Odds ‘n Sods:

Sandy Hook Advisory Commission calls for tighter regulation of homeschooling of “children with significant emotional, social or behavioral problems” – G.P. o o o What the Global Status Quo Optimizes: Protecting Elites and the Clerisy Class That Serves Them. – JFJ o o o This article takes an alarmist stance on the spread of Ebola. Many of the links are based upon shaky and incorrect evidence. However, the article underscores how fragile the current economy is and identifies many issues that could be a problem in any pandemic situation. Read it with a grain of salt and know that the …



Notes for Saturday – September 27, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ 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 hardcase to go with your …


Letter Re: Monitored Frequencies

Hugh, Mr. TV asked if government agencies monitored some frequencies 24/7. I am an Army Aviator and can tell you that 121.5 VHF is monitored by every aircraft in the U.S. (not just military). The VHF radios in aircraft are designed to automatically receive 121.5, and it will broadcast into the ears of the pilot regardless of currently tuned frequency. Example: I have a tower freq tuned (119.325) and if someone broadcasts over 121.5, I will hear it, but in order to respond, I would have to tune my own radio to 121.5. The same is true for aircraft with …


Economics and Investing:

1 in 4 Americans 25-54 Not Working. – G.G. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Treasuries Gain on Jobless Claims Amid Demand for Yield U.S. Durable Goods Orders Fall 18.2% in August Is Student Loan Debt Hurting the Housing Recovery?– This is far from the only issue, but it is an issue. Bearish Housing Bets Building on Interest Rate Concerns


Odds ‘n Sods:

One cost of war: U.S. blowing up its own Humvees. – RBS o o o How Gun Control Made England The ‘Most Violent Country In Europe’. – JBG o o o The Number One Threat to the US Above Terrorism. – T.P. o o o Illegal children brought into the country apparently brought this virus in: Virus probed in paralysis cases in 9 Colorado kids – P.M. o o o Woman beheaded at Oklahoma workplace. – T.P. The first reports about this violent act avoided the issue that it was related to Islam, even though it was readily apparent. I …



Notes for Friday – September 26, 2014

The 26th of September is the birthday of the late Jack LaLanne, who was born in 1914 and who died January 23, 2011. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ 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 …


Letter Re: Protecting Your Home, BOL, and Supplies from Pests

Hugh, Regarding Protecting Your Home, BOL, and Supplies from Pests, A cheap mousetrap can be made from a 5-gallon bucket, some sweet feed (molasses and grain), and a board. Take your 5-gallon bucket, add some sweet feed, and use the board as a ramp for the mice. The mice will climb up the board and jump into the bucket. Once in, they can’t get out. There can only be one mouse in the bucket, otherwise they kill and eat each other. The wonderful smell of the molasses will draw the mice in quickly. I’ve seen eight mice in the bucket …


Economics and Investing:

Tax Man Uses Drones to Root Out Wealthy Tax Evaders o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Standard & Poor’s Warns on Germany Triggering the Next Debt Crisis, Investors Would Lose their Shirts Bubble Finance At Work: Asset Inflation For The 1% This Is About As Good As Things Are Going To Get For The Middle Class – And It’s Not That Good Silver Tumbles To 4 Year Lows As Massive Sell Order Hits At Market Open


Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric Holder To Step Down As Attorney General. JWR’s Comments: Only National Pravda Radio (NPR) could couch Holder’s departure in such glowing terms and avoid any specific mention of the many impeachable scandals that the man got himself into, including the Fast and Furious gunrunning plot. Holder should be serving a long stretch in a federal pen, rather than collecting a federal retirement check. o o o Miss a Payment? Good Luck Moving That Car – T.P. o o o 11-Year-Old Girl Saves Mother’s Life By Shooting Violent Intruder Multiple Times. – J.W. o o o For Gun Shop Owners, …


Hughs Quote of the Day:

“Five-hundred channels and there ain’t much on tonight Except reality shows about some folk’s so-called lives A pretty girl cries ’cause she don’t get a rose But she’ll find love next year on her own show And they call that real Real is a hand you hold fifty-seven years Real is a band of gold tremblin’ with fear It’s the first long tear down an old man’s face, watchin’ his angel slippin’ away His heart’s so broke, it’s never gonna heal I call that real Where I live, housewives don’t act like that And the survivors are farmers in John …


Notes for Thursday – September 25, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ 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 hardcase to go with your …


Two Letters Re: Covert Communications

Hugh, Reading H.R.’s correction on the Covert Communication article I must correct him. He cites 146.00MHz as the National Calling Frequency. That is incorrect. The generally agreed upon simplex frequency (there is no law or regulation requiring the use of any frequency as a National Calling Frequency) for calling others known and/or unknown is 146.52MHz. Do a Google search for “amateur radio national simplex frequency” and navigate to any of the top five or ten citations and you will find that 146.52 is listed in each as the 2 meter national simplex frequency. (There are many National Simplex Frequencies on …


Economics and Investing:

Is U.S. Gas Really Expensive, And Will It Get Cheaper? o o o 5 U.S. Banks Each Have More Than 40 Trillion Dollars In Exposure To Derivatives. – D.B. I can’t even comprehend those numbers! o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Peter Schiff – A New Fed Playbook for the New Normal ECB to Keep Loose Policy ‘For Long Time’: Draghi Home Prices Rise Less Than Expected The Glaringly Obvious Guide to the Next Crash