Common Sense Preparedness

I like to be prepared. Ask my wife. I’m always gathering things together to pack in the trunk of our car if we were ever to break down. Camping tools, supplies, a first aid kit and more fill a large tote bag in the trunk of our car.

I like reading about survival and watching clips on YouTube.

But, so many of them are complicated, go into way too much detail and can be intimidating.

I’m a simple sort of guy. I want quick and easy solutions and cringe when explanations drag on too long.

Just give me the bare facts, make them easy to understand and give me some tips.

In Common Sense Preparedness author Laurie Neverman and Lyons Press, provide a guide to building resilience for uncertain times that are broken down in to easy-to-understand instructions, detailed tips and information accompanied by charts photos and graphics that looks at home, camping and wilderness survival.

Everything from stocking up on food, gardening, securing water, shelter, first aid and more are covered.

It’s a handy guide written in plain language, with photos and charts, that anyone can understand.

John 16:33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The Last Ronin

He is the sole surviving member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and he’s here to reclaim the sewers.

Collecting the award-winning The Last Ronin 5-part mini-series with original TMNT’s creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, aided by other industry professionals and published by IDW, the highly prized series steps into the dark side with its story of redemption, loyalty and revenge.

This is not your typical kids’ TMNT tale. It’s complicated, multi-tiered, complex and sober and yet uplifting

Much like the Frank Miller's work on Ronin and Daredevil that inspired the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the story is dark, steeped in the shadows of a modern city and skirting on the edge of right and wrong. 

Join The Last Ronin as he restores his family’s honor and memory with the aid of some new and old foes and friends.

It’s a powerful tale steeped in legend, legacy and hope.  With its mature storyline, stellar art, impressive page layouts and overall high production quality it deserves to be a modern day classic. 

The art is gorgeous, the story is powerful and riveting.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Mesmer Milann

Welcome to the mystical world of Mesmer Milan, Mediator of the Occult. Seven haunted stories by author Bertram Atkey (mostly know for his light-hearted tales) takes readers on a journey to the strange, mysterious and haunted worlds of the occult.

Get ready for a supernatural classic as you delve into the deep, dark and dangerous underworld where your worse nightmares come true.

Join Mesmer as he sends his astral spirit to investigate such chilling phenomenon as the Veils of Death, the reports of a Winged Woman, the seductive powers of the Temptress and the woman with wolves.

Danger lurks behind every dark corner, in dirty alleyways and ancient structures. Nature itself has its own gallery of ghouls such as spiteful spirits, a muse on a quest, a dangerous and deadly stone and other world weirdness and wicked beings.

Does Mesner fear for his corporeal form when he leaves it unguarded as he astral projects? Do ghosts, demons and other evil forces know his name? Do they fear him?

Move over Dr. Strange Mesner Milann used his astral form long before you did.

And what of the living? Are there those who side with the demonic, scheme with the supernatural or plot with the phantoms.?

Find out in Mesner Milann, Mediator of the Occult written by Bertram Atkey and published by Stark House Press. Get ready for some serious chills and thrills.

Romans 15:13Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

F4F Wildcat Vs A6M2-N “Rufe”

During the time period of 1942 to 1943 in World War II significant aerial battles took place over the Solomon Islands. When the United States’ F4F-4 Wildcats aircraft tangled with the Japanese A6M2-N “Rufe” float plane fighters (dubbed the Zero on floats) the fighting was fierce and often deadly.

Filled with archival photos and beautiful color illustrations the F4F Wildcat Vs A6M2-N “Rufe” Solomon Islands 1942-43 book, written by Michael John Claringbould and published by Osprey Publishing, recounts the encounters that are relatively unknown.

The book contains firsthand accounts, combat reports, operational documents from both the United States and the Japanese, diagrams, and extensive and highly-detailed text.

An analysis is included of the Solomon Islands battles with further reading recommendations.

What is it about vintage aircraft that is so enthralling? To me it’s the profile and engineering, especially of WWII aircraft. There was no wasted space, fancy electronics or unnecessary details.

Flown by the seat-of-your-pants and more feel than instrumentation, the pilot’s knew their aircraft-it’s power capabilities, maneuverability and what it could or could not do. It took real skill and talent to fly what were essentially big chunks of metal.

The aircraft were rugged, well-built and performed as they were designed. Pilot comfort was sometimes sacrificed to obtain the best possible performance from each aircraft. It was war and engineers did whatever it took to ensure aerial victory.

Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Afraid Of Everything

There were two things I was deathly afraid of when I was young; spiders and the happy and sad faces of comedy and tragedy as depicted in theatrical plays.

Spiders frightened me because we were poor and lived in ramshackle house with wood spiders and the masks because my mom had a set of plastic masks she hung on the wall. Brrrr-they still give me the creeps.

What are you afraid of? What are young kids afraid of?

In Afraid Of Everything the creative team of Adam Tierney and Matthieu Cousin and IDW Publishing present a delightfully and slightly spooky and unsettling collection of stories exploring all the different types of fears.

Accompanied by clever and colorful illustrations each short tale is sure to send chills down your spin, make you think twice and maybe cause a giggle or two.

It’s beautifully illustrated small graphic novel, with great stories, amazing layouts and title illustrations and Behind The Scenes goodies all wrapped up in small packages kids are sure to love (and grown-ups too).

Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

The Universe Box

Five time Hugo Award winning author Michael Swanwick’s new collection of stories in The Universe Box from Tachyon Publications combines magic and science fiction that mix myth and legend.

I’ve never read any of Michael’s books and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

As I read through the book two things struck me about his writing-it is unique and unconventional. That’s good.

He has the uncanny ability to immediately grab a reader’s attention within a few paragraphs into each story. I felt as if I knew the characters and settings after just a few words and was immersed in the stories almost immediately.

The author is extremely inventive and proficient in a wide rage of story genres.

Whether dealing with time travel, magic, mystical themes or AI Michael draws readers in using minimal words and yet somehow fully descriptive.

His writing style reminds me of of some of the anthologies written by Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov and other masters of science fiction and fantasy.

The author has a knack for mysteries, adventure tales and haunting, scary and unsettling stories.

I intend to search out and read other books by the author.

Psalms 34:4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

How To Survive Anywhere Second Edition

Usually whenever anyone mentions survival books it is usually associated with surviving in the wild. In How To Survive Anywhere Second Edition by author Christopher Nyerges and published by Stackpole Books, readers are provided with guide to survive in not only in the wilderness but in urban, suburban and rural environments as well.

In this uncertain age where services and goods prices are escalating, rents and mortgages are soaring in price and it seems everyone is out for themselves having survival skills are necessary.

Knowing how to grow and preserve food, to make due with less, how to acclimate to different climates, provide shelter, stay healthy, provide medical aid and so forth are important capabilities.

There is so much information contained in this small softbound book that provides practical and tried and true information, skill sets and insights. Filled with photos demonstrating various skills the book is handy book to have around at home and whenever you go on trips, camping and vacations.

Psalms 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

US Tank Tactics In World War II

As a kid I loved watching Hollywood movies about World War II. I especially liked films about Tanks. I thought it was so cool to be able to drive around battlefield, fire off the tank’s cannon and be safe and secure in my little metal box.

Boy, was I wrong. Tank life was anything but pleasant. It was hot, claustrophobic, taxing, dangerous and exhausting.

In US Tank Tactics In World War II, written by Steven J. Zaloga with illustrations by Steve Noon and published by Osprey Publishing, the history of tanks during WWII is examined along with tactics used during the war years, different campaigns in Europe, in the Pacific and Africa, difficult terrains and weather conditions, the challenges, personnel, victories and defeats accompanied by archival photos and full-color illustrations.

Tank warfare during WWII was more than aim and fire. It involved humans pushed to their physical and mental limits.

2 Timothy 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Inventing The Wild West

Americans were and are fascinated by The Wild West. It all started in the middle of the 19^th Century.

As explorers, fortune seekers, entrepreneurs and those seeking to start a new life the wide open spaces of the mostly unexplored Western United States was a natural draw.

Add in the California and Alaskan gold rushes, the expansion of the railroads, free government settler land, the Civil War and other factors and its only natural that The West would foster romanticism, wonder and stories of danger, excitement and the promise of wealth.

Conflicts with native Americans, robber barons, railroad tycoons, rustlers, cutthroats and other unsavory characters also sweetened the pot.

Folks back East and around the world thrilled at the exploits of real cowboys, wild encounters with Indians, traveling Wild West shows, saloons, train and bank robberies and the rough and tumble life of those who traveled West.

Stories proliferated in dime novels, Wild West shows, heroic exploratory conquests, bloodshed and romanticism.

Nostalgia, folklore and fakelore fed the public’s appetite for excitement and there were those only to happy to contribute to the myth of life in The Wild West.

Newspapers, magazines and cheap novels fed the flame and soon radio, motion pictures and television all contributed to the myth. Marketing executives, publishers, broadcasters and merchandise manufacturers all benefited by perpetuating a vision of The Wild West that was more fiction than fact.

Did you know that at one time Westerns were the most popular movies being produced and at one time almost 40 Western TV series were being broadcast in a short span of years?

Cowboys became heroes while in fact they were hard working, rugged individuals that existed and endured the worst conditions for little pay.

Author Jeremy Agnew and McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers present the truth behind the legend of the West in Inventing The Wild West.

It successfully peels back the myth to present the real Wild West and how media created an idolized picture of life in the West. It provides an insight of how, with a little modification and marketing, The Wild West transformed from a dry and dusty and dangerous region into a haven for heroes and Wild West justice.

Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

I’m A Believer

Just to show how old I am I remember when the Monkees debuted in the mid-1960s on NBC TV.

Originally created to cash-in on The Beatles craze-a sort of Americanized version, the Monkees went on to become a respectable and creative band on their own.

At first many of their songs featured instrumentation by studio artists but as the band progressed they performed their own hits and proved that they were more than a cookie-cutter Bubble Gum band.

Only Micky Dolenz is left from the band and his book: I’m A Believer, co-written with Mark Bego and published by Lyon Press, looks back over the last 60 years from the band’s genesis to its current status as a pop culture phenomenon and nostalgic icon of Baby Boomers.

While Micky is the last member he keeps the band’s music alive by performing on his own and paying tribute to his lost band members. He shares his life of Monkees, music and madness.

The book delves into the band’s beginning, its turbulent years, band conflicts, fame’s ups and downs, hilarious anecdotes, rough times, the cost of fame and more.

Micky recalls his life with the Monkees, their music and the madness.

In celebration of the band’s 60th Anniversary there is a new chapter, an updated discography and filmography.

”Hey, hey, we're the Monkees
And people say we monkey around
But we're too busy singing
To put anybody down”

1 Corinthians 16:14Let all your things be done with charity.

Baby Godiva

Imagine being a young man (Carly) attracted to an innocent, naïve and beautiful young girl. Suddenly your world is turned upside down when a series of unfortunates accidents targets you as guilty of attacking and raping her. Even the girl: Godiva (Godie) says you’re guilty. Who will believe you?

Baby Godiva, by Marty Holland and published by Stark House Crime Fiction, examines the political, societal and sexual norms of the 1940s and 1950s.

No one will listen to Carly when he explains how Godie was injured and that there was someone else there hiding in the shadows by the swimming hole where the incident occurred.

The trial is overseen by a corrupt, adulterous Judge and a townspeople screaming for hangman justice with Carly’s fate hanging in the balance. Will he be saved from the electric chair?

Marty Holland started her career as a script typist and eventually her writing efforts were rewarded first in Pulp magazines and eventually screenplays.

Baby Godiva was very edgy for its time. It touched upon themes and subjects mostly ignored or avoided during that time period. Marty Holland pushed conventional writing and dared to speak of things mostly hidden in the shadows.

Isaiah 26:3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

 

Wehrmacht Auxiliary Forces

Say what nasty things you want about the Nazi during World War II and it’s probably true. They were a force of evil, hell bent on world domination and set about trying to achieve that goal using any means at their disposal.

But, even skeptics have to admit they had some pretty cool uniforms, weapons and accessories which attributes to the fact such articles are highly sought after by World War II collectors.

The Wehrmacht Auxiliary Forces uniforms and duties were different from their armed forces equivalents.

Uniform colors, insignia, the placement of insignia, type of equipment varied from the fighting forces.

As the war progressed and things weren't looking good for the Nazi’s the auxiliary and fighting forces uniforms, etc. began to have more in common.

Whether by design or necessity or both they soon became almost unrecognizable in their differences.

In authors N. Thomas and C. Caballero Jurado’s and illustrator S. McCouaig’s book Wehrmacht Auxiliary Forces (part of the Men-At-Arms series from Osprey Publishing) those similarities and differences are examined.

Also included is the breakdown of the the war effort itself, how things changed and morphed as the war progressed.

This is a very thorough, comprehensive, fact-filled and impressive piece examining the history of the Nazi military force.

Archival photos, color illustrations, charts and highly-detailed text make for a fascinating read.

Psalms 37:4Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Jules, Penny & The Rooster

Have you ever met a kid that refuses to give up?

Meet Jules McShultz who is determined to have a dog. Positive that she will get a dog after her family moves to suburbs she is unperturbed that her parents still wouldn’t give her one so she enters an essay contest. First prize is a purebred Collie by the name Penny.

She wins and Penny and Jules become fast friends and do everything together including spending the summer together exploring the woods close to her home. 

It is exciting, but not half as exciting as discovering what awaits them on the other side of an old stone wall.

On the other side of the wall they met a Rooster who seems particularly fond of them. The trio venture further pass the wall and meet a very unusual group of ‘people’.

Jules tells her family all about them. No one believes them except her tea-leaf reading and eccentric Aunt Gertrude.

As the days pass Jules, her dog and Rooster, along with Aunt Gertrude, meet other unusual people and creatures and none are anything like they are portrayed in legend. In fact, they are all nice-even the witch.

Jules starts out with a dog and ends up with whole new group of friends.

Jules, Penny & The Rooster, written by Daniel Pinkwater and published by Tachyon Publications, is a wonderful tale full of magical creatures, enchanting locales and quirky lovable friends.

It’s a great story for kids that is filled with magic, mystery, mirth and memories.

2 Timothy 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

The Seeds Of Salvation

U.S.S. Enterprise’s Number One and Nurse Chapel are bored and wants some excitement as do other members of the crew.

They crave excitement. Soon they discover that getting what your desire coming true is not necessarily a good thing.

When Nurse Chapel decides to visit a dear friend on a frozen planet she arrives at her friend’s science research facility and no one is there.

Concerned she reports the incident and she, along with other members of the away team, track down a signal coming from under the ice.

When they arrive at an underwater complex Chapel finds her friend along with other members of the research facility. They’re alive but ‘not’ themselves.

Soon the away team meets the planet’s inhabitants and find themselves in a rather precarious situation. How do they respond and what is the secret behind the underwater civilization?

Things are far more than they first appear. It’s best to be bored.

The Seeds Of Salvation starring the members of the Enterprise from Strange New Worlds comes from the multi-talented creative team of Robbie Thompson, Travis Mercer, Serg Acuna and JP Jordan and published by IDW Publishing.

It’s an exciting tale that deserves to be a live-action episode from the TV series. The art captures the likenesses of the Enterprise crew, the writing is fast-paced, perfectly portrays the individual personalities of each crew member and is beautifully colored with high print quality all wrapped in a square-bound graphic novel. Look for cover recreations from the original mini-series.

Proverbs 30:5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

Over the past couple of months my wife has struggled with some serious health issues. Without going into specifics it has been a long and difficult process. It has curtailed her daily routine and her physical and mental endurance has been tested.

It’s not been easy, draining and a little scary. We are not sure if it is a genetic condition or if it will escalate and cause even more problems in the future.

We’re both in our 70s and we realize that it is inevitable that certain health issues are sure to occur. Nevertheless for a woman who is physically active, mentally sharp and alert and has a real heart for others (especially for family) it has been a rough road.

That being said as hard as it has been it has drawn us closer together, sparked within us the urge to help others and brought us closer to God.

In author Jonathan Gibson’s book: Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing, published by Crossway, a liturgy for daily worship with the Psalms, is a welcome daily reminder and source of comfort.

The hardbound book with gold decoration and a sturdy slipcase reminds me of how blessed we are, how much we owe God, his kindness, forgiveness, provision, patience and unconditional love.

Although I am a Baptist by choice I appreciate the commonality with the book written by a Minister of the Tenth Presbyterian Church.

It proves that God is not interested in or impressed by denominations only the heart of his people. There may be slight differences between denominations but if the core of their worship is the same we truly are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Isaiah 40:28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

 

 

Shredder Volume One

He is the ultimate nemesis of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and he’s out for revenge. He’s Shredder and he’s back, alone, furious and possibly insane.

But, revenge will have to wait, he has other problems on his hands. One of his former Food Clan flunkies has formed their own gang and Shredder must deal with them if he ever hopes to regain his power.

This is Shredder like you’ve never seen him before: alone, without his armor, challenged and changed.

Once a killing machine Shredder has become more reflective on his life and choices. He begins to see things from a different point of view. Although still determined to rule he begins to examine his own motivation, choices and life.

Challenged he must try to gather his forces, face down new adversaries and confront his past.

I always pictured Shredder as pretty much a one-dimensional character. After reading Shredder Volume One by Dan Watters, Michelle Bandini and Sid Kotian and released by IDW Publishing, I have a whole new respect for the character.

This trade paperback reveals his inner demons, weaknesses and surprisingly-his humanity. Even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are surprised by his return. Is he now more deadly than ever?

Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Buzz Me In

For over a decade the recording studio Record Plant Studios produced some of most legendary albums of all time featuring a huge pool of talent.

In Martin Porter’s and David Goggin’s oversize hardbound book Buzz Me In Inside The Record Plant Studios, published by Thames & Hudson, the incredible musical history of the studio is revealed.

Take a moment to look at the back of book’s dust cover to set the list of the musical artists that used the studio-incredible.

Filled with archival photos of inside and outside the studio, the book examines the talent the studio helped used over the years to create their Rock & Roll masterpieces.

If you are a lover of Rock & Roll this it is the book to own. More than a gallery of photos the book examines the meat and bones of producing and recording music using the most sophisticated equipment at the time. It’s real page-turner that uncovers the studio secrets most music lovers have never known before.

I absolutely love the photos, the intimate and revealing text and the history of one the greatest music studios that ever existed.

Matthew 11:28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Great American Cowboy Stories

Like any young boy growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States I was a big cowboy fan-especially TV shows about cowboys.

Granted TV could not really capture the life of a cowboy totally realistically the shows did manage to bring the romanticism associated with cowboys to a huge audience.

Working the range, corralling horses and cattle, surviving primitive conditions and making a living in the Old West was not an easy task.

The work days were long, dusty, dirty, lacking the simplest of conveniences and fraught with danger. Rustlers, Indians, swindlers and loneliness confronted cowboys.

Lyons Press Classics’ Great American Cowboy Stories, edited by Michael McCoy, both fictional and true tales of cowboys are included.

Eighteen stories tell of cowpokes, cattle drives, caballeros of all genders and races as chronicled by such literary luminaries as Zane Grey, Theodore Roosevelt, Bill Nye, Frank Benton and several more.

So partner, saddle up, check your chaps, spurs, saddle bag and supplies and get ready to head out to the plains and mountains and face off against storms, renegades and the untamed wilderness.

Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out!

Psalms 34:4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Sonic The Hedgehog Knuckles Anniversary Special

At first a deadly adversary of Sonic, Knuckles would eventually prove to be a strong and courageous ally to Sonic and his friends.

He’s tough, fast and strong (and very stubborn).

Knuckles The Echidna is the Guardian of the Master Emerald. He’s headstrong, independent and a little bit full of himself. He’s the last of his kind-until he meets a young, somewhat timid, cautious would-be Guardian.

Reluctantly he becomes her mentor which turns out to be a bit of a challenge. Eventually the two hit it off. Along the way Knuckles confronts his past, reevaluates what it means to be a Guardian and that being a Mentor is more about fists and fighting-it’s what type of person you are.

The Sonic The Hedgehog Knuckles Anniversary Special story is written by Ian Flynn with art by Aaron Hammerstrom and published by https://idwpublishing.com/IDW Publishing.

Included with the Knuckles story is the an unusual tale about Dr. Eggman’s birthday. After reading the story one cannot help but wonder if Dr. Eggman is as tough and cold as he appears.   Art is provided by Thomas Rothlisberger with words by Gale Galligan.

The art on both stories captures the characters perfectly and the stories are true to each.

It’s a thin, hardback graphic novel that packs quite a punch.

Romans 12:12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams

I consider the band Iron Maiden a combination Rock and Roll, Heavy Metal, Horror Opera, Stygian and steeped in darkness kind of band.

Just slightly over 50 years ago the band started and already had a partially formed vision as to what the band, its music and it message would be.

It has stayed pretty much true to its origin and to its fans spanning the decades. You’ll see 70 year olds swaying to the band’s music right next to teenagers. That’s quite an achievement.

In the Thames & Hudson’s new oversize and thick hardbound book: Iron Maiden: Infinitive Dream The Official History, with a foreword by band member Steve Harris, delves into the impressive history of the band.

Filled with archival photos from concerts, behind-the-scenes, recording sessions and more the book also contains song lists, lyrics, personal accounts, key moments in the band’s history, triumphs, downfalls and everything associated with a band that has lasted over 50 years.

I never listened to Iron Maiden that much growing up but I did know some people who were big fans.

Looking over the book I can see how the band predated Grunge, Punk and even some Heavy Metal bands. Iron Maiden opened the door to a diverse repertoire.

It’s stage shows were unique, often disturbing, never boring and full of energy. The band's mascot Eddy the psychopathic, monster killer and horror icon has became a well-known symbol of the band.

Eddy has changed over the years taking on various personas yet always retaining his horror/blood lust identity.

The book is fascinating look into the working of a band, its longevity and place in popular music.

2 Timothy 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.