Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: 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, Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value), A $300 gift certificate …


Tracking the Plume: Dodging the Toxic Cloud When Deciding to Bug-in or Bug-out, by B.H.

Someone just told you about the Boston Marathon bombing. You are combing the interwebs looking for more details and view several videos of explosions and subsequent swirling brownish smoke. What was in that smoke? Did anyone die from just that smoke? Was it cancerous? Was it filled with botulism? Mustard gas? Alpha particles from a dirty bomb? While people either ran away from the explosion, sought cover, or were moving toward the explosion to help victims, most people probably did not worry about what was in that smoke. I, on the other hand, was primarily concerned about the smoke wondering …


Letter Re: 110 Buck Knife

Sir, I just read Pat’s report on the Buck knife. I have carried and used one of these knives for over 40 years. They can be opened and closed using just one hand. Using thumb pressure on the blade you can open the knife. Holding the knife by the blade you can use the weight of the handle to swing the knife open. – C.B. o o o Hugh, In addition to the off the shelf mass production Buck 110 knife, Buck has a custom shop that will make a custom 110 knife for you. Custom in that blade metal …


Letter Re: Kansas Bill

Sir, This is response to the officer of 15 years. For the first time in the history of Las Vegas a police officer was fired. Why? All he did was use his AR15 to shoot an unarmed veteran sitting in a car, 7 times in the back of the head. But that is not why he was really fired. No charges were brought because every time a cop kills someone they use the “I did not intend to kill them, no intent no crime”, this defense only works for cops. He was fired only because the sherriff is trying to …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Wow! This may be the ticket for advanced medical care in TEOTWAWKI: Super-Cheap Paper Microscope Could Save Millions of Lives – O.C. o o o DGJ came across this article on why you might want at least one article of Hi-Vis clothing or equipment in your emergency car kit or BOB. If the ‘event’ you are getting away from is a natural disaster, or something similar, being noticed might be a good thing! Having options other than all-camo could be a wise decision. o o o This new item from KRQE in albuquerque follows on the heels of a long …



Guest Article: High Quality Survival Tools, by J.F.

Flight Jacket I like black flight jackets. They are dressy enough to wear to an art reception and common enough to be worn to a junk yard. They’re made of water-proof nylon and have two large button outside pockets, two large inside button pockets, and a pocket on the shoulder. The best one that I have found is sold at Alpha Industries. If you look in the left front pocket, there is a white label that states Alpha Industries Jacket, Flyers, Man Intermediate. On the shoulder pen pocket is a small black label sticking out with a gold sort of …


Pat’s Product Review – Solar Flare Solar Cooker

I must say that, in all my years of testing products, the Solar Flare Parabolic Solar Cooker has been one of my most challenging products to test. Made in the U.S., in Bountiful, Utah, this cooker proved a handful. No, not the product itself, rather the weather in my part of Oregon. For the better part of almost a month, we had very heavy, low-hanging fog. It’s been totally frustrating, to say the least! Anyone who is a prepper, survivalist, camper, or hunter, should understand the “Rule Of Three”, and that is you should always have three ways of accomplishing …


Pat’s Product Review – Buck Knives 110 Folder 50th Anniversary Edition

Buck Knives, www.buckknives.com , has been around for about 100 years, depending on who you talk to. Their most popular folding knife is still their Model 110 lock-back folding knife that is made in their plant in Post Falls, Idaho. Many people say that imitation is the sincerest form or flattery. If that’s the case, then the Buck Model 110 lock-back folding knife is probably one of the most copied folding knives in the world, if not “the” most copied folding lock-back knife. The Model 110 is now celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014, and every model will have “50” …


Recipe of the Week: Homemade Biscuits, By M.B.

Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup milk Directions: Combine all dry ingredient and blend well with whisk. Cut in butter until resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in milk until all comes together to form a dough ball. Turn out dough ball onto a heavily floured surface. Let set for a couple of minutes and then knead for about a minute and then re-flour surface and pat out to about 1/2? thick. Cut biscuits with floured biscuit cutter or thick drinking glass or a …


Letter Re: Magnum Research

Pat Cascio product review on the Magnum Research 1911C generated an interesting conversation with a SurvivalBlog reader: There are a plethora of 1911s on the market, many of them suitable for combat. If I am going to own a gun from Magnum Research, it would have to be a Desert Eagle. – B.P. o o o Ben, I have owned a Desert Eagle in .50AE. It wasn’t one of the plated weapons but just a plain parkerized version. I will have to admit that the “fun” factor was second to none on that handgun. However, the reality is that it …


Letter Re: Kansas Bill

Sir, I am writing in response to the article link about the Kansas bill seeking to legalize police retaliation. I will first state that I do not agree with a second agency not being able to do an investigation– a fair and impartial investigation should always be the case. That said, I served 13 years in the infantry ending as an LRS team leader and currently serving with 15 years at a large, midwest police department. My department will take any complaint. A complaint can and has been taken over the telephone (even anonymously) with nothing more than the allegation …


Economics and Investing:

Warnings Of Rising Food Prices Follow ‘Bad Weather Events’ o o o As Predicted, Stocks Make New Highs o o o Items from The Economatrix: Only 11% of long-term unemployed have a steady full-time job in a year, study finds 6 economic consequences of a new cold war February leading indicators rise 0.5% U.S. jobless claims rise 5,000 to 320,000