Im pretty sure I dont need to tell you this, but just in case:

When launching parachute flares –

• Do not look up as you fire it … you’ll get a face full of backblast. Look down at your feet and stay that way until that sucker is waaaaay up in the air
• If wearing eyewear consider the blast might knock it from your face
• Make sure to point flare tube straight up and keep pointing straight up until that baby exits the tube

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In addition to the parachute flares, also tried the handheld signal flares (like steroidal road flares). These babies are great for signalling, put out tremendous amounts of light and heat, and would be an outstanding source of ignition for any arsonistic endeavours you may have.
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God really hates Florida.
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I have a trip to Seattle next week. Need to start packing for the trip. My greatest fear, and what a cosmic irony it would be, is to have TEOTWAWKI occur when Im far away from my happily fortified and stocked house. So, naturally, I’ll bring everything I can that I would need to work my way back to it.  Come to think of it, I really need to come up with a ‘standard’ checklist of things to bring on the long-ranging trips. Maybe later.
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Im quite happy with the Yugo SKS…I got about two dozen stripper clips for it and they work fine. Its a very handy, robust gun and I hope to get more of them. Ideally, I’d like to have one to keep in the truck at all times with about 20 stripper clips worth of ammo.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Well, a happy little trip to the Great Falls gun show. What did the Zero purchase? Glad you asked….

Two dozen red parachute flares at $4@
A half dozen emergency smoke pots at $6@
A gen-u-ine 33-rd 9mm Glock magazine (and a healthy ‘nyah!’ to Dianne Feinstein and Bill Clinton on that one)

Went out and tried the parachute flares….and for $4 you get a hellacious bang, some serious altitude and a nice cheery red glow covering the immediate area. A fun purchase.

Well, a happy little trip to the Great Falls gun show. What did the Zero purchase? Glad you asked….

Two dozen red parachute flares at $4@
A half dozen emergency smoke pots at $6@
A gen-u-ine 33-rd 9mm Glock magazine (and a healthy ‘nyah!’ to Dianne Feinstein and Bill Clinton on that one)

Went out and tried the parachute flares….and for $4 you get a hellacious bang, some serious altitude and a nice cheery red glow covering the immediate area. A fun purchase.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

A satisfying evening last night for the Zero…. put the lovely six cases of recent-manufacture MRE’s away (while calculating in my head what it does to my how-long-could-I-feed-myself timeline), set up my USMC Combat Tent and checked it for condition, and then sat around and stroked the FAL a while. Also straightened up the bunker a bit. I really, really, need to get more/better shelving down there and since I have the tools and lumber at the moment theres really no reason for me NOT to do it. Interestingly, what I dont have at the moment is the time. I have company visiting tomorrow so this evening will be full of household stuff.
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WalMart, particularly SuperWalmarts, are rapidly replacing CostCo as my first choice for bulk preparedness purchases. They simpy have a much larger selection that the typical CostCo. More importantly, they sell a far, far, broader selection of food items. And while lotsa guns & ammo are nice to have, a well-stocked pantry is even better.
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Once in a blue moon I listen to Coast To Coast AM on the radio…you know, getting my fill of alien conspiracies, trilateral conspiracies, impending asteroids-collision theories and that sort of thing. But, once you sift through all that stuff you sometimes find a nugget or two of info. One such nugget was someone explaining that Al-Qaeda really hasnt pulled anything off in the US since September 11, 2001 and that if they dont manage to pull off another attack soon theyre going to have lost whatever credibility (such as it is) that they have. Thus, the speaker was postulating that Al-Qaeda needs to do some kind of attack in the US to show that Bush didnt cripple them. The most spoken about times? Right before the election and also inaugural day. Hmm..I dunno..the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays would seem like a pretty good opportunity – lotsa travellers in one place, security stretched thin, etc, etc.

A satisfying evening last night for the Zero…. put the lovely six cases of recent-manufacture MRE’s away (while calculating in my head what it does to my how-long-could-I-feed-myself timeline), set up my USMC  Combat Tent and checked it for condition, and then sat around and stroked the FAL a while. Also straightened up the bunker a bit. I really, really, need to get more/better shelving down there and since I have the tools and lumber at the moment theres really no reason for me NOT to do it. Interestingly, what I dont have at the moment is the time. I have company visiting tomorrow so this evening will be full of household stuff.
=====
WalMart, particularly SuperWalmarts, are rapidly replacing CostCo as my first choice for bulk preparedness purchases. They simpy have a much larger selection that the typical CostCo. More importantly, they sell a far, far, broader selection of food items. And while lotsa guns & ammo are nice to have, a well-stocked pantry is even better.
=====
Once in a blue moon I listen to Coast To Coast AM on the radio…you know, getting my fill of alien conspiracies, trilateral conspiracies, impending asteroids-collision theories and that sort of thing. But, once you sift through all that stuff you sometimes find a nugget or two of info. One such nugget was someone explaining that Al-Qaeda really hasnt pulled anything off in the US since September 11, 2001 and that if they dont manage to pull off another attack soon theyre going to have lost whatever credibility (such as it is) that they have. Thus, the speaker was postulating that Al-Qaeda needs to do some kind of attack in the US to show that Bush didnt cripple them. The most spoken about times? Right before the election and also inaugural day. Hmm..I dunno..the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays would seem like a pretty good opportunity – lotsa travellers in one place, security stretched thin, etc, etc.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

I hadnt had much experience with the ‘new’ MRE’s so the six cases that a customer traded to me today are an eye-opening experience.

First of all, the shape of the case is slightly different..not as flat as the old style Im familiar with (ca. 1992). Next up , the color of the bag is different…more of a coffee-with-cream brown rather than the chocolate brown of the old pouches. Also, the new ones have the heaters included…niiiiiiiiiiiiice. ANd then theres the menu…jambalya? Chicken cavatelli? Hmmm… sounds good to me. Anyway, I traded and wound up with six cases of these things that are dated as 2003 manufacture..so theyre relatively fresh. Should have at least a good five years in them stored in my nice cool dark basement.
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In other news the Eureka USMC Combat Tent has arrived. Oooh-rah. I’ll set it up tonight and inspect it for any problems. My buddy who has a couple of these things will come by and give me the benefit of his experience with them and we’ll do whatever seam sealing is necessary. Ive been wanting one of these things for a couple years now and theyve come down on eBay to the point where theyre right around $125-150. Why this tent? Well, first of all, its pretty bloody difficult finding tents in ’subdued’ colors like military tan and green. Secondly, it comes with soldier-proof instructions, a complete and extensive repair/patch kit, blocks light from inside the tent so you dont give away your position, has a stand-alone fly, and generally has features that make it useful to the LMI. And if Uncle Sugar can spend a couple million buckto develop this thing, why wouldnt I take advantage of that?
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Now the news reports are saying that Al-Qaeda is planning the usual ‘massive strike’ for Inauguration Day. When will these threats stop? Well, I suspect shortly after Bush finishes his second term and doesnt need to wave that particular red flag around anymore. Cynical, yes, but…..

If they were really worried about terrorists getting into this country maybe instead of stripsearching grandmas at the airport they might, oh, I dunno…put some teeth in the Mexico/US border?

I hadnt had much experience with the ‘new’ MRE’s so the six cases that a customer traded to me today are an eye-opening experience.

First of all, the shape of the case is slightly different..not as flat as the old style Im familiar with (ca. 1992). Next up , the color of the bag is different…more of a coffee-with-cream brown rather than the chocolate brown of the old pouches. Also, the new ones have the heaters included…niiiiiiiiiiiiice. ANd then theres the menu…jambalya? Chicken cavatelli? Hmmm… sounds good to me. Anyway, I traded and wound up with six cases of these things that are dated as 2003 manufacture..so theyre relatively fresh. Should have at least a good five years in them stored in my nice cool dark basement.
======
In other news the Eureka USMC Combat Tent has arrived. Oooh-rah. I’ll set it up tonight and inspect it for any problems. My buddy who has a couple of these things will come by and give me the benefit of his experience with them and we’ll do whatever seam sealing is necessary. Ive been wanting one of these things for a couple years now and theyve come down on eBay to the point where theyre right around $125-150. Why this tent? Well, first of all, its pretty bloody difficult finding tents in ‘subdued’ colors like military tan and green. Secondly, it comes with soldier-proof instructions, a complete and extensive repair/patch kit, blocks light from inside the tent so you dont give away your position, has a stand-alone fly, and generally has features that make it useful to the LMI. And if Uncle Sugar can spend a couple million buckto develop this thing, why wouldnt I take advantage of that?
=====
Now the news reports are saying that Al-Qaeda is planning the usual ‘massive strike’ for Inauguration Day. When will these threats stop? Well, I suspect shortly after Bush finishes his second term and doesnt need to wave that particular red flag around anymore. Cynical, yes, but…..

If they were really worried about terrorists getting into this country maybe instead of stripsearching grandmas at the airport they might, oh, I dunno…put some teeth in the Mexico/US border?

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Being Commander Zero is not all sunshine and stun grenades….its a constant ‘arms race’ in terms of gear. Interesting little tidbit for today:

Flashlight that takes multiple battery sizes
And some press on it:

Flashlight Takes Batteries of Any Size

By JIM SUHR
Associated Press Writer
       
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Anyone who has cursed when their flashlight goes dead may have something new to beam about – a flashlight that accepts batteries of different sizes.

Energizer argues that its Quick Switch flashlight is a shining example of utility, with users able to raid batteries from such things as remote controls, toys or wall clocks and plunk them into the flashlight.

Launched nationally last week, two truckloads of the flashlights already have been hustled to Florida, where consumers bracing for the third recent hurricane to rake the state have been stocking up batteries, in some cases depleting supplies.

Still, “we weren’t planning on launching this in the middle of the hurricane” season, Energizer’s Mark Larsen said Tuesday.
       
The Quick Switch takes two C, D or AA batteries and works by merely adjusting a switch to the proper cell size, automatically locking the batteries into place.

The light output is the same no matter the cell size, though operating time will vary. It retails for $9.99 to $12.99.

The gizmo is the latest entry in the often look-alike arena of flashlights, the Quick Switch “solves the No. 1 consumer concern with flashlights – it never seems like I have the right batteries when I need them,” Larsen said.

A spokesman for Energizer rival Rayovac declined to discuss the Quick Switch, saying he hadn’t yet seen the product. But he suggested that the Quick Switch may be an extension of some available “battery adapters,” which convert a smaller battery size to the next size up.
       
The Quick Switch spotlights just how the flashlight has evolved light years since its inception more than a century ago as a “hand torch,” then primitively made of crude paper and fiber tubes, with a bulb and rough brass reflector.

With flashlights then more of a novelty, folks did what they knew best to search in the dark – grab a candle or kerosene lantern, knowing the possible downsides were seeing their homes and offices accidentally go up in flames.

There wasn’t battery power strong enough to power it for long stretches, and carbon filament bulbs were inefficient. So users pushed a button to literally – and for a moment – “flash light” on the path in front of them, giving the devices their name.

Since then, the flashlight became ideal for more conventional uses, with its size and shape morphing as batteries became smaller and stronger.

Ignoring, for the moment, just how slow a newsday it must have been for AP to do a fluff piece on a flashlight………..

Interesting? Yes. Essential? Eh. If youre reading this then youre probably smart enough to know how to take some wire and electrical tape and make any battery work in a particular flashlight….all theyve done here is do it in a manner that doesnt involve ‘redneck engineering’ batteries that may or may not fit the battery compartment.

Nonetheless, it does bring up a good point – battery size standardization. Simply put if it doesnt run on AA or D battereis, I dont get it. Im not going to make my logistics even more complex by keeping track of AAA, AA, D and 9v batteries. Whatever it is, whatever it does, theres a version out there somewhere that takes AA or D’s. If not, well, as I said, you can McGyver a powerpack pretty easily.

However, for the person who has started to leave sheeplehood but hasnt quite gotten in touch with his inner Burt Gummer, this might be a good choice.

Speaking of flashlights, and really, Ive always found myself fascinated by them, Home Depot had Eveready flashlights for $0.85 each. Simple plastic 2 d-cell flashlights (batteries not included) that are ideal for handing out to guests, keeping as spares and are essentially ‘disposable’. Picked up five of ‘em. And CostCo is a pretty good place for buying Duracells in bulk.

Being Commander Zero is not all sunshine and stun grenades….its a constant ‘arms race’ in terms of gear. Interesting little tidbit for today:

Flashlight that takes multiple battery sizes
And some press on it:

Flashlight Takes Batteries of Any Size

By JIM SUHR
Associated Press Writer
       
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Anyone who has cursed when their flashlight goes dead may have something new to beam about – a flashlight that accepts batteries of different sizes.

Energizer argues that its Quick Switch flashlight is a shining example of utility, with users able to raid batteries from such things as remote controls, toys or wall clocks and plunk them into the flashlight.

Launched nationally last week, two truckloads of the flashlights already have been hustled to Florida, where consumers bracing for the third recent hurricane to rake the state have been stocking up batteries, in some cases depleting supplies.

Still, “we weren’t planning on launching this in the middle of the hurricane” season, Energizer’s Mark Larsen said Tuesday.
       
The Quick Switch takes two C, D or AA batteries and works by merely adjusting a switch to the proper cell size, automatically locking the batteries into place.

The light output is the same no matter the cell size, though operating time will vary. It retails for $9.99 to $12.99.

The gizmo is the latest entry in the often look-alike arena of flashlights, the Quick Switch “solves the No. 1 consumer concern with flashlights – it never seems like I have the right batteries when I need them,” Larsen said.

A spokesman for Energizer rival Rayovac declined to discuss the Quick Switch, saying he hadn’t yet seen the product. But he suggested that the Quick Switch may be an extension of some available “battery adapters,” which convert a smaller battery size to the next size up.
       
The Quick Switch spotlights just how the flashlight has evolved light years since its inception more than a century ago as a “hand torch,” then primitively made of crude paper and fiber tubes, with a bulb and rough brass reflector.

With flashlights then more of a novelty, folks did what they knew best to search in the dark – grab a candle or kerosene lantern, knowing the possible downsides were seeing their homes and offices accidentally go up in flames.

There wasn’t battery power strong enough to power it for long stretches, and carbon filament bulbs were inefficient. So users pushed a button to literally – and for a moment – “flash light” on the path in front of them, giving the devices their name.

Since then, the flashlight became ideal for more conventional uses, with its size and shape morphing as batteries became smaller and stronger.

Ignoring, for the moment, just how slow a newsday it must have been for AP to do a fluff piece on a flashlight………..

Interesting? Yes. Essential? Eh. If youre reading this then youre probably smart enough to know how to take some wire and electrical tape and make any battery work in a particular flashlight….all theyve done here is do it in a manner that doesnt involve ‘redneck engineering’ batteries that may or may not fit the battery compartment.

Nonetheless, it does bring up a good point – battery size standardization. Simply put if it doesnt run on AA or D battereis, I dont get it. Im not going to make my logistics even more complex by keeping track of AAA, AA, D and 9v batteries. Whatever it is, whatever it does, theres a version out there somewhere that takes AA or D’s. If not, well, as I said, you can McGyver a powerpack pretty easily.

However, for the person who has started to leave sheeplehood but hasnt quite gotten in touch with his inner Burt Gummer, this might be a good choice.

Speaking of flashlights, and really, Ive always found myself fascinated by them, Home Depot had Eveready flashlights for $0.85 each. Simple plastic 2 d-cell flashlights (batteries not included) that are ideal for handing out to guests, keeping as spares and are essentially ‘disposable’. Picked up five of ’em. And CostCo is a pretty good place for buying Duracells in bulk.

Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

I suppose with the sunset of the AWB I might make a few minor changes here and there…I wouldnt mind having a folding stock on the AK.
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I received a book in the mail yesterday offa my Amazon wish list – “Conquer The Crash – You Can Survive And Thrive In A Deflationary Depression”. Im not so much a believer in a long-term crisis of Mad Max-type proportions. I believe those situations will happen on a short term basis (hurricanes, floods, etc). But the long-term crises that I do think will occur will be along the nature of something that drops the US into a Soviet-style economy with lines for toilet paper, meat and bread. Think Moscow. Think Argentina. The obvious solution is to have your lifestyle rigged in such a way that youre fairly immune from economic upheaval (not alot of debt [mortgage], tangible investments [gold], etc, etc. Anyway, this book was on my list so Im curious to see if its any good.
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Need to shop around a bit and acquire a good two-burner propane camp stove. I already have to one-burner stoves for backpacking that burn gasoline and camp fuel, but for indoor use I prefer propane. (Although in the winter I can cook on top of my kerosene heater) Additionally, I’ll pick up the necessary hardware to let it run off of 1# bottles or the ubiquitous 20# barbecue bombs. Fortunately, my household stove runs on gas and in the past has been completely unaffected by power outages. But, why take chances, y’know?
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The local Goodwill is having a sale on their military BDU’s so theres an opportunity to pick up some new pants and maybe a field jacket. BDU pants are the most comfortable pants around and are pretty durable. Lotsa room in the crotch and seat which makes ‘em great for when youre running around over obstacles and stuff like that.
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And November creeps closer with all its ominous implications………..