SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR [1]. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at Blackout Risks.
X-Class Solar Flare Sparks Worldwide Disruptions
Reported this morning: X-class solar flare sparks worldwide disruptions, with more storms expected as sunspot turns toward Earth [2].
Interior Secretary Warns U.S. at Risk of Spain-Style Blackouts
Over at Zero Hedge: Interior Secretary Warns U.S. At Risk Of Spain-Style Blackout [3]s.
and,
At Reason: Spain’s Grid Collapsed in 5 Seconds. The U.S. Could Be Next [4]. Here is a key quote:
“When a power plant trips offline or demand suddenly spikes, the power grid has no cushion; it must respond instantly or it unravels. That’s where inertia comes in. In coal, gas, and nuclear plants, massive turbine rotors [5] spin at thousands of rpm. Even when power is cut, they keep turning, releasing stored energy that slows frequency shifts and buys precious time—seconds to a minute—for backup to kick in. It’s not backup power, it’s breathing room. Like the flywheel on a Peloton, it keeps things steady even when input falters.
Once frequency drops too far, automatic protection kicks in. Plants shut down. Substations isolate. The grid severs its own limbs to survive. If imbalance spreads faster than recovery can respond, the collapse cascades. Entire regions go dark—not for lack of power, but lack of time. Even the right answer, a minute late, is no answer at all.
That’s what happened in Spain [6]. On April 28, solar energy was generating nearly 18 gigawatts of electricity—more than half of the national demand. Within an hour, more than two-thirds of it disappeared due to what authorities called a “technical fluctuation.” Grid frequency plummeted. France tried to send emergency power across the intertie, but the imbalance tripped the connection. In five seconds, the entire Iberian grid collapsed.”
Ice is Rebounding at Both Poles
Trafer H.L. suggested this report in The New York Post: Surprise! Ice is rebounding at both poles — climate is more complex than we know [7].
The Secretive Government Unit Planning to Dim the Sun
Reported by The Telegraph, in England: The secretive government unit planning to dim the sun [8].
The Best Crops to Grow During the Apocalypse
Reader B.V. sent us this, from LiveScience: Scientists find the best crops to grow during the apocalypse [9].
Russian Army Deploys Motorcycles on Ukraine Front Lines
Tim J. spotted this news: Russian soldiers are replacing tanks with motorcycles [10]. A quote:
“…Russian troops in Ukraine are using motorbikes [11] instead of armored vehicles, with tanks hanging back to provide fire support rather than serve as the vanguard of the attack. The impetus for the idea is less innovation than desperation. “Russia’s increased use of motorcycles is an adaptation in response to pervasive Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian armored vehicles and the unsustainable armored vehicle losses that Russian forces suffered in late 2023 and 2024,” according to a new report by researchers at the Institute for the Study of War [12], a US think tank.”
JWR’s Comments: Chrome? Seriously? Armies around the world now often buy civilian off-the-shelf (COTS) gear, sometimes with little or no modification. If they really valued the lives of their soldiers, then the Russian army would at least do some earth tone powder coating, to cover up the reflective chrome plating.
From a historical perspective, the concept of using motorcycles to get infantry troops rapidly to combat positions is nothing new. It is roughly analogous to the use of dragoons [13], rather than cavalry. Dragoons were mounted infantrymen who dismounted and then fought, whereas cavalry troops were more highly trained to fight with a variety of weapons while still astride their horses.
Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese PV Inverters
Reader C.B. mentioned this news reported on May 14th by MSN: Rogue communication devices found in Chinese solar power inverters [14].
Some Overblown Measles Outbreaks
As reported by the formerly reliable and conservative Breitbart news outlet: The US has 1,001 measles cases and 11 states with active outbreaks [15].
Insuring Airliners Against Nuclear War?
An actuary’s nightmare, as reported by the UK Telegraph: Airlines prepare for nuclear war [16].
Illegal Alien Self-Deportations Continuing
The Trump Administration’s “self-deportation” program appears to be working. There is even a DHS/CBP App [17] that facilitates self-deportation. The latest innovation: A free flight to any home country, with no questions asked [18]. By offering a $1,000 US Dollar stipend, the administration expects to save billions of dollars each year, because the usual “arrest, detain, and deport” model costs an average of $17,000 per deportee.
The Two Causes of 96 Percent of Alligator Bites
Video: Florida Researchers Reveal What Causes 96 Percent of Alligator Bites [19].
Chinese Cars on American Highways?
SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson suggested this opinion piece by Jordan McGillis: Keep Chinese Cars Off American Roads [20].
Facebook Targets Moments of Weakness
Tam of the great View From The Porch blog [21] alerted me to this news of social media treachery: Facebook Allegedly Detected When Teen Girls Deleted Selfies So It Could Serve Them Beauty Ads [22]. JWR’s Comment: Social media is the quintessence of modern-day evil. Well-calculated and possessing no scruples whatsoever.
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You can send your news tips to JWR [1]. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact [23] form.) Thanks!