Year: 2014


Notes for Monday – May 12, 2014:

A couple of noteworthy sales are going on right now: Camping Survivalis offering a 7% discount. Note that this sale is on all items across the board, and they are already known for low-markup! o o o Your chance to save 25-60% on Mountain House items at Ready Made Resources is ending soon, and they will mix and match cases. Make sure you visit their website to check it out.


Guest Article: Evil Exists, by L.A.

When I was young, it was a whisper you heard in the school hallways or some television news story that you overheard your parents talking about. As children, we still played outside, rode our bicycles or skateboards all over town, and only came home right as the streetlights were coming on. There wasn’t really anything to be afraid of. Whatever evil there was back then, it at least stayed hidden in the shadows most of the time. Not anymore. Today’s world is something completely different. Evil is rampant and is increasingly seeking notoriety. More and more children are going missing, …


Scot’s Product Review: Bench Space

Like a lot of shooters and preppers, I reload most of the ammunition I shoot. While I agree with those who say they can reload better ammunition than the factory makes, my main motivation is saving money so I can shoot more. I suspect that is true of most reloaders. A problem I have is space. Reloading presses and equipment need to be solidly mounted to a workbench. They also need space around them to work in. I don’t have room for a bench dedicated to reloading. Mine has to share duties with Pinewood Derby cars for my son, broken …


Recipe of the Week: Polenta with Eggs Over Easy, by M.I.

Polenta: 1 c. cold water 1 c. medium grind cornmeal 1/2 tsp. salt 3 c water, boiling in saucepan 2 TBS butter In a small bowl, whisk the cornmeal and cold water together with salt. Add mixture into boiling water and simmer at least 5 minutes. Add butter. Cook another 3- 5 minutes, adding a little water at a time if you want to keep a creamy consistency. If you prefer a drier texture, like mashed potatoes, add no extra water. Serves 4 Over Easy Eggs: Preheat a skillet over medium heat with 2 TBS of olive oil for every …


Letter: Another Option for Emergency Power

Hugh, Having worked on a seasonal farm with large power demands and five back up generators, I have yet to see a pto generator that outputs modified sine wave power. Also the stator and rotor windings are all spread equally through out the machine, so even if one 120 volt leg is loaded a little more, the bearings carry the same load all the time. – Solar Guy Hugh Replies: I would have to agree with this statement. I like my pto generator because it simply means one less gas/diesel engine that I have to maintain, and it produces a …


Letter: Revision Eyewear

Hugh, I’ve been issued many pairs of Revision Sawfly eyewear in the Army. At first, I had no choice but to use them (and didn’t know there were other options out there either). My biggest problem with them is that the lenses didn’t protect me that well on the sides. I’ve had plenty of sand blow into my eyes. However, I’ve served with quite a few who’ve had no issues with the Revision Sawfly’s, and they appeared to fit well on the face. I do like Revision’s Desert Locust goggles. They work pretty well, keeping dirt and sand out of …


Economics and Investing:

My analysis of the true price of silver in today’s dollars – G.P. o o o It’s Very Clear That The U.S. Economy Isn’t Growing o o o Items from The Economatrix: Fed Takes Step To Limit Size Of Biggest Banks Watch for bank mergers before any 100-billion-bar legislation takes place. Job growth picking up, but data likely to show worker confidence still low WSJ Survey: Economists See Growth Rebound The Economics Of Marriage This Is What’s Going To Happen When All Hell Breaks Loose


Odds ‘n Sods:

In the haste of the day, it’s always good to take a break and enjoy some fantastic scenery. This video of some stunt paragliding is absolutely amazing, both this beauty of the stunts and in the scenery. – J.S. o o o The Real Gun Violence Issue. Most of it is gang-related. Most of the gangs are in our inner cities, and our President, along with the rest of the so-called “mainstream media”, simply refuse to address any of it. – J.W. o o o Barack Obama and the Monsanto Betrayal – H.L. o o o Japan Jails Man for …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“…but then what?” “Then you’d milk cows, of course!” “But I don’t want to milk cows!” “Neither do I…but if the cow has to be milked, someone has to do it! That’s what makes it a needed skill. Listen…” He turned to the rest of us now. “Too many of you sitting in this classroom have been separated from those very necessary skills for too many generations. It’s given you some very peculiar ideas…of your own importance. Let me relieve you of that foolishness right now…most of you have to depend on too many others for your survival, and that …


Notes for Sunday – May 11, 2014:

Today we present another entry for Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A 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 cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value), A $300 gift …


Building Your Own No-FFL AR From An 80% Complete Receiver, by JAG

I read the “Building Your Own No-FFL AR From an 80% Complete Receiver” article by NOMAD several months ago and decided to try building my own AR-15. I have re-written his article to update it with my research and experiences. Why build instead of buy complete: Save a little money. The AR-15 platform is an inexpensive weapon overall, and owning one is on-par with buying a much less versatile bolt-action rifle. So for a similar price you get additional versatility. Bolt action rifles are great for reaching out beyond 200 yards, but if the pack of wolves or wild dogs …


Two Letters Re: A Response to Ideas Concerning a Post-Collapse World

Hugh, J.L.’s article was a little light on the math. I would assume (assumption #1) that the “Christian Era” referred to in “A Response to Ideas Concerning a Post-Collapse World” started with the birth of Jesus (hence the “A.D.” in our dating system). Given that as the starting point, 5 pennies (were they modern-day pennies, assumption #2) invested at 5% annually for roughly 2,000 years would now be worth $214,703,801,016,035,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, according to my Excel spreadsheet calculations. Converting that dollar amount to gold (a more compact measure of value than copper coin) at $1308 (5/6/14 at 2 PM, Kitco, assumption #3) …


Economics and Investing:

Saxobank Warns China Is Exporting Deflation (And It’s Not Going To Stop Anytime Soon) – H.L. o o o The Shocking Increase Of College Tuition By State – B.R. o o o Items from The Economatrix: Banks Close in Donetsk – A Lesson For The Rest Of Us U.S. April Budget Surplus $114 Billion: CBO Consumer Credit Accelerates In March Yellen Stays Upbeat But Is Watching Housing Yellen: Geopolitics, U.S. Housing Could Slow Recovery


Odds ‘n Sods:

Russian Military Recruitment Video Embraces Dark Side | Video | TheBlaze.com – G.P. o o o Arizona court overturns ruling on bus-stop gun ads. o o o Uncomfortable with surveillance cameras? “Identity replacement tech” in the form of the Personal Surveillance Identity Prosthetic gives you a whole new face. Anti-surveillance mask lets you pass as someone else. – RBS o o o This is a nice brief video with text of a shooter busting aerial clay birds with an Ultimak forward mounted Aimpoint optic on an AK. I can personally vouch for this very set up on the AK, using …