Notes for Monday – June 22, 2015

During World War II, the U.S. 10th Army overcame the last major pockets of Japanese resistance on Okinawa Island on June 22nd, 1945, ending one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The same day, Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, the commander of Okinawa’s defense, committed suicide with a number of Japanese officers and troops rather than surrender. o o o Do you have a recipe that you would like to share with other SurvivalBlog readers? I’ve been caught with my hand in the proverbial cookie jar this week. My queue of recipes is low and while Mrs Latimer …




Scot’s Product Review: Steiner 7×50 Marine Binoculars

Before I go into the review, I would like to compliment Armasight for replacing a small part on my Spark Core night vision monocular that I reviewed recently. I have been complaining about how I had been unable to get a response from either their information email address or their relations person, but when I needed a small part their service department replied promptly and sent me the part within a week of my request. I found that impressive. Since the service people are efficient, that takes away much of my reluctance to recommend their products. Getting back to the …




Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Zero Tolerance 0630 Folder

Not bragging, not in the least, but when I was in high school and beyond, everyone used to say I was the coolest guy they knew. Just about everyone who signed my high school year book said I was “cool”. Go figure? I guess that puts me in the same camp with “Fonzie” from the TV show “Happy Days”. Fonzie, from the show, and I had a couple of things in common, and one of the major things was that we both hated admitting we were wr…….., er, um, wro…..ohhhh, wron…..ok, ok, we hated admitting when we were wrong!! I …




Recipe of the Week: Chicken Enchilada Casserole, by Mrs. Hugh Latimer

This is a very easy recipe and one of our family’s long-time favorites. However, I also have a camping (or emergency/SHTF) version of it that is almost as good. I’m going to give you both versions, as a sneak peak for recipes I’m assembling to share in an upcoming food preparation cookbook, which has not yet been titled. (We produce and store most of the food we consume, including spices and even some medicines and teas, so stay tuned. It’s in “the works”. We also enjoy scrumptious meals regardless of where we find ourselves (at home, on the road, on …




Letter Re: The Lack of Police and Fire Training

Hugh, This comment is in regards to the Letter: The Lack of Police and Fire Training or Preparation for the Aftermath of an EMP. I have had the pleasure of working for one of the Northeast’s largest cities in their Emergency Management Department, and I am currently the Director for a County EMA in the Midwest. I agree with your comments that the risk is not high on the list that we prepare for, but we do have conversations regarding this quite a bit. Part of the problem is that the run of the mill police officer or fire fighter …




Economics and Investing:

Jim Rogers: Turmoil Is Coming. – G.G. o o o The Next Great European Financial Crisis Has Begun. – B.B. o o o Tens of thousands march against austerity in London. What will happen in our inner cities when America is similarly really BROKE????? Those in better neighborhoods will be struggling, BUT will be in more danger from those feeling “deprived”! – H.L. o o o Why A U.S Shale Slowdown Will Hardly Effect Oil Prices




Odds ‘n Sods:

Bartering in a Post-Collapse Society. – H.L. o o o Paul Craig Roberts: “Washington Is Impotent To Prevent Armageddon”. – D.C. o o o How resilient is the United States’ food system to pandemics? . – I.R. o o o Video: Building a primitive wattle and daub hut from scratch. – J.C. o o o Video: Gunpowder From Urine. – A.R.




Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

Government-to-government foreign aid promotes statism, centralized planning, socialism, dependence, pauperization, inefficiency, and waste. It prolongs the poverty it is designed to cure. Voluntary private investment in private enterprise, on the other hand, promotes capitalism, production, independence, and self-reliance. – Henry Hazlitt