Month: August 2012

Mike Williamson’s Book Review: The Book of Blacksmithing

The Book of Blacksmithing (Setting Up Shop, Essential Skills, and Easy Projects to Get You Started), by Michael Cardiff. ISBN-13: 978-1610045773 I’ve known Mike Cardiff for a couple of decades, and can vouch for his competencies as a smith.  He moves surely, wastes no effort, and turns out functional tools, blades and accoutrements in short order.  I helped him find a publisher for this work, and am very glad to see it in print.   I’m quite impressed by the outcome.  Mike’s writing style is simple, clear and straightforward, and the illustrations by his brother are likewise very easy to …


A T.M. in Arkansas Book Review: 7 Deadly Scenarios

7 Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores War in the 21st Century by Andres F. Krepinevich Bantam Dell, New York, 2009. 334 pages including a thorough index. ISBN 978-0-553-80539-0   The author of this book is the president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, and a former US Army officer with a Ph.D. from Harvard University. In this book, he asks the hard questions most people choose to ignore. Being prepared is an ongoing task based on anticipation of something bad occurring. Planning for those occurrences is best done by utilizing scenarios to figure out your response, and …


Pat’s Product Review: Kahr PM 45 Pistol

I’ve always been a big fan, of little guns – that pack some serious knock down power. I remember first reading about the (then) new Kahr Arms 9mm pistol, and whoever wrote about it claimed the double-action only trigger was butter smooth. Well, it wasn’t until about five years ago, that I actually saw my first Kahr in a gun shop. For some reason, all the gun shops I regularly haunted, never had a Kahr in-stock – new or used. As soon as I felt how good the Kahr K9 felt in my hands, and the super-smooth trigger pull on …


Two Letters Re: Getting A Mortgage After Relocating

The letter from the couple who moved to one of the Redoubt states and was unable to get a mortgage from a local bank reminded me of our experience. We moved to a Redoubt state in 1993 after having sold our house in Pennsylvania for a tidy profit. We moved to our new location and put that “tidy profit” (which was more than half the down payment for a new place) into a local bank. My husband found work immediately. I was a stay-at-home mom. A few months later, we found a 5-acre piece of property and went back to …


Recipe of the Week:

Rose M.’s “Magic Mix” White Sauce Mix Combine: 4 C nonfat dry milk 1 C flour ¼ C corn starch 1 C butter or shortening (or a combination)   Combine all very well with a pastry blender, or better yet, with a food processor or mixer.   To use, combine 2/3 C Magic Mix with 1  to  1 ½ C water (depending  how thick you want your sauce and what you’re making), and simmer until thick. You can start with less water and add more water if you want a thinner sauce, or even add more mix to get the …


Economics and Investing:

Reader Lee M. sent this: Europe readies the printing press: Europe’s central bank appears to have created a path to implementing Fed-like easy-money policies. If so, it is a huge game-changer for Europe, and the world, as inflation fears come to the fore. Rex in Tennessee mentioned a piece by John Barnett over at The American Thinker: ‘Mountain Pride’ versus the Welfare State How does a Gawker spell hypocrite? Gawker and Bain and the Caymans. Report: Middle class will take years to reverse losses of last decade Items from The Economatrix: Top Investor Warns of “Financial Armageddon” as Soros Dumps …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Mexico scrambles to cope with egg shortage.    o o o Stephanie S. sent: This Year’s Drought Is So Severe, You Can See Its Toll on the Mississippi River From Space    o o o FCC eyes tax on [broadband] Internet service    o o o Reader David J. mentioned that the Sunforce 60-Watt photovoltaic power charging system has been reduced to $222 on Amazon.com. This system was designed with RV owners in mind, but it would work fine at a retreat cabin.



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 42 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


1,000 Bottles of Water on the Roof, by James C.

It is predicted that 76 million people will die from water related diseases by the year 2020. This statistic may be a drastic underestimation if the collapse occurs before the end of the decade. Imagine that you just used up your last pocket micro-filter, and although you have access to fresh water, you have no way to purify it. You think about starting a fire to cleanse your mucky pond water or reclaimed rainwater, but looters have sacked several outposts that you trade with in the area, and you fear smoke from a fire may draw unwanted attention to your …


Letter Re: Getting A Mortgage After Relocating

Dear Mr. Rawles, I would like to share with your readers our story on obtaining a mortgage after relocating to one of the Redoubt States. Unfortunately, we did not have enough cash and could not get a loan from relatives, so we needed a mortgage.   We relocated to the American Redoubt last summer and started renting, as is usually advised. By winter, we were ready to buy our own place. But before finally getting a favorable loan with US Bank, we had quite unpleasant experience with one of the smaller local banks. After providing them with all kinds of …


Economics and Investing:

Tim J. sent a link to an excellent essay by Wayne Allyn Root with some sobering comparisons to 1929: Why we are on the brink of the greatest Depression of all time. From G.G.: Nearly half of Fannie Mae REO unable to reach market GOP boosts gold ahead of convention B.B. sent: Big Income Losses for Those Near Retirement Items from The Economatrix: S&P 500:  The War For 1,400 Has Begun 8 Economic Threats That We Were Not Even Talking About At The Beginning Of Summer Eric Sprott:  The Financial System’s Death Knell? Gerald Celente:  The Fate Of The World, …


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.J.R. spotted this: Heavy Duty 275 Gallon Rain Barrel    o o o Reader S.O.B. sent this: Migration in the Americas: US retirees flock to Nicaragua    o o o Jake K. suggested a brief video tour of The Utah Bishops’ Central Storehouse. [JWR’s Comment: While there is a doctrinal chasm that forever divides us, I greatly admire the dedication of the LDS church in encouraging food storage.]    o o o Over at Packing Pretty: The Heart of the Matter: Why We Carry. And speaking of concealed carry, here is one to file under Sour Grapes: Boulder Students Can …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words], having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 42 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …