Day: May 4, 2015

Notes for Monday – May 04, 2015

On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire on anti-war protesters at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others. Also on this day in 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat signed an accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho, creating what the world believed would be peace at last in the Middle East. Of course, the Palestinians, then as now, threw away the peace agreement and resumed hostilities towards Israel.


Scot’s Product Review: Quantum Harvest Model 120

This review is part of my continued exploration of backup power during disruptive times. Life without electricity, even for a few hours, is unpleasant and could even be life threatening. I was reflecting about this during our last Scouting campout as I saw how many battery-operated devices were in evidence. It was mostly flashlights, but there were also two-way radios for communications, cell phones for emergencies, and the like. We are supposed to leave entertainment gadgets behind, but I admit to having a book reader on most trips, and I keep copies of first aid guides and similar materials on …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Cold Steel’s Battle Shades

Whenever I teach a firearms class, I require my students to bring three things. One is a baseball cap to prevent hot brass from falling on their face, while the other two things are hearing protection and some type of eye protection. These last two things require no explanation, right? Wrong! Most students show-up for a training session with no eye protection, for some reason. I simply don’t understand this at all. Nevertheless, it happens, so I keep extra pairs of eye protection in my shooting box along with extra ear plugs for those who don’t think their hearing is …


Recipe of the Week: Chili in An Electric Crock Pot, by D.D.

We spend a lot of time talking about off-grid living, so I try to balance the endless chatter with gear tests. It’s better to learn now whether a clever scheme actually works when there is no consequence for failure. Cooking is a big deal and one that I’ve given much thought to, both here in my city house (bug in location) and at our secret lair in the base of an inactive volcano (bug out location). Solar cookers are fun but of limited OPSEC, and they only operate when the sun is out. I had it in my mind to …



Odds ‘n Sods:

From our friends Frank and Fern: Winter of Our Demise o o o The IRS continues its abuses, despite claims to the contrary. IRS seizes rural convenience store owner’s career savings in another horrible abuse of civil forfeiture. – T.P. o o o Two suspects killed, officer injured after shooting outside Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas. B.B. There also seem to be suggestions at this time that they were Islamist extremists and that they took credit before the attack via social media. o o o U.N. Official Reveals Real Reason Behind Warming Scare – To destroy evil capitalism, of course. …