Do rural homeowners need guns for self-defense?
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #72 • November/December, 2001
Do rural homeowners need guns for self-defense? Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, according to Ayoob's experience, but those who did never really knew they would until...
Cold weather shooting considerations
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #126 • November/December, 2010
Winter will soon be upon us. Cold weather makes a lot of things more difficult. Running. Walking. Navigating through the woods. And, of course, safely manipulating and shooting...
Perspectives on the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin shooting
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #143 • September/October, 2013
The media told us a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain and wannabe cop with gun-derived courage was on patrol when he profiled a young child because he was black...
Why I Hated Santa Claus
By John Silveira
December 21, 1999
Even as a little kid I didn't like Santa Claus. I liked the loot he brought; I wanted toys. With some trepidation, I even sat in his lap at the...
Rural Building
By Martin Harris
Issue #63 • May/June, 2000
From the architect's chair
Before beginning any building project, it is usually beneficial, from a time and cost perspective, to think through all the possible alternatives, weighing the pros...
Build Your Own Car Wash
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #133 • January/February, 2012
Completed car wash in operation
If someone told me a year ago that I would have a commercial car wash behind my garage, I would have laughed....
A survival key ring — Your everyday tool for emergency preparedness
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #117 • May/June, 2009
If you saw the movie, "Castaway" starring Tom Hanks, you might remember that his character always carried a small pen knife with him. Early in the...
Pistachios — Historic and healthy nuts
By Habeeb Salloum
Issue #125 • September/October, 2010
Pistachios (Pistacia vera), whose name derives from the Persian word pisteh, is believed to have originated in Iran. For thousands of years they thrived in western Asia, in...
Understanding the gun debate, part 2
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #162 • November/December, 2016
Click Here to read Part 1
When debating any controversial issue, the first thing one has to do is sort the lies from the truth.
On the pro-gun side, mistruths...
Forget the dog, chicken is man’s best friend
By Richard Blunt
Issue #49 • January/February, 1998
The domestic chicken, or Gallus domesticus as the Romans called it, has lived with humans for centuries. It is probably the descendent of a wild asian bird, and...
The chances of global disaster
By John Silveira
Issue #57 • May/June, 1999
We were preparing the current issue and the office hummed as it always does during deadline. Dave Duffy, the fellow who publishes this magazine, explained to our new...
American food — It’s as varied as the melting pot
By Richard Blunt
Issue #30 • November/December, 1994
Oftentimes, I stop and wonder what people ate in the early days of this country. We cooks do that sometimes. And it's at times like this that I...
Demystifying real rye bread
By Richard Blunt
Issue #141 • May/June, 2013
Rye has been a popular bread grain in many parts of Europe for hundreds of years, second only to wheat. Popular regional rye breads can be found in...
Understanding the gun debate, part 3
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #163 • January/February, 2017
Click Here to read Part 1
Click Here to read Part 2
As noted in the two previous parts of this discussion, one reason it's hard to maintain honest dialogue...
Pizza Casserole
Recipe of the Week
Pizza Casserole
Courtesy of
Michael Pirazi
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces thin egg noodles
2-1/2 cups (20 ounces) pizza...
Gritted bread
Recipe of the Week
Gritted bread
Courtesy of
Thomas C. Tabor
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
2 cups gritted corn (see below*)
1/2 cup sweet milk
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp....