Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Of interest to those who read French, here is an article on the American survivalist movement ran in the Swiss newspaper Le Temps: Aux Etats-Unis, ils sont de plus en plus nombreux à attendre l’apocalypse. Fittingly, the piece ends with an homage to the Swiss tradition of preparedness, and compares it to The American Redoubt concept: “L’inspiration principale des survivalistes se trouve pourtant de l’autre côté de l’Atlantique. Tous décrivent la Suisse comme une sorte de paradis du prepper. «Avec vos abris atomiques, votre armée de milice et votre politique du réduit national, vous êtes les mieux placés pour survivre …

The Sacramento Democrat majority steamroller rolls on: California Senate approves 8 gun control bills, including ammo registry. JWR’s Comments: Less well-publicized is SB 108, which will require all gun owners to keep their firearms locked up whenever they leave their property. This raises several issues, not the least of which is that is that it effectively bans gun ownership for anyone who is poor and cannot afford to buy a gun vault. California’s high-minded statist leftists are now enforcers of class distinctions–removing rights from po folks. Shame on them. This same mentality was behind attempts to ban “cheap handguns.” They …

Reader Mendy P. sent: Study: 70 Percent of Americans on Prescription Drugs. JWR’s Comment: If one considers a pharmaceutical supply chain failure in the event of a power grid collapse, then the implications of this study are staggering. What will life in American be like when 27 million Americans are forced to suddenly come down off of antidepressants? There will be no “gradual tapering”–just “cold turkey” withdrawal. My advice: If the grids go down then be prepared to stay off the streets for a few months. There will be a lot of crazy behavior manifested.    o o File Under …

Some great new NOAA imagery: Green: Vegetation on Our Planet    o o o Six Primitive Traps For Catching Food In The Woods    o o o Who Are The Real Traitors?    o o o R.J. sent: Oklahoma Tornado Victims Have Housing Option in Modular Homes. (The company’s web site gives some more details.)    o o o Craig J. sent: El Dorado County Sheriff Strips Forest Service of State-Law Enforcement Power.

Orange Jeep Dad has made his move to Oklahoma! He wrote me to mention: “I have to go chop down some overgrowth and explore the farm.” (The family farm had been left vacant for more than 20 years.) He plans to be blogging regularly, as he gets the place back into shape. This should prove to be both instructive and entertaining. Please post a comment, to encourage him and his “Wifey.” Tell him that Jim of SurvivalBlog sent you.    o o o Reader Ellen E. recommended the resources at the Utah State Ag Extension Web Site. The site has …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this from over at KK Cool Tools: Amish Hackers. Mike’s comment: “A very interesting article. By the way, my wife has always said if she were colonizing a planet, she’d take a contingent of Amish.”    o o o Senator Rand Paul has introduced S. 744, a bill that would prohibit a National ID card or biometric ID. Please contact your senators, and ask them to co-sponsor it.    o o o Michael Bane had some great commentary on ammunition “hoarding”: Michael’s Rant de Jour…    o o o Reader Stan T. …

Reader Vance in Delaware sent us some humorous video links of some stupid crook tricks, like falling through ceilings, having problems with doors that only open one way, losing control of their guns or failing to unplug cash registers before grabbing them, robbing a store in front of a police office, and even shooting themselves.    o o o Some good news: House Unanimously Adopts Kelly Amendment to Ban Funding For UN Arms Trade Treaty.    o o o Brandon Smith: Building Your SHTF Combat Overwatch Rifle    o o o Reader B.B. suggested this collection of self-sufficiency and disaster …

Reader B.K. sent: Lights out: House plan would protect nation’s electricity from solar flare, nuclear bomb    o o o Eli sent us this video link where a “20-Something” with apparently mixed feelings about guns journeys into the wilderness to unleash his Inner Charlton Heston: Shooting the Biggest Guns Money Can Buy – The Big Sandy Shoot. BTW, that shoot looks like a lot more fun (and a lot safer) than attending a Saudi wedding.    o o o B. in Idaho sent an interesting article about Syrian militias competing.  B. noted:  “It is notable that one militia that was …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson recommended this brief video: How Turkish Protesters Deal With Teargas    o o o There is a gun show scheduled in Colorado Springs this weekend. With the July 1st legislation deadline looming in Colorado, I’m sure that sales of battle rifles and full capacity magazines will be brisk. Last call in Colorado!    o o o K.A.F. sent this: Telegrams no more. Stop. India to send world’s last message July 14.    o o o Courtesy of OSOM, come this link: Gary North on hands-free headlamps    o o o Sarah C. recommended …

Pantry Paratus is offering a free Sport Berkey filtering water bottle with any purchase $150 or more.  This offer is only valid through June 30th.        o o o Maine has become the first state in the nation to pass legislation ordering its grid to be hardened against an electromagnetic pulse. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)    o o o Over at Ryan and Ryan’s excellent blog: Birdshot For Self Defense?    o o o My old friend Terry sent: Russia Nearing Final Stages For New Assault Rifle In Legendary Kalashnikov Series    o o o What …

By way of Mac Slavo’s SHTFPlan blog: September 6, 1984: Ron Paul Warns of Surveillance State    o o o A reader e-mailed me: “I have seen it all, now: Storage Food for Your Cat.” It is amazing what you can buy at Costco. The practicality of car storage food is debatable, but nonetheless Costco can be great. Stocking up on storage food and other items for your family’s survival stockpile at warehouse stores is described in “Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course.” (Now available inexpensively via digital download.)    o o o The aging robot: Arnold Schwarzenegger Signs Up …

I just learned that RepackBox.com has expanded their line to include pistol ammunition boxes. These are made with the same high quality as their rifle ammo boxes, and are ideal for both handloaders and for folks who buy their ammo in bulk, but who want to store it in standard cardboard boxes. (20 rounds for rifle cartridges, and 50 rounds for pistol cartridges.) And BTW, they will also soon be selling brand new, un-issued .50 caliber full mil-spec steel ammo cans. Be sure to check out their web site. As I’ve mentioned before, they sell more than boxes. Their other …

Recently posted by the great video blogger Wranglerstar: Home-made Hydraulic Ram Pump    o o o There are just two days left in Camping Survival’s sale on Wise brand storage foods, with deep discounts. The sale ends on June 18, 2013.    o o o Census: Rural US loses population for first time    o o o The folks at Directive 21 mentioned that they have received more than 1,000 copies of the book Making the Best of Basics, and they have them sale priced at just $24.95 with free shipping. That is about half of what they cost at …

Spotted on Craigslist in Aurora, Colorado: 1984 Chevy Blazer/CUCV/Military/Diesel/M1009 – $7,500 (Aurora, Colorado)    o o o “For the children.” SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: Lawn darts banned — now not even replacement parts are allowed. Why? because just three children died over the course of several decades in a nation of 300 million people. Statistically, your chances are much higher of dying from being struck by hailstones, or dying in a human stampede, or being crushed by a toppling vending machine. If the ever-watchful Nanny State really wants to keep us really safe, then they should …

Reader J.B.G. sent this for our Theater of The Absurd Department: Cost of shotgun and firearm licenses must rise say police chiefs. Oh, so they tell us that there’s a funding gap in their scheme to to keep their citizenry disarmed. Their solution: Charge the few who still have some sporting guns even more to license them. This somehow reminds me of when Germany’s Nazi regime had the temerity to sell full fare train tickets to some Jews, to cover the costs of their forced relocation to the designated ghettos before their planned extermination. (This is documented in the book …