Category: Odds ‘n Sods

For those who enjoy daily grazing at numerous self-reliance/homesteading/simple living/preparedness/survival sites, here is a nifty new aggregator site: The Independent    o o o The celebrations in Arkansas may have been premature. There has been some legal hair splitting: Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has issued an opinion on Act 746 of 2013 stating that it does not, in fact, authorize constitutional carry in Arkansas. See Opinion No. 2013-047, dated July 8, 2013.    o o o Mike Williamson’s latest book Tour of Duty: Stories and Provocations will be released in August 6th. In the meantime, Baen Books has made …

Reader S.M. mentioned two more all-American field gear makers: 215 Gear Store – Slings, belts, chest rigs, plate carriers, hydration packs, K9 rigs, gloves, and more. Ice Tactical  – Best known for their chest rigs. They also make belts, a wide variety of mag pouches, and a great poncho liner.     o o o By way of Ol’ Remus at The Woodpile Report, I learned of this link: The Ten Oldest Military Vehicles Still In Service. Remus says: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”    o o o Some French Canadians are fed up with globalism, too: Réveille “Nous sommes …

K.T. liked a piece over at Journey To Forever on Hydraulic Ram Pumps.    o o o Peter S. suggested this privacy service: SecuredURL.org    o o o For those interested in registered suppressors, reader C.K. suggested an interesting, lengthy (and photo-intensive) look inside the cans from many popular makers, with lots of discussion about different baffle designs and those dreaded baffle strikes. While these accessories available over the counter sans papiere in many European countries, here in the United States suppressors requires a $200 Federal transfer tax payment before delivery. Constructing your own without first paying the Federal tax …

File under: Predictable Posturing: Obama: Honor Trayvon Martin by battling gun violence. JWR’s Comment: Statists like BHO of course want “gun control.” But I assert that gun control was used. Consider that Zimmerman fired just one shot, center of mass, and pulled the trigger only after the situation was truly and clearly life-threatening. (Zimmerman was pinned to the ground and his head was being repeatedly slammed on the sidewalk, and he feared that he was going to pass out.) Waiting until then showed tremendous control. That was certainly a lot more gun control than some police display. I’m sure that …

I recently heard about a useful site: PrepperDating.com. I ‘ve just added that link to my Finding Like-Minded People in Your Area static page.    o o o Sarah Connor saw it coming: Boston Dynamics has been busy working on an entrant for DARPA’s Virtual Robotics Challenge, a contest aimed to create robots that can help in disaster situations. Gee, “…someday save you from a crumbling building.” That sounds so noble. So what about: “… someday relentlessly track you down and shoot you, or crush your skull.”    o o o The good folks at Cajun Safety and Survival are …

Why we need full capacity magazines: Multiple attackers.    o o o Signing UN Arms Trade Treaty While Congress at Summer Recess. (This move arrogantly contradicts the U.S. Senate’s vote, in March.)    o o o Federal judge: Post Office violated man’s rights by banning gun from parking lot    o o o Some sad statistics: 27 Facts That Prove Families In America Are In The Worst Shape Ever    o o o A reader in Oz metioned that the Wikipedia article on the NLR (Nous sommes la résistance)–“an Australian prepper organisation” has been recommended for deletion. It seems notable …

The judge in the George Zimmerman trial has clearly flipped out and should recuse herself. Watching this, her bias is so blatant that it is palpable. Was the jury present to witness that exchange? Depending on how she phrases her jury instructions, the Manslaughter Railroad may be running at full steam. The fix, it seems, is in. Please pray for justice! Please also pray that the judge comes under the supervisory control of the next higher court before she further taints the judicial process. This can be done with an appeal in the nature of a writ of error. (Traditional …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent an amazing piece about a homebrewed Glock with a steel frame. (Crude language warning.)    o o o A lengthy and poetic article that would strain credulity, if it didn’t come from a respected Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist: Dear Leader Dreams of Sushi. This is either an elaborate fantasy or another Pulitzer Prize in the making    o o o Ham Sandwich Nation: Due Process When Everything is a Crime

Reader Brian M. sent this: Couple discover 7,500 machine gun, shotgun and pistol bullets in their back garden while weeding their pond. Now, to illustrate a world of difference: Last year one of my consulting clients discovered 5,500 rounds of .22 ammo and six boxes of shotgun shells stored in dusty ammo cans in the crawlspace of the house that he had bought eastern Oregon. He called the previous owners and asked if they wanted the ammo. (They had moved to Arizona.) They told him to just keep it. He expressed his heartfelt thanks. Note that he did not become …

Reader Greg S. sent us some news of Nanny State hand-wringers, run amok: Geolocating “Dangerous” Guns and Gun Owners. Wait! I can make it easier for them: Click here. (Each tiny green pixel dot represents a privately-owned gun. And yes, they are “dangerous”–dangerous to criminals and dangerous to would-be tyrants.) We also have some of the lowest crime rates in the country. I wonder why…    o o o G.G. sent some news from the Land of Lincoln Obama: Elderly man who picked dandelions for food gets $75 ticket. And speaking of Chicago: More than 1,000 shootings so far in …

G.G. flagged this: Extreme Solar Storms Could Destroy Earth’s Power Grids    o o o In Case of Emergency: My Cellphone Knows What to Do    o o o Indonesia Readies Mass Production of Drones. Coincidentally, I described their Wulung drones in my upcoming novel Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse. (It will be released on October 1, 2013. Please wait until the release date to order your copy. Thanks!)    o o o Has Motorization in the U.S. Peaked?    o o o This link bears repeating: Informed Christians New Disaster Crash Course

One often overlooked traditional tool is a bark spud. You probably already own lots of axes and perhaps a shingle froe and a draw knife. But few folks recognize the importance of a bark spud for peeling logs. (In fact, these days most people wouldn’t even be able to name this tool, if they were handed one.) These are expensive to buy new, so look for used ones, via Craigslist. Or watch for garage sales or estate sales where “logging tools” are mentioned.    o o o Frank and Fern (pseudonyms) recently started blogging about their retreat and their preps. …

My #1 Son suggested this bit of practical knowledge over at The Art of Manliness: How to recognize when someone is drowning.    o o o S.D. suggested a great article on trash can EMP shielding. JWR’s Comment: Note that the typically-available mild steel wool has a tendency to rust, and that might induce rust on the contents of the can. So I’d recommend that you substitute stainless steel wool. This is particularly important if you live in a humid climate.    o o o Reader Luke D. sent an items that is hardly a news flash to SurvivalBlog readers: …

The latest on concealed carry in The Land of Lincoln Obama. (Thanks to “S.” for the link.) And Mark sent: Illinois Gov. Quinn triggers backlash after changing concealed-carry bill.    o o o Reader Stephen S. wrote to mention that he got the following confirmation on the use of deep chamber flute barrels from the management at PTR: “All of our rifles have run the same chamber as the G.I. [variant] rifles since the G.I. rifles were brought to market.  This means that regardless of model, all of our current rifles will shoot the same ammo.”    o o o …

For those following Orange Jeep Dad: He just got his grandfather’s 1949 Ford 8N tractor running!    o o o The Montrose a Prepper recently had some interesting observations of the threat that feral dogs will pose, come TEOTWAWKI, in a piece that was cross-posted at Lew Rockwell’s site.    o o o Please ask your congresscritters to support this bill that would at least partially secure America’s power infrastructure: H.R. 2417: Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage Act    o o o And speaking of our technological infrastructure, see: EMP Attack and Solar Storms, Part II: Cascading …