Running Iron Report

“How is it,” asks my interlocutor, “that you immerse yourself in all of this dark history, and yet you don’t seem cynical?” Well, that’s a fair question. I’m tempted to simply throw down another Edward Abbey quote and let it go at that: “Don’t let yourself become cynical. Cynicism is a cheap emotion, a craven substitute for thought and action. … Read More

“By midafternoon MacKenzie’s troops had taken torches to all the teepees and burned them down. Thousands of rounds of bullets, hoarded by the Indians and abandoned during the raid, exploded.  In the wreckage of the Indian camp soldiers found a pillowcase made from a Seventh Cavalry guidon flag, command memo books and guard rosters; scalps of a white girl and a Shoshone girl, a necklace made of human fingers, personal clothing and military hardware…” … Read More

Author Rick Steber stops by the bunkhouse for a revealing interview with Craig & Jim.  Steber has written more than 40 books, including “Caught in the Crosshairs,” “Red White Black,” and “Buy the Chief a Cadillac.”  The recipient of numerous awards for his writing, the Los Angeles Times has said:  “Steber’s words remind you of Hemingway or Fitzgerald.”

… Read More

***UPDATE**** Looks like the problem is solved and we’re back in action. Thanks for your patience and for all of the comments. ***** The Running Iron Report site is experiencing technical difficulties. We’re taking a good hard look at the Russians. We’ll post all comments and report back to you as soon as we get the problem resolved. Thanks for … Read More

After a quarter-century as an Oregonian, I finally experienced one of the state’s iconic events. My daughter and I attended the Oregon Country Fair. This countercultural extravaganza on six acres of oaks along the Long Tom River west of Eugene has been encouraging thousands to let their freak flag fly since 1969. There are multitudes of angles to take on … Read More

The landing beaches were enfiladed with hardened machine gun positions and grazing fire on either flank, booby trapped with land mines and improvised explosives, and all the while the Marines remained under accurate fire from mortars and artillery buried and unobservable in the hills beyond.  All of this remained true even after several days of naval bombardment and the US Navy’s assurances that there were no longer any targets available to their gunners on Peleliu.

… Read More

In this episode of the Running Iron Podcast, Dr. Lorissa Hines from Austin, Texas, pays a housecall on Craig, Jim, and “Oil Can” Rathbun at the Figure 8 Ranch.  Dr. Hines discusses a variety of issues — from the media and science kerfuffles over childhood immunizations to her humanitarian work with children from Uganda to Mongolia.    Join us for a few laughs, some valuable medical opinions, and a terrific interview with a succesful doctor, mother, and worldwide humanitarian.

… Read More

My hometown is fixin’ to get the blues in a big way the first weekend of August. A couple of music-lovin’, cable-stringin,’ hammer swingers are making it happen out of their own passion and pocket. I love that. I love it in the abstract, and I love it because it’s the same damn-fool thing I and a few other people … Read More

The following is a guest post by Rob L. Thornton   North Idaho is a weird place, and the deeper you go the weirder it gets. I spent a week this past June going deep and weird, the end result of about six months of research into the history of our logging industry back in the early 1900s. I’ve always … Read More

I used to play in the orange groves Till they bulldozed all the trees Then I’d stand among those dead stumps And smell the blossoms on the breeze… — Dave Alvin, “Dry River”*  * I don’t know why I like to drive ’em like I do You know it ain’t nothin’ but A hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds of steel … Read More