Notes for Monday – February 09, 2015

February 9th is the birthday of Major George Charles Nonte Jr. (born 1926, died June 30, 1978). JWR had the privilege of attending ROTC Basic Camp at Fort Knox in the same company with his daughter, Yvette, in 1981. Some of the stories that she told about her father were amazing. He was quite a guy. Cadet Yvette Nonte went on to a career in Army Intelligence, retiring as a Colonel.




An Argument for Milsurp Rifles

I’ve been reviewing old military rifles off and on, with the idea that they have uses for preppers. I’ve even had letters suggesting that I do these reviews. We recently published a very thoughtful letter from M.M. to the contrary. I wanted to address a few of the points he made and thank him for taking the time to write. The first point is that I wasn’t very good at saying that we are looking for bargains in these rifles. My main goal was to help people realize that if they see a good deal on one, they ought to …




Product Review: Infidel Body Armor – Level IV

Much has been written and discussed on SurvivalBlog lately about body armor, which is something many people mistakenly refer to as a “bulletproof vest”. There is no such thing as bulletproof vests. There are just vests that are designed to “resist” certain types of ammo of varying degrees of power. I make no claim to being any sort of expert when it comes to body armor. However, over the past 35-yrs or so, I have tested quite a bit of soft and hard body armor. My tests were not “scientific”; I just took body armor panels out and shot them …




Recipe of the Week: Calico Salad

Ingredients: Salad: 1 can (14.5 oz.) French-style green beans, drained 1 can (14.5 oz.) white or regular corn, drained (I always just use regular corn) 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen peas and carrots, thawed 1 c. chopped green pepper 1 c. chopped onion 1 c. chopped celery Dressing: 1 c. cider vinegar 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. vegetable oil 1 Tbs. celery seed 1 Tbs. mustard seed dash garlic salt salt and pepper to taste Directions: Place all salad vegetables in mixing bowl. In medium saucepan, combine all dressing ingredients. Bring dressing to boil; stir and boil 1 minute. Pour …




Letter Re: What Happens When a Spouse Dies?

Hugh: The author of this article recommends a Living Will. These documents often express a patient’s wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means. Your readers should be aware that food and water are now considered medical care in all 50 states, rather than normal care of the sick. That means that people who sign Living Wills may be unwittingly authorizing their own starvation and dehydration. It is far better to express your wishes about medical treatment to a loved one whom you trust and instead sign a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare. That gives your loved one …




Economics and Investing:

Syriza’s 40 point plan for Greece. – H.L. o o o ‘The Dollar Will Die with a Whimper’, A System Reset Is Imminent, Russia And China Have Been Accumulating Enormous Amounts Of Gold, Positioning Themselves For The Next Phase Of The Global Financial System. o o o China‘s secret plan to topple the US as the world’s superpower. – A.W. o o o End of an Era: Prospects Look Bleak For Slowing the Coming Food Crisis. – B.B.




Odds ‘n Sods:

SWAT raid on maple syrup tapping. This family’s neighbors reported that they had a suspected meth lab. It turned out that they were tapping trees for maple syrup. At least no one was hurt when DEA and police raided their house, but this is one more example where the governmental encouragement of “If you see something, tell someone” has turned us into a nation of tattletales. – J.C. o o o Venezuela to incorporate occupied grocery into state system. – H.L. o o o Today In Creepy Privacy Policies, Samsung’s Eavesdropping TV. – P.S. o o o Doctor That Said …