Month: February 2014


Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Today’s entry is written by a student from Québec with some humor. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, Two …


Cold Weather Survival, by S.F.

I was born and raised in Québec City, Canada. For those who don’t remember their geography class, Québec City is located about 160 miles northeast from Montréal. Considering the latitude and the very special climate (mainly caused by the sudden widening of the Saint-Lawrence River), one could call the city the northernmost “major” city in North America. Winters are comparable to those in Norway, yet we get more snow, on average. They get about 31 inches of snow in Oslo; we get 124 inches. I call that a difference. Just check Wikipedia to see if I’m right. Then, let’s take …


Three Letters Re: Keeping Warm in an LP/OP

Dear Hugh, Regarding Heating Concern in LP/OP, as a long-time member of the military with extensive deployment, outdoor, and survival experience, here is my humble response to the reader’s query on keeping warm in an LP/OP. LP/OPs come in all shapes, sizes, and budgets. I’ve typically seen LP/OPs in three levels: hasty, intermediate, and advanced. Regardless of which one is manned, they all share two traits– clear fields of fire/observation and keeping the soldier alert. Having frozen my backside off more than I have wished and as it addresses your question head on, I will focus on the latter. Exposure …


News From The American Redoubt:

Cowboy Euphemisms– Krayton Kerns, DVM, Montana State Representative HD #58 o o o $225,000 payout to man mauled by police K-9 – RBS o o o Ore. woman survives 18 hours with hand stuck under hood of truck o o o Tom Kitchar So. Oregon Waldo Mining District : presentation to Idaho Legislature 2/7/14 on Suction Dredge mining video. – Mark o o o Boise, Idahoe has their very own Cheerleader with Downs syndrome. A true inspiration to others.


Economics and Investing:

B.B. sent in this article on the Bullion Baron: Soros Reloads SPY Puts, $1.3B Bet On S&P 500 Decline o o o Bob also sent in this follow up to “Singularity” that asserts that the models are not working. In this article, Robert Samuelson – no darling of the economic right to be sure – provides an assessment of applied economic theory and finds that economists don’t really know what’s going on and can’t really predict where we are headed. This act of self analysis and honest reflection is somewhat refreshing…..even though – as in yesterday’s article/blog – there is …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Washington Times reports that the NRA’s ‘American Rifleman’ surges to top 25 magazines in America knocking ‘Maxim’ from the list. – G.G. o o o Hands off our children, Big Brother, Patrice Lewis’ latest on ‘Common Core’. o o o California’s Gun Confiscation Program Hits Firearm Owners Hard. As part of its ongoing efforts to defend gun owners from malicious and improper prosecutions, the foundations recomends: Never consent to a search Exercise your right to remain silent Contact CGF’s Help Hotline through the online form at www.calgunsfoundation.org/hotline or call (800) 556-2109, open 24/7/365 If you need immediate legal assistance, …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“They’ve (the government) took our silver, They’ve took our gold. They’ve took th’ silver certificates all in. And we ain’t got a thing except our gover’mint on it. There’s all we got t’back it up. It just left us, by granny, with a piece a’paper; an’if we lose our gover’mint, it’s all dead anyhow just th’same as gover’mint bonds. We’re all broke. If th’gover’mint go broke, we ain’t got a thing in th’world.” – Hillard Green, sometime between 1968 – 1970 as part of Foxfire.


Guest Article: LRP Rations, The Survival Food of the Pros, by Thomas Baldrick

Maybe you wear a Peyton Manning jersey. Maybe you gulp Gatorade during your outdoor activities. Maybe you like Lowe’s because they sponsor Jimmy Johnson’s #48 car. If you’re one of the millions of people who commonly buy into the products of the top professionals, you might have an appetite for Long Range Patrol Ration Entrees. After all, LRP Rations are the survival food carried on long range missions by U.S. Military Special Forces members. The name Long Range Patrol Rations tells you who the intended military target was for this food. Today, current examples of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol units …


Pat’s Product Review: Deployable Compact Armorers Tool

I love working on guns, and I’ve tinkered with them since I was a teenager. Later on, I was trained by a military armorer to work on M1s, M14s, and M1911s, and I took several gunsmithing courses over the years. I’ve repaired many guns; however, the two firearms I enjoy working on the most are the grand old 1911 and the AR-15 family of rifles. More than anything, I usually can’t leave a 1911 alone, especially as it comes from the factory. So, I keep a decent supply of spare parts on-hand. The AR-15 doesn’t usually require a lot of …


Pat’s Product Review: CRKT K.I.S.S. Folder

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes up with one of those “oh-so-simple” ideas, and it is an immediate hit or success. I don’t begrudge anyone success in their lives, but how come it’s always someone else who invents a better application of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle? I’ve been around long enough to know that keeping things simple is usually the right and smart way to go. I recently heard from one of my former martial arts students, who I hadn’t heard from in 25 years. He now holds Black Belt rank himself in several different …


Apple Bread with Brown Sugar Icing – Anonymous

This bread freezes beautifully in a freezer ziploc bag. (I recommend storing without the icing. Just defrost the bread and make the icing before serving.) It’s yummy! 1 cup sugar 8 ounces sour cream 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat above ingredients on low speed until thoroughly combined. 2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat and half bread flour) 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda pinch cream of tartar 1/2 tsp salt Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients into large mixing …


Letter: Complications of Advanced IRA Strategies

Editor: I am not a tax preparer, but I have been a financial adviser for more than 30 years. I have been growing more concerned about potential government confiscation of a portion of the public’s Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA’s) and 401(k) plans (employer-sponsored retirement savings plans). The “myRA,” that Obama introduced in his State of the Union address, could be a precursor to a plan that would take part of the assets in these plans, and replace them with U.S. Treasury bonds. One alternative, of course, is to take your money out of your IRA. You’ll owe taxes, of course, …


Letter: Soft Point Ammunition in a PTR-91

Dear Mister Rawles, To your knowledge, does 308 soft point ammunition function in a PTR-91? JWR Replies: Just like the HK91 from which it is cloned, the PTR91 is not specifically designed to shoot .308 Winchester softnose hunting ammo. The SAAMI specifications for commercially-loaded (Remington, Winchester, Federal, et cetera) .308 Winchester are different from the military specifications for 7.62mm NATO. Although the two cartridges have quite similar exterior dimensions, the military brass is thicker (this creating slightly smaller interior dimensions) and the pressure specification is lower. (Yet, I still hear people talk about “hot military ammo.” The reality is just …


Economics and Investing:

B.C. sent in this article that seems to be a a pretty even handed view of the macroeconomic landscape. The Author uses the mathematical concept of singularity and the astrophysics concept of a black hole to provide analogies of the risks we face. He also discusses what he believes to be a “flight path” away from the black hole. – We Are Approaching The Economic Singularity o o o And D.B. sent in another article outlining the End of the Middle Class. When the New York Times is running it, it must be obvious. Items from The Economatrix: Are U.S. …