Product Review: Springfield Armory XD-45 Mod.2

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Last month, SurvivalBlog readers got an in-depth look at the Springfield Armory XD-9 Mod.2 sub-compact 9mm handgun, and to be sure, it’s a winner in all respects. However, not everyone thinks that the 9mm round is the best all around caliber for self-defense or other uses. Some of us believe nothing less than the .45ACP will make do, and I’m in that group myself. Yes, quite often I can be caught carrying some kind of 9mm pistol, but if I know in advance that I’m headed into harm’s way I’ll elect to carry a .45ACP of some sort. Many gun …


Scot’s Product Review: Anker 14W Foldable Dual-Port Solar Charger

We have had a number of requests to review ways to make electricity without the need for the grid, particularly for things like cellphones and tablet computers. I’ve been looking into options, and they usually boil down to solar, though I hope to get some products that use other strategies. There is a huge range of solar solutions out there, from systems that can power a whole house to something that can keep a small battery charged. The whole house solutions can easily hit $40,000 or more when you include the battery backups, while the least expensive small ones can …


Recipe of the Week: Old Kimber Girls Granola Cereal

Ingredients: 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 1/3 cup water 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 cups old fashioned oats 1 cup coconut 1 cup raisins 2 cups dried cherries 2 generous cups chopped peanuts 2/3 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup wheat germ 1 5oz. can ice cream nut topping mixture (optional) Directions: Combine brown sugar, honey, and water. Bring to a boil, remove from the stove, add vanilla and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In separate bowl, combine oats and coconut; pour out onto a sprayed or greased, large, baking pan, and bake in 325 degree …



Economics and Investing:

15 large investment banks = nearly 90% of “notional amounts of all open derivative contracts”, trading assets of the ten largest banks summing up to > £5 trillion o o o Government Farming Subsidies Are A Pile Of Poo. – K. o o o The next bailout will be with student loans: White House takes first steps in allowing a bankruptcy option for student debt. $1.2 trillion in student debt outstanding. o o o The Real Problem Behind Low Oil Prices


Odds ‘n Sods:

Americans exposed to Ebola return from Africa for monitoring. – P.M. o o o Sanford airport police hold gun rather than arrest armed passenger stopped by TSA. – T.P. o o o Man gives change to homeless person, is handcuffed and held by police for an hour. – H.L. o o o Survivalblog reader M.B. suggested this article. It’s an older article, but well worth the read as it is still pertinent today: When The Music Stops – How America’s Cities May Explode In Violence o o o Police use stop and search powers on 300 toddlers . – J.C.



Notes for Sunday – March 15, 2015

Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with …


Letter Re: Getting Home, by D.K. Vet

HJL, I thought this was a great article with many fine ideas. I have a couple of comments to add to the theme. As someone who has to often work hundreds of miles from my home for extended periods of time, I am always thinking of how I would return home if the balloon goes up. I addition to the idea of bringing cash, I like to take a little silver coin. I have also been known to frequent pawn shops in my new area and pick up silver, since lately it is at bargain prices. One thing I do …


Economics and Investing:

Guess What Happened The Last Two Times The S&P 500 Was Up More Than 200% In Six Years? o o o Recent actions by the world’s central banks, at a glance. – G.P. o o o Surprise! U.S. economic data has been the world’s most disappointing o o o ExxonMobil CEO Wrong About “Resilience” Of Tight Oil Production


Odds ‘n Sods:

Meet the 19th Century American Who Warned About Big Government, Religious Liberty Assaults. – P.M. o o o Hertz installs in-car video cameras to spy on its rental customers. – T.P. o o o Obama Administration considers independent journalists to be ‘enemies of the state,’ warn reporters. – RBS o o o Putin vs. the preppies and the Ph.D.s: Outsiders, not insiders, change the world. – T.J. o o o Canadian Town Bans Spitting, Swearing And Gathering In Groups Of Three Or More. – H.L.



Notes for Saturday – March 14, 2015

Ready Made Resources is offering 12 Panasonic Eneloop batteries and a solar battery charger (a $59 value) with the purchase of their ITT upgraded PVS-14 Gen 3+ Autogated. Remember, a night vision without batteries is like a rifle without bullets, and one of the many uses of night vision is the ability to bug home or bug out at night when most people will not be able to do so. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite …


Letter Re: Getting Home, by D.K. Vet

HJL, I enjoyed the article by D.K. Vet on the topic of getting home while traveling away from home. I often travel for work as well, and I plan for getting home in much the same way as the author. One specific issue that has always concerned me, and I hoped would have been addressed by the author, is the challenge of getting back into one’s hotel room to access my “get home bag” in the event that a power outage happens to occur while I’m out of my room. As most of your readers likely know, nearly all modern …