Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Retreat Security: The Urban Speedball For Preppers. JWR’s Comments: For anything other than very short term caching, it is crucial that water and ammunition be stored in separate waterproof containers. If stored together, all it would take is one leaking bottle (such as one ruptured by freezing or one with a pinhole from rough handling) to destroy the stored ammunition. One .30 Caliber ammo can with bandoleers of ammo paired with one “Tall .50” filled can with water containers would be about the right ratio, for defending against anything short of a human wave attack. They can be attached to …

Mexico scrambles to cope with egg shortage.    o o o Stephanie S. sent: This Year’s Drought Is So Severe, You Can See Its Toll on the Mississippi River From Space    o o o FCC eyes tax on [broadband] Internet service    o o o Reader David J. mentioned that the Sunforce 60-Watt photovoltaic power charging system has been reduced to $222 on Amazon.com. This system was designed with RV owners in mind, but it would work fine at a retreat cabin.

F.J.R. spotted this: Heavy Duty 275 Gallon Rain Barrel    o o o Reader S.O.B. sent this: Migration in the Americas: US retirees flock to Nicaragua    o o o Jake K. suggested a brief video tour of The Utah Bishops’ Central Storehouse. [JWR’s Comment: While there is a doctrinal chasm that forever divides us, I greatly admire the dedication of the LDS church in encouraging food storage.]    o o o Over at Packing Pretty: The Heart of the Matter: Why We Carry. And speaking of concealed carry, here is one to file under Sour Grapes: Boulder Students Can …

Curtis R. sent this: DIY Fire Starter Wafers. Note: For safety, always use a double boiler, when melting wax!    o o o Commentary from Brandon Smith: Syria And Iran Dominos Lead To World War    o o o G.G. flagged this: Stand Your Ground Gun Laws    o o o Reader P.N.G. wrote to mention, “It is not widely practical, but perhaps someone among your readers has a need for a tracked all-terrain vehicle only 42″ long.”    o o o Geoff S. mentioned the Lapka Radiation and EMF detectors available as add-ons for iPods and iPhones.

Yet another reason to avoid social media: Circuit Court Orders Brandon Raub Released, Dismisses Case Against Marine Arrested, Detained in Veterans Admin. Psych Ward over Political Views, Song Lyrics Posted on Facebook    o o o Some interesting demographics can be seen in this article sent by Kevin S,: Marriage and Divorce: A 50 State Tour    o o o Reader H.L. sent this: Insight: Experts hope to shield cars from computer viruses    o o o I spotted this clever product in the Jeffers Vet Supply catalog: H2Go Bag    o o o S.S. in Mississippi sent this useful …

In the market for a nuke-proof bunker? Try eBay    o o o Geoff S. spotted this: The airvent wall cache.    o o o A presentation at DEFCON: Safe to Armed in Seconds: A Study of Epic Fails of Popular Gun Lock and Gun Safes. (Warning: Includes some foul language.) At the same convention: Defcon 19: DIY Non-Destructive-Entry.    o o o Dennis X. sent the link to this informative web page: Sea, Shipping Container Cabin, Shelter, Home    o o o I found this linked at The Woodpile Report (one of my favorite weekly reads): Mass grave in …

Six months ago, one of my consulting clients bought a newly-manufactured Amish-made Blizzard brand propane upright freezer. He reports that the freezer (which has 18 cubic foot capacity) works quite reliably, with the temperature always staying within two degrees from where he first set it: 10 degrees, Fahrenheit. (The freezer came with an Accu-Rite wireless digital thermometer–something by the way that I recommend for all freezers. You simply leave the “outdoor” sensor-transmitter inside the freezer.) He noted, however, that since the freezer is equipped with two burners, it does consume a substantial amount of propane. These freezers are perfect for …

F.J. suggested this piece over at Lifehacker: Turn a Dead Chest Freezer Into a Miniature Root Cellar    o o o Emergency declared [in Dallas, Texas] as West Nile virus strikes US    o o o Scott M. sent this: Could I survive on nothing but potatoes and milk?    o o o Over at Guerillamerica: Five Reasons to Hate Alexander Hamilton    o o o Making Pectin From Scratch

Reader Scotty R. mentioned: Chicken of the trees — The rural eastern gray squirrel has long been a valued food source, but what about its urban cousin?    o o o I see that the Spanish edition of my first novel (“Patriotas“) is now available in both paperback and Kindle editions. The cover is a bit garish (and dare I say “Costneresque” or perhaps something like a screen capture from Homefront), but it is nice to see that the novel available in yet another language. (There are now nine foreign publishing contracts in place to produce editions in eight languages …

South African police say they were forced to fire on striking miners, killing 34. So much for the kinder, gentler post-Apartheid “Truth and Reconciliation” era under majority rule It is time for some remedial trading on fire discipline. (It sounded like a “mad minute”.) Is this a preview of the coming Austerity Riots?    o o o Check out this new product at Safecastle: AEB OX Mini Power Plant Solar Generator    o o o OSU Lab Test Pits Mountain House vs. Wise Foods … Results are WOW!    o o o A Navy SEAL speaks out about President Bolt …

Charley S. sent this infographic: Who believes the end of the world is near?    o o o F.G. sent this: Record-breaking python found in Florida Everglades with 87 eggs.    o o o F.J.R. suggested this at Cool Tools: Optimus Svea Stove    o o o Jim W. sent this news item to file under “Important Safety Tip”: North Augusta gun shop owner kills suspected burglar, injures two others    o o o G.G. sent this: Stratfor emails reveal secret, widespread TrapWire surveillance system

Joshua E. mentioned that Savage has resumed making a .22LR/.410 shotgun combination gun, the Model 42. This a a very practical little gun for pest shooting or foraging.    o o o A new blog with some real merit: Prepography.com    o o o A reader mentioned: “A collection of YouTube videos focused mostly on how to have fun making or doing things on your own for little or no money”. His latest video on how to make a flea trap is brilliantly simple.    o o o Charley S. sent this, just for fun: “So papa, how do you …

Camping Survival has announced an unprecedented Two Day Free Shipping Deal. This is for every order of $149 or more from their web site received on August 15th and August 16th. Free shipping is available only if you use coupon code “freeshipping” during checkout.    o o o Reader Diana V. suggested this: 100-year-old way to filter rainwater    o o o Gary S. mentioned: Cloak of Invisibility?    o o o F.G. sent this: Conquest vehicles reveals the Evade, its new, gigantic unarmored SUV. JWR’s Comments: They should have named this vehicle the Poser. Driving an unarmored vehicle that looks …

Adam B. suggested this: Amish enjoy unexpected boom in numbers    o o o More in the Mayor Tony Mack saga: Woeful Trenton Sees Mayor Add Insult to Injury. So yet another member of Mayor Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) may soon do the perp walk and pose for a mug shot. Oh, and in case you missed it, Mayor Felix Roque was arrested in late May. And former Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick’s trial on additional corruption charges is scheduled to begin on September 6, 2012. Both of them are also MAIG members. Statistically, Bloomberg’s crack team of “crime fighting” …

When he penned the prescient lyrics to the now classic song “A Country Boy Can Survive”, Hank Williams, Jr. was apparently 30 years ahead of his time: The Mighty Mississippi to Run Dry? (OBTW, the “The interest is up…” part of the lyrics won’t be for another couple of years…)    o o o My sister recommended this novel: The Dog Stars. Yet another post-apocalyptic novel makes it into Amazon’s Top 100.    o o o KAF sent this: Cycle on the Recycled: A $9 Cardboard Bike Set to Enter Production in Israel    o o o A tidbit sent …