Notes for Monday – October 20, 2014

October 20th is the birthday of actor Viggo Mortensen (born 1958.) He lives somewhere in the American Redoubt. On his ranch is his horse-for-life “TJ”–one of the five paint horses used in the filming of the movie Hidalgo. This is also the birthday of “fast and fancy” shootist Ed McGivern (born 1874, died December 12, 1957.) He was born in Nebraska but was a long-time resident of Butte, Montana. o o o JWR’s latest novel Liberators: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse will be released on Tuesday, October 21st. If you plan to buy any copies in bulk, then …




Guest Article: Lights Out, by NightlyJazz

Not to take away from the novel of the same name by David Crawford–which really is an excellent book that I do recommend you read as well as save a hard copy–I experienced my own little Lights Out situation. I’ve always wanted to test my preps by switching off the electricity and running everything off the grid, but I never pulled the trigger. I kept telling myself that I did not have enough equipment to do a test, plus there was also the fact that I was afraid, as a single father of one-, two-, and three-year olds, my children …




Scot’s Product Review: FLIR LS-Series Thermal Imaging Camera

Seeing in the dark is something we poor humans aren’t good at. The term “cover of darkness” is an apt description, and if we can penetrate it we have a serious advantage over those who can’t. This also applies to anything that obscures visibility, such as smoke, haze, or other obstructions. We often hear the buzz phrase “force multiplier”, and anything that helps us see when our opponent can’t is a big one in my book. Being able to detect attackers first or control our own people is pretty huge, as the perils of being clueless are obvious. Besides the …




Recipe of the Week: Swiss Steak with a Kick by Mrs. HJL

This is a simple recipe that our family likes to cook using the crock pot. It’s a regular dish. We modified the traditional version to use some green chili and/or jalapeno peppers, which you can use to suit your personal tastes. 1 1/2 to 2 lb round steak, cut into six to eight serving portions 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 Tbsp butter (or oil) 1 onion, chopped 1/2 bell pepper, chopped 1 or 2 small cans green chili, chopped 1 can tomato soup (or 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes and omit water below) 1/2 cup …




Letter: Bullet Proof 3-Ring Binder

My daughter had a science project due and she asked for my help. So, I helped her build a bullet proof 3-ring binder. Her goal was for the binder to stop a .223 bullet. The specs are as follows: The size is 12″ tall by 11″ wide The layers: The front cover: 1/4″ Ultra High Density Plastic 1/16″ Steel 1 panel of Kevlar bullet proof material from a bullet proof vest that expired in 1998. I folded the panel so the panel would fit inside the above dimensions and duct taped them in place. 1/4″ Ultra High Density Plastic She …




Economics and Investing:

The World Has Less Than 5 Days Worth Of Copper Inventories o o o Japanese Stocks Tumble After BOJ Bond-Buying Operation Fails For First Time Since Abenomics o o o Yellen says rising income inequality in U.S. ‘greatly’ concerns her. And since when is this any of the Fed’s concern? This progressive horse manure will drive our once-great nation right over a cliff. – J.H. o o o Russians and Chinese are ditching the dollar as Europeans start using renminbi in their reserves




Odds ‘n Sods:

JWR had some comments on the Ebola outbreak at the Prepper Recon Podcast. o o o Over at The Daily Sheeple: 10 Books That Could Actually Save Your Life. o o o Krayton Kerns, DVM: Main Street USA – Avalanche Lily o o o Build a working ADSB Aircraft Radar System for $ 20.00. – T.P. o o o Mental Health Issues Put 34,500 on New York’s No-Guns List. – H.L. o o o Life in Quarantine for Ebola Exposure: 21 Days of Fear and Loathing. – RBS