Category: Odds ‘n Sods

You’ve got to love Louisiana: Gov. Jindal Promotes Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday: No State Tax on Guns. (Thanks to Kevin A. for the link.)    o o o I heard about another great company that sells only gear made only the in U.S. and allied countries: Low Visual Impact Bushcraft and Survival Inc.    o o o Blacksmithing alive and well in parts of Alabama. (Thanks to Pam C. for the link.)    o o o An Ayn Rand School libertarian who groks Firefly.    o o o Glock owners should find this knife/gun maintenance tool of interest.

Split more wood, folks! “Farmers’ Almanac” predicts a “bitterly cold” winter. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o Troy H. mentioned a trend that is worth emulating: Greek community creates an off-the-grid Internet.    o o o I’ve heard that the “Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course” has overall had surprisingly strong sales since the price dropped to less than $20. You’ll get immediate delivery, via digital download.    o o o Andre D. sent: Pentagon Labels Founding Fathers, Conservatives as Extremists    o o o I see that Powell’s Books (my favorite bookstore on Planet Earth) …

First look inside famous Cold War nuke vault. Under a McDonalds hamburger place in downtown Los Alamos, New Mexico!    o o o Leaked: German Government Warns Key Entities Not To Use Windows 8 – Links The NSA    o o o I recently asked if someone made a set of stencils for camouflage spray-painting rifles and other field gear to replicate popular camouflage patterns, such as Woodland pattern. Yes, there is a company that makes them. And as previously mentioned, similar stencils are also available from the makers of Duracoat, Lauer Custom Weaponry. Just be sure to use flat …

What if they had a protest, and nobody came? Richmond rally supports more checks for gun purchases. You’ll find buried in the third paragraph: “Speaking to a sparse crowd — perhaps 15 local supporters…” Fifteen? Gosh, even the gay boy-baiting NAMBLA group gathers more people than that. So my questions are: Who wrote that headline, and who was the editor that approved it? And since when does 15 souls constitute a “rally”? Their draw was closer to the scale of a Kaffeeklatsch. The turnout was pretty pathetic, when you consider the $12 million+ that Mayor Bloomberg has spent on just …

When the ‘cure’ doesn’t end the pain: Some Lyme disease patients have symptoms that can linger for years despite standard treatment. Scientists are puzzling over how that can be. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)    o o o One month to Revolution: The premiere of Season 2 of the post grid-collapse television series Revolution is scheduled for September 25th. It will air on Wednesdays at 8:00pm ET/PT. The series was renewed for another 22 episodes. It is fairly mediocre as sci-fi/survivalist television drama goes, but it is the only game in town. Seeing Revolution only makes me miss Firefly …

Citing grave security concerns… Say Goodbye to Skype. “Not only is Skype plugged directly in to the surveillance grid, but the company is actively contributing to the most complete surveillance system in the history of mankind.” (Thanks to H.M. for the link.)    o o o G.G. suggested: Amaranth: Another Ancient Wonder Food, But Who Will Eat It? [JWR Adds: See the previously posted warnings in SurvivalBlog’s archives about containing your Amaranth crop plantings! (The tiny seeds are carried on the winds so the plant can easily become a weed that can grow out of control.]    o o o …

Merry suggested: 40 maps that explain the world    o o o F.R. spotted this over at Instructables: KP Pyramid Wood Stove    o o o Some satire is too accurate to be comfortable: Stop, Drop, and Cower. (Thanks to Wayne B. for the link.)    o o o Should You Be Able to Buy Food Directly From Farmers? The Government Doesn’t Think So.    o o o Yet another reason to vamoose the Land of Lincoln Obama: Illinois expands background checks to all gun purchases

Another big solar coronal mass ejection (CME) occurred on August 20th. Luckily, this one was not pointed directly toward Earth. Next time, we may not be so lucky. (It could be like the 1859 solar storm.) Are you ready to hunker down for months or years without grid power? Get ready, folks!    o o o Raising Mealworms for Chicken Food    o o o Glock 17 and Glock 19 owners, take note: If you are looking for pouches that will fit 33 round Glock magazines, SurvivalBlog reader Jeff S. recommends using the 1980s/1990s vintage (ALICE era) flashlight holder pouches …

Colorado Counties Vote on Forming a New State. (If they are successful, I will certainly expand the American Redoubt!)    o o o Anyone who owns a 26.5mm flare gun (either a flare pistol or one of the big RV-85 shoulder-fired flare launchers) should consider getting one of these new ATF-approved goodies: Sub-Caliber Device for .45 Colt or .410 shotshells. Kennesaw Cannon also makes one that shoots .22LR. (Of course consult your state and local laws before ordering either model.) These inserts are sold by a number of Internet/mailorder firms, including Cheaper Than Dirt.    o o o Maine Bill …

Yesterday I mentioned needing Anderson Power Pole adapters for cigarette lighter plugs and jacks. Several readers promptly wrote to tell me about two companies that already make them: Quicksilver Radio and Powerwerx. (The latter has a huge variety of DC power products.)    o o o Here is a small company in Huntersville, North Carolina that was started by a retired Navy man who is now a Christian missionary, to help with his retirement: ThriftyPrepperMall.com    o o o While doing some research for my now nearly complete “Rawles on Tools” book (for Penguin Books, scheduled for release in May …

For folks with a large stream on their property, a Pelton Wheel system like this is fantastic: Algonquin Eco-Lodge – 12 kW Micro-Hydro Turbines    o o o Why we face grave danger from space: The discovery that a colossal solar flare hit Earth in the Dark Ages reminds us that catastrophe could strike at any time, says Michael Hanlon.    o o o .50 BMG shooters might find this reference page on specialty military rounds of interest.    o o o Mike Brown is planning to build a new generation of reliable 8 horsepower steam engines that will be …

G.G. sent this: Ten Years Later, How Have We Avoided Another Mega Blackout? And this: Failure is Not-an Option Unless We’re Talking About American Energy Infrastructure    o o o Ban on carrying loaded guns absent a concealed-carry permit is upheld by Oregon supremes. Reading the decision, it appears that it was the court rather than the defendant that was acting “recklessly.”    o o o Bellingham to pay $15,000 to man who wore gun in park    o o o A Mikey Bloomberg nightmare: Virginia gun crime drops again as firearm sales soar.    o o o British-produced food …

I was pleased to see that Mark Levin’s new book The Liberty Amendments: Restoring the American Republic hit #1 overall on Amazon.com.    o o o Ohio Shawn spotted a piece about a single-wheel human cargo trailer, over at Instructables.    o o o Bob G. sent this study in contrasts: AK-74: Fast Assembly & Disassembly In Russian School. (Most American school teachers would throw a fit before they would allow this in their classrooms.)    o o o Just for fun: Swiss “Jetman” flies along B-17 aircraft    o o o New Company Allows Organizations to Hire Fake Protesters

The Nation’s 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods.    o o o Reader T.K. wrote to mention some good news: “The price of the PTR-91 [a HK91 clone rifle] has returned to normal. I bought mine a couple of months after the Newtown Shootings and paid well over $1,400. One Source Tactical is now selling the rifle with five new mags for $975. It was a good rifle at $1,400 but a great one at $975.”  [JWR Adds: It is noteworthy that all of their recent production rifles have barrels with the “GI” spec chambers, which makes them tolerant to most types …

Brazil uprising points to rise of leaderless networks. (The 21st Century Paradigm: Unemployment + social media networking = riots.)    o o o A reader in Switzerland wrote to mention that an anti-gun “Ministry of Truth” cabal at Wikipedia is attemping to systematically expunge any references to mayors who have resigned and the mayors who have criminal convictions from the Mayors Against Illegal Guns wiki page. These guys make Stalin and his successors look like amateurs. If you are an experienced Wikipedian, feel free to chime in.    o o o Ingrown Toenails in Tough Times    o o o …