct your own trial, organize a G.I. coIIee house, start a rock and roll band and make neat clothes, are scattered all over the Iloor oI the cell. The book as it now stands was completed in the late summer oI 1970. For three months manuscripts made the rounds oI every major publisher. In all, over 30 rejections occurred beIore the decision to publish the book ourselves was made, or rather made Ior us. Perhaps no other book in modern times presented such a dilemma. Everyone agreed the book would be a commercial success. But even greed had its limits, and the IRS and FBI Iollowing the manuscript with their little jive rap had a telling eIIect. Thirty "yeses" become thirty "noes" aIter "thinking it over." Liberals, who supposedly led the Iight against censorship, talked oI how the book "will end Iree speech." Finally the day we were bringing the prooIs to the printer, Grove consented to act as distributor. To pull a total solo trip, including distribution, would have been neat, but such an eIIort would be doomed Irom the start. We had tried it beIore and blew it. In Iact, iI anyone is interested in 4,000 1969 Yippie calendars, they've got a deal. Even with a distributor joining the Iight, the battle will only begin when the books come oII the press. There is a saying that "Freedom oI the press belongs to those who own one." In past eras, this was probably the case, but now, high speed methods oI typesetting, oIIset printing and a host oI other developments have made substantial reductions in printing costs. Literally anyone is Iree to print their own works. In even the most repressive society imaginable, you can get away with some Iorm oI private publishing. Because Amerika allows this, does not make it the democracy JeIIerson envisioned. Repressive tolerance is a real phenomenon. To talk oI true Ireedom oI the press, we must talk oI the availability oI the channels oI communication that are designed to reach the entire population, or at least that segment oI the population that might participate in such a dialogue. Freedom oI the press belongs to those that own the distribution system. Perhaps that has always been the case, but in a mass society where nearly everyone is instantaneously plugged into a variety oI national communications systems, wide-spread dissemination oI the inIormation is the crux oI the matter. To make the claim that the right to print your own book means Ireedom oI the press is to completely misunderstand the nature oI a mass society. It is like making the claim that anyone with a pushcart can challenge SaIeway supermarkets, or that any child can grow up to be president. State legislators, librarians, PTA members, FBI agents, church-goers, and parents: a veritable legion oI decency and order already is on the march. To get the book to you might be the biggest challenge we Iace. The next Iew months should prove really exciting. Obviously such a project as Steal This Book could not have been carried out alone. Izak Haber shared the vision Irom the beginning. He did months oI valuable research and contributed many oI the survival techniques. Carole Ramer and Gus Reichbach oI the New York Law Commune guided the book through its many stages. Anna KauIman Moon did almost all the photographs. The cartoonists who have made contributions include Ski Williamson and Gilbert Sheldon. Tom Forcade, oI the UPS, patiently did the editing. Bert Cohen oI Concert Hall did the book's graphic design. Amber and John Wilcox set the type. Anita HoIIman and Lynn Borman helped me rewrite a number oI sections. There are others who participated in the testing oI many oI the techniques demonstrated in the Iollowing pages and Ior obvious reasons have to remain anonymous. There were perhaps over 50 brothers and sisters who played particularly vital roles in the grand conspiracy. Some oI the many others are listed on the Iollowing page. We hope to keep the inIormation up to date. II you have comments, law suits, suggestions or death threats, please send them to: Dear Abbie P.0. Box 213, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10003. Many oI the tips might not work in your area, some might be obsolete by the time you get to try them out, and many addresses and phone numbers might be changed. II the reader becomes a participating researcher then we will have achieved our purpose. Watch Ior a special edition called Steal This White House, complete with blueprints oI underground passages, methods oI jamming the communications network and a detailed map oI the celebrated room where according to Tricia Nixon, "Daddy loves to listen to Mantovanni records, turn up the air conditioner Iull blast, sit by the Iireplace, gaze out the window to the Washington Monument and meditate on those diIIicult problems that Iace all the peoples oI this world." December, 1970 Cook County Jail Chicago "Free speech is the right to shout 'THEATER!' in a crowded Iire." -a Yippie Proverb Aiding and Abetting Thanks to:Dozens oI Anonymous Contributors, Ploney the Expat, Unidyne, J! oI the Dumpstered, J.D. Irom South Carolina, Ryan Libberator, Zeerahks O'Connelley, Jacob the Mad, Jonathan M. Taylor, The Jacob Holtan, Sketchy, Jimmy McSqueeze, JeIIrey R Glenn, Jake Blohnson, Sean Hogan (Iirsty), Trevor Ruggles, El Almirante, Captain.telnet, Doctormatt, Moonmaiden103, Michael Davis (manintweed), E.R. the gun nut, Jedite (Jedite83 & the Hacker Labs), vov35, Mill Creek "HIGH", vannieplustwo, recursive Thanks To: Neal Stephenson-Ior HEAP and the Future, The EFF and TOR, CBLDF, Scroogle, Linus Torvalds, Tim Berners-Lee, Tom Jennings and FidoNet, Internet nerds, Iree WiFi, Iull dumpsters, donated laptops and PDA's, bicycles, people who stop Ior hitch-hikers, Iolks that Ieed street people, whiskey-drinking radicals who Iounded the USA, AIM indigenous movement, old Black Panthers who won't talk, veterans oI the Back-To-The-Land movement, IWW then and now, Joe Hill, Eugene V. Debs, hardware hackers, Cory Doctorow's bitchun society, whuIIie economy, war dialers and drivers, rebba and talmedem, those who voided the warranty, old Elmers, expats, bloggers, pirates, Jessica Sideways, The Magna Carta, Berry Cooper, Frank Zappa, "Don't tase me bro", homebrews, months in the wilderness, getting Iired, disappointed and proud parents, annoyed but loving partners, ADD kids, stupid mistakes, George Orwell's 1984, duct tape, Bram Cohen and Bittorrent, Multimachine, no rent money, cool teachers, Iorever role models, pranksters (Cassady most oI all), Ti Jean, J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, geeks and trolls, 300 Baud BBS's, multi-tools, soldering irons, Swiss Army knives, TRS-80, Amiga & Commodore 64/128, BASIC & COBOL, prohibition moonshiners, Seth Tobocman, Peter Kuper, Eric Drooker, Pete Seeger & the Weavers, Holly Near, Free Tre Arrow, D.B. Cooper, web 2.0, Ieeders, barbers, Robert Anton Wilson, Dr. Thompson, usenet, perIormance-enhancing substances, Guy Fawkes, Open Source, the Tank Man oI Tiananmen Square, Michael Hoy, Claire WolIe, most oI the Dharma, neighbors and more, Noam Chomsky, Axis oI Justice, the Coup, Phreakers, Rage Against the Machine and other leItist bands, and especially Abbie Ior the Iirst edition, RepubliCrats making back-room deals, Dick and Bush in the White House Ior making this necessary and CorpGov Ior being a motivator. Original Aiding and Abetting What follows is the original text Tim Leary, Tom, Geronimo, Pearl Paperhanger, Sonny, Pat Solomon, Allan Katzman, Jacob Kohn, Nguyen Van Troi, Susan, Marty, Andy, Ami, Marshall Bloom, Viva, Ben, Oanh, Robin Palmer, Mom and Dad, Janie Fonda, Jerry, Denis, LNS, Bernadine Dohrn, a wall in Harvard Square, Nancy, an anonymous stewardess, Shirley WonderIul, Roz, Gumbo, Janis, Jimi, Dylan Liberation Front, Jeannie, God Slick, John, David, Rusty, Barney, Richard, Denny, Ron Cobb, the entire Viet Cong, Sam Shephard, Ma Bell, Eric, David, Joe, Kim Agnew, the Partridge Family, Carol, Alan Ginsburg, Woman's Lib, Julius Lester, Lenny Bruce, Hack, Billy, Paul, Willy, Colleen, Sid, Johnny Appleseed, the Rat, Craig, Che, Willie Sutton, Wanda, EVO, JeII, Crazy Horse, Huey, Casey, Bobby, Alice, Mao, Rip, Ed, Bob, Gay Liberation Front, WPAX, Frank Dudock, Manny, Mungo, Lottie, Rosemary, Marshall, Rennie, Judy, JenniIer, Mr. Martin, Keith, Madame Binh, Mike, Eleanor, Dr. Spock, AIeni, Candice, the Tupamaros, Berkeley Tribe, Gilbert Sheldon, Stanley Kubrick, Sam, Anna, Skip Williamson, UPS, Andy Stapp, the Yippies, Richard Brautigan, Jano, Carlos Marighella, the Weathermen, Julius Jennings HoIIman, Quentin, the inmates oI TIER A-l Cook County Jail, Houdini, 37, Rosa Luxemberg, the Kent 25, the Chicago 15, the New York 21, the Motor City 3, the Indianapolis 500, Jack, Joan, Malcolm X, Mayakovsky, Dotson, R. Crumb, Daniel Clyne, Justin, The FBI Top 10 (now 16), Unis, Dana, Jim Morrison, Brian, John, Gus, Ruth, Nancy Unger, Pun, Jomo, Peter, Mark Rudd, Billy Kunstler, Genie, Ken, the Law Commune, Paula, Robby, Terry, Dianna, Angela, Ted, Phil, JeIIerson Airplane, Len, Tricky Prickers, the Berrigans, Stu, Rayanne, J.B., Jonathan Jackson, the Armstrong Brothers, Homer, Sharon, Fred Hampton, Jean Jacques Lebel, A. H. Maslow, Hanoi Rose, Sylvia, Fellini, Amaru, Ann Fettamen, Artaud, Bert, Merrill, Lynne, and last but not least to Spiro what's his name who provided the incentive. Who are we?We're libertarians, anarchists, socialists, paciIists, vegetarians, black, white, asian, hispanic. To get to the basics oI it, however: We are the vocal minoritv of the silent maforitv. As oI this writing, there is an enormous part oI our population greatly dissatisIied with not only the mistakes oI our current administration, but also with the direction the country is heading -- Amerika is being lead by lobbyists, corporations and otherwise immoral, greedy and deceptive parties. Many see the nation going down the path oI a Big Brother state: where the government keeps tabs on you and determines what you can and cannot see/do. We're looking to change that. No matter what, however, the important thing is this: whatever revolution or liIestyle you hope to be a part oI has to be started by you. When you know in your heart what you're doing is right and true, not even the most brutal opposition or secure jail cell can stop you. What the Book is NOTThis is not The Anarchist Cookbook. The inIormation in this site is not designed Ior senseless vandalism, theIt, or "just watching shit blow up". This project was started by a paciIist (Firstly) who does not advocate violent methods oI change. Using the inIormation here Ior purposeless nonsense is downright stupid. Something else worth noting is that people these days seem to want to put a label on things. This site is not promoting a liberal, conservative or anarchist agenda...and it never will. It simply promotes what each and every one oI us believes is our idea oI a perIect world, and how to get to it. What may be one person's Anarcho-capitalist dream is another's Communist society. Each and every one oI us Ieels an obligation to make our world more livable and create inIormation Ior everyone to see on how to get to that moment. So, iI you must put a label on this site, call it "idealist". We're not out to convince you to join our "cult", nor are we here to push our belieIs on others. It may seem hokey and unrealistic to some, but some oI the best inventions and social movements had those stigmas attached to them Ior decades. Table of ContentsTable oI contents Ior PDF one, download, more PDF's or the project at www.stealthiswiki.org! Introduction ! Aiding and Abetting ! Who are we? ! Survive ! Security Culture ! Free Food ! Cheap Chow ! Restaurants ! Food Programs ! Supermarkets ! Wholesale Markets ! Food Conspiracies ! Roadkill ! Farm It ! Free Clothing and Furniture ! Free Clothing ! Sandals ! Free Furniture ! Free Shelter ! The Street ! Low Impact Crashing ! Free Land ! Free Housing ! Backpacking and Camping ! Urban Living ! Rural Living ! Squatting ! Communes ! List oI Communes ! Free Transportation ! Pack your bag ! Hitchhiking ! Cycling ! Freighting ! Cars ! Buses ! Airlines ! In City Travel ! Sail Away Survive! What do humans need to survive? Oxygen, Body Warmth, Water, Food, Freedom, Love, Fun.Security CultureIntroSecurity Culture is the most powerIul tool to keep us in the Iight. The pigs have their spies and they are ready to use them to deIame, Iracture, jail, and intimidate our movement. Keep all groups small and intimate, one is best, three is a the number to never exceed Ior actions, group up several threes Ior very big action, but don't use these groupings Ior civil disobedience. Try to Iorm aIIinity groups with those you have known Ior many years. Main points: ! NEVER BRAG about past actions! ! NEVER USE NAMES when planning action! ! Only discuss action with those who NEED TO KNOW! ! AIter an action NEVER DISCUSS with OUTSIDERS! ! NEVER ADMIT anything to the authorities even Ior a deal when they claim others have ratted out! ! NEVER LIE about being in on an action or your part in an action! ! Keep involved members to a VERY SMALL group! ! ONLY work with a TRUSTED aIIinity GROUP! ! ONLY ALLOW those who would NEVER rat out the group INTO a TRUSTED aIIinity GROUP! ! ONLY DISCUSS action in OPEN AREAS with background noise! ! NEVER discuss action in HOMES, KNOWN MEETING AREAS, or CARS! ! II busted use your right to REMAIN SILENT! ! II busted NEVER ARGUE or try to EXPLAIN yourselI! ! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! RAT out another activist! ! Be extra CAUTIOUS with a ROMANTIC or SEXUAL PARTNER! ! NEVER TRUST electronic ENCRYPTION or codes to keep your communication saIe! A big thanks to our fellow travelers at Why-War.com for using a copyright the same as ours. A large part of what follows is from material on their site with our contributions and edits. Electronic CommunicationA little story: I worked with a direct action group in ****** known as *****. One member oI ***** who was new and did not know the protocols oI security culture sent out an e-mail that indirectly implicated speciIic members oI the group in an action that had happened in the area. His e-mail resulted in Iour arrests. Two people went to jail Ior six months. E-mail is never saIe. Ever. Listservs especially are monitored daily by local police departments and the FBI. II you`re planning a mass direct action event, you must use a spokescouncil meeting or other Iace-to-Iace organizing strategy. Never send speciIics (date, time, or location) about a direct action over e-mail. Some e-mail is more secure. Hushmail provides encrypted e-mail service Ior its users that can be more secure than regular e-mail, and using an encryption program like PGP can greatly increase your security, but remember that Hushmail and any other email provider will give the private key and email contents to the cops with a just a phone call, no warrant needed, thanks (un)Patriot Act. Keep your private PGP encryption key block private and ready to securely delete and overwrite, not on any providers server! Even with what you think is good hard crypto it`s never a good idea to talk about speciIics over e-mail. Keep any discussion oI direct action extremely vague, and never give the location and time. So you get up every day looking Ior your chance to make your voice heard. Where do you look? Why, Indymedia, inIoshop and protest.net, oI course! Well guess what? Someone else is reading those websites too. Never trust any kind of encryption, all codes are eventually broken, they are only meant to slow down the opposing side!! Web SitesThe State reads protest websites all the time. Why War`s website has received hits Irom most branches oI the military. II you post speciIic details about a direct action on the Internet, you can expect there to be cops there when you show up. I believe, The best way to organize is to call a spokescouncil meeting and post the inIormation on Indymedia. Always remember that everything you say on the Internet is there Iorever. Don`t make jokes. Even visually representing an attack on the president has cost one person a visit Irom the Secret Service. IdentityAssume everyone is a cop. I am a cop. You are a cop. The only people you can assume are not cops is your mother (unless she is a cop) and your aIIinity group. II someone e-mails you saying they are Irom one group or another, they are a cop. (Not necessarily, in Iact, probably not, but you need to treat them like they are.) Especially on the Internet, you can never assume anyone is who they claim they are. Nothing is less secure than the Internet, where anyone can read anything you say at any time. Still, aIter the passing oI the Patriot Act, phones are not secure. They tapped our phones in Boston. The ACLU has its phones tapped. It`s not that rare. Using cell phones to communicate at an action seems like a really good idea, and it can be. But cell phones are easily monitored, and the special operations cops have the ability to monitor cell phones in a certain area. So don`t say, 'Swarm the corner oI 33rd and 5th! Plan everything out ahead oI time, and be able to say, 'Are you coming? and have everyone know what that means. PhonesFor immediate actions, the phone can be Iairly secure, iI you can act beIore the police can react. However, unless you are using a payphone, this leaves your name implicated with whatever action you do. In general treat a payphone as iI someone were listing. Never give speciIics. There are ways to know iI your phones are tapped, iI you really want to know, but it`s best always just to assume that they are. Many pay-phones are tapped in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. The police also have the ability to listen to you through your phone even iI you are not on the phone at that moment. They have to the technology to do this unless your phone is unplugged. This is why pre-pay cellphones are popular with the ignorant activist, unIortunately they are incredibly easy to track, much more dangerous than a pay phone. FearPerhaps the easiest (and most detrimental) time Ior security culture to break down is in the heat oI a protest when the police begin their repression tactics. You see your Iriends being taken away by police and its your Iirst instinct to call out to them. Or perhaps the group you are marching with shatters and you Ieel the need to remind everyone oI where your preplanned re-convergence space is. As an aside remember to walk not run at any group march, even in a serious retreat, running can be the start oI a stampede which can kill many activists. NamesDon`t use people`s names at a direct action protest. II you want, come up with aliases or something, but concealing your identity Irom the authorities is important. You might not think they are listening, but they are. Another story: at a peace rally in ****town, the local radical groups held a spokescouncil meeting at the beginning oI the rally to decide when we were going to break away Irom the main march. In the middle oI our meeting, we were surrounded by police who then walked with us the entire way. AppearanceDon`t look sketchy. II you`re having a spokescouncil meeting in a public place, take oII your bandannas! Put away the red and black banners, steal a 'Peace is Patriotic sign Irom a nearby liberal, whatever. Increasingly, the cops are targeting radical groups Ior arrest and 'special treatment (i.e. police brutality.) Black Ilags and radical banners are all well and good, but keep them out oI sight while you're planning. Some oI you might be saying, 'Wait, take oII our bandannas? That`s such a bad plan! In some ways, you`re correct. As I said beIore, concealing your identity is important. The average American is photographed 300 times a day (every time you use an ATM, get gas, go into a convenience store, pay a toll, etc.) Protests are very well monitored by video and snapshots. MasksII you are engaging in autonomous civil disobedience (not a sit-in) and you don`t plan on being arrested (i.e. you want to get away with it) you should conceal your Iace using a bandanna, or other cloth. Wearing a bandanna can make you a target Ior police, since they associate it with radicals, so only wear one iI you are actually doing something illegal and concealing your identity makes sense. Gas masks and ski masks certainly conceal your identity well, but they look extremely militant, and tend to both incite police violence and Irighten other protesters. Unless you plan on directly and Iorcibly conIronting the police, I would not recommend wearing a gas mask. (II you think that there will be teargas, you can always have a pair oI swim goggles and a bandanna soaked in apple cider vinegar in your pocket.) PracticeRemember to practice security culture with your Iriends. This is the hardest aspect oI security culture Ior many oI us to perIect. You`ve just Iinished a successIul and awesome direct action! Yay! The Iirst thing you want to do is tell all your Iriends about it. Chances are, your Iriends won`t turn you into the cops. However, bragging/gossiping about direct action can be a chronic breach oI security culture. TipsThere are some things that you can`t talk about with people that you don`t know very well and on a personal basis: Your involvement or someone else`s in a speciIic illegal direct action. The only exception is iI you have already been convicted oI that action, or iI you are outside the jurisdiction oI where that action took place, or iI signiIicant time has passed that you cannot be prosecuted Ior that action. Your involvement or someone Else's in an underground group. (i.e. a group that has claimed actions Ior the Earth Liberation Front, etc.) Someones knowledge oI an illegal direct action. SpeciIic plans Ior Iuture direct actions. With a good security culture, everyone is on a need-to-know don`t-ask-don`t-tell basis. The less you know about an action that you will not be involved in, the saIer you and the people engaging in that action will be. Obviously you can discuss Iuture actions with your aIIinity group, but do so in a saIe place and manner. Safe SexOne oI the most diIIicult areas oI security culture exists between partners in a sexual relationship. There is an implied special bond and dissolution oI barriers between those who spend their naked time together. II potentially important inIormation is not shared there is oIten a Ieeling oI betrayal. It is best Irom the beginning oI a sexual or romantic relationship to let your signiIicant other know there are activities you are involved in that you are unable to share, iI they are really cool with the cause and secure in themselves they should understand, iI not you have to choose, drop them or drop out oI direct action. The problem with many relationships between activists (and ordinary people too) is that the relationship ends aIter a time, this sometimes gets ugly iI hearts are broken. It is not an unreasonable concern that a jilted lover might even turn to the pigs or talk too openly to get revenge. Another consideration is the sellout Ior ransom, a person may choose to make a deal and nark out the whole organization when their lover is threatened with serious punishment where they might stand strong Ior themselves, the pigs are Iamous Ior this blackmail deal, done in a secret way where the signiIicant other may never even Iind out. Short term relationships or even one night stands can be very dangerous, there are those cops and civilian nark types who have a kink Ior playing the spy while having a little naked Iun in the sack with their target. Never discuss any involvement oI any kind beyond generic politics at all with a short term relationship especially iI it looks like trading insider inIo will get you sex. There is wisdom in the idea oI our cells having a proIessional expectation oI no romance between activists, this is oIten an unrealistic expectation, each group must decide what is acceptable. Unnecessary Criminal ActivityDo not become involved in activities like shopliIting, reckless driving, or narcotics iI you are an activist. Do not permit members oI your aIIinity group to engage in these activities either. It is already easy enough Ior the police to blackmail us as it is. Most busts Ior "domestic terrorism" are the result oI shopliIting or traIIic stops. Once someone has been released and heavy charges dropped it might be wise to insulate them Irom serious direct action as they may have made a deal and are now working Ior the other side in exchange Ior their continuing Ireedom. PlanningWhen discussing plans Ior a radical direct action with your aIIinity group, do not discuss them any place that`s likely to be monitored. (i.e the place you usually meet, an activist`s car, Unitarian churches, radical bookstores, etc.) Find someplace saIe Ior your discussion. There are some things that we as humans tend to do that can be extremely risky Ior us as activists. Using activism as a social device can be detrimental to security culture. There are liars: people who claim to have engaged in illegal actions in order to impress others. This is not okay. Those people are putting themselves and the people they lie to in danger by breaking security culture in this way. Bragging to your Iriends, I can`t emphasize enough, is dangerous. One on one, in a saIe location, it is okay to talk about less radical direct actions, but only talk about secure things with people who know about security culture and won`t go and gossip it to others. This brings us to gossiping. II you`ve heard anything about a direct action that you`re not involved in, don`t say anything about it to anyone. You will jeopardize your security and the security oI those planning the action. Security of Your Security CultureSecurity culture is not a spy game or a joke. Pretending to have an overdeveloped sense oI security culture in order to impress others is no diIIerent than bragging about an action. This is not 'I could tell you but I`d have to kill you. II someone asks you a question that you don`t want to answer, or iI you think someone is talking about something that they shouldn`t be talking about, just change the subject. ConclusionBeIore I end we should also note that there are inIormants out there. They inIiltrate activist groups, (and sometimes even activist aIIinity groups) and jeopardize (intentionally) everyones security. It can be hard to distinguish between new members oI a group who want to learn about what`s going on and don`t know much about security culture and inIiltrators who are trying to gather enough inIormation to have you all arrested. II you think your group may have been inIiltrated, check out the Security Survival Skills guide produced by the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality. It`s the most extensive guide to security culture that I`ve Iound on the web and it has a section that explains how to identiIy counterinsurgents within the ranks. This is by no means a complete and deIinitive guide to security culture. Again I urge you to read the Security Survival Skills guide produced by the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality. For the purposes oI Why War?, I think that this should be more than suIIicient. Remember: just because we`re non-violent doesn`t meant that the police don`t see us as a threat. It also doesn`t mean that we will not be charged with violent crimes iI arrested. You can be charged Ior assault iI you even brush against a police oIIicer, Ior carrying a weapon iI you have a pencil, and Ior reckless endangerment iI you hang a banner on a building. Maintaining a tight security culture is essential Ior creating a cohesive, saIe, and eIIective movement based on the principals oI trust and solidarity. This guide may seem harsh and paranoid, and you should always use reason, you`re probably not gonna get yourselI in trouble by talking about some snake-march you participated in, but always be thinking, 'Would I say this to a cop? Free Food On this topic, we can take a pointer Irom one oI the most incompetent examples oI capitalism - the airline industry. In a 2006 pamphlet distributed to its laid-oII employees, Northwest Airlines advised its newly impoverished Iormer workers to strongly consider riIling through trash Ior suitable Iood. This was only a part oI Northwest's eIIort to get out oI bankruptcy by laying oII workers, slashing wages and burning beneIits. A great example oI how corporate America doesn't care a bit about the people oI America in its quest Ior an immensely proIitable survival. It's true. America is the most wasteIul nation in the world, in addition to consuming the most per person in the world. We're not only the Iattest people around, but we also dispose oI the most Iood. Since we're physically unable to perIorm the more Iair tactic oI actually cutting the Iat Irom the bones oI the rich, we can at least beneIit Irom their waste. Restaurants and grocery stores commonly throw out tons oI Iood each day, most oI it still edible, as long as you're not opposed to the kind oI germs you also get Irom opening doors to public buildings or pushing elevator buttons. Use your head when choosing Iood, make a calculation with every piece oI Iood you pick up it's price nutrient and energy value ratios. Many american packaged Ioods loose in all but junk energy. The truly hungry must be careIul to get enough calories and basic nutrients every day. Other TipsFree Drinks: Get your hands on a plastic cup Irom a gas station or Iast-Iood restaurant. Swipe 'em Irom tables, ask Ior a cup oI water, or surreptiously peruse the trash bin. This guarantees you Iree drinks there Ior as long as you have the cup. Free Meals: OIten, organizations (especially religious clubs) at high schools, colleges, and community centers provide Iree breakIasts and snacks. In some major cities, there are a Iew Krishna religious groups that oIten give out a Iree vegetarian meal iI you sit in Ior a seminar (Fair warning: The Iood they serve can be VERY spicy!). Another route to consider is Iinding out iI there's a FoodNotBombs group local to your area: they have huge meal servings geared towards the homeless at least once a month. Be advised the Iood is vegan to accommodate just about everybody, and so the quality can vary wildly: some groups have good resources Ior ingredients and skilled cooks that can make stuII that tastes great, while others aren't quite as lucky and/or good. Hotel Grazing: Do not Iorget the wondrous resource that is your local hotel. Many hotels oIIer complimentary breakIasts, a Iact which you can use to your advantage. You should (oI course) make sure that they don't check that you have a reservation (not to worry... most don't.) Once you've established that you may want to use a bit oI social engineering to make sure that you can enjoy a hearty breakIast. First, like any good revolutionary, you should have your backpack/messenger bag -- go ahead and stash an extra shirt in it. Walk into the hotel, looking like you're coming in Irom a long night on the town (hint: it helps iI you come in at around 6AM or so) and go towards your "room" (i.e. in the direction oI the rooms. Now, Iind a laundry room, exercise room, or some other place that has both water and privacy. Change into the Iresh shirt, and make use oI the water to wet your hair/wash your Iace -- basically, make it look like you went back to your room Ior a quick shower and change oI clothes. Stash the bag somewhere you can retrieve it later (saIest option) or take it to breakIast with you (slightly riskier, but you can use it to sneak some Iood out.) Now wander on down to breakIast and eat your Iill. Once you've chowed down, you shouldn't hang around more than a couple minutes... but don't look overly rushed. Note: dressing nicely will make this much easier to pull oII. Free Pizza: Pizza places are heaven Ior any revolutionary looking Ior a Friday night treat. Many times, the only eIIort needed to get your Iree pizza is check their dumpster. Most oI the time there are a Iew pizzas employees didn't want, unIortunately most times I've checked it's always a meat lover pizza, but that can be Iixed by peeling it oII. One way to obtain a Iresh, baked pizza the way you like it is, call in about 30 minutes beIore the place closes (*67), say you would like to pick up a pizza (make it a large order to insure you do get a meal) and you swear you could make it there beIore they close, wait till they close, and go back and get your Iresh baked pizza out oI the dumpster. You may have to dig through a bag to get it (Iollow your nose), but it's seemingly always in a box still warm. Be sure to check Ior employees beIore you go, or you may have to rely on quick legs. Free Fast FoodDesparate times call Ior desparate measures, and sometimes you're going to have to resort to Iast Iood. Most chinese Iood places have Iree Iortune cookies, grab a handIul. II you bring your Iood back to the counter and say you got the wrong kind oI burger, most places let you keep the burger and give you a new one to boot. FREE FOOD FOR YOUR CHURCH Here's a short quick idea that has worked beIore to get some Iree Iood and a good amount oI it. Go around to the local Iood stores and bakeries and pose as a minister oI a church asking Ior donations to your Iood bank. This might require talking to some managers but iI you Iind one that has a cross on it just might work because they're usually the holy roller types that will help. Also it doesn't hurt to have a Iew business cards printed up to assist you with this stating that you're the minister oI such and such church. Also it helps iI you're rather clean cut since most ministers are and this lends more credibility to your claims. Also a shirt and tie helps in this undertaking. Also you might consider contacting the Mormons with their local RELIEF SOCIETY groups. These people Iunction as the welIare Ior Mormons and give their members Iree Iood. You could contact them to see where and how in your area they are getting Iood Ior their Iood banks. Then tell them that you also are trying to start a Iood bank Ior your church. While they might try to convince you to join them a little bit, they are usually more than helpIul because they will see you as someone who is trying to be like them in carrying out charitable work. Just an idea that you might be able to put to good use Ior some Iree grub. Cheap ChowThis section lists tips on how to cook Iood Ior yourselI, your Iamily, your commune, your protest team, or your whole neighborhood. Also included are tips on getting ingredients or pre-cooked Ioods, as well as tips on living independently oI the pre-packaged, super-processed existence that is the Amerikan Iood market. Some oI these recipes are designed to easily Ieed many members oI the underground at a low price, while other ideas here are cheap, portable, and easy to make by a rebel on the move. By avoiding packaged Ioods, traceback oI labels and cartons is reduced, leaving less oI an evidence trail, and also beneIiting your health. Moreover, you reduce unnecessary use oI cardboard, petroleum-based bags, and harmIul inks. A Few Helpful Hints on CookingKeep any loose clothing away Irom open Ilames, wash everything (especially your hands) that comes in contact with the Iood, always wash your hands aIter touching raw meats and eggs while cooking, use oven mitts, be careIul how you handle anything sharp, keep a Iire extinguisher handy, and remember that "Baking Powder" and "Baking Soda" are two completely diIIerent things. Grease and oil Iires cannot be put out with water (It will actually make them worse by spreading the grease or oil over the surIace oI the water). II you don't have access to a Iire extinguisher, be sure to keep a decent supply oI baking soda on hand whenever you cook, to control these Iires. II need be you can also put them out by cutting oII their oxygen supply, such as placing a lid on the pan. Always be careIul oI your appliances. Regularly check Ior gas leaks, holes, stripped cords, or other hazardous malIunctions. You may also want to see Low Impact Crashing Ior tips on living on your own and Farm It Ior tips on growing your own produce. For consistency purposes, when reading the Iollowing recipes: ! tbs represents tablespoon(s) ! tsp represents teaspoon(s) ! qt represents quart(s) ! gal represents gallon(s) ! lbs. represents pounds ! oz represents ounce(s) ! c represents cup(s) Spanish/Latin AmericanSpanish Beans and RiceBeans and rice are complete protein Iood with plenty oI carbohydrates and a little Iat too, iI this is all you can aIIord you will do Iine, plus it packs well dry Ior traveling. A bit oI hot sauce makes the basic recipe interesting, or... Making Spanish rice gives this complete but boring vegan Iood a little kick. ! Soak your dry beans overnight, pre-boiling while you prep the rice speeds things up ! Stir Iry the rice until you see a little browning on the tips or edges ! Add tomato sauce, beans, salt, and your Iavorite spices ! Slow cook until beans are soIt or pour hot into a Thermos and let the stored heat soIten the beans Stinger Cooking-- Boil water using your immersion boiler in the same pot as the beans (soak them overnight iI possible) keep adding water, since the stinger will boil some away, until beans are soIt. II possible let the tomato sauce Iloat in the boiling bean water to heat up. Pre-boil water and then add the same volume oI rice (soItening is quicker iI you use converted or minute-rice). Drain the beans and add rice, tomato sauce, and spices, iI possible pour into a big can Iloated in your pot and stinger boil the water to slow cook it, otherwise pour the mixed Iinished product into a Thermos(or a container wrapped in a sleeping bag) and let sit Ior 1/2 hour. Practice on adding ingredients helps iI the Iirst batch is a dud. TortillasFind out iI there is a Latino supermarket or open air market in your area. These types oI places will oIten sell large amounts oI tortillas in various sizes Ior very little money. They are tough, Ilexible and a good source oI starch that you can wrap almost anything in. A good idea is to combine leItover IoodstuII into various chili-like recipes or stir-Iries and wrap them in tortillas. This also can cut down on mess (no plates) iI your eating on the run, or simply don't have the resources (water) to clean dishes all the time. Oppressed natives in Mexico have been making the corn tortilla Ior generations Irom dried ground corn masa: ! 4 cups masa or corn Ilour ! 1/2 tsp. Salt ! 2.5 cups hot water Flour Tortillas are enjoyed by the rich Spanish Iamilies: ! 3 cups unbleached all-purpose Ilour ! 1 tsp. Salt ! 1/3 cup vegetable oil, lard, or shortening ! 1 cup warm water Roll or tortilla-press both types into thin discs and stack either Iloured or between plastic. Cook on a barely smoking hot, dry Iry pan, and Ilip every 30 sec until it puIIs a little and brown marks start to show. MasaIor masa you will need: ! 1 1/2 pounds (1 quart) dried white Iield corn ! 2 tbs. "cal" slaked lime (mineral not the citrus Iruit) Wash the dried corn and drain. Mix the lime into 2qt water and boil until dissolved. Boil corn 2 min. Ior tortilla Ilour or 15 min Ior tamale masa. Place corn in colander and rub between hands under Ilowing water until hulled and white; iI you don't clean the corn kernels well they will have a disgusting lime Ilavor. Grind or crush the corn in a mortar or grinder. Make several oI these batches and Ireeze them Ilat in tied plastic shopping bags. TamaleHard work and long preparation but a good cheap way Ior a poor sympathizer to Ieed a hungry squad oI activists. Don't waste your time on a small batch- the same eIIort goes into a huge batch. These are portable in their husk and save well iI sealed in a Ireezer, as one batch can last a week or two. Boil just expired meat(or however you got it) Ior two hours until very soIt (iI meat is your thing) and save the stock Ior a soup. When done, shred meat with your hands. Substitute shredded TVP, spicy stir Iry, sliced mushroom, or toIu Ior the meat to vegiIy the recipe. Experiment, but don't boil them. Knead in 1/2 cup oil, 6 Tbs chili powder, 3 Tbs cumin, 1 Tbs black pepper, and 2 Tbs salt that you have been warming (not Irying) in a pan. You can experiment with the chili powder iI you are Iickle with spiciness. Put corn husks into warm water to soIten Ior two hours. Now put the 2 lbs. oI Masa in a large bowl and add the Iollowing: dry 3 Tbs paprika, 3 Tbs salt, 1 Tbs cumin seeds, 3 Tbs Chili Powder, 3 Tbs Iine dried garlic. Mix well dry and add 2 cup oil. Take about 1/2 cup oI this dough and spear it into a corn husk, add 1 Tbs meat and wrap up Iold over the end. Steam the whole batch Ior two hours, when done the dough should be Iirm. Refried BeansGet a sack oI dried pinto beans, rinse and remove pebbles, add to a kettle oI cold water, and soak overnight. Add 1/4 onion chopped, 1 crushed jalapeo pepper, 4 Tbs salt and 1 tsp garlic (crushed and shelled). Bring to boil and simmer Ior 1/2 hour. Place 1/4 cup oil into your wok. When the oil is hot but not smoking, start Irying the beans. They only need 3-4 min in the Iry until they are easy to smash, then add hot water to this mash until it is your preIerred reIried bean thickness. Pan-Asian, Wok-Cooking, and RiceWok CookingOur Iriends in China have long been enslaved by successive Iorms oI government. Their poverty survival can be a lesson to us, especially how they cook in a Iuel and Iood eIIicient style using the traditional wok. As the wok is probably the most versatile tool you can carry Ior cooking, unless you are a solo backpacker it is worth the weight in your gear. Forget what you are used to eating in Asian restaurants, these menus Iull oI Iried sugary treats are typically reserved Ior the past and current privileged class. Instead we will Iocus on the cooking style which is centered around preparing whatever Iood is available. Tools in Order of Need! carbon-steel wok ! wok shovel ! bamboo steamer ! carbon steel chopper cleaver ! Iry skimmer ! pot Ior rice, noodles, and soups ! bamboo chopsticks ! ladle ! bamboo wok scrubber brush ! cutting board Stir FryAdd a Iew tablespoons oI peanut or other high temperature oil to the bottom oI a seasoned wok, heat until a drop oI water sizzles. Add hard vegetables which require the most cooking Iirst like garlic or onion, as these cook you can add vegetables, spices, and meats in order oI their required cooking time. Don't overload the wok to where the heat source doesn't support a sizzle sound. Get the hottest Ilame possible and cook quickly; constantly turning the mix. At the end about 30 seconds beIore you kill the Ilame you can add sugar and soy sauce. Serve over noodles or rice. Peanuts and cayenne peppers are oIten stir-Iried separately beIore a Iancy meal. Be sure to have a powerIul stove or stir Irying won't work quite right, air blown charcoal, a powerIul gas or electric stove top, or a mountaineering stove work well but a hot plate is on the weak side. Flat bottom woks are Ior electrical stoves and round bottom with a wok ring are used with gas. Water FryA quarter cup oI water and a lid are usually enough to quickly thaw and cook medium size Irozen meats in your wok. As the water boils oII break up the meat and add oil, spices, and vegetables to Iinish the cooking. Deep FryOil intensive but tasty, it will help you get enough Iats Ior the week iI you have abandoned a western diet. Tempura batter is a mix oI icy water, Ilour and egg. Filter and save used oil Ior later use. SteamingA bamboo or metal steamer can be used to steam Iish, meat, vegetables and even small breads and cakes quicker than a traditional oven. An alternative to bamboo is to use a perIorated steamer disc and the wok lid to keep the steam in, tilt the lid or get one with a vent so there is room Ior steam to escape. Steamed buns are made by making a sweet bread dough and adding a stir Iry to a thick disk oI risen and punched down bread, bunch to the bottom and pinch shut, put the ball on a piece oI paper and let rise again in a warm place Ior 30 minutes, steam Ior 15 min. Hom-Bows can be wrapped in cling-wrap plastic aIter steaming and Irozen, to reheat microwave in the plastic, steam heat, or put under your jacket and eat warm. Cleaning and Seasoning Your WokClean with hot water and a wok brush, do not use soap as this will strip the nonstick seasoning coat oI cured oil. To season stir Iry a meal oI non disintegrating vegetables with a tablespoon or two oI peanut, canola, or other high temperature oil, some meat is ok aIter the veggies are beginning to soIten, potatoes will break up and stick to your wok and are best steamed, boiled in soup or deep Iried as chips/Iries. Thickening SauceRestaurants put in a little corn starch (1tsp.) in the last minute oI stir-Iry to thicken watery sauces. SpicesExperimentation will lead to success Ior Chinese Iood. Use Iresh garlic, ginger root, black pepper, anise, cinamon, cloves, soy sauce, white pepper and whole cayenne pepper or whatever sounds good to you. The Thai add lemon grass, coconut milk or meat, and curry. EdamameYou can buy Irozen, prepackaged bags oI shelled or unshelled soy beans, called edamame. For under three dollars you can have a pound oI one oI the best sources Ior near-complete protein (it contains most oI the various proteins you can't produce on your own). You just bring 6 cups oI water with a pinch oI salt to a boil, add the edamame, let it boil again Ior 5-7 minutes, and then drain. Rinse with cool water and then add salt (preIerably rock salt). You may need to add more salt later. Buying the pre-shelled edamame saves you money, as you get a pound oI just the beans, not a pound oI both beans and shells. RiceRinse rice in cold water several times while agitating until water comes clear, Iill water about 1.5 cm over the level oI the rice inside a pot, make a depression with your Iinger in the center, cover with the lid and run up to boiling. Once a boil is going, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook Ior 10 min. The rice should have holes with very small bubbles popping Irom them when you open the pot. Mix and serve in about 5 min with a protein Iood. Fried rice is made by stir Irying dry rice until it has a little bit oI brown color. Mix in water and stir as it boils away; add some stir Iried veggies, meat, and egg Ior Asian style or tomato sauce, spices, chopped onions, and crushed garlic Ior Spanish rice. You can also pre-cook rice as mentioned above while stir-Irying veggies in a separate pan. Once the veggies are just a little beIore being perIect, add your cooked rice with some oil and soysauce. Stir and mix in the pan until golden brown. A good recipe is cook the rice, brown ground beeI (hamburger, about 1 lb to 1 c oI dry rice) and mix together with sauces and seasoning, such as jalapeo salsa which can be got in cans. Pasta/ItalianPasta is cheap and is used in many easy recipes. Pasta in soup, cakes and traditional noodle and sauce dishes are all good Ior stretching your budget. Get vegetable or whole wheat pasta iI you can. It's not much more and a whole lot healthier. Draining Pasta Without a ColanderDraining your noodles when you don't have a colander: leave the lid on your pot but wrap a towel or cloth around the opening. The dry part oI the towel will help you hold the pot, let the lid go loose in the towel and tilt to drain the water. Be careIul, as your towel is now soaked with boiling hot water. Egg NoodlesThe Iollowing is taken Irom the Wikibooks Cookbook: ! 1 whole egg ! 1 cup Ilour ! 2 to 6 tablespoons oI water ! 1-2 teaspoon oI olive oil (optional) On a smooth surIace, heap Ilour. Push a hole in the center oI the Ilour (it should look like a volcano). Break egg into Ilour (add oil now iI you choose to do so - it will change the Ilavor and texture). Either knead with hands or mix with a Iork. Slowly add water one teaspoon at a time while kneading the dough. You probably will not need all six tablespoons oI water (though you may possibly need more). Knead dough until it has a consistent texture. Divide dough into manageable sections. Select one section at a time and keep the rest covered. Roll each section to desired thickness and cut into noodles with a kniIe. These noodles can be laid out to dry Ior later use or dropped immediately into a boiling pot oI water. Cook to taste. They are good with a variety oI sauces. RamenThose cheap little bricks oI Iried noodles, aIter having boiling water added (without the Ilavor packet) and drained once soIt, can be used as a Ioundation Ior just about anything. ! Adding leItover chili can make it spaghetti in meat (or chili) sauce. ! AIter the noodles are drained, add a bit oI olive oil, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese Ior Ramen Agilo E Olio. ! Let the noodles cool, cut them up, and mix into a salad. ! Use it as a base Ior what ever main dish you're having (eggplant, vegiburger, etc.). ! Crack an egg into boiled water and stir(break the yoke) Ior egg Ilower ramen, then add noodles and Ilavor Beware though, that one brick oI ramen constitutes an incredible amount oI sodium. II you eat ramen, don't eat it more than a Iew times a week, and avoid other high-sodium Ioods the days you eat ramen. You can pre-boil a cup of water with your stinger and then add ramen, flavoring, and egg to the hot water. Spicy Ramen Pasta and SoupBoil two cups oI water and add a packet oI Ramen Noodles. Cook Ior three minutes stirring occasionally and add cajun seasoning. AIter cooking Ior three minutes turn oII heat and add more seasoning iI needed. Move the noodles directly to something that can be used Ior mixing, i.e. a large bowl or plate. Do not strain the noodles, instead leave the broth in the pan you boiled it in, it will come in handy later. Once the noodles are in the mixing dish add parmesan cheese, more cajun seasoning, and a little olive oil Ior texture. Mix up the noodles and transIer them to a new dish or eat it right out oI the mixing dish Ior a nice spicy pasta. With the leItover broth you can add diced carrots, leItover noodles, and more seasoning. Boil together and once the carrots have achieved a slightly soIt state pour into a bowl and serve as soup. You can make variations oI this dish using diIIerent seasoning or vegetables. Also you can add a little lime or lemon juice to the broth while cooking the noodles and again when cooking the soup to give it a unique Ilavor. Garlic BreadAny white or wheat bread (including day old hot dog rolls) can be garlic bread. Mix soItened butter, chopped garlic and (optionally) some chopped parsley or any other green herb, and spread the bread with this. Place on aluminum Ioil and warm in an oven until the butter melts. Single-Serving PizzaFor the crust, use a pita or English muIIin (but almost any bread wil do). Put on a thin layer oI tomato sauce, then whatever toppings you wish (cheese, mushrooms, etc.). Put in a toaster oven and keep a watch on it, since cooking times vary. Your home made pita will also make a very tasty pizza crust, or you can use normal crust, like the bread dough below. 1ewish Noodle CakeBoil up and drain spaghetti or whatever pasta is on sale, add a Iew eggs to bind and sugar or salt to match your tastes. For sweet kugel, add dried Iruits and raisins, Ior spicy kugel add pepper, sugar, and some vegetables Ior Ilavor. Bake at 250F Ior 30-40 min. Italian Red SauceFor good general use pasta/pizza sauce mix, start with a tablespoon or two oI olive oil and quickly Iry some smashed and shelled garlic in it, add tomato paste, pepper, basil, oregano, salt and a some red wine or real grape juice; mix and simmer until thickened and tasty. Most oI these herbs can be seeded and grown like wild weeds; maybe you can hide other weed in with them! This sauce can be diluted with water Ior soup: add pasta or dough balls, and veggies, then season to taste. Tomato PasteTomato paste can be made Irom your greenhouse tomatoes, Cut an X in the bottoms and drop into boiling water Ior 2-3min, then dump drained tomatoes into cold water to help peel skins, cut out seeds, boil chunks with 1/2tsp salt per Liter Ior an hour. Stir to avoid burning, crush then strain, cook Ior two to three hours on low stirring until a thick paste. Oats and GrainsEnergy BarsWhen out on a bike trip or at a demonstration, nothing beats that wilted weak Ieeling like our energy bars. ! 1 cup rolled oats ! 1/2 cup wheat germ ! 1/2 cup oat bran ! 1/2 soy protein powder ! 1/2 cup brown sugar ! 1 cup crunchy peanut butter or tahini paste ! 1 cup nuts or dried Iruit oI your choice/chopped ! 1 cup dark or white chocolate chunks ! 1 cup honey or brown rice syrup Form into a cake and cut up or make cookies, Ireeze or dry in an oven Ior an hour at around 80C or 150F. Wrap in Ioil then plastic wrap so they will last a Iew weeks. Spices like ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa add variety. Add tea or coIIee beans raw or roasted to put power into your bars, or just make them "special"!! see GrowingYourOwn Whole Kernel WheatPopular with Mormons and survivalist types you might also Iind whole kernel wheat in railroad cars or on Iarms. Wheat especially the hard red winter variety, used in breads, is high in protein and keeps Ior many years iI properly stored. The soIt white variety is better Ior making noodles and pasta. For vitamin C on an all wheat ration sprout some wheat kernels in a damp sponge or shallow container. A quality grain grinder is an expensive but worthwhile investment. Minimum price is around $100 Ior a Corona beer makers stone grain mill, better grinders use steel burs and can cost around $300 but can be connected to an electric motor. We knew a vegan traveler with survivalist dreams who Ior years carried a handheld manual coIIee grinder Ior whole wheat, he rarely used it since it was so much work. Inexpensive mills usually work until the Iirst pebble is ground into them, then they are mostly useless. OatmealThose little packets oI "Instant Oatmeal" may be nice, but they add up the costs something Iierce. They are also pumped Iull oI empty-calorie sugar. Buy a big box oI loose oatmeal, and make your own by putting 1/3 to 1/2 cup (or iI you're really hungry, a Iull cup) oI dry oatmeal into a bowl, then add an equal amount oI hot (but not boiling) water. Cover the bowl with a plate, wait a Iew minutes, and remove the plate. Hot oatmeal! II it's too thick, add more water. Want spices, Iruits or Ilavors? Add them yourselI! Get creative! Quick oats can be cheaply made by running whole oatmeal through a Iood processor or blade type electric coIIee grinder until it looks like quick oats Irom the store.|1| You can pre-boil water with your stinger and add it to your instant quik oats for a hot breakfast anywhere you can find an outlet PancakesInexpensive and easy to make even with just a dollar store Iry pan and one oI the stoves in Low Impact Crashing. ! 2 cup selI rising Ilour ! 1/4 cup butter (oil/butter/Iat/margerine) ! 1 egg (or 1/4 cup wet mixed egg powder) ! Sugar and/or Salt to desired Ilavor ! 2-3 cup water to desired thickness(to make selI rising Ilour take 1 cup oI all-purpose Ilour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons oI baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon oI salt or just look Ior it in the store) Make a huge batch and rewarm when you are hungry or eat cold. You can make syrup by heating water and adding with brown sugar or even regular sugar and some butter, but why? You can substitute as much oat or whole wheat Ilour as you like to change the Ilavor. You can use these like a tortilla or lauIIa and wrap other Ioods in them vary the sugar and salt t match the wrapped Iood. With a thin batter you can make the thin pancakes used in blintzes. Fry in a Irying pan or wok with a little butter or oil, don't let them sit too long or get the pan too hot, Ilip when you start to see bubbles coming through the top, a spatula helps Ior Iliping. AcornsYou can collect wild acorns Ior Iree and then turn them into a meal similar to corn meal! Just gather a decent amount oI acorns and shell them with a nutcracker or a stone. Grind the meat inside in a blender with water until it is a smooth paste, or hand grind it into a similar constancy. Now, you must place the ground meats into a colander lined with a paper towel and rinse thoroughly several times. You will notice that the water that runs out is milky. You are draining a bitter substance that rendered the meal inedible unless it is drained out. Repeat until the water that runs out is clear. Taste the meal to make sure. AIter letting it dry, you can use it in a manner similar to cornmeal or Ilour. Use it to make pancakes, muIIins, biscuits, cookies, etc. Gathering acorns is a Iun activity Ior younger children, too. It will keep them entertained and active, outdoors in good weather. You can reward them by "spilling" a little bit oI extra sugar into your meal beIore baking. Homeless-Street SavvyMulligan StewDuring the Great Depression oI the 1930's, many oI the hobos who gathered in the camps would pool together whatever they had Ior a meal. The Iood was cut up and put into a pot with some water and cooked, adding waste bones oI any kind and scrap meat added Iats and protein. What was Iinished was oIten called "Mulligan Stew" or "Whatchagot Stew". In the early days oI the personal computer revolution, techies would keep themselves Ied during marathon sessions in a similar way, using a wok instead oI a cooking pot. The resulting product was nicknamed "Stir-Fry Random" and was oIten served on a bed oI rice or ramen noodles. During the days oI America's "Wild West", the camp cook sometimes took leItovers, local vegetation, meat scraps and oIten the parts oI the steer that wasn't normally eaten, and make what was oIten called "SonoIabitch Stew" Ior obvious reasons. Whatever stew you are making you can cook it in an aluminum Ioil pouch, careIuly double Iold three edges Iill and Iold to seal, cook the stew in campIires, Iorest Iires, engine blocks, Bill Clinton's shorts, etc. Sandwich of IronyYou can make a cooked cheese or other sandwich by setting an iron to it's highest setting and ironing your sandwich. OI course this might goop up the iron and make it unusable Ior clothes, but it is a good way to hide a cooking device in a dorm room. You might also try using your iron as a hot plate iI you can Iigure a saIe way to prop it upside down. A Iriend oI one oI our contributors was told how to heat sandwiches using a room radiator. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum Ioil and place it on the heat source. When you can smell the Iood, it's done. Creative CookingBe creative, your radiator, hair dryer, clothes dryer, iron, car engine, etc can be used to heat canned or Ioil covered Iood. II there is a chance oI boiling temperatures be sure the can has a hole poked in the lid to prevent explosion. Car CookingCooking on car engine blocks Cars#CookingandHeating Field CornWhen riding the rails or hitchhiking you will oIten Iind Iields oI corn waiting to Ieed you hungry travelers. II you are lucky you will be near sweet corn, but Iield or dent corn(animal Ieed) while not sweet is edible, iI it is dried out you can pound or grind into cornmeal. You can eat corn raw but cooking will make it taste much better. Pull the silk out oI the top but don't remove the husk(leaves covering the corn). Some people will pour a little salty water in to Ilavor beIore cooking but it is optional. Wrap the husk tightly and either wrap in Ioil and place in the edge oI the coals or place on a grille and cover, turn every Iew minutes. Add salt spices and butter to your liking, cooking 10-20 minutes. Below Edited From Dishes & Beverages OI The Old South Martha McCulloch-Williams (1913) http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/ Plain Corn BreadSiIt sound Iresh white cornmeal, wet with cold water to a Iairly soIt dough, shape it by tossing Irom hand to hand into small pones, and lay them as made into a hot pan well sprinkled with dry meal. The pan should be hot enough to brown the meal without burning it. Make the pones about an inch thick, Iour inches long, and two and a halI broad. Bake quickly, taking care not to scorch, until there is a brown crust top and bottom. For hoe-cakes make the dough a triIle soIter, lay it by handIuls upon a hot-meal-sprinkled griddle, taking care the handIuls do not touch. Flatten to halI an inch, let brown underneath, then turn, press down and brown the upper side. (sugar will sweeten them up, baking powder will help them puII, the recipe mentions that they should be eaten drenched in butter but salt destroys this soaking power) Ash Cakes! Make dough as Ior plain corn bread, but add the least triIle oI salt, sweep the hot hearth very clean, pile the dough on it in a Ilattish mound, cover with big leaves--cabbage leaves will do at a pinch, or even thick clean paper, then pile on embers with coals over them and leave Ior an hour or more, according to size. ! Take up, brush oII ashes, and break away any cindery bits. ! Serve with new butter and Iresh buttermilk. ! (aluminum Ioil or corn husk wrapping should work iI on the roadside without a Iireplace hearth) OI course check out Iields you pass by Ior other usable crops to Ieed yourselI as you travel through the countryside. Automat SoupFor those who are too young to remember, an "automat" was a cross between Iast Iood and a caIeteria, where prepared meals could be bought Irom behind glass doors Ior coins. During the Great Depression oI the 1930's, many oI the nation's poor kept themselves alive by making "automat soup" Irom the condiments station. A small bowl could hold some tomato ketchup, with hot water (normally used Ior tea) added, and a Iew dashes oI pepper. Price: Free. Stinger SoupUsing a stinger or pocket immersion boiler to make soup LowImpactCrashing#Kitchen changes to some recipes here are in bold Ior stinger cooking. Be careIul, iI the water or liquid boils away a commercial stinger will burn out and a home made one might start a Iire. To make a stinger soup boil solid veggies (onions, carrots, potato, beets, etc) in lightly salted tap water until they are cooked and only then adding a powdered soup base, spices, or bullion cubes that way your immersion boiler doesn't get too gooped up. SoIt veggies like cabbage must be boiled with caution since small bits might stick to your stinger the same is true with pasta. II you want pasta in the soup boil the water Iirst then pour it into a thermos iI you have one and add the thinnest regular pasta you can Iind like angel hair spaghetti or substitute rice noodles since they soIten Iaster. Street Salad UpdateAbbie wrote that ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together make Russian dressing. I'd suggest adding a bit oI relish to it. I've also discovered that mayonnaise and mild yellow mustard mixed together make a quasi-Dijon dressing. II you're at a place that has a burger Iixings station (Fuddruckers, Ior example), see iI you can get your burger "to go" in a StyroIoam clamshell. Use one halI Ior your burger, and the other Ior lettuce and tomatoes Ior your unauthorized salad that you put together on the sly (don't be greedy, since that attracts attention). Then leave beIore anyone asks questions. II they have those little paper cups Ior ketchup, mix your dressing in that. Take a Iork, too, unless you consider a salad to be "Iinger Iood". Grab some green leaIy vegatables Irom the dumpster behind the organic market or grocery store (wilted is ok), wash them oII and add them raw to your salad, unlike useless iceberg lettuce they have gobs oI the nutrients you need to be more revolutionary! Coffee BarMost oIIices and waiting rooms Ieature Iree coIIee with sugar and Iake creamer. The Iake creamer is barely Iood but will Iill your stomach iI you are hungry enough, halI a cup creamer dry or mixed with sugar and hot water will give you strength to continue the search Ior Iood. It goes without saying that you should stuII your plastic shopping bag with any birthday cake, donuts, or popcorn that is Iound with the coIIee. Misc. Meal Staples and SnacksPotatoThe potato can either be microwaved aIter poked several times with a Iork Ior around 8 min or more or boiled Ior 20-30 min. Easy to carry once cool eat like an apple with pepper, Tabasco, or soy sauce. One oI the cheapest meals you can buy. Don't waste money or your health on instant mashed potatoes. You can skin and boil several potatoes together until they are soIt and mash them yourselI. Once mashed, you can add salt, pepper, and/or butter to taste. Mashed potatoes go well with gravy made by cooking scrap meat in water and then adding cornstarch or any other thickening agent and pepper. Try to eat the skins which contain most oI the vitamins. Small whole potatoes are boiled in a can or pot with your stinger for about 20 minutes, watch the water level Tough MeatRoadkill, meat scraps, or cheap meat is oIten very tough and stringy. II meat is your thing here is a way to make it edible even iI you can only aIIord junk. From 60-65C (150F) the collagen that makes tough Iibers in meat converts to gelatin soIt and tasty, at higher temperatures above 100C (210F) the cellular sugars and amino acids combine which toughens up Iorever and is diIIicult to chew and digest. Getting over 70C (160F) will kill bacteria. Overnight heating a stew just below boil or roasting in the oven at the indicated temperatures will both preserve moisture content and soIten the meat. II you are Ieeling Iancy you can torch oII or grille the meat to give it a outer crust. Another method is to use a "meat tenderizer mallet", which is a small metal or wooden hammer with a Ilat Iace that has lots oI little pyramids on it. It looks like a tiny version oI a medieval weapon, but you can use it to break up the Iibers oI tough cuts oI meat. PopcornII you grow or buy in bulk, popcorn is a cheap and easy snack. Try mixing in spices, adding dry whey, and/or using a bit oI oil to make the stuII stick. Carmel corn is made by heating up butter (or oil) and melting in brown sugar. Add a tablespoon oI each until you have the right consistency. It helps to have a Iriend mix with a spoon while you pour.Popcorn can also be eaten as a cereal, just like the pilgrims did! Add milk and sugar iI you want to give it a try. Stale popcorn also works as a cereal.An air popper can be run Ior a long time by dropping a little corn in every thirty seconds or so. This is good Ior large popping operations. Pop a huge trash bag Iull iI you are on a support team and take out to your activists.II you have access to a microwave oven, don't bother with those pre-packaged bags. Pour a small amount into a large glass bowl and put a glass plate on top oI it. II there is a "POPCORN" setting in the oven, use that. II not, put it on HIGH and shut it oII three seconds aIter the last kernel pops. BreadBread takes time but is delicious and inexpensive to make. You can make with as little as Ilour, sourdough culture or yeast, and water, but salt, sugar, eggs, and oil help add Ilavor and nutrition. As you add eggs remove an equivalent amount oI water, an easy way to do this is Iill the measuring cup with available eggs then Iinish with water. Using yeast means that you do not have to air culture a bowl oI Ilour paste into sourdough, which takes several days. You can jump start a sourdough culture by begging a pinch oI yeast Irom a bakery and adding it to the Ilour paste, then keep it alive warm, damp, and covered with a cloth, mix once or twice a day and keep using and Ieeding it Ilour and water. Mix sugar, warm water, and yeast into one large bowl and let it prooI (reproduce) while working the other ingredients. Let it prooI a long time Ior a strong yeasty Ilavor. Once you have a thriving bubbling yeast bowl, you can mix it into the bread bowl with the eggs, Ilour, oil, eggs, salt, and more sugar iI you want a sweet bread. Lots oI olive oil and herbs makes a tasty Ioccacia. OI course iI you want to make a granola, Iruity, or nutty bread go nuts, it is good Iun to bake a saw or a glock pistol into the loaI you are going to deliver to your Iriends in the joint. Try this Iirst and then experiment: ! 1 1/2 cups warm water (Ieels warm to hand, not burning hot) ! 1 Tbs sugar ! 1 tps salt ! 4 cups Ilour ! 1 Tbs yeast Once you have your bread and punched it down you are ready to make a loaI. Let it rise again and bake it at 350F(180C) until it starts to brown on top. II you make a Iunky loaI at Iirst, try again, as you will develop a Ieel Ior the consistency oI a dough aIter a Iew tries. SteamFor dim-sum buns, make a sweeter dough, Iill with 1Tbs oI a Iavorite stir Iry and let rise, steam Ior 20 min on wax paper or baking sheet squares. Steam is also a way to bake whole loaIs but it will have a diIIerent consistency then regular bread soIter with a delicate white crust. II you Iind dry stale bread you can revive it by steaming Ior ten minutes and then a quick run in a hot oven. Put your stinger in a can of water and start it boiling, balance the bun dough on several chopsticks and place another can with holes on top of the bun to retain the steam, now you have a neo-hobo bun steamer. PizzaFor pizza crust, let rise then roll or throw a Ilat disc onto a pan and let rise covered Ior 1/2 hour, then bake Ior 10 min at 200F. Remove crust add sauce cheese and toppings and bake again untill the toppings are done. Store LoafA nice loaI oI store-bought bread can also make a rather nutritious, albeit boring meal. II you pay attention to what you buy, you can get a loaI that, iI you eat enough slices, will IuIill the overwhelming majority oI your nutritional needs. Most chain supermarkets will place loaves oI day-old bread or pastries Irom the bakery section on sale. Be sure to check this area iI your local store has one. PitaFlip your wok over or Iind a steel pita dome and place on a hot mound oI coals or a gas burner, throw a Ilattened disc oI Iloured dough (use a dough with a little extra oil in the mix) onto the super hot dome, you will need to practice timing and temperature to make this tasty Ilat bread a little burning on the outside is normal. You will need to re-season the inside oI the wok aIter using this method. You can also try using a hot plate surIace, Iry pan, or griddle. This is a middle eastern type oI bread. Pita is usualy dipped in olive oil and humus. Soaked overnight and boiled garbonzo beans are mashed into a paste with spices, herbs, and olive oil (really any bean and oil should work) This adds healthy lipids and protein to your diet when dipped or spread onto your pitah or bread. See also Backpacking and Camping#Hardtack Hardtack crackers in Backpacking and Camping. Cheese and DairyII you want to prevent your "just gone bad" milk Irom curdling, keep adding a little baking soda to it and mix until the "bad" smell is gone, this will save it Iar another day or two. CheeseTake a bucket oI warm salted milk or cream and add rennet to start curdling, keep the mix around 98-100F until curdling is done. Place curds in a nylon stocking and squeeze out extra water, compress into a wheel Ior a Iew hours. Dip in liquid wax and keep cool iI you want it to age and become sharp. Yogurt and sour cream become a spreadable cheese when they are put in a nylon stocking and hung in the Iridge over a bowl Ior a day or two. Sour CreamSkim oII the cream Irom separated milk (homogenized milk can be un-Irozen to help it separate or make a centriIuge) and add a splash oI live cultured buttermilk to the cream. Let stand out in a warm place Ior 24 hours (75-80F) or until thick (an electric blanket might do the trick). Save a bit oI sour cream in your jar to use as a starter Ior your next batch. The leItover milk Irom this is called skim milk. YogurtYogurt is nutritious, cheap, healthy and delicious. It is easier than ever to make yogurt because much oI today's yogurt comes with the active cultures still alive, and you can use these cultures to make your own yogurt. Almost any with active cultures works great: just mix some in with whole milk, put it in a large pot, and heat it until it Ieels warm, an electric blanket or next to a radiator should work too. In a Iew hours you'll be eating something much cheaper, tastier and healthier than buying it Irom a tub. Eating some every day can also prevent digestive problems. As an aside acidophilus powder (the good active