Image from the National WWII Museum.

I’ve been using the Grayl water purification system for quite a few years.

Now, they’ve introduced their Carry Project Modular Pack System which consists of the Mission EXP Series and Transport Lone which are described below.

Mission EXP Series: Tactical, MOLLE-ridden, and overbuilt, these packs are made for the harshest conditions. Our Expanse BottleLock and BottleDrop storage systems offer you many options to carry any water bottle and essential gear, keeping hydration ready whenever you need it.

Transport Line: Sleek, stylish, and ultra-versatile, these bags blend the best of both worlds for urban explorers and weekend getaways. With the ease of utilizing our BottleLock® system, your GRAYL purifier is safely stored and ready for adventure, combining practicality with polished design.

Both platforms are made with 100% post-consumer recycled nylons (bluesign® approved), offering rugged durability with an eco-conscious build.

Learn more at grayl.com/pages/carry-project

It’s been 27 years since I created my original website, The Gear Guru, which was founded in October 1997 on Geocities of all places. Even better, I created it on NIPRNET dialup over DSN from Exercise Foal Eagle 97 at K2 in Korea to Hurlburt Field. Eventually it did receive a proper URL: gear-guru.net.

The Way Back Machine has some archived versions of the site. Check them out if you want to know the secret origins of SSD, back when you had to create pages via HTML.

It was a lot of fun when I did it, and I learned a lot.

Eric Graves
Editor

Some of you will recognize this Nativity scene from the movie “Threads” which paints a very bleak future at the hands of nuclear Armageddon. Released at the height of the Cold War in 1984, a year after the US TV movie, “The Day After,” it is a much more frank and horrifying look at the subject by British production by the BBC, Nine Network and Western-World Television, Inc.

We should all thank our forebears on both sides of this tense period who loved us so much that they pulled us back from the brink. They had survived the deprivations of a global depression and at least one world war. They didn’t want us to experience something worse.

On this Christmas, let us all pray for peaceful times.

Jalapeño popcorn is pretty much an Air Force thing, made in squadron “bars” or snack bars by the “Snack O” or snack officer who is generally one of the NUGs in the squadron. Making jalapeño popcorn isn’t the only duty of this auspicious office. They also manage the money of the snack fund and handle all the other snacks making regular runs to either the commissary or Costco to pick up things like zebra cakes and various energy drinks.

Now, I’m not gonna lie, I really enjoy jalapeño popcorn, but my wife and I went to Ocean Prime for our anniversary a few years ago and they didn’t have any bread to bring out, ?so our server brought us some truffle popcorn from the bar. That stuff is like crack, so now, every time we go there we ask for truffle popcorn as a starter, and then take a box home for a snack the next day.

I’d also like to point out that when I was a scout leader, I would regularly bring Jiffy Pop ?popcorn to outings and make it over the fire. Youngsters had never seen it even though it was a staple when I was a kid back in the 70s and 80s. It’s generally still available at many stores if you look for it and I know you can get it on Amazon as well. It can be a lot of fun if you’ve got a backyard fire pit, or by just making it on the oven top.

Jalapeño popcorn is usually made in an industrial popcorn popper like you’ll find at a carnival or a movie theater. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have one of those consequently, I’m going to hit up my readership and solicit jalapeño popcorn recipes.

Since there are a lot of great seasonings for popcorn out there, and it’s the holiday season, so you’ll have plenty of people coming over, or you’ll be visiting friends and family, popcorn is a great snack to share. My forehead just broke out in a sweat thinking about a nice batch of jalapeño popcorn.

Please share your favorite topping or recipe for popcorn.

Have a wonderful day of thanks, no matter where you are!

Once again, our friends at Tactical Distributors are sponsoring our Black Friday/Cyber Monday master list. To see it, updated regularly with the latest sales info, click here.

TH-1.4 Turtle Head Specs:

• Weight: 15.8 oz
• Load Rating: 35 lbs recoil instrument
• Ball Joint Angle: 32°
• Ball Diameter: 1.4 in.
• Base Diameter: 2.13 in.
• Height: 3.6 in.
• Tripod mount: 3/8-16
• J-Clamp: Picatinny & Arca Swiss
• TAA Compliant, Made in USA

This compact and lightweight ball head incorporates the newly patented J-Clamp system.

J-clamp system

This is a self-adjusting clamp system that can mount to Picatinny or Arca Swiss rail systems. The self-adjusting feature allows for compatibility across many different tripod brands. 

The J-Clamp system is also user adjustable. Simply tighten or loosen the internal adjustment screw to add or lessen clamp tension to your specific brand of plates/rails.

stores.hogsaddle.com/th-1-4-turtle-head

The DOG Leg is a modular system that allows the user to take their helmet mounted night vision goggles and position them behind a spotting scope system for magnified IR observation.

Dual Optic Grabbing Leg Mount Specs:

• Folded Length: 8 in.
• Weight: 17.2 oz
• Load Rating: 16 oz
• WNVM Clamp: Wilcox Dovetail 
• J-Clamp: Adjustable Picatinny & Arca Swiss
• TAA Compliant, Made in USA

Features:

·      Positive attachment of NV device to spotting scope

·      Ability to see to the maximum magnification power of spotting scope (IR flood may be needed past 20x)

·      Zero pixelation of image due to ocular lens positioning

·      Ability to manipulate focus and magnification rings without disrupting optic

·      Universally mounts to various brands of spotting scopes and ocular lens sizes

·      The J-clamp mounts to both Picatinny and Arca Swiss rails

·      Two stage leg locking system for ease of operation

stores.hogsaddle.com/dog-leg-nv-mount

Hog Saddle Products are Made in Kansas City: Machined in-house using American raw materials. The springs are even made in KC. Keeping jobs in the heart of the Midwest. TAA Compliant.