Odds ‘n Sods:

Jim B. sent a link to a BBC story about a British prisoner of war who smuggled himself into Auschwitz during WWII. It includes some interesting observations on cigarettes as barter items.

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Courtesy of Captain Bill and Bayou Renaissance Man, a The Daily Mail piece about a British couple who demonstrated what not to do when your house catches fire.

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SurvivalBlog regular Bill Buppert sent a link to a study on the effectiveness of current camouflage patterns. Bill’s comments: “One of the keenest bits of advice is contained in paragraph 4.b. in the Conclusions and Recommendations wherein it states that the USMC should be emulated for adopting the coyote color for all personal kit so it can be accommodated by all aspects of the environment e.g., woodland and desert. Wise words indeed. If you must wear camo uniforms, don’t match the scheme to your accessories such as packs, slings, etc. Monochrome is best for versatility. My biggest disappointment was not seeing the old Army Woodland and Three Color Desert patterns tested against the ones in the report. Talk to most soldiers returning from the Middle East and they will tell you that the old desert pattern is very effective.”

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A reader recently asked about Moss tents. I mentioned the Moss Stardome II model in “Patriots”, and my family has been using our Moss tents for over 15 years. Sadly, they are no longer in production. I have not yet discovered a new source for sturdy, American-made expedition tent that comes in earth tones. I found the discontinued Moss brand Little Dipper and Stardome II designs to be the most practical. You might look for used Moss tents in good condition on eBay.