Day: January 13, 2007

Notes From JWR:

There is still a lot of snow on the ground and more snowfall expected soon, but The Memsahib is already intently studying her seed catalogs! She is irrepressibly optimistic. It is just in her nature. I think that, bank balance willing, this will be the year that I build her a greenhouse so that she can dispense with using our small cold frames and windowsill sprouting and get a serious early start on the vegetable garden. Today we begin with a letter from David, our correspondent in Israel.


Two Letters Re: Israeli Nuclear Saber Rattling

James The Olmert government would not do a nuclear strike of any kind even if we were at risk of being completely overrun. The weakness in response can be seen in the war in Lebanon where only minimal measures were used and only against safe targets after about 8 hours of leaflet warnings. Olmert simply will not upset his liberal European friends even when Washington orders him to act strongly. This is likely part of a wind up similar to what we saw before the Iraq invasion although I am doubtful that there will be an American ground occupation of …


Two Letters Re: Night Sights for Pistols

Jim, I can definitely say that the XS Sights work as advertised. I’ve tried them on the Mini-14 and AR-15 carbines, and in both cases they enabled accurate 100 yard plinking at night and fast acquisition with full sights. With a peep-sight equipped rifle, the Tritium front is the most worthwhile upgrade. If you can see the sight through the opening, you’re going to hit what you’re pointing at. For around $100, this is a very worthwhile upgrade for any gun that gets used at night. – Arclight   Jim, While reading earlier today OSOM’s posting re “Night Sights for …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“The Werewolf”, (our correspondent in Brazil) recommended a 49 cent downloadable Amazon short by Kim Stanley Robinson. It is titled :”Imagining Abrupt Climate Change: Terraforming Earth.”    o o o Michael Z. Williamson reminded us that the Oak Ridge Laboratory treatise on what nuclear weapons actually do, and how to defend your family against their effects is available for free download from the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine.    o o o “Simple Country Doctor” recommended this “moderately technical discussion of non-nuke EMP device” from Australia.