Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Potassium permanganate fire lighting. [JWRs Safety Proviso: If you carry both chemicals, of course carry them in well-sealed sturdy containers in well-separated compartments of your pack!]    o o o Greg P. suggested this article: The Nuts and Bolts of a Fallout Shelter    o o o Also from Greg: Will the Apocalypse Arrive Online?    o o o A free book on Kindle, for a short time: The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door. These traditions are crucial for establishing a sense of community!    o o o NRC Whistleblowers: Risk of Nuclear Melt-Down In …

I just heard about a new company that makes an interesting hidden storage compartment that fits between standard 16 inch-spaced wall studs: TacticalWalls.com     o o o Another great post over at the popular Paratus Familia blog: Reloading in the Living Room    o o o Reader R.B.S. sent: The tsunami debris washed from Japan to Oregon    o o o F.G. sent this article from an Australian newspaper: In gun-loving America, the Kalashnikov conquers    o o o Yet another Self Reliance Expo announcement. (They certainly are popular, these days!) This one will be in Mesa, Arizona, on Oct. …

Sales have been brisk for the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course. (Available again, after being out of print for nearly three years.) It is now sold only via digital download, but priced quite affordably.    o o o G.G. flagged this: Disaster shelter offers full kitchen, flat-screen TV    o o o SGT mentioned an interesting report on Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs and the U.S. Military, published by the BATFE. The report is mixture of good hard intel plus some innuendo, and a couple of implausible logical leaps. (For example, the supposed founding of the Hells Angels motorcycle club by …

G.G. flagged this: Report: Violent crime rises sharply, reversing trend.    o o o A series of news photos which illustrates that the majority Syrians have an irrational fear of having the buttstock of a rifle touch their shoulders. (Perhaps fear of being bruised?) Regardless, it does not produce good marksmanship. Learn from their mistakes.    o o o My mother sent the link to this funny news clip: Car Jacker Can’t Drive Stick Shift    o o o Ah, yes, Oklahoma: Where the men are men and their little girls are just about as tough. 12-Year-Old Girl Shoots Intruder …

Reader AmEx sent news of the know-nothing Big Government crowd at work: Bullet tax proposal in hunt for solution to Chicago gun crime. Call for a levy of nickel for each bullet and $25 for each firearm sold in the city. I predict that their tax scheme will be counterproductive. Note that the tax would apply only to the 40 FFL holders inside Chicago City limits. Who in their right mind would pay 8 cents per round for .22 rimfire ammo, when they are accustomed to paying 3 cents? Obviously, people will take their business elsewhere–namely to gun shows outside …

Reader C.D.V. was pondering a wound cleanser which is dry, compact and inexpensive. He decided on potassium permanganate, which in addition for use (in a very dilute solution) on wounds can also purify water, treat fungal infection, canker sores, cholera, start fire and be used as an emergency signal. Wikipedia lists even more uses. A reference page on nursing notes that 400mg (1:1,000) tablets are diluted in four liters of water to give a dilution of 1:10,000 (0.01%). Obviously, just a little bit goes a long way when put in solution as a wound cleanser.    o o o Ready …

Tracey A. sent a link to an interesting piece on the new Winchester Segmented Slug.    o o o They keep getting smaller: Spy-Butterfly: Israel developing insect drone for indoor surveillance. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o Reader F.J. pointed out this piece: Assessing Doomsday: How Cyber War Could Attack U.S. Infrastructure    o o o D.B. sent: Armed posse patrols timber land in sheriff’s place    o o o NDAA critic stranded in Hawaii after turning up on no-fly list. JWR’s Comment: Is this the America where I was born and raised?

Residents of North Dakota might find ths of interest: The GSA is auctioning off five Stanley Mickelsen Safeguard missile sites, with opening bids of $1. Go the GSA Auctions web page and enter “Stanley Mickelsen Safeguard Complex” in the search box. Fascinating.    o o o Health alert: Why you DON’T want ripped abs if you hope to survive the coming economic collapse    o o o B.B. sent: Desperation: Greece to Allow Sale of Expired Foods to Citizens.    o o o Tom B. in Oklahoma was the first of several readers to send an article about a new …

Reader F.G. mentioned this interesting analysis, over at ARFCOM: Best Choices For Self-Defense Ammo    o o o An interesting piece by Dr. Bones: The Truth About Expiration Dates    o o o A great discussion thread was started over at the CalGuns forums: Crime Avoidance & Self-Defense Advice.    o o o Pantry Paratus is passing along a special promotion being run by Wondermill to their customers: For every Electric Wondermill sold, a customer will receive a free cookbook titled, “Chef Brad Comfort Foods.” And for every Wondermill Jr hand crank mill ($235 complete with stone and steel burrs) buyers …

James C. pointed me to this 1969 FBI training film: Shooting for Survival.    o o o Ol’ Remus suggested this piece over at the Shenandoah blog: Guerrilla Radio Listening and Broadcasting. And speaking of radio, don’t miss this handy Ham Radio Cheat Sheet, over at the excellent Off Grid Survival blog.    o o o An audio clip from a talk radio caller in Fargo, North Dakota: Please Move The Deer Crossing. This call (possibly a spoof) adds a new entendre to the term “dense population.” (Thanks to Steve C.)    o o o A speaking of density, Pierre …

Jon C. suggested this article: Five Great Reasons to Grow Vegetables Vertically    o o o M.K.P. sent an article from Chile about the many pitfalls of building… The Microhydro Plant. This clever fellow even wound his own transformers! And BTW, he also has nice taste in old tube radios.    o o o Gregg mentioned: The next human pandemic    o o o B.B. sent: Massive Manure Pile Delivered to Ohio Democratic Offices. For better effect, take a lesson from our English cousins. The misexcremants should have fired up a power manure spreader just inside the front door, and …

Recommended by F.J.: HomemadeTools.net    o o o An interesting documentary: We The Tiny House People: Small Homes, Tiny Flats. JWR’s comment: Simplicity is laudable, but tiny houses leave no room for long term food storage. 🙁 How about Plan B: A tiny house with minimal living space to heat but adjacent to it build a big un-heated barn/shop/root cellar building?    o o o The reach of the Internet is amazing. Even obscure acronyms that I created just for SurvivalBlog can now be found far and wide.    o o os Beware the signs of the times, even in …

Joe K. liked this Rodale piece: 12 Low-Tech Tools You’ll Always Use    o o o Reader Jeremy I. sent us an item to file under Emerging Threats: Infamous mountain man burglar caught on video, still roams free. (Do not leave supplies cached in unattended wilderness cabins and expect them to be immune from burglary. It is important to build undetectable wall or floor caches for your valuable weapons, ammunition, optics, and electronics.)    o o o The Knob Creek machinegun shoot and plein air gun show will be held again this coming weekend. One of these years–when my writing …

Just in time to get people thinking about the consequences of the upcoming election, the movie Atlas Shrugged, Part II will be released on October 12, 2012.    o o o For those with an interest in monitoring the severity of solar flares, J.E.B. in Missouri tells me that the Rice University Web Site site has excellent up-time and has the most consistent and timely, moment-to-moment updating of solar flare data.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Back Country Editor, Mat Stein, has several book signings and workshops scheduled in Reno, Nevada, on October 13th and 14th.    o o o …

Don J. recommended this: Prioritizing Every Day Carry Gear for Personal Defense.    o o o Ralph N. was the first of several readers to send this Los Angeles Times article: Many drugs are just fine years after they ‘expire,’ study finds    o o o Of interest to folks in western Oregon: The Oregon City Emergency Preparedness Fair will be held Saturday, October 20, 2012. Free admission! 10 am – 4pm. Location: 14340 S. Donovan St. Oregon City, Oregon. Lead speaker : James Roddey, former Director of Communications of the Red Cross 1pm-2pm “Quake Up Call”. Also speaking will …