Year: 2015


Notes for Tuesday – June 30, 2015

June 30th is the second anniversary of the tragic death of 19 hotshots in the Yarnell Hill Fire (in 2013). o o o SurvivalBlog advertiser KI4U, Inc has just nailed down the master distributorship for Intershelter domes, and through the end of July they will be offering an Introductory Special that will save thousands of dollars off of normally $7,500 or $12,500 retail cost domes. Make sure you contact them directly, as they are not allowed to print the specials they are offering. o o o Repackbox is having a blowout sale: Genuine U.S. Military Issue AN/UDR-13 Radiac Units…NEW for …


Amazing Affordable Force Multipliers – Part 2, by Tupreco

EMP-Proof Your Radio Comms With a USGI Ammo Can Inexpensively How can you EMP-proof select comm gear for under $100? You can do this more easily than you might think. Radio comms are radio-based systems that can communicate across distances from a few miles up to thousands of miles, under the right atmospheric conditions. In order of range (and cost) these radio comms include walkie talkies using the Family Radio Service (FRS) and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). Next, at higher cost and more range, is citizens band radio or CB. At the top end in price and range …


Letter Re: Amazing Affordable Force Multipliers

HJL, I enjoyed reading this article about inexpensive thermal/IR force multipliers, but there are a few things I’d like to mention about these. Turning on any smart phone in a combat situation would look like someone holding up a 60” flat screen to anyone with real night vision and would probably draw the attention of the naked eye too. PVS 4s can spot a man puffing on a cigarette from over a mile away, so imagine what the light emitted from a smart phone looks like whether it’s facing you or not. To use a thermal smart phone effectively, you’d …


News From The American Redoubt:

Navy SEAL Team veteran William Rapier will be the instructor for a SRC Rural Property Defensive Tactics Course, September 4th-6th, 2015, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. o o o Mayor of Boise to pull down Mississippi state flag – T.H. o o o Washington: Hundreds of homes evacuated in central Washington fire’s path o o o Wyoming: Cheyenne sees boom in rabbit population o o o Montana: Texas Family of 10 Rescued in West Pioneers


Economics and Investing:

Puerto Rico’s Governor Says Island’s Debts Are ‘Not Payable’ – JBG o o o When you have to trot out analysts to characterize something as a “calculated retreat” and “not a panic”, it’s a pretty good guess that the panic is on… Greek Debt Crisis – J.H. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Greece Will Default To IMF Tomorrow, Government Official Says – There is still decisions to be played out here but if there is a “default” (extremely likely) and a no vote on Sunday, how this plays out could very well be very ugly… Greece Closing Banks …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Federal Judge Orders Brady Center to Pay Ammo Dealer’s Legal Fees After Dismissing Lawsuit – D.S. o o o New Jacksonville, FL Bill would make it Illegal to Back into Your Own Driveway – T.P. HJL adds: The author of this bill is obviously not a fireman and has never spent time around a firehouse. For those who don’t know, pulling in front-wise to parking spots and then having to back out in a hurry or in an emergency is a sure-fire way of getting people hurt or killed. Emergency personnel know to take the extra time and back into …



Notes for Monday – June 29, 2015

June 29th, 1868 is the birthday of astronomer Dr. George E. Hale. Dr. Hale was credited with founding the Yerkes Observatory in Chicago and the Mount Wilson and Palomar Mountain Observatories in Southern California. He also invented the spectroheliograph and first learned that the sun’s outer shell is made of gas. He photographed colossal hurricanes of incandescent vapor and discovered that the flaming whirlpools of hydrogen leaped 300,000 miles from the surface of the sun and were large enough to engulf the earth like a cinder in a furnace.


Scot’s Product Review: Blue Force Gear Vickers Combat Application Sling and More

I’m not sure who first coined the phrase, but whoever it was suggested that we think of a sling as a holster for a long gun, and I’ve always rather liked that analogy. Some slings also help the shooter be more accurate by providing support in shooting positions. By and large, however, the main use of the sling is to carry a long arm while keeping one or both hands free for other purposes. There are a number of types of slings and ways to attach them to a rifle or shotgun. The most common is a simple carry strap …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Kershaw’s Emerson CQC-4KXL

I still remember the first time I toured the Kershaw Knives plant, some 20+ years ago. It was for an article in Knives Illustrated. I wrote for Knives Illustrated for many years, probably longer than any other writer at that time, and I was promoted to their West Coast Field Editor position, where I mostly covered knives made in the Pacific Northwest area. To be sure, Oregon alone houses numerous knife companies itself. It might just be the cutlery capitol of the USA. Back during my first Kershaw tour, if I recall, they only had, at best, a couple dozen …


Recipe of the Week: Baked Pineapple, by BanjoNinja

At our house, people would fight over the pineapple on an Easter or Christmas ham, until a friend suggested this recipe. It’s a favorite recipe, for the holidays or anytime, that is good tasting and relatively inexpensive to make: Ingredients: one can of crushed pineapple one can of chunked pineapple one can of pineapple rings 1 cup flour 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed), plus about 4 tablespoons for later 1/2 stick butter, chilled 1 tsp. cinnamon, plus more to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Drain and reserve the …


Letter Re: Illusive Self-Sufficiency

HJL, I have a question for you and the SB readers. This is our third year living on our rural retreat and fifth year prepping in earnest. We have animals, a large garden, stored food, and other essentials. We’ve come a long way, but I can’t help but think when I survey everything how far we still have to go to become truly self-sufficient. Our garden wouldn’t come close to feeding our family year-round, but I’m already stretched to capacity with the current size, not to mention the animals and general farm chores (like cutting and splitting wood for the …


Economics and Investing:

Nature Provides Novel Solution To Energy Storage Problem o o o A Wary Athens Awaits the Referendum on Austerity. – JBG o o o Puerto Rico Debt Crisis Mounts With Key Deadline Just Week Away. – G.G. o o o Greece Update: Run On Banks Risks Leaving Them Cashless – JBG o o o The world is defenseless against the next financial crisis, warns BIS. – G.G. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Greek Capital Controls Begin: Greek Banks, Stock Market Will Not Open On Monday


Odds ‘n Sods:

A consulting client asked about sources for military surplus vehicles. One auction firm that is reputable is GovPlanet.com. But as with buying any used vehicle, caveat emptor! – JWR o o o Slave or Rebel? Ten Principles for Escaping the Matrix and Standing Up to Tyranny Some Americans are beginning to realize that they are slaves, and that if they don’t act soon they will find themselves imprisoned in the electronic. – H.L. o o o Tom Hammond’s Soldering Tips. – T.P. o o o ‘Sneak & peek’ warrants allow police to secretly enter homes without notice. – H.L. o …