Day: June 1, 2015


Scot’s Product Review: Armasight Night Vision Accessories

I recently reviewed the $549 Russian-made Armasight Spark Core night vision device and promised to do an update on some of the accessories that can be used with it. If you recall, I liked the monocular unit (which was $90 less when I bought it) and felt it offered a lot of bang for the buck, enough so that I purchased it on my own and then reviewed it. I still like it, but I am very concerned about not being able to get a response from Armasight on several questions. I contacted them both as a purchaser looking for …


Ruger Mini-14, .300 AAC Blackout Tactical Rifle, by Pat Cascio

I still remember the very first Ruger Mini-14 I owned. It was in .223– the only caliber available at that time. It was 1983, and I really didn’t get a chance to shoot the little Mini-14 until a vacation from Chicago back to Oregon to my brother-in-law’s ranch a few months later. Some unforeseen circumstances found my wife and I stuck in the Chicago, IL area from 1982-1984. My stepfather and mother made the trip with us to Oregon, and my stepfather brought along his Universal M-1 Carbine. We had a lot of fun shooting, but my stepfather was blown …


Recipe of the Week: Salmon ‘Souffle’, by JVB

My uncle likes his little luxuries, even when we’re eating LTS food. Here’s one of his favorites. Ingredients: 1 14-oz can salmon 1 can condensed mushroom soup 1/2 cup powdered cheese 6 Tbsp powdered eggs 1 cup water 1/4 tsp pepper (optional) 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional) Directions: Drain and flake salmon in casserole dish. Add mushroom soup; mix with spoon. Alternate powdered cheese along with half the water while mixing. Alternate powdered eggs, along with the rest of the water while mixing. Add spices, mix. Cover and bake at 350F until firm, approx 30-40 minutes. Makes about four servings. …


Letter: The Noose is Tightening

HJL, Report from Maryland: I went to the bank today to make a deposit (two medical insurance reimbursement checks). I was informed that I had to show my drivers license or passport to make a deposit. (Up until now ID had to be provided only for withdrawals.) Then, the teller told me I needed to provide personal information: name of employer, annual salary, citizenship of another country or dual citizenship, foreign bank account holdings, and because it is a joint account, I was told to provide the same for my spouse. I’ll let you and others imagine my response. I …


Economics and Investing:

How Long Can OPEC Maintain Its Current Strategy? o o o Here’s a sad statistic from a Georgia think tank—Georgia Public Policy foundation: Cost of government: Federal regulation and intervention cost American consumers and businesses an estimated $1.88 trillion in 2014 in lost economic productivity and higher prices, according to “Ten Thousand Commandments,” by the Competitive Enterprise Institute. If U.S. federal regulation was a country, it would be the world’s 10th largest economy, ranking behind Russia and ahead of India. Given that our total national economy is somewhere in the $18 trillion range (GDP was listed as $16.7 trillion in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The fine folks at the Paratus Familia blog have posted a very useful piece about U.S. military surplus GP Medium tents. o o o Administration preps new gun regulations. – G.G. o o o The working class Hunger Games – Reality TV show now pits working class against working class family for the chance to earn $101,000 for a mostly affluent audience. o o o Lest you think the Fox Network isn’t part of the problem: Lucifer Makes Prime Time – M.R. o o o And even more about the moral decline of of our society – When The “Sharing” …