DOROTHY AINSWORTH, embodies the message and spirit of Paladin’s latest self-reliance title, Tough Times Survival Guide, to which she contributed the fantastic article “The Art of Scrounging Building Materials.” We asked Dorothy some of her secrets for living on less and attaining the skills to lead a self-sufficient lifestyle.

BRUCE CLAYTON, has been involved with the modern preparedness movement from the nuke-fearing days of the Cold War through the misunderstood militia movement of the 1990s, the buildup to Y2K, the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina and 9/11, and now the collapse of the world economy. Following up on his insightful contribution to Tough Times Survival Guide (“Family Survival Strategies for Large-Scale Emergencies”), we asked him his thoughts about where the movement stands today.

Influential freedom and self-reliance author CLAIRE WOLFE, provided two thought-provoking essays to Tough Times Survival Guide: “Circle of Friends: The Importance of Other People in Preparedness Plans,” and the two-volume set’s powerful concluding chapter, “Coda: Freedom in Tough Times.” We recently asked Claire to expound upon some of the themes she developed in those chapters.

WIM DEMEERE, discusses his new pad training video, Pad Man: A Video Guide to Full-Contact Partner Training, which covers how to properly hold focus mitts, hand pads and kicking shields in both an effective and versatile manner.

Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance author JAMES BALLOU, discusses the difference between homemade and commercial tools, the top five tools to look for at garage sales and junk shops, items every makeshifter should not be without, and much more in this wide-ranging interview.

JEFFREY HULL, author of Knightly Dueling: The Fighting Arts of German Chivalry, explains the true meaning of chivalry and describes how centuries-old martial texts are getting a new lease on life through the work of modern scholars.

In this interview STEVE ALBRECHT discusses why he wrote his new book TACTICAL PERFECTION FOR STREET COPS and how police officers can use it to learn “what they don’t teach you at the academy” about maintaining tactical perfection on the job.

DAVID LINDHOLM tells the reader how he went from medieval fighting arts to a modern-day boxing system, which he details in his new book, The Bare-Knuckle Boxer's Companion (which he co-wrote with Ulf Karlsson).

Street grappling expert MARK MIRELES tells you what you need to know about getting out of a tight spot, and discusses his book FIGHTING IN THE CLINCH Vicious Strikes, Street Wrestling, and Gouges for Real Fights.

CAPT. CHARLES BEENE shares highlights from his career as a police captain on the front lines of crowd management, and discusses his book Riot Prevention and Control.

GEORGE BRADFORD discusses key concepts in his book Self Reliance during Natural Disasters and Civil Unrest.

LOREN W. CHRISTENSEN talks about his important new Paladin title Surviving a School Shooting.

RICH NANCE and DAVID HALLFORD provide insight into their new DVD, a street-smart guide on fighting to win from the clinch, Up Close and Personal.

ANDY JAMES discusses his essential new book Shoestring Survivalism: How to Prepare for Bad Times on a Budget, outlining steps citizens can immediately take toward greater disaster preparedness.

MICHAEL D. JANICH reveals the genesis of his new DVD, Martial Cane Concepts, a unique self-defense system of cane tactics that's equally accessible to laypersons and those with physical limitations, and shares news of his other activities.

JOHN L. PLASTER on writing SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam, now available from Paladin Press.

CHRISTOPHER SCOTT THOMPSON discusses the Gaelic warrior class, its integration of a mystical "Otherworld" with the practicalities of survival and combat, and the role of poetry in this fabled culture. Read more on these fascinating topics in his new book, Highland Martial Culture.

LOU CHIODO discusses his experiences with the famed Col. Rex Applegate; how his "target-focused shooting" system is an evolution of Applegate's and W.E. Fairbairn's philosophies; and the challenges involved with helping firearms training institutions adopt more real-world training programs. Chiodo's new book, Winning A High-Speed, Close-Distance Gunfight, is now available from Paladin Press.