I wouldn't bet against this man...

 

I was intrigued to read this post about Elon Musk.  Click the screen capture below to be taken to the full-size version on X.com.

I admire Elon Musk.  He's made some mistakes, sure, but who hasn't?  However, he seems to learn from his mistakes a lot faster and a lot better than the rest of us, and proceeds to show the rest of the world how it's done.

That's why I'm also intrigued by the launch of X Money a few days ago.  Musk was one of the founders of Paypal, and withdrew from it several years ago.  He learned a lot about the consumer finance industry at that time (not to mention all he's learned about the corporate finance industry before and since).  X Money is still in its early stages, but I expect it'll incorporate all those lessons in due course, and will probably end up being a major threat to the consumer banking industry.  It's already offering an interest rate of 6% - three times higher than most banks of which I'm aware.  For those who keep "nest eggs" handy, either as an emergency reserve or saving to buy something expensive, that's a very large incentive, offering interest rates that offset most of what inflation is costing us.

This isn't an advertisement for X Money.  I'm just very interested to see what Musk's new venture will offer people like you and I.  I fully expect panicked reaction from consumer banks as they try to stop their customers from trying X Money for themselves.  Will this turn into his latest success story?  I wouldn't bet against it - or him.

Peter

More thoughts on America's 250th birthday

 

I was reminded recently of William J. H. Boetcker (1873-1962).  He's perhaps best known for his 1916 pamphlet, "The Ten Cannots".  In summary:

• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
• You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
• You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
• You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
• You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
• You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
• You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.
• And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

He also authored this list of "Seven National Crimes":

• I don't think.
• I don't know.
• I don't care.
• I am too busy.
• I leave well enough alone.
• I have no time to read and find out.
• I am not interested.

Both lists bear thinking about as we celebrate our nation's quarter-millennium anniversary.  May our descendants still remember them when the half-millennial anniversary rolls around!

Peter

"Pie in the sky" prepping - or, getting real about our chances

 

I'm a relative lightweight in the "prepping" world.  I have emergency food, water and other supplies to keep my wife and myself alive for a few months in a disaster situation, and (hopefully) enough to share with friends for at least the short term;  but that's based on "bugging in", staying in our home and not venturing far unless and until it's safe to do so.  We don't have a "bug out" location, or remotely stored supplies, or anything like that - it's simply unaffordable for us.

Nevertheless, I'm often surprised to hear from people who are very much in our situation that they have these grand plans to "bug out" to the sticks, establish a survival homestead from scratch, grow their own food, herd a few cows, steal a travel trailer from somewhere as a place to live, and so on.  Frankly, I think they have no idea at all of just how much effort will be involved in making that plan work.

Eaton Rapids Joe has put up a couple of recent blog posts in which he lays out precisely what skills and resources are needed (and vitally important) if one is to homestead successfully.  In the first article, "A man has to know his limitations", he looks at all the skills needed to successfully homestead (some required all the time, others for specific situations).  In the second, "Why 'Russian' Dachas all look alike", he examines what successful country farms have in the way of facilities and equipment, and also what they don't have (because it's either way too expensive, or too resource-heavy, or unnecessary).  Both articles, and both of the lists he provides, are well worth reading.  If, after reading them, anyone still thinks it'll be easy to set up an emergency homestead . . . well, you're probably going to learn the hard way how wrong you are!

Another aspect of the problem is that too many people stock up on "second-best" gear, food and equipment for emergency use, because it's cheaper and they can afford more of it.  Commander Zero discusses this approach with respect to firearms:

... if you need to resort to your hideaway stash becase you can’t get to your primary gear, then its safe to assume that your life has just taken a turn for the spectacularly ungood, agreed? So, in that time of (literally) existential crisis doesn’t it seem to make sense that you would want the best gear you can have?

It does, indeed, make sense.  That's a lesson I learned the hard way in Africa over many years.  If you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Mother Nature is a stone cold bitch who's out to kill you, wouldn't you want the best gear you can get in your emergency stash, to help you withstand her advances?  Quality can save your life.  Economy can kill you.  That applies to all our emergency preps, not just firearms.

(On a related subject, Commander Zero recently bought some land in the back country of Montana, and is beginning to set it up as a private retreat.  He recently blogged about his first weekend excursion to begin preparing it for use.  So many things went wrong that one can almost feel his pain, but he's not afraid to discuss all the mistakes he made, and what he's learned from the experience that he'll apply in future visits.  A very useful discussion, and a very useful reality check for the rest of us.)

Preparation isn't just physical.  One's outlook on everyday living - and what it costs - is a foundational element.  SNAFU links to a social media comment from a teacher who's complaining that she can't come out on $7,500 net income per month - while spending over $1,500 on a vehicle payment, and over $3,000 on rent!  Some commenters at his site question whether the original post is truthful, because the payments seem extraordinarily high, but he makes the very valid point that "Financial Education needs to be a REQUIRED course in school (along with NOT chasing luxury items to impress people that don't give a damn)".

On that subject, here's some brutally frank (and very truthful) advice from the TV series House Of Cards.  Kevin Spacey plays Frank Underwood, a highly immoral yet realistic politician.

Yes, that is brutal advice:  but in this world of easy-fulfilment dreams, hire purchase, leasing, and all the other debt instruments out there, it remains true.  If you're in debt, you're a financial slave to those who own your debt, and most of them will be utterly ruthless in coming after you to get what they're owed.  Being prepared for emergencies is as much about financial preparation as any other type of preparedness:  and one of the first and most fundamental steps in financial preparation is to get out of debt as far as possible.  As Spacey's character says, "The moment you get in debt, you're enslaving yourself until you buy back your freedom with interest."  Believe it.  It's true.

(Sometimes, of course, we can't afford not to go into debt.  We had to replace my wife's car in early 2022, because her old one had been driven into the ground until it was no longer viable.  The impact of COVID-19 had led to a drastic shortage of all types of vehicles, partly due to the reduction in dealer inventory, partly due to the shortage of used vehicles thanks to President Obama's "Cash For Clunkers" scheme, which scrapped tens of thousands of otherwise worthwhile cars.  We ended up buying a new car, and paying above the manufacturer's MSRP, because nothing else worthwhile was available to us:  and, to finance that very expensive purchase, we took out a loan.  It was a loan neither of us wanted, but under the circumstances, it was necessary.  Under such circumstances, one does what one must.  We bought an entry-level model without all the luxury features, and that helped lower the price and keep payments down.)

All of the above articles are food for thought.

Peter

A fascinating legacy from a bygone era

 

This report caught my imagination.

In northern India's Uttar Pradesh state, a team of workers is carefully restoring a centuries-old royal kitchen that once fed the rulers of the former princely state of Awadh.

Tucked within the sprawling complex of Chota Imambara - a mausoleum and congregation hall - this kitchen in Lucknow is a reminder of a different kind of royal legacy. Built in 1837 by former Awadh ruler Muhammad Ali Shah, the site once served not just the elite, but the public too.

At its peak, the meals here were prepared for both the royal household and ordinary people, especially during religious gatherings and special occasions.

. . .

According to historians, in 1839, Muhammad Ali Shah gave 3.6m rupees - considered a vast sum in those days - to the East India Company, then a British trading enterprise, on the condition that it would be responsible for maintaining the monuments built by the Awadh nawabs, while the kitchen would continue to run on the interest earned from the fund.

After India became independent 1947, this money was transferred into a local bank.

Today, the kitchen is managed by the Hussainabad Trust - a state government-monitored body - which continues to use the interest to fund and manage the kitchen's operations.

That legacy lives on in the meals still served here, prepared to the same standards laid down generations ago.

. . .

Historian Roshan Taqui says the king was determined to ensure the kitchen kept running without interruption.

To handle the scale of cooking, he built two identical kitchens on either side of the Chota Imambara - a design that also reflects Awadhi architecture's heavy emphasis on symmetry, he adds.

The concept of twin kitchens is proving useful to this day.

"During this Ramadan, while restoration was underway in one of the kitchens, cooking continued in the other," Taqui says.

There's more at the link, including details of the ongoing restoration of the two-century-old kitchens using original materials and techniques.  There are several photographs of the process.

It's fascinating to think how different faiths such as Christianity and Islam could give rise to similar concepts of alms-giving on the part of the rich and powerful.  In Europe, knights and barons might endow a monastery or hospital or way-station for pilgrims, something that would be useful for generations to come, in the same way as Muhammad Ali Shah decreed that his palace kitchens would feed the poor as well as his household.  Both operated on the principle of "storing up treasure in heaven", where one's good deeds may help to offset the less good or downright sinful ones - a very common approach to faith in earlier times.

I could wish that some of our modern oligarchs and rulers might continue the practice . . .

Peter

What is artificial intelligence? Here are some answers.

 

Following several recent articles about artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on our jobs, our society and our future, a number of readers have contacted me asking for more information on a very basic level.  For example, what is AI?  Is it, in fact, intelligence - or just a computer program acting as if it were intelligent?  Does AI mean that we're living in something like the Matrix's simulated reality?

Let me offer two relatively easy-to-understand avenues for further reading.  First, Fox News has a category called Artificial Intelligence.  It contains current and recent news articles dealing with the subject, plus a sidebar of basic information about what AI is, how it works, its history and its dangers.

Second, Wikipedia has a more academic article about AI.  It's not as easy to read or understand, but it repays careful attention.  Of particular value are the links it provides to articles and Web sites that further explain aspects of AI.  I don't trust Wikipedia as a sole-source authority, but I think it's a great start for further reading.

I recommend both links for further reading.  Hope this helps.

Peter

A very useful cost-saver that works for everyone

 

For all the doom-and-gloom prophecies about what artificial intelligence (AI) will do to the job market and the business sector, AI does have some very useful applications for the average American.  Here's one.

Last summer, a man’s brother-in-law suffered a fatal heart attack. The hospital bill for four hours of emergency care: $195,628.

The man’s sister-in-law was ready to pay it. He asked her to wait. He requested an itemized bill with CPT codes, the universal billing codes hospitals use, and fed the whole thing into Claude, an AI chatbot.

Within minutes, Claude found duplicate charges, services billed as "inpatient" even though the patient was never admitted, supply costs inflated by 500% to 2,300% above Medicare rates and charges for procedures that never happened. He cross-checked with ChatGPT. Both AIs agreed. He wrote a six-page letter citing every violation by name.

The hospital dropped the bill to $33,000. An 83% reduction. Zero medical training. A $20 app.

There's more at the link.  Highly recommended reading for anyone expecting or receiving big medical bills.

I've used this myself over the past year or so.  As regular readers will know, I've been dealing with multiple medical issues for some time, including the removal of a kidney and forthcoming major spinal surgery for which extensive (and intensive) preliminary examinations and tests have been required.  I've had to spend over $30,000 in doing so.  However, once I started analyzing what I was being charged by using online AI tools, I was able to secure some dramatic reductions in the billing.  I reckon I've saved five figures worth of money already, and expect to save a lot more by doing the same thing in future.

I recommend that any reader expecting (or paying) large medical bills should read the whole article referenced above, then try its recommendations for yourself.  You may be very pleasantly surprised by how much you save.

Peter

Very useful information on long-term emergency food storage

 

Commander Zero, whom we've met in these pages on several occasions, recently wrote an article asking his readers for feedback on cold weather food storage.  His exact question was:  "If you were going to store foods in a location that was going to be subject to freeze/thaw cycles, what foods would be best choices?"

Many of his readers responded - 44 of them, as I write these words.  They've provided a great deal of information that's useful for anyone considering food storage, even if not in a cold-weather environment.  I highly recommend clicking over to his place to read his question and explanation, and their responses.

Peter

More useful information about your home in extreme cold

 

Karl Denninger has written extensively about the effect of extreme cold on your home's plumbing, heating problems, and related issues.  His article is too long to excerpt here, so click over to his place and read it for yourself.  Very interesting and useful information.

Stay warm, friends.

Peter

Lessons learned from the snowstorm - reader questions answered

 

As we gently "melt out" from the snow and ice of the past few days, a number of readers e-mailed me to describe problems they'd encountered, and to ask about aspects of emergency preparation in such weather.  Of particular importance to them was solutions that will work in extreme cold, when the power's out for an indeterminate period.

Let's start with light.  The simplest, easiest and cheapest way to light your home for a few hours, or days, or even weeks, are the pull-up camping lanterns available under various brand names (but probably all made in the same Chinese factory).  This is the cheapest 4-pack on Amazon at the time of writing:

They run on 3 AA batteries, which give several hours' bright light.  They're very lightweight, too, and one can use the handle to hang them from any convenient hook or branch, or stand them on a firm surface.  To use them, just pull the top up (or partway up if you want less light).  I've used them for years.  Some may not work very long, because they're Chinesium, and quality is an afterthought for many such products;  but at the price, it's hard to complain.  I keep half a dozen handy for emergency use.  You should also keep a few flashlights on hand to carry around as needed.  Candles, tea-lights, etc. are useful if you have a safe place to burn them, but they do add to the fire danger, and you leave them unattended at your own risk.

What about generators?  Very useful, but also very noisy, and thirsty for fuel if power remains out for several days.  They also have to run outdoors, for safety reasons (carbon monoxide from their exhaust will kill you deader than dead if you run them indoors).  I have a smallish, lower-cost model, which I'll use mostly to charge up my battery power banks if and when necessary.  It doesn't produce enough power to run all our electrical appliances.  (If you can afford it, you can by all means consider a whole-house generator and a dedicated fuel tank to run it for a week or more, but they're usually very expensive.)

Another problem with generators is theft.  They're in high demand during weather emergencies.  There are those who travel around in such conditions, listening for the sound of generators or evidence of their presence such as lights at night, and then steal them from wherever you've put them.  It happened to a friend of mine not far from here a couple of years ago, not 48 hours after he bought the unit.  The thieves waited until the small hours of the morning, when the generator wasn't in use, then cut the chain he'd used to fasten it to a pillar and carried it off.  He was not a happy camper, to put it mildly!

If you rely on a fuelled generator, make sure you have one powerful enough to run all the appliances you want to use:  then calculate its fuel consumption under load (not just idling).  A lot of manufacturers won't give you that information in their sales brochure, so you might have to dig around to find it, or establish it by trial and error.  Once you know what it is, store enough gasoline or propane to run the generator for however long you might need it.  That adds up very quickly, by the way:  for a large generator, you may need up to 10-15 gallons per day.  Smaller ones are rather more economical.  (Don't forget oil:  if you have a new generator, you'll normally be expected to change its lubricant after 20-30 hours of operation, and at regular intervals thereafter.  Spark plugs of the right size, plus spare air and oil filters, are also worth keeping in stock.  A trickle charger to keep the generator battery topped up isn't a bad idea, either.)

Finally, run the generator regularly to make sure it's in good working order.  Some recommend every month;  others, every quarter.  If it won't start when you desperately need it, you aren't going to be very happy (and even less so when your family finds out)!

My preferred solution for electric power is to use one or more electric power banks, which are sometimes referred to as power generators or solar generators.  They usually offer a more expensive solution than generators (at least, at today's prices), but they're also much more convenient, can be carried to wherever you need them, can be easily recharged by even a small generator, and don't smell of exhaust fumes or drip fuel and oil on your floor!  There are many models, some of which you'll find at the link above, but I'd divide them into three size categories based on likely use.

The first are small power banks up to 1KW (kilowatt - 1,000 watts) in power and a similar storage capacity in KWh (kilowatt-hours - the energy used to produce one kilowatt of power for one hour).  These can't run anything very big in power draw, but for lightweight use (portable lights with LED bulbs, charging cellphones or tablets, game consoles, etc.) they can be very convenient.  I know some families who keep a couple on hand to let their kids use them while Mom and Dad use a larger power bank for larger power needs (e.g. TV, DVD player, computer, etc.)  Small units are also useful to power low-draw appliances such as a CPAP machine or oxygen generating device, which are often important for home health care.  Check the appliance's power draw and make sure the battery bank you buy has adequate power and storage capacity to cope with its needs.

The next category is what I'll call medium power banks, 1.5-4KW in power and a similar storage capacity in KWh.  These are general-purpose workhorses, usually portable, and with enough stored energy to be useful for several hours before needing to be recharged.  My personal favorite at present is the Bluetti Elite 400, for two reasons:  one, its capacities are 2.6KW power and 3.84KWh storage capacity, which meet most of our needs, and two, it's on wheels with an extendable handle.  Being a larger, heavier unit (about 85 pounds), and because my wife and I both have health issues restricting us from lifting heavy loads, the Elite 400 is much easier for us to move around the house if necessary.  There are, of course, many competitors to the Bluetti.  Shop around and see which you prefer.  Also, don't forget extension cords so you can plug in your fridge, freezer(s), etc. to the power bank, no matter where it is.

Finally, there are whole-house battery banks, some from providers such as Bluetti, some permanent installations such as the Tesla Powerwall.  Such banks are much larger than portable units, and many require professional installation, usually along with solar power panels to keep them charged when grid power is shut off for any reason.  They're an excellent solution, but very expensive;  the least you can expect to pay for all components (batteries, solar panels, wiring, plus installation) is usually $25,000 or more.  On the other hand, they tend to work very well, and give owners peace of mind.  (For example, you can read Divemedic's blog posts on his Florida installation at this link, from most recent to oldest.)

I find battery banks' convenience and ease of use to be head and shoulders above any other low- to medium-cost solution.  We have the equivalent of about 14KWh stored across a few units, charged and ready to go, which should be enough to get us through two to three days before we have to run a generator to recharge them.  With judicious use and not wasting power, I think we could go several weeks without electricity from the grid, if we had to.

What about heat?  If the HVAC system goes out, we're reduced to what we can power using our battery banks and/or generator.  In both cases, in extreme temperatures, we'd move into one or two rooms and heat or cool only them.  For heating indoors, a fireplace is a very desirable option, and/or a wood-burning stove:  if you don't have one, but can fit one to your home at an affordable price, I highly recommend it.  Otherwise, I use and recommend the Mr. Buddy propane indoor-safe heaters, which utilize the familiar green Coleman fuel cylinders and can be fitted with an adapter to run them off conventional propane cylinders.  (With any fire or propane heater, remember the danger from carbon monoxide, and take appropriate precautions!)

There are electric options if you don't like fire or other fuel.  Given a suitable size of power bank, you can buy low-power electric heaters from 400W up to about 900W.  A medium-size power bank can run a 400-500W heater all night long.  They're not very hot, but will warm a 10x10 foot bedroom, which will do nicely in freezing weather.  Larger rooms, not so much - but then, in an emergency, one has to compensate by adjusting one's lifestyle.  If you have an electric blanket, a medium-size power bank will also run that all night long, making things very snug.

What if it's summer, and you want to keep things cool?  Air-conditioning units are power hogs, to put it mildly.  Even the smallest window or stand-alone unit will drain an average power bank in a couple of hours.  I'd suggest using fans instead of air-conditioners, and venting the hot air inside through windows and doors as the day cools down.  Only a whole-house power backup system will allow you to run your HVAC as usual, even without incoming power from the grid.

Cooking?  Use camping gear such as butane or propane stoves.  They're simple, relatively cheap, and work on almost any surface.  You won't (I hope!) burn them long enough to pose a carbon monoxide hazard:  if that worries you, use them on a table in your garage.  I'd suggest having two burners, because a single burner might limit what dishes you can cook (and get extra fuel cartridges for them).  The good old Coleman 2-burner camping stove has been around for decades, and still works well, but it's a lot more expensive than it used to be.  Buying two single-burner butane stoves can often be much cheaper.  Make sure to clean the stove(s) and cooking utensils thoroughly;  sanitary cooking conditions are important for your family's health.

I won't speak to needs such as food, clothing, warm blankets, etc.  We've addressed those subjects several times in the past, and many Web sites have done likewise.  You pays your money and you takes your choice.  However, there are a few things you'll do well to remember.

1. If your kids need to be entertained, have a stock of board games, coloring books and crayons, etc. on hand.  Game consoles, etc. are not useful if you can't switch them on!  TV's can be a problem because of their power consumption.  If you want to use one, get an extra power bank for the purpose.
2. Batteries, batteries, BATTERIES!!!  Make a note of what size of battery (AAA, AA, C-cell, D-cell, 9V, etc.) your toys and small appliances need, and then stock up on them (and rotate your stocks frequently, so you always have fresh supplies when you need them).  I keep at least 50 AAA and 50 AA cells on hand, and I try to buy only small battery appliances that use that size.  I have a dozen C- and D-cells, and 9V as well, just in case.  For a larger family, I'd say 100 of each important size is not unreasonable.
3. If it's going to freeze, get your emergency supplies into the house and out of the worst cold before the storm hits, if possible.  It's no fun to have a week's water in reserve, in case your taps and/or pipes freeze up - only to find that your reserve water containers are also frozen!
4. Have plenty of paper plates and bowls, and plastic drinking cups, available.  That way, you won't have to waste water and time washing up dishes.  You can simply throw it all away.
5. For your vehicles, have windscreen de-icing fluid, ice scrapers, show brushes, etc. on hand, and use them regularly so you can drive if you have to.  It may be better not to, but if you have to get a family member to a doctor or hospital quickly, or evacuate to a hotel if your home becomes uninhabitable for some reason, you want to be able to move quickly.
6. Keep in touch with friends and family nearby.  Make sure everybody's OK.  You could save lives that way.

That's a quick pass through most of the questions I was asked.  If you have something I haven't addressed, please ask it in Comments:  and readers, please feel free to answer such questions, or contribute ideas from your own experience.  We can all learn from each other.

Stay safe out there!

Peter

Autofocus spectacles?

 

I was intrigued to learn of a new optical technology that allows spectacles to autofocus from near to far vision.

The glasses contain eye-tracking sensors as well as liquid crystals in the lenses, which are used to change the prescription instantaneously. The result, according to the company, is an improvement on current bifocal or varifocal lenses, both of which are meant for people who need assistance seeing both far and close distances, but come with drawbacks.

. . .

By using a dynamic lens, IXI does away with fixed magnification areas: “Modern varifocals have this narrow viewing channel because they’re mixing basically three different lenses,” said Niko Eiden, CEO of IXI. “There is far sight, intermediate and short distance, and you can’t seamlessly blend these lenses. So, there are areas of distortion, the sides of the lenses are quite useless for the user, and then you really have to manage which part of this viewing channel you’re looking at.”

The IXI glasses, Eiden said, will have a much larger “reading” area for close-up vision — although still not as large as the entire lens — and it will also be positioned “in a more optimal place,” based on the user’s standard eye exam. But the biggest plus, Eiden added, is that most of the time, the reading area simply disappears, leaving the main prescription for long distance on the entire lens.

“For seeing far, the difference is really striking, because with varifocals you have to look at the top part of the lens in order to see far. With ours, you have the full lens area to see far — as you were used to when you were slightly younger,” Eden explained, referring to people who had glasses for distance vision from their teens or early adulthood, before starting to also need reading glasses, like most people as they get older.

There's more at the link.

I use reading and computer glasses, with different prescriptions, but don't yet need longer-range lenses.  It would be handy to have a single pair that will autofocus from near (book) to slightly longer (computer) distances on demand.

However, I have questions.

1. How are these glasses powered?  There must be a battery somewhere, and a means to carry the power to the lenses themselves.  What's the life of the battery?  How is it recharged and/or replaced when needed?
2. Can these lenses be incorporated/blended with existing technology that darkens the lens in bright light, and lightens it in darker areas, so that one doesn't need a separate pair of sunglasses?
3. How do the lenses perform in the rain?  Will they be able to compensate for drops of rain on their surface, and still provide clear vision?
4. How secure are they against dust, being dropped, and other hazards?  If scratched, as so many spectacle lenses so often are, can they continue in use, or would they have to be replaced?
5. What will they cost?  I imagine that at first, they'll be a premium product.  I won't be able to buy them online from discount vendors, I'm sure.

All that said, this sounds like a very useful development.

Peter

Wildly varying dealer prices for the same vehicle

 

This very interesting video shows what happened when 100 Ford dealers were asked to quote a best and final price for an identical model of pickup.  The first year, relatively few responded.  The second year (after Ford had taken notice and presumably talked to its dealers) a lot more responded - but the price variance in both years, from lowest to highest offer, was astonishingly high, well into five figures.  Take a look.

I knew dealer margins varied, but I had no idea their pricing structures were so very different, nor did I realize how much the price goes up when dealer add-ons are included.  The section on fees and regulatory charges was also eye-opening;  I'd assumed that dealers would not dare meddle with statutory costs like that, but it looks like I was wrong.

I'm sure the facts and figures disclosed in the video will be encountered at any manufacturer's dealers, not just Ford's.  Nevertheless, I hope Ford notices this video and does something about what it reveals - because business practices like these do it no favors at all in the eyes of the public.

I'm certainly going to follow the video's advice if I ever buy another vehicle from a dealer.  Obviously, it applies more to new vehicles, but I'm willing to bet some of it carries over to the used market as well.

Peter

Need meat for long-term storage? Here's a very useful option

 

A few readers have contacted me asking what sort of meat they should buy for long-term storage and emergency use.  All the usual answers are well-known, particularly a freezer filled with the meat you normally eat:  but in a long-term emergency situation, you may not have power to run your freezer.  That's where dried and/or canned meat comes in.  (Jerky is basically dried meat, of course, although often over-seasoned.)  I also keep a stock of pemmican, as I wrote a few weeks ago.  What else do I recommend?

Some time ago, author and friend Mike Williamson introduced me to Grabill Country Meats in Indiana.  They're an Amish-run company, producing cans of beef, port, turkey and chicken preserved the Amish way, boiled in the can with water and nothing else at all.  The meat tastes delicious and lasts a very long time, so much so that they don't put a "best by" date on the can.  Last Monday I opened a can of pork chunks that I bought from them twelve years ago, and it looked, smelled and tasted just as good as one bought last year.  Delicious!

They sell 13oz. and 27oz. cans in boxes of twelve only.  I make sure we always have some in our long-term storage, simply because I've never found better-tasting, easier-to-use canned meat.  Their cans may seem expensive, but if you work it out on a cost-per-pound basis (particularly considering the quality of their meat), it's not bad.  The larger cans work out considerably cheaper per pound than the smaller ones, of course.  Shipping costs are a bear, but anything heavy has that problem.

So, if you want to keep a few (or more than a few) cans of "emergency meat" around to feed yourself and your family, Grabill Country Meats has my strong recommendation.  Being canned chunks, it can't be roasted or fried, but it makes great stews and soups.  In emergency, it can be eaten cold out of the can with a spoon.  Good stuff.

Peter

Words to live by

 

I recently came across a post on Gab dating back to 2023.  User "Mandy_Poppins 🍎🍎🍎" posted:

Sayings of the Amish that go back to the 1600's

“Borrowing makes sorrowing.” (Bariye macht Sarige.)

"There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece."

"That which controls your heart controls your life."

"A person may hoard up money, he may bury his talents, but you cannot hoard up love."

"He who has no money is poor; he who has nothing but money is even poorer."

"Many times we are climbing mountains when we ought to be quietly resting."

"Do more of less."

"The person who kills time has not learned the value of life."

"Today has one thing in which all of us are equal: time. All of us drew the same salary in seconds, minutes, and hours."

"An industrious wife is the best savings account."

"Generosity leaves a much better taste than stinginess."

"Wisdom enables one to be thrifty without being stingy, generous without being wasteful."

"Where love is, there riches be, keep us all from poverty."

"Beware of the barrenness of a too-busy life!"

Food for thought.

Peter

Yay pemmican!

 

A few years ago I mentioned Steadfast Provisions and their pemmican products.  Earlier this year I boosted their fundraiser, aimed at building a brand-new, much-updated commercial kitchen to produce much larger quantities of pemmican and other products.  I'm very glad to report that the new kitchen is up and running, and their pemmican is better than ever.  If this article sounds like I'm shilling for them, well, I guess I am, because I really like to see small businessmen come up with a good idea and make a living out of it - and I just plain like pemmican anyway!

(In case you didn't know much about pemmican, there's a very informative article about it at their Web site.  Recommended reading.)

The new product is similar to the old, but more finely ground, producing a powdery rather than a granular substance when crushed or folded into other foods.  I find the flavor much improved, too.  Last time I ordered the salted-only pemmican, without seasoning.  It was fine, but very bland, designed more to be added to other foods (e.g. soup or stew), or supplemented with flavorings if eaten alone.  In this way it would taste more like the main dish, but provide added protein.

This time I ordered the seasoned version, and find it's much more palatable to eat on its own, even without adding anything else.  The texture appears much closer to Plains Indian descriptions of it, where it was eaten by the pinch out of a parfleche rawhide bag.  I tried some yesterday flavored as the Indians did, with honey dripped over it - delicious!  One can also add dried or fresh berries for a fruitier, sweeter flavor.

I plan to keep several bricks of this stuff in stock as an emergency supply.  One could exist by eating only pemmican, if one had to, but that would get boring fairly quickly!  I regard it as an excellent "bug-out" food, energy-rich and nutritious, easy to get to while walking or driving.  The new version tastes good enough that I'll probably be eating some as a snack on a regular basis, too.  I don't think one could possibly get foods that are more "keto" than pemmican, so I'll take advantage of that.

I prefer to buy the "brick" package of pemmican, containing 2.2 pounds of concentrated beef.

It may seem expensive, with a price tag of $97 for 2.2 pounds of pemmican, but bear in mind how greatly the "raw" weight of meat has been reduced in the production process.  One of those bricks contains over 10 pounds of raw beef, and given the price of good-quality beef today, that's a bargain in anyone's language.  If you'd like to try something smaller and lower-cost, the company also makes a pemmican bar for $17.  Expect them to be hard to find for a few months as the word spreads about the company's new production and new flavors.

To all my readers who contributed to Steadfast Provisions' fundraiser, thank you very much.  IMHO, it's been worth the wait to get their new premises into production.

Peter

Heavy triggers and a home-grown "action job"

 

Following my recent article about snubnose revolvers, I've had a few readers ask whether the long double-action trigger pull of most such weapons can be lightened and/or smoothed, to make it easier to shoot them accurately.

A competent gunsmith can do what's called an "action job" on them, which involves stoning the mating surfaces until they're as smooth and slick as possible, and perhaps adjusting spring tension (lopping a couple of coils off a factory spring, or installing a new spring kit from a company such as Wolff Gunsprings - you can also install the latter on your own gun at home, if you know what you're doing).  However, you can expect to pay at least $150 for a good action job, and possibly double that, depending on the expertise and reputation of the gunsmith involved.

There's a quicker, simpler, easier way that isn't necessarily as good, but can be surprisingly effective.  It's known as the "toothpaste action job", or words to that effect.  Toothpaste is a very mild abrasive:  it has to be, to clean gunk off your teeth when you brush them.  That makes it suitable for delicate surface smoothing on things like trigger mechanisms.  You can also use actual abrasive solutions such as valve grinding compound, but they're usually far too abrasive to use safely unless you're a qualified gunsmith and/or mechanic and really know what you're doing.  I do not recommend them.

How does a "toothpaste action job" work?  Obviously, you need to know your way around the innards of your firearm.  If you don't, ask a knowledgeable friend or your local gunsmith to show you how to disassemble your gun to the level required (and make sure your friend[s] really are knowledgeable - they may not be as good as they think they are, which can lead to very expensive damage to your gun!).  For a quick visual introduction to how the trigger mechanism looks, see this short video on how to improve a Smith & Wesson revolver's trigger pull.  Even if yours doesn't look quite the same, the way it works will be basically similar.

Take off the sideplate of your snubnose revolver (or, if yours doesn't have a removable sideplate, do whatever yours needs to expose the trigger and hammer mechanism), and smear toothpaste over and well into all the moving parts (i.e. the mating surfaces, that move over and/or against each other when the trigger is pulled) of the trigger and hammer.  Reassemble the gun, and (making sure it's not loaded - use snap-caps if the owner's manual recommends them) dry-fire it several hundred times;  then disassemble it again and clean it very thoroughly, probably using hot water and a toothbrush to make sure all the toothpaste is removed from the moving parts.  Dry the gun thoroughly, and before reassembling it, give the moving parts a good spritz with WD-40 to ensure that all water has been removed.  Oil or lube as normal, then reassemble the gun and test it.  You should find that the action is smoother, although not necessarily lighter unless you've worked on the springs as well.

You can read more about the "toothpaste trigger job" on firearms forums:  an online search will reveal several links.  Here are three representative discussions:

Toothpaste action/trigger job

Action slick up with toothpaste

Toothpaste or valve grinding compound???

That should give you enough information to understand how this works.  I've done it to several of my revolvers, and found a noticeable improvement in trigger smoothness.  If you're still not happy about trying it yourself, there's always a professional trigger job by a gunsmith to make things even better.

Peter

Hints and tips for mounting red dot sights on firearms

 

The state of the art in so-called red dot sights (which, confusingly, also come in green, and may be a simple dot, or a circle-dot, or a more complex reticle) has advanced considerably in the last few years.  I've previously used Swampfox Optics units such as the Liberty, Justice and Liberator, all of which have since been updated to second-generation versions (follow the links provided for more information).  More recently, I've been mounting Gideon Optics Omega and Advocate units, both for my own use and for a few of my disabled students from earlier times.  I'm also testing two new models from Riton Optics.

As part of the process, I researched the problems some have reported with mounting red dot sights.  Common complaints include (but are not limited to):

• Mounting plates required by some pistols (e.g. Glock MOS, S&W M&P 2.0, etc.) can be too light and flimsy to truly secure the sight to the gun.  Some are even reportedly made of plastic rather than metal.
• Mounting screws for sight to plate, and plate to gun, can be simply too small to maintain their tension, even if thread locker is used.  The G-forces generated as a semi-auto pistol's slide moves back and forth under recoil are very hard on screws at the best of times, and even more so on small screws, which can "back out" under the pressure.  Some gunsmiths specialize in drilling out and re-tapping the relevant holes to take larger screws, but not all of us have access to them, or sufficient funds to allow for such modifications.
• Some lower-cost red dot optics find it difficult to stand up to a heavy diet of rounds.  This applies particularly to competitors, or those who practice and train frequently with their weapons.  For such individuals, cost of optics is secondary to the requirement that they be tough and reliable.  Cheaper sights such as those I mentioned above are simply too cheap to stand up to the treatment they give them.  For the rest of us, who shoot (say) several hundred rounds a year over five to ten range sessions, the lower-cost optics will generally be OK.  If it lasts the first few hundred rounds, it'll probably last the next few thousand!  Also, companies like Swampfox or Gideon warranty their optics, and will repair or replace them free of charge if necessary.

There are answers to the first two problems.  First, mounting plates.  Mass-produced firearms have mass-produced plates, stamped out by machinery designed to do a reasonably good job at an economical price.  They're about what one can expect.  However, there are specialist suppliers out there who put much more time and attention into designing and making the best part they can.  They tend to cost more than the OEM units, but deliver higher quality (at least in my experience).  Two that I've used in the past, and whose products I like, are Apex Tactical and Forward Controls Design.  (I'm sure there are others, whose products may be equally good:  but unless I've tested and used a product myself, I'm not prepared to endorse it.  Shop around and see what you find.)  I suggest that choosing the best plate you can afford is a worthwhile expense.

Second, the mounting process.  Using a thread-locker on the screws (such as Loctite, Permatex, or a competitor) is essential!  I strongly recommend using a gel-type thread-locker, rather than a liquid, for two reasons.  One is to avoid splashes or drips on things you don't want to lock (and believe me, that happens!).  The other is that thread-locker liquid appears to be a perishable substance.  Leave it unused too long and it becomes less effective, to the point that it may no longer serve its purpose.  Gel thread-lockers, in my limited experience, don't appear to have the same problem.  Can any more knowledgeable reader comment on that, please?

Another useful technique helps overcome the limited holding power of smaller screws.  Apply RTV silicone gasket maker, sealant and adhesive to the base of the sight and the base of the mounting plate before installing them on the gun (or directly between gun and sight, if it doesn't use a mounting plate).  That will hold them pretty strongly in its own right, even without the help of the mounting screws.  Be careful not to use too much, or too strong an adhesive, because you will probably want to remove the sight at some point!  I use Permatex 80050, but there are many other brands and varieties out there.  You pays your money and you makes your choice.

One potential problem is that on some firearms (particularly the Glock MOS narrow-slide models, but including a few others), the extractor system is fitted beneath the screw holes used by the red dot sight and/or mounting plate.  If a screw is too long, it can protrude into the space used by the extractor system, and cause problems.  Filing or cutting a small amount off the bottom of the screw (being careful not to interrupt or damage the screw thread) will cure them.  You'll find videos about it on YouTube;  for example, try this one.  If you have a different type of pistol, but the mounting screws can still interfere with internal parts beneath them, the same fix may work for you.

So, there you are.  Sealant-adhesive holding the sight to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate to the gun, plus clean, thread-locked screws, and you shouldn't have a sight come loose just when you need it to be rock-steady.

Peter

Optics for fighting firearms: what's best?

 

I've had a few questions on that subject from readers in recent weeks, enough that I figured it was worth devoting an entire blog post to the subject.  However, I'm not an expert on the subject, so allow me to introduce you to someone who is.

Mike Branson was with Swampfox Optics for several years, and then moved on to Gideon Optics, where he works today.  He's acknowledged by many in the firearms industry as highly knowledgeable in the field of fighting optics, and has recorded several very useful videos on the subject.

Let's start with an interview he did with Ian McCullum of Forgotten Weapons at last year's SHOT Show about the differences between cheap and expensive red dot sights.

At the same event, Mike described Low-Power Variable Optics (LPVO's), which are a step up from red dot sights, and what to look for in an LPVO.

How do you choose between optics and reticles?  Mike explains below.

While choosing one's optic, what sight should one use?  Dot, circle-dot, or a more complex reticle?  Red or green?  There are many options.

Finally, how cheap can you - or should you - go in the price of your optic?  It depends on its expected use.

There you have it - about as comprehensive an overview of fighting optics as I think you'll find anywhere.  Sure, there are more specialized videos and documents out there, but many of them are classified materials, and others are so specialized they'd be over our heads.  Thanks to Mike Branson for producing a very clear summary of the most important information, helping ordinary folks like you and I find what we need.  I've bought from him at both Swampfox Optics and Gideon Optics, and I'm a very satisfied customer.  (No, I'm not shilling for him, nor is this an advertisement for his company:  he's not even aware that I'm writing this article.  He's just a good guy whom my wife and I are pleased to call our friend.)

Peter

House of Worship security teams: a useful link

 

John Farnam advises that a new policy development aid is available for churches and other houses of worship that want to establish their own security teams.  (In this violent day and age, I fully support such initiatives.)

When such teams are appointed, organized, and charged with various duties, a competent, comprehensive, written policy quickly becomes an acute necessity for safety, competency, and legal reasons.

My esteemed friend and colleague, Manny Kapelsohn has now composed, and is marketing, such a written policy.  I assisted in the final editing.

Manny is simultaneously a renowned attorney and firearms trainer, and the two of us have conducted countess training programs together.  Manny also regularly provides professional expert assistance to litigants in deadly-force cases, both criminal and civil, renders critical trial testimony routinely, and is one of the very few who is genuinely qualified to compose such a document.

This “House of Worship Firearms and Use of Force Policy Bundle” (Policy, Comments, etc) document is now available at:

www.peregrinecorporation.com

On the website, click “Products.”

Upon checkout, enter the discount code “FARNAM25.”

Individual users will, of course, need to tweak this policy document in order for it to specifically apply to their particular situation.  The final version they intend to implement will naturally need to be reviewed and approved by their own attorney before being placed in force.

There's more at the link.

Yes, this is passing on an advertisement, I suppose:  but I trust John Farnam implicitly.  He's one of the best defensive firearm instructors around, and has been for decades.  If he says this policy guide is so good, I'm going to take him at his word:  and knowing how many houses of worship struggle to define what their security team is, what its duties should be, and how it should operate in the legal constraints that apply to their area, I think such a guide can only benefit all of us.

If your church or house of worship has, or is considering setting up, a security team, I suggest you mention Mr. Farnam's article and the link above to your pastor or church administrator.  I think they'll find it useful.

Peter

A tragedy leads to a safety recommendation

 

I heard some terrible news yesterday.  A friend and his wife had a daughter in her late teens or early 20's, I don't recall exactly which.  She was severely asthmatic, and had been so from an early age.  They were driving through Arizona and New Mexico, heading for Texas, when they encountered a very heavy dust storm, which reduced visibility so much that they had to stop on the roadside.  Unfortunately there was also a brush fire in the area, driven by the fierce winds of the dust storm.  To make matters worse, their vehicle's ventilation system malfunctioned, letting in the smoke and dust.  The combination caused their daughter to suffer an asthma attack.  They tried to call for help, but the poor visibility and road conditions prevented any from reaching them before their daughter went into cardiac arrest.

My friend is understandably distraught after that experience, as is his wife.  However, he's trying to make it count for something positive by passing the word to everyone he knows that such conditions - or combinations of conditions - can be extremely dangerous to an asthmatic, or indeed anyone with any sort of breathing difficulties such as COPD, etc.  Since both my wife and I have breathing-related issues, he made sure to call me and tell me the sad news.

No sooner had I ended the call than I drove to the nearest Harbor Freight branch and bought four of these Gerson P95 disposable respirators, two in Medium size (to fit my wife) and two Large (to fit me).

One of each size will go into our vehicle emergency kits, to travel with us wherever we go.  They're disposable, so they're not very high-tech, but they'll do for the sort of incident my friend and his family encountered;  and they're low-cost enough that we can afford to replace them every year, to make sure they're still functional.

There are other respirators out there, some a lot more capable - and more expensive - but they're probably overkill for use as emergency travel aids.  Shop around.  However, I don't think the simple paper or cloth masks we used during the COVID imbroglio, or even the stiffer painting-style masks, will be as effective as this design, with its close-fitting face mask and external filters.  I'd rather spend a bit extra for better protection.

In the hope that my friend's tragic loss may help others besides his friends and acquaintances, I share the news with you, and the solution I've adopted.  If any of you suffer from, or have family and/or friends who suffer from, breathing-related issues, I strongly recommend that you do something similar to make your travels a little safer.

Peter

A unique submarine battery recharging system?

 

I was intrigued to read that China may have come up with a unique way to recharge submarine batteries while underwater.

China’s new nuclear-battery attack submarine – a unique hybrid boat running on batteries like a conventional sub but which recharges them using a tiny nuclear reactor – could be the ultimate near-shore defence sub, and a big problem for US and allied forces in the western Pacific.

. . .

Most notably the type seems to have a unique propulsion system – one that sidesteps longstanding engineering challenges in order to deliver a quiet attack submarine for near-shore operations, one that can stay submerged for long periods of time in order to preserve its stealth. The Type 041 is reportedly the first submarine with a tiny nuclear reactor that, while too small to power the entire boat, is big enough to charge the batteries for submerged operations.

. . .

With its nuclear-charged battery, a Type 041 might be able to remain submerged for 20 days straight, according to Kirchberger and Carlson. That’s a 10-fold improvement in underwater endurance compared to traditional diesel-electric submarines.

There's more at the link.

This is particularly interesting news given new developments in battery technology, plus new modular small nuclear reactors.  The latter are particularly important, because current designs are intended to power a small town, or an industrial facility.  If all they have to do is recharge banks of batteries, they can be made even smaller - in effect, miniaturized.  It's not inconceivable that they could be reduced to the size of a small motor vehicle, which could easily be installed in a submarine hull in place of conventional diesel engines or air-independent propulsion (AIP) units.

There's another side to that, of course.  Some smaller countries such as Iran and North Korea build their own submarines, almost all of them using World War II-vintage diesel engines and lead-acid batteries.  They're relatively unsophisticated.  If such countries can buy or build small modular reactors, they could possibly build their own nuclear-recharged battery-powered submarines that would offer far greater range and speed than their old-fashioned units.  A few such submarines at "choke points" for maritime trade, such as off any one of dozens of major harbors, the entrances to the Suez Canal or Panama Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca or the Bab-el-Mandeb, and maritime trade worldwide could take a massive hit.  The relative inefficiency of their old-fashioned batteries, with their lower capacity and endurance, wouldn't matter nearly so much if they could be recharged silently, on demand, without surfacing, by an on-board miniature reactor.

The USA long ago decided that all its submarines should be nuclear-powered.  There were good reasons for that, but it's resulted in very, very expensive and complicated vessels, and arguably not enough of them to accomplish all the missions and tasks expected of them.  Could nuclear-recharged battery-powered submarines affect that decision, making a greatly increased submarine fleet both affordable and effective?  It is to hope . . .

Peter