Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Reader Sue C. sent us this: Solar superstorm could kill millions, cost trillions    o o o The folks at Camping Survival are now offering SurvivalBlog readers a 5% discount on LifeStraw Portable Water Filters.    o o o Over at novelist James Grady’s web site, an odd case of Life Imitates Art: “The nonfiction book Comrade J: The Untold Secrets of Russia’s Master Spy in America After the End of the Cold War by former Washington Post reporter Pete Earley reports that Three Days of the Condor — the 1975 Robert Redford movie based on my Six Days of …

F.J. sent: Make a DIY Grill out of a Tin Can    o o o H.L. recommended this piece at Real Science: Joe Bastardi Shows Parallels to the 1950s, And Tells Us What to Expect Looking Forward    o o o The moment 65-year-old woman thwarts robbery on jewelry store after opening fire on five armed men    o o o James C. suggested this: Building and maintaining supply caches    o o o Cheryl sent this: Bug Out Boot Camp

I am often asked for predictions on the timeframe for a societal collapse. If I claimed to know the year, then I’d be guessing. And if I claimed to know the precise date then I’d be a good candidate for the psych ward. But if I claimed that it can’t happen in the few decades, then I’d have my head in the sand and would be doing everyone a great disservice.    o o o Does this sound reminiscent of India? Aging power grid on overload as U.S. demands more electricity. And in related news, G.G. flagged this: Outage in …

The Survival Mindset, as seen from a Christian perspective. (This video series by Andrew von Ehrenkrook is recommended.)    o o o Demo of VPNs being compromised at Defcon: Marlinspike demos MS-CHAPv2 crack. Also, Tracking Android phones is easy, says researcher    o o o EMP attack: ‘90% of Americans would be dead’    o o o Mary F. sent an interesting piece about Mexico: Reclaiming the Forests and the Right to Feel Safe    o o o From Tim M.: Human cycles: History as science

My brother-in-law sent this useful link: Optimum Tilt of Solar Panels.    o o o Bill Whittle discusses the implications of the NDAA and unchecked government power.    o o o The Castaway’s Guide To Making A Home    o o o T.K. recommended this over at Small Wars Journal: Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future

Getting back to basics: Manufacturing boom: Trade school enrollment soars. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)s    o o o Reader R.B.S. mentioned this handy site: U.S. Gun Law Reciprocity Guide    o o o Rare Colorado Tornado Second-Highest in US History. (A nod to George S. for the link.)    o o o Several readers mentioned this over at Alt-Market: The Most Often Forgotten Survival Preparations    o o o G.G. flagged this: Burglars loot Long Beach apartment building while tented for fumigation

Reader C.D.V. spotted this: Build a Self-Regulating, Automatic Plant Watering System with a Plastic Bottle and a Tray    o o o Power restored after huge Indian poswer cut. Enormous demand for power, aging grid infrastructure…    o o o Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) suggested this: Create Your Own AR-15 Semi-automatic Pistol At Home Legally    o o o Brett G. mentioned the Short Lane brand chamber adapters, as well as this video: Shooting 9mm from a 12 gauge?    o o o Study shows that water fluordation lowers the intelligence of children. [JWR’s Comment: So General Ripper was right, …

James K. was the first of several readers to mention this grid collapse calamity: 620 million without power in India after three power grids fail    o o o Pat Cascio sent this article: Obama will ‘evaluate’ bill to ban online munition sales. JWR’s Comments: There are billions of cartridges manufactured each year. For .22 rimfire alone, the number is around 4 billion rounds per year. So with of all these cartridges made, what percentage of them are used in violent crimes? The violent crime rate is 403 per 100,000 people. So we are talking about a lot of decimal …

G.G. flagged this: The world’s first 3D-printed gun. (This technology proves the futility of any further statist dreams of effective “gun control.” The djinn has escaped the bottle.)    o o o Sticking to their guns: Marines place $22.5M order for the Colt .45 M1911.    o o o One to add to your toolbox: Sugru is a new air-curing rubber that can be formed by hand. It bonds to most materials and turns into a strong, flexible silicone rubber overnight.    o o o 370 million without power in India. (Thanks to Mitch K. for the link.)

Pierre M. sent this: Rise in Weather Extremes Threatens Infrastructure. Here is a key quote: “Some utilities are re-examining long-held views on the economics of protecting against the weather. Pepco, the utility serving the area around Washington, has repeatedly studied the idea of burying more power lines, and the company and its regulators have always decided that the cost outweighed the benefit. But the company has had five storms in the last two and a half years for which recovery took at least five days, and after the derecho last month, the consensus has changed. Both the District of Columbia …

James C. recommended this video: All about wells – The Bailer Bucket. (Well buckets are available from Ready Made Resources, Lehman’s, and many other online vendors.)    o o o Reader M.P. forwarded an article that uncovers blatant state-sponsored genocide: ‘Match Battalion’ torch village: “These men are part of the Sudanese army”. Please pray for Sudan and South Sudan. In particular, please pray that the citizenry of South Sudan get the small arms and training that they need to defend themselves from Islamist aggression from Sudan.    o o o Emily Miller: Dispelling gun myths    o o o Papa …

Solar Storms: What’s the Risk for Companies? Amazon’s loss of power last month was minimal compared with what could happen if the U.S. grid is severely hit by solar storms. What can companies do to prepare?    o o o Reader Scott S. suggested a humorous bit of Airsoft Mall Ninjiosity    o o o Chris M. mentioned a new pawn in the game. Power Pwn: This DARPA-funded power strip will hack your network    o o o Kevin S. was the first of several readers to mention this: New computer modeling technique shows how airports are key in spreading …

H.L. liked this piece at Alt-Market: Off-Grid Refrigeration    o o o Dick Morris Reveals How Obama Will Kill The 2nd Amendment On July 27    o o o Not particularly preparedness-related, but this collaborative music video site is amazing: The Johnny Cash Project    o o o Peter S. recommended two new e-books: The Survival Doctor’s Guide to Burns and The Survival Doctor’s Guide to Wounds    o o o The United Nations will convene next week for agreement on a “Small Arms and Light Weapons” Treaty. Please contact your Senators and insist that they do not ratify the …

H.L. sent this profile of delusion: 55 Percent Of Americans Believe That The Government Will Take Care Of Them If Disaster Strikes. The article includes this frightening statistic: “53 percent of all Americans do not have a 3 day supply of nonperishable food and water in their homes.”    o o o G.G. flagged this: A Nation That’s Losing Its Toolbox. Thankfully, SurvivalBlog readers are regaining forgotten skills, with plenty of hands-on experience in our gardens, in our wood shops, and under the hoods of our vehicles.    o o o How to stop a massacre    o o o …

A reminder that another Self-Reliance Expo will be held in Dallas, Texas, July 27-28, 2012. Their most recent event (in Colorado Springs, Colorado), was a huge success. OBTW, wear your SurvivalBlog T-shirt or hat and see who you meet.    o o o Greg C. suggested an essay by one of my favorite talk radio hosts: Are We There Yet? A short term look at the road ahead, by Brian Wilson    o o o Reader C.D.V. mentioned a post-collapse Christian novel audiobook that is available free for just the month of July, from Christian Audio: The Sword, book one …