Day: August 26, 2013


Understanding The Process of Freeze Drying Food, by Thomas Baldrick

To understand freeze drying there is less to digest than you might think. If you’re into survival, freeze dried food is your friend. It’s a good friend because you’ll enjoy it and feel good having it around. Like a weapon, a partner or a loyal dog, it serves as your trusted companion… always there for you when you need it most. Now let’s explain the process of freeze drying food and understand how this friendship begins. What is Freeze Drying? While today’s freeze drying industry is powered by some really smart people and super high tech equipment, the concept remains …


Advice on Come-Alongs

Reader L. in Tucson recent wrote to ask for some guidance on buying come-alongs for his new retreat ranch in northern Arizona. Here is my advice: Ratchet cable hoists (commonly called “Come-Alongs”) are crucial tools for life on a retreat and for off-road driving. They have umpteen uses for everything from wire fence stretching to lifting elk carcasses for butchering. These should be purchased in pairs, for the greatest versatility.  We keep four come-alongs here at the Rawles Ranch: Two that are 2-ton capacity and two that are 4-ton capacity.  All four are American-made, by Maasdam under the trade name Pow’R …


Pat’s Product Review: T3 Rescue Tool

Many years ago I worked as an EMT – part of my training was to work on a Chicago Fire Department rescue ambulance. It was exciting  and demanding. Also, in the course of working as a police officer, I had many occasions where I had to cut someone out of a seat belt that had become stuck, or cut people out of their clothing so we could attend to their injuries. While I’ve always carried a pocket knife, it was not the perfect tool for the job.   There are several different types of cutting tools on the market today, …


Recipe of the Week:

Rich H.’s Peach Pie Jam 6 cups peaches, peeled and cut 2 cups brown sugar 3 T. bottled lemon juice 1 t. cinnamon 1 t. nutmeg 4 1/2 T. Ball Flex Batch no sugar/low sugar pectin ( or Sure-Jell one box of no sugar/low sugar pectin) Cut and measure peaches and put into dutch oven, heating until the peaches begin to break down, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so that you don’t burn the fruit. Add 2 cups of brown sugar, lemon juice, and spices. Once you get the right flavor bring to a boil and then add your pectin, …


Economics and Investing:

Hit in the Gut by the Internet Sales Tax. The advent of this tax is yet another reason to support small “mom and pop” businesses. (They will be exempt from collecting Internet sales taxes–at least for now.) Reader James W. suggested: Cashless: The Coming War on Tax-Evasion and Decentralized Money Italian factory owner moves company to Poland while staff are on holiday Items from The Economatrix: 18 Signs That Global Financial Markets Are Entering A Horrifying Death Spiral 401(k)s: Delivery Problems of a Different Nature Health Insurance Premiums Rise Faster Than Wages Obamacare clock stops for your boss, not you


Odds ‘n Sods:

What if they had a protest, and nobody came? Richmond rally supports more checks for gun purchases. You’ll find buried in the third paragraph: “Speaking to a sparse crowd — perhaps 15 local supporters…” Fifteen? Gosh, even the gay boy-baiting NAMBLA group gathers more people than that. So my questions are: Who wrote that headline, and who was the editor that approved it? And since when does 15 souls constitute a “rally”? Their draw was closer to the scale of a Kaffeeklatsch. The turnout was pretty pathetic, when you consider the $12 million+ that Mayor Bloomberg has spent on just …