Cabinet Cork

How to Install a Cabinet Cork Board

Installing an in Cabinet Cork Board
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After the unfortunate kitchen fire (NOT related to any projects by the way),

I looked at all sorts of ideas for new kitchens. I saw this idea for an in cabinet cork board on pinterest and thought it was really cool.

It took me a while to let the new wear off of the cabinets before my wife would let me modify them – even for such a cool idea.

Basically we just glued cork tiles inside the cabinet doors – as long as you make sure each square is glues straight and go slow it’s really easy.

Now we can pin up recipes, shopping lists, and notes without cluttering up the kitchen.

It’s a win win, I get to modify something and the wife gets to have a clutter free kitchen.

(well maybe not free – but definitely less cluttered)

Cabinet CorkI want to continue this idea in the conex box on the land as I go about building shelves and workbenches.  I think it would be awesome to be able to tack up plans and lists right at my workbench to help as i DIY new projects.

This is a pretty easy project for even the most inexperienced DIY’er to do.

Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers
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Starship Troopers
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In one of Robert Heinlein’s most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe–and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind’s most frightening enemy.

This book was made into a decent movie that was spun off into a terrible sequel.

I am not a fan of the movies, but I do love this book.

I like most of Heinlein’s books, but this is probably my favorite.  I like the idea that you have to serve to vote, but I am not so hard that I think that the service must be in the military.

Not everyone is cut out for Starship Troopers Mobile Infantry.

I disagree with the Amazon quote that this is Heinlein’s most controversial work – I think Farnham’s Freehold easily wins that title.  I also think that Freehold may be my favorite Heinlein book if Starship Troopers ever dropped in Status.

Interrogation

Interrogation
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The book Interrogation is used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to train interrogators, this manual details the insidious methods by which the “mounties” elicit confessions after all fair and legal tactics have been exhausted.

Must reading for every police officer, as well as for every citizen who might one day, innocent or guilty, sit across the table from an interrogator.This isn’t the best book on the subject, and the author is anonymous.  I can’t tell if this is an attempt by an outside to make a interrogation version of “The Anarchist Cookbook” or a tired cop fed up with games but too scared to sign their name.  It is useful, but not a standalone book.

Most of what is in this book is common sense.

How to Make Straight Cuts on Plywood

How to Make Straight Cuts on Plywood
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This is a simple trick to help you make straight cuts on plywood or other wide materials.

I wish I would have learned it sooner, as I never can cut wood and follow a line.  This tip is much more traditional and safer than my post on how to cut circles on a table saw.

To cut wood simply, just measure from the edge of the blade guide to the inner edge of the blade.

This accounts for the kerf of the blade – or the amount of wood lost to the cut.

Take that measurement and add it to the distance you need to cut and mark it on your plywood.

For example if I need a 2 foot board and the measurement of my guard is one and a quarter inches, I mark the board at 25 1/4.

I then clamp a straight edge on the mark and measure to ensure that it is even all along my cut.

Then all I have to do is tightly follow my guide and I will cut exactly down the line I need.

Simple right – now in the video I was too busy trying to look good on camera and allowed the saw to move away from my guide which resulted in a wavy cut – that was my fault not the systems…

Fix, Freeze, Feast

Book Review: Fix, Freeze, Feast
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Buy groceries in bulk, prepare family-friendly dishes, package in meal-sized freezer bags, then stock the freezer with ready-to-defrost-and-serve tasty homemade meals. This is the winning system of Fix, Freeze, Feast, a cookbook that has already attracted an enthusiastic following among busy families.

Millions of shoppers save money by buying groceries in bulk – trays of boneless chicken breasts, pairs of flank steaks, flats of ripe tomatoes. But savings can quickly turn to losses if those bulk quantities spoil in the refrigerator or lie forgotten – unlabeled and unrecognizable under lays of ice crystals – in the back of the freezer.

In the new paperback edition of Fix, Freeze, Feast, authors Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik offer a complete system for taking full advantage of bulk purchasing and advance preparation to ensure no food is ever wasted. They show how easy it is to get organized, prepare ahead, and be ready to put healthful, satisfying meals on the dinner table (or breakfast table, or even brunch table!) at a moment’s notice. Theirs is a cookbook price-conscious shoppers will love and warehouse club members shouldn’t be without.

Cooks will find 125 delicious, healthful recipes to choose from Each one includes directions for dividing, preparing, and storing raw ingredients; a second set of simple direction is included for thawing, cooking, and enjoying the food. Designed for the way people cook today, Fix, Freeze, Feast meals are lighter and fresher than traditional bulk-cooking recipes, with a focus on simple stews and stir-fries, quick grilled or broiled main courses, and popular ethnic meals such as Beef Fajitas and Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry. Fix, Freeze, Feast, also includes ready-to-bake cookie doughs, soups, side dishes, smoothies, and snacks. With these innovative techniques and recipes, dinner is always in the freezer!

My wife swears by making ahead meals, she does this for her lunch every Sunday, me, I’m stuck with leftovers.