Category Archives: Equipment and Book Reviews

Anthem has long been hailed as one of Ayn Rand’s classic novels, and a clear predecessor to her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values.

Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.

Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him–a passion which he has been taught to call sinful.

In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd–to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice.

Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great “we” reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word–“I.”

Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies is a pretty interesting book, especially since courts have long held that law enforcement officers can lie to you.

There have been several instances of innocent individuals convicted based upon statements they have made to cops that were taken out of context.

If your a thug, and criminal then you deserve to go to jail, but in today’s world it seems like people are having to deal with regulatory agencies with law enforcement power that are more more taking action for political instead of criminal reasons.

If you are a prepper – and don’t want to be labeled an extremist, hoarder, or any other derogatory name based upon an interview with some government bbbureaucrat, then the ideas in this book should be in your mental toolbox.

I know some investigators, and they are mostly trained in the Reid method of interrogation, this book is a good way to keep the Reid method from tripping you up and getting you to say things that may incriminate you.  Now, I don’t want guilty guys to beat the system – I work for the system.

However, I cannot stand when an innocent person is suspect because they don’t have experience in the system.  Experience that comes from being a bad guy….

Atlas Shrugged is a book that people either love or hate depending on their point of view and how many times they have read it.

I read this book once a year, and have for the past several years, and each time it becomes clearer and much more useful.  This year I read it prior to going to the Atlas Shrugged Part II premier, and was particularly aware of the connections between Rand’s fictional world, and the world I live in.

While I don’t agree with everything she stood for, especially the cult that formed around her, I have enough in common with her world view to appreciate what she was warning us about.

I do think by the end she sort of dialed it in with the last few pages being of a lower quality than the beginning – and for the life of me I can’t understand the Dagny love triangle – the men in her life sure gave up on her easy for the amount they said they loved her – but hey I guess I am not as “rational” as they are.

I believe that all people interested in self-reliance and personal responsibility should read this book enough times that they fully understand what she is trying to say – even if it takes a big commitment in time and effort to get through this large book.

I think it is worth it.