The Siege of New Hampshire

Book 6: Chapter 18: Urgent Call

Martin was busy tending to his unexpected guests when an urgent radio call came in. The railroad project needed the welding repair done immediately. Martin tried to tell Charles to get his welder up to Manchester and do the welding as he had promised, but the Hendrick brothers had gone to the coast and would not return until Friday. The welder was still at the Hendricks' farm but how could he get it up to Manchester without the truck?

 

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Prepper Fiction: Rebuilding After SHTF

A counterpoint to the dark Mad Max vision, are stories of people rebuilding after an SHTF event. Mic dips into his old-movies archives to discuss Swiss Family Robinson (1960). Mic, Jeff, and Brian then look at Kevin Costner's The Postman (1997) as a tale of SHTF survivors who grasp at hope that "America" is coming back and begin to assert control over their own lives and defy the local warlord.

 

Links from films discussed in this podcast

Swiss Family Robinson -- The imdb.org listing, cast, reviews, etc.

Swiss Family Robinson -- Rent from Amazon, or available on Disney+

The Postman -- The imdb.org listing, cast, reviews, etc.

The Postman -- Rent the movie on Amazon if you have Prime

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Book 6: Chapter 19: Cast Iron

Harold and his family arrive in Manchester. The casting process process begins for making a new cylinder head for the ailing locomotive. While they work, Harold shares some of what life was like in the detention camp and some of the mysterious goings on. Once the work was completed, Martin returns home to find a difficult surprise.

 

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Prepper Fiction: No Blade of Grass -- Bug Out ca. 1970

In this episode, Mic, Brian, and Jeff discuss the post-apocalyptic film of 1970, No Blade Of Grass. It is called by some as the British version of the American film Panic In Year Zero. But the story is not about living in the woods, post-SHTF, but looks only at the journey from the big city to their Bug Out Location in the country. The boys try to look past the awkward artsy-ness of the director to discuss the story's events from a prepper's perspective.

Links for this Episode:

The book that the film is based upon: The Death of Grass (1956) Read online (free) at archive.org

The movie No Blade of Grass at Amazon Prime (rental)

Description of the movie No Blade of Grass on ClassicScifi.blogspot.com

Description of No Blade of Grass on Wikipedia

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Book 6: Chapter 20: An Opening

Martin and Margaret try to manage the sudden horde of Ferals that have settled around the Simmons house. While a solution is found, they put many of the Ferals to work in exchange for a meal of pine fries. A big project to keep most of them busy is digging out an area for a pond along the little stream on the Simmons' property. The work is interrupted by two men who wish to arrest one of the Feral women whom they accuse of stealing a chicken.

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Link for Next Friday

Next week, Jeff, Brian and Mic will be discussing a 15-minute intro video by a scientist who tries to sort out what humanity would have to know to rebuild civilization after an apocalypse. If you want to view the video before the guys discuss it, here is the YouTube link. Humanity After An Apocalypse.

 

Extra: Post-Apocalyptic Rebuild...in 15 Minutes

This week, Jeff, Brian and Mic will be discussing a 15-minute intro video by a scientist named Lewis Dartnell, who tries to sort out what humanity would have to know to rebuild civilization after an apocalypse.  Of course, you can't describe everything you'd need to do to rebuild our current civilization in just a short video. Some things he touches on are sound. Some things superfluous. The boys put in their two-cents as to what someone would need to know for post-apocalyptic knowledge.

The Link to the Video:   If you want to view the video before the guys discuss it, here is the YouTube link. Humanity After An Apocalypse.

 

As we near the conclusion of Book 6, let Mic that you you want to hear more of the Siege story by buying virtual cups of coffee at Buy Me A Coffee

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Book 6: Chapter 21: Returning Home

Martin and his crew assemble the Ferals for the hike into Manchester. They are blocked by the stocky man and his men who insist on taking some of the Ferals as their own personal slave labor. Stocky's plan is derailed by the Overseer of the Grange.

After all of that, the long march into the city begins. Once in the city, the Ferals find opportunities for work and housing. Martin is finally free to return home without the distractions he had endured all summer.

This is the final chapter of Book 6: The Summer of Wood and Iron

 

Thank you to all of you who supported me and encouraged me in the creation and completion of this project. I have appreciated the feedback, the coffees on Buy Me A Coffee, and the regular support on Patreon and BMAC.

What's Next?

In his outro, Mic discusses his plans for the podcast going forward. Check it out!

 

Extra: Should you count on FEMA, or prep?

Mic, Brian, and Jeff look at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in light of the recent hurricanes and aftermath. Did FEMA deserve the bad press it got? Is FEMA actually supposed to rescue people? Mic looks at the old Civil Defense model (pre-FEMA). Brian looks at the current Swedish version of Civil Defense -- which is strong on DIY.

Below are links to things discussed in this episode.

FEMA website:

Ready.gov website

James O’Keefe interview with FEMA whistleblower
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Bert the Turtle, Duck and Cover, video:

Target You, Civil Defense preparedness film (1950)
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Sweden’s Civil Defense program:

19-page Swedish Preparedness PDF (in English):

 

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4 Novelettes: Harold's Escape, Chapter 1

Harold Perkins arrives at a small abandoned foundry well outside of the protective bounds of Canton Boston. He, and another man, have been ordered to cast a new aluminum base for a wind turbine blade. The overseer of this project, a Mr. Dorn, is sternly adamant that failure is not an option. Dorn gets angry when Harold says the small foundry does not have everything they need for Dorn's project.

 

Thank you to all of you who supported me and encouraged me in the creation and completion of Book 6. Work is underway to get the material processed through Amazon for the Kindle, paperback, and Audible versions.

As the story continues through four novelettes, do show your support by buying me a cup of virtual coffee on Buy Me A Coffee. Even better, would be joining the other monthly supporters on Patreon and BMAC. Those members are getting the chapters of the second novelette -- Susan's Raid.

 

Extra: Post-Election: Time to stop prepping?

Mic, Brian and Jeff have a roundtable discussion keying off of Todd Sepulveda's November 10th podcast. Todd talked about some people who were prepping for post-election chaos seem to have just stopped prepping since chaos didn't happen. Was that a reasonable response? Because Trump won, will things be safe, secure, and problem free -- at least for the next four years?  The guys weigh in with their two cents (sometimes more).

Links to items discussed in this podcast:

>> Blog post by Paul T. Martin. (Nov.6) "Many Preppers Are About To Make A Huge Mistake. Don't Be Them"

>> Todd Sepulveda's Nov. 10 Podcast discussing Martin's article

Available Now!  Book 6: The Summer of Wood & Iron is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback form.