Category: Odds ‘n Sods

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 …

Woolsey: Stormy preview of electric-grid crash. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)    o o o A very useful article by Dr. Bones: Sleep Deprivation in Survival Situations    o o o Peter S. sent this insightful piece about Syrian Civil War and some lessons learned about “Getting Out of Dodge”: Life During Wartime    o o o M.C.C.L. suggested this over at Sailboat Diaries: Why I’m Leaving America

Reader “Tin Can” sent an article about someone who earns demerits for judgment but bonus points for creativity: Camouflaged Residence Discovered in California Park. It was interesting to read that growing dope in California is now a crime only if it is done “without a permit.” (For cultivation of medical marijuana.) It should be mentioned that this man is just one of many in a long succession. Back in 2009 I mentioned in SurvivalBlog a father and daugher who had secret residence in a Portland, Oregon park, and a news story about a hermit who secretly lived for at least …

Bryan E. recommended this for all the techies out there: Raspberry Pi    o o o O Kwame, Where Art Thou? Plan to Raze Detroit Empty Homes in Final Stages. FWIW, there is fine agricultural soil under all that urban blight. Perhaps someday Detroit will have a future as a farm town.    o o o Some good commentary over at Off Grid Survival: Anti-Gun Groups use Tragedy in Colorado to Push Gun Control Agendas. Of course, the statists won’t mention the fact that the movie theater chain banned concealed carry in their theaters. Once again, a mass murderer picked …

G.G. sent us this piece from Virginia: Fowl Territory: Why Richmond should embrace backyard chickens.    o o o Join The Club, Your Honor: Trenton Mayor Tony Mack federal probe: FBI raids homes of mayor, brother, supporter. Any guesses on the illustrious “crime fighting” group that Mayor Mack belongs to? The folks over at the If It Hits The Fan blog just passed the milestone of 500 posts. Congrats.    o o o Yet another conference… This one is in Tucson, on August 11, 2012: The Arizona Survivalist Show. (Thanks to Randy in Arizona for the link.)    o o …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson mentioned a new product: the Trucker’s Friend. (It is even American-made!)    o o o Yet another reason to avoid all social media: Facebook Monitors Your Chats for Criminal Activity. (Thanks to RBS for the link.)    o o o Sterile v. Clean In Survival Situations:  Doom & Bloom    o o o Some facts on firearms in the United States.    o o o Speaking of guns, read: Outrage After News Channel Helps Public Identify Gun Owners. In the warped minds of the gun grabbers, they perceive gun owners on a par …

Got eggshells? Reader C.D.V. suggested this clever DIY tip: How to Make a Calcium Supplement    o o o J. McC. forwarded an article about this fun event: ‘Tough Mudder’ pushes competitors to extremes.    o o o Another South Carolina event: Sue C. mentioned that Without Walls Ministry will host the Lowcountry Preppers Conference/Disaster Preparedness Meeting July 20 & 21 (Friday evening and all day Saturday) at the the First Assembly of God, 2957 Savannah Highway, Charleston, South Carolina.    o o o Midwest drought shows little sign of abating. (A hat tip to Sue C. for the link.) …

Game Over. The Score: Bad Guys With Masks and Guns: 0 Old Guy with Pocket Pistol and Guts: 2 Read a description and see video clips: Charges unlikely against man who shot robbers    o o o OSOM recommended a great primer on tri-fuel conversion of small generators: Don’t Depend on Just Gas…    o o o An emigrant who grew up in East Berlin asks: America, Where Art Thou? (Thanks to J. McC. for the link.)    o o o F.J. liked this Do-It-Yourself project: Replace a Kitchen Cabinet Drawer with a Produce Storage Drawer    o o o …

Following up on the recent derailment and evacuation in Ohio, SurvivalBlog reader Lee M. found a handy railroad map of the U.S. [JWR Adds: More detailed maps can be found if you do a search for each particular railroad, such as Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe.]    o o o Ian R. sent this: Emergency responders turn to expired drugs as key lifesaving medicine supplies run low    o o o Getting in on the act: Reader Tracey A. noticed that Costco’s mailorder arm is now offering a special package price on 12-pack Gamma Seal Lids and 6-gallon Buckets with 12 Mylar Liners …

I am weary of hearing police officers now referring to the general populace as “civilians.” I’ve noticed that this misnomer has become commonplace in the new century. Even some journalists are parroting this condescension without any comment or correction, sometimes egregiously. I’ll present the facts here as clearly and concisely: The police and sheriff’s deputies are our employees and they are civilians, too. The police are civil servants that help protect our property rights and civil rights, under civil law. (And hopefully with civility.) In contrast, military or “martial” law is the task of the Military Police and they are …

The editors of Prep-Blog.com have been posting for six months now. There are some interesting insights, so be sure to go check it out.    o o o Reader P.D. sent this, by way of the SurvivalAcres web site: Mountain House has issued a press release that details the difference in residual oxygen levels in their packages versus those of a competitor. Facts are facts.    o o o Speaking of Mountain House, the unprecedented contemporaneous deep discount sales on Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans by Safecastle and Ready Made Resources both end on July 18th. Order …

More evidence of the mainstream’s acceptance of survivalism (or at least “prepping”): the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) is offering this class: Survival of Societal Collapse    o o o Part of Cody (Wranglerstar)’s new do-it-yourself video shorts series: Leatherman Wave Secret Function Revealed. This is a great series.    o o o New reporter? Call him Al, for algorithm.    o o o The commander of the military’s new U.S. Cyber Command said digital attacks are evolving from disrupting network functions to destructive strikes.    o o o Loose Lips Sink Ships. Here is some quite good OPSEC …