Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. This week the focus is on some recommended Christmas gifts. (See the Books, Movies, and Gear sections.)
Books:
As our greenhouse production just hit its annual low ebb, I’m again referring to this book: Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening: How to Grow Nutrient-Dense, Soil-Sprouted Greens in Less Than 10 Days
o o o
The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan
o o o
Habitat for Humanity: How to Build a House Revised & Updated
o o o
Here is a great travel book that makes a great gift: 50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do
Movies:
Alfred Hitchcock: The Legend Begins – 20 Movie Classics
o o o
Humphrey Bogart: Sahara
o o o
Instructional Videos:
Over at Full30.com: How to improve your accuracy with a good grip and trigger pull
o o o
California Ammo Law Coming in 2019! Get Ready
o o o
The latest from one of my favorite gun vloggers, Ian “Gun Jesus” McCollum: Final Prices: RIA December 2018 (#75)
Gear:
Ready for snow? Remington RM2120 123cc Electric Start 21-Inch Single-Stage Gas Snow Thrower
o o o
o o o
A truly memorable and lasting Christmas toy: Bachmann Durango and Silverton HO Scale Ready To Run Electric Train Set
o o o
And a gift for bigger boys: SIG-Sauer SOE11011 ECH01B 1-2X Thermal Sight
o o o
Rolex Submariner Swiss-Automatic Male Watch 14060 (Certified Pre-Owned)
o o o
And for those who just cashed out their stock options: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Mechanical (Automatic) Black Dial Mens Watch 5200-0130-B52A (Certified Pre-Owned). That sure beats paying $19,000 for a brand new one.
Make a Suggestion
Want to suggest Recommendations of your own? Then please send them to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!
For the same size case the Rolex GMT II Master is a better watch for most preppers. The Submariner has an advantage of being water proof to 1000 feet vs the GMT 330 feet. After that the GMT shines and who here is diving past 330′? The additional 24 hour hand that is set independent of the local 12 hour hand allows coordinated meetings/attacks/communications. Additional the bezel allows hour markings vs the Submariner’s 5/10/15 minute count offs. The GMT is better for shifts/postings/patrols.
Either way the GMT and Submariners are excellent time pieces built on the same chassis and share many components manufactured by a storied maker, but for my money the GMT wins.
$19,000 for a watch? I could get a chunk of land and a lot of tangibles with 19K. I personally buy Timex Explorer indeglo’s for $30, they last around 3-4 years, and then invest $12 in a new battery and watch and you’re back in business. (I’m incomplete w/out a watch)
Also… put the HO train set on my wish list. Great memories
Sorry, should read ‘invest $12 in a new battery and watchband’ and you’re back in business.
Knowing how to grow salad greens indoors may be a life-saving skill after the end of the world as we know it.
I am currently trying to read Bear Went Over the Mountain. To say its dry would be an understatement; be sure to turn on a humidifier when you crack that tome.
But did you pick up on the real lesson? Soviet units in Afghanistan were half strength. They had to keep their A divisions in Europe because The Pope was stirring up Poland. Every narrative you read in that volume is the unit was hodge podge and no killer instinct. The Red Army was indeed fortunate to be facing Jimmy Carter.
Duane, based on the post-Vietnam American military, we were lucky too. It wasn’t until Reagan reinvigorated the force that we were able to rebuild our own military. Tom Clancy and LTG Fred Frank’s describe this in INTO THE STORM, as does GEN Tommy Frank’s in AMERICAN SOLDIER. Not a dig at those who served during that time, but the military of the 70s was a hollow, demoralized force.
I just don’t see myself ever spending that much on a watch. I’ve had a Casio Pathfinder for years and on my second band now after the first broke after maybe 4-5 years of use. It’s solar powered so never need to worry about batteries or winding. It has a compass, barometer, altimeter, thermometer and all your stop watch and alarm functions. It seems to be bulletproof. I think I’m getting close to 10 years wearing it daily.
I am in the middle of a great forty year old book, Community Technology by Karl Hess. It reads like a compendium of many of SB’s great articles over the years.
Carry on.
Just watched the Hitchcock compendium last week,some great movies some not. Interesting to watch silent films(do you read lips? read facial expressions and body language?) How do modern children interpret them?
D+RG trainset must play CW Mc Call’s “Silverton” while you play with it. Bucket list real train ride
A expensive watch is considered a necessity by some who travel “dangerous places” as a form of emergency barter/bribe if things go sideways.