This is the third book I received from Paladin Press to review. I appreciate the chance to read and review these books, I have enjoyed them immensely. This book is about survivalism on a budget. Being on a budget is a full time occupation for most of us.  With these uncertain times, it’s good to have backups, ways to get along if things go wrong. It’s ludicrous to think the government will step up and take care of us, your best bet is to be your own best advocate, take care of yourself and your family. With the knowledge gained from this book, even someone on the tightest of budgets should be able to implement many of the ideas in this book with little or no financial output.
>>Keep reading “Shoestring Survivalism – book review”

Some time back, I did a review of LaMar’s Simple Solar Homestead, a great (and inexpensive) ebook created by LaMar, the great thing about LaMar, is he is actually LIVING this lifestyle, not just spouting theory.

>>Keep reading “LaMar’s Simple Solar Homesteading videos”

FoE’s Robin Webster: “useless”Micro-generation suddenly looks a better bet in the UK after an official report painted a dismal picture of insecure energy supplies and yo-yo prices over the next decade.
In a tacit admission that the private sector and the national grid are failing to deliver energy security, the study by UK energy regulator Ofgem predicts that consumers could face price volatility with energy price spikes of up to 60 per cent within the next 7 years.
>>Keep reading “Dismal UK energy prospects will boost DIY power”

Reading, learning, it’s what I enjoy doing. Before the internet, I would go to the three local libraries in my hometown, I would check out as many books as each on would allow, take them all home, read-read-read until I had gotten through all of them, then I return the books to their respective homes and start all over again. I tended to read non-fiction, I preferred them over fiction most of the time. With the exception of a few notable authors such as Stephen King, Jean M. Auel, and such…

With the advent of the internet and ebooks, I mostly read what I can get in digital format, including audiobooks. So these last couple of books I’ve read, I have held in my hand, turned pages, it was quite old-school for me. J I love it. Now, on to the book review.
>>Keep reading “Tough Times Survival Guide vol 1 – book review”

I’d like to think that we have entered the post-consumer era – a time when gross flaunting of wealth seems passé and we are more concerned with community and integrity than an 80s style dash for cash.

But when Simon Cowell of American Idol, and British artist Tracey  Emin, agree on something, you had better listen. Both of  them got famous by knowing which way the wind was blowing, and both these media luvvies have just proudly come out as greedy, loudmouth  show-offs,  infatuated with their own wealth.
>>Keep reading “Greed cheerleaders sleaze splurge”

A while back, I had some trouble with the government about buying cigarettes from outside the country (USA), it is perfectly legal to order cigarettes for import into the USA for personal use. I assure you that the cigarettes I ordered WERE for personal use, I did not trade, sell, barter or in any other way distribute these cigarettes. After receiving a threatening letter from the Dept of Homeland Security, a very scary thing to find in your mailbox, especially for a law abiding citizen! I decided that I needed to find a better way to get smokes without having to pay an arm and a leg, or having the threat of the government over my head. I found an alternative way, it’s legal and it should be doable by nearly anyone.
>>Keep reading “Grow your own tobacco – book review”

They drive expensive hybrid cars and donate their time (and big wads of cash) to help “save the planet.”

But are celebs merely preening their own image when the espouse green causes? And do they inspire us mere mortals to be a bit greener too? Or are we all so cynical that we merely look on their green antics as the latest piece of gossip?
>>Keep reading “Preening or Greening?”

Remember those silly little Chia Pets? Little did we know then that those strange little seeds painted on those cheesy terracotta pots shaped like animals were actually GOOD for us… It turns out that they are, they are high in vitamins, minerals, loads of fiber and it’s a better source of omega’s than flax seeds are. This is a very good survival food.
>>Keep reading “Chia pets or survival food”

The US and UK governments  have announced funding for renewable energy demonstration projects. Off-Grid.net is forming two consortia to bid for project in both the US and the UK.

In each country Off-Grid intends to create one consortium for an Off-Grid residential development of at least 3000 homes, and one consortium for a commercial/industrial development using at least 5 Megawatts of power per year.
>>Keep reading “Energy demonstration project – RFP”