Democracy in America

Book Review: Democracy in America
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Democracy in America is a contemporary study of the early American nation and its evolving democracy, from a French aristocrat and sociologist from the mid 1800’s

In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and ambitious civil servant, set out from post-revolutionary France on a journey across America that would take him 9 months and cover 7,000 miles. The result was Democracy in America, a subtle and prescient analysis of the life and institutions of 19th-century America. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing deomcratic system in America as a possible model for post-revolutionary France, believing that the egalitarian ideals it enshrined reflected the spirit of the age and even divine will. His study of the strengths and weaknesses of an evolving democratic society has been quoted by every American president since Eisenhower, and remains a key point of reference for any discussion of the American nation or the democratic system.

This new edition is the only one that contains all Tocqueville’s writings on America, including the rarely-translated Two Weeks in the Wilderness, an account of Tocqueville’s travels in Michigan among the Iroquois, and Excursion to Lake Oneida.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

How to Install Windows in a Tiny House

How to Install Windows in a Tiny House

 

Installing Windows in a Tiny House
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In this post we show installing windows in a storage shed turned tiny house.  I am by no means a carpenter, and the owner of the house is even worse.  But we do manage to install some weatherproof windows salvaged from the trailer.

The windows are about the only thing we were able to salvage from the trailer, and not because we demolished it with a backhoe, but because it building was in such rough shape.

The first thing we did when we started installing windows was to add bracing to frame an opening a little larger than the window we were installing.

After we boxed in the window, we cut out the siding using a reciprocal saw.  This made the opening.

I had to scrape off the old tar weather stripping from the windows before we could install the salvaged windows, but once the frame was clean the new window slid right into the frame.

Next we leveled the window and attached it to the frame.

The next step was to add a rubber weatherstrip around the frame so water would not get into the tiny house.

The last part was to nail up molding over the weather striping.  We used wide 1x boards because we liked the looks.

As you can see the windows are functional and do their job pretty well.

The Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study of Personal Small-Arms Tactics

Book Review: The Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study of Personal Small-Arms Tactics
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The Tactical Advantage and learn the combat-proven techniques big-city cops use to stay alive and effective when the bullets start flying.

Maintain the tactical advantage in any situation by knowing how to search buildings for armed intruders, use cover and concealment, maintain proper distance intervals and much more.There is some political viewpoints and religious scripture that turn some away from this work.  I understand the mindset and agree with most of it.  However, I feel like it should be mentioned in a review.

My biggest issue with this book is that it needs to be updated.  It is pretty old and some of the pictures look like the 1980’s  Which is pretty accurate given the career of the author.

Now the base mindset of a warrior doesn’t change – I imagine if a Samurai woke up in today’s America he would quickly learn how to run an AR platform rifle.

This book is not a definitive study of gunfighting techniques, but I do think his arguments on room clearing are valuable.  I have my own views of the subject – namely don’t clear alone – but for a cop or someone that has no choice, his words should be read.

While I don’t think the Tactical Advantage is the best book on the subject, I do think it has a place in a well read prepper’s bookshelf.

Kitchen DIY: Substituting Honey for Sugar

Kitchen DIY: Substituting Honey for Sugar
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If you want to eat healthier, or use honey that you have produced yourself, the first thing you need to know is that the rules for Substituting Honey for Sugar are more like guidelines.

In general, substituting honey for sugar is a matter of preference.

Some use it cup for cup, others prefer 1/2 cup – 2/3 cup of honey per cup of white sugar.

However, because of the water content, reduce the amount of other liquids by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey used.

Honey also causes foods to brown much easier, so lower the oven temp about 25 degrees F to prevent over-browning.

Also, since Honey is naturally acidic, and baking soda is a base add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey to your recipe.

If you are using the sugar to can, use 7/8 cup of honey for every cup of sugar, but don’t change the other liquids. Honey may be substituted effectively for up to half the sugar called for in a canning syrup recipe. (test this for jellies)

Remember that Honey has its own unique flavor. In general it is a light and pleasing flavor, but if it conflicts with the desired taste of your recipe, there’s not much you can do about it. However, the flavor depends on the flowers the bees used to make it, and some flowers give an off taste.

If you are diabetic, as I am, keep in mind that honey does not reduce the calorie or carbohydrate content of the sugar syrup, and thus is not acceptable sugar replacements for people on diabetic diets. However, it is less processed, and there is some evidence that it a much healthier sweetener in other ways.

You can also use honey as a substitute for other sweeteners

Brown Sugar: Follow the equation for plain table sugar under General Recommendations, but also substitute molasses for a portion of the honey to retain the expected flavor – (brown sugar is just unrefined White sugar -they take the molasses out).

Corn Syrup: Use exactly the same amount, but reduce any other sweet ingredients, since honey has more sweetening power than corn syrup.

Molasses: Use exactly the same amount. The resulting flavor and color will be lighter and less heavy. The reverse is true if you swap molasses for honey.

Gear Review: Cree T6 800 Lumens 3-Mode LED Zoomable Flashlight

Cree T6 800 Lumens 3-Mode LED Zoomable Flashlight Review

Gear Review: Cree T6 800 Lumens 3-Mode LED Zoomable Flashlight
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I got the opportunity to review this Zoomable Flashlight and really didn’t have very high expectations, however, upon using it I find to be a really good deal.

This flashlight is pretty sturdy and works well – especially against other flashlights in the same price point.

It is super bright and adjusts easily.  I actually find it easier to use than my very expensive tactical flashlight.

Being a LED it has a life of over 90000 hours, while my surefire burns out after 20 or so hours.  It is much cooler running which is important when I am laying up under a metal bunk in some inmate’s cell.

I find it really neat that when focused into a tight beam, the actual LED’s show up and it throws a square beam.  This doesn’t add or detract from the function, I just think it is pretty cool.

It feels very sturdy in the hand, and the design seems to be well thought out.

As a firearm instructor, I value the rubber grommet on the shaft that allows the light to be operated in a palm grip.

It has a clip to hold the light in a pocket, and it has a crenelated bezel that is pretty good for self defense moves.

The only real complaint I have is the focus ring seems a little loose.

While I received this flashlight in return for a review, I find it to be worth the price point it is advertized at, and plan on purchaisng a few more to put in each glove box.

#WateResistanCreT80LumenFlashlight