Category: Odds ‘n Sods

A reminder that I will be a guest speaker (via teleconference) at the Get Prepared Expo, in Springfield, Missouri on April 28 & 29, 2012. The expo is being organized by USAPrepares.com. It will be held at the Ozarks Empire Fairgrounds. o o o A reader from Florida wrote to ask me about the prospects for paying off the National Debt. The short answer: It is mathematically impossible, unless the purchasing power of the US dollar is destroyed through mass inflation. (It worked for the Weimar Republic…) o o o My recent interview on the Alex Jones show is now …

Prepper At Large suggested a free medical Expert System developed by the CD3WD Project, a free but high quality collection of practical How-To Technical Development Information. They bill their mission as: “Helping the Third World to help itself.” The site hosts 4,000 document titles filling a whopping 13 gigabytes.  All are free downloads.    o o o Earth as you’ve never seen it before: The best pictures of our planet taken from the orbiting Space Station. A couple of these photos underscore my comments on the high population density of Europe. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)    o o …

After a long interval, Ol’ Remus of The Woodpile Report again addresses the fine art of stacking woodpiles.    o o o Scientists Say Spread of Schmallenberg Virus Is ‘Warning To Europe’. (Thanks to Gregg P. for the link.)    o o o Chris M. sent this amazing tale of long-term caching: Twenty Spitfire aircraft buried in Burma during war to be returned to UK.    o o o I just heard that Levon Helm passed away. He was a man who will be missed. By coincidence, just a couple of days ago I heard a cover of the song …

Shamus H. sent this: The Power Pot. I wonder if they’ve been able to overcome the problem of TEG junctions burning out. (That has always been their weakness.)    o o o Ann Barnhardt’s speech at Liberty First. Warning: Her speech includes a bit of foul language.    o o o George S. sent a link to a fascinating video of the world’s ocean currents.    o o o F.J. sent this: Alexandria Chicken Coop and Run    o o o For those who like the British DPM camouflage pattern (which is great for most North American woodlands), SurvivalBlog reader …

Reader B.B. spotted this: Hacking Expert David Chalk Joins Urgent Call to Halt Smart Grid: “100% certainty of catastrophic failure of energy grid within three years”    o o o New Mexico man takes unique approach to protect home from fires. (Thanks to Scott B. for the link.)    o o o One of those “Small World Department” moments, from videoblogger “SGT” Planecast with a PATRIOT – Part One. He notes: “Recently I had the good fortune of meeting and interviewing a newly awakened patriot on a plane trip out east. The passenger sitting next to me just happened to …

DuPont’s armored car kit a hit in Brazil. (Thanks to Paul B. for the link.)    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: Archivist seeks one of every book written    o o o Tom Sciacca (of Camping Survival) asks: How much water is enough?    o o o KAF flagged this article: New York Mills Woodworker Offering ‘Build Your Own Casket’ Classes, Coffin Furniture    o o o I will be a guest speaker (via teleconference) at the Get Prepared Expo, in Springfield, Missouri . The expo will be held on April 28 & …

Micah wrote to suggest a useful mapping resource for choosing retreat locales. With it, you can pinpoint upwind nuclear reactors, (planned, operating, and closed), coal-fired plants, and more. JWR Notes: I did note an error in the location of the decommissioned Trojan nuclear plant. (It is not east of Bend, Oregon, as shown on their map. It is actually near Ranier, Oregon, in the northwest corner of the state. Apparently, their maps default to plotting somewhere near the center of a state if no detailed location is provided.) I must also mention the politics of web site’s creators are quite …

Patrice Lewis, the editor of the excellent Rural Revolution blog has authored a series succinct and concise e-books on practical topics: The Self-Sufficiency Series. These sell for just $1.50 each. They don’t sell hard copy editions, but since most of them are less than 20 pages each you can print out your own reference binder copies at home. (I recommend that you keep backup copies on the memory thumb drive in your Bugout Bag.)    o o o Washington state launches new disaster preparedness web site, campaign. (Our thanks to M.E.S. for the link.)    o o o Reader C.D.V. …

Harry L. sent this: FDA wants farmers to get prescriptions for antibiotics used in animals. The FDA/AMA cabal will no doubt start calling the lack of prescription oversight by “loophole” (since we aren’t “trained and licensed professionals”), and hence try to institute “commonsense controls.” Does this sound familiar? I also suspect that large scale producers will be exempted from the prescription requirement, leaving the regulatory burden on the shoulders of small family farmers. (Which might also sound familiar.) If this goes into effect, just wait a few years and it will grow, with bureaucratic inevitability. They’ll be telling vets: “You …

Another gent beats feet for the American Redoubt: Why I’m Moving West    o o o Paul Venezia: Your privacy is a sci-fi fantasy. (Thanks Mark P. for the link.)    o o o Pierre M. sent this: DHS Purchases Bullet Resistant Checkpoint Booths Amid Large Scale Ammo Buildup    o o o This upcoming film seems to be more about romance than survivalism: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World    o o o Real wrath of God stuff: Raging downpour leaves Texas town covered in giant piles of hail stones.

K.A.F. sent this news headline from inside the American Redoubt: Where should the buffalo roam? Tribes, ranchers battle over bison relocation    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: The ugly battle between rural residents and alternative energy mandates in California    o o o A fog of drugs and war    o o o Government Surveillance Crackdown on Internet Goes into Overdrive    o o o Jonathan B. sent this tale of a bad day in Nashville: Man allegedly commits 10 felonies in 9 hours. Is this a little glimpse of what will happen …

The latest Range Rover Defender 4WD features a snorkel and fording sonar. (Thanks to James K. for the link.)    o o o The Swiss Jet Man gives a TED Talk. (I know, I know, it isn’t survival-related, but the am erstaunlichsten factor is off the scale.)    o o o Over at gCaptain: Big City Emergency – How to Bug Out at Sea    o o o A new preparedness discussion forum that looks useful: AlwaysPrepared.info. (Of course, all the usual privacy provisos for using forums apply.)    o o o F.G. mentioned a fascinating collection of Civil War …

J. McC. mentioned some commentary from Tom Chatham, over at SHTFPlan: If Technology Fails, Just How Long Are Your Long Range Plans?    o o o Islamic power grab in Mali. JWR’s Comments: This does not bode well for the region (including neighboring Darfur region and the fledgling nation of South Sudan.) It appears that that the new Islamic government in Tripoli (courtesy of your tax dollars) will be providing arms to not just the Tuaregs but also the Janajweed. Mali and Chad provide just slim pickings for these bandits and slavers. I suspect that South Sudan will soon see …

Painkiller sales soar around US, fuel addiction. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)    o o o Homeland Security Mission Creep: Keeping An Eye On Everyone    o o o James C. mentioned this insanity, across the pond in Nanny State Britannia: Tobacco display ban comes into force in England    o o o Kevin S. mentioned this infographic: Your Chance of Dying.

Count your blessings, all you pampered middle class First Worlders, after you watch this five-minute slice of life: The Dentist of Jaipur. By the way, don’t miss how they seem to be re-using a syringe (that made me shudder) and the same pink “anesthetic” liquid is later used as an antiseptic. <Sarcasm On:> Well, hey, “anesthetic” and “antiseptic” sort of sound the same, so they should work the same, right? <Sarcasm Off.> (Thanks to K.T. for sending us the link.) o o o Carolina Readiness Supply is having their 2nd Annual Preparedness Seminar May 4th and 5th in Black Mountain, …