Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Salina Journal News: Preppers a diverse group. (Thanks to Jeff H. for the link.)    o o o Is nothing sacred? Thieves steal 2-ton bell from St. Mary’s garden    o o o Jeff R. spotted this: Ancient South American volcano Mount Uturucu blowing up like a balloon.    o o o Some good news from Canada: Conservative Party introduce bill to abolish long gun registry    o o o My recent interview on Frank Wuco’s show is now available as an archived podcast. My interview begins about 11 minutes into the hour, but please don’t miss the moving tribute …

A recently-released map showing gang presence in the United States adds further credence to the American Redoubt concept. (Thanks to Karl K. for the link.)    o o o C.J. Chivers, one of the few mainstream newspapermen that really understands small arms had some great commentary on modified and re-purposed guns in the hands of guerillas: Afghan Gun Locker: Battlefield Ingenuity, and a Weapon’s Longevity    o o o F.J. suggested this over at LifeHacker: How to Make an Improvised Backpack    o o o $1 Billion of your tax dollars at work: Libya’s liberation: interim ruler unveils more radical …

I heard about a web site with some useful data on Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants.    o o o F.G. sent this: Couple are forced to demolish their £300k four-bed home after it was invaded by Japanese knotweed    o o o News from the Oil Patch: America’s Boomtown: North Dakota housing crunch    o o o Sour Grapes Department: Is the US Declaration of Independence illegal?    o o o In SurvivalBlog we’ve been warning you about SCADA vulnerabilities since September, 2005. The mainstream media is finally catching on: U.S. fears science fiction-style sabotage in new wave of …

Want to move way down south? I just heard about a farm near Chillan, Chile that is for sale.    o o o F.G. forwarded a link to a very interesting piece about JustiaGate: “Someone was incredibly busy in June 2008 working on an illegal front invisible to the public; searching and altering Supreme Court Cases published at Justia.com which cite the only case in American history – Minor v. Happersett (1875) – to directly construe Article 2 Section 1’s natural-born citizen clause in determining a citizenship issue as part of its holding and precedent.”    o o o Are …

There is a very interesting thread over at SurvivalistBoards.com, started by a survivor of the war in Bosnia.    o o o Tamara, over at the View From The Porch blog mentioned the trailer for the upcoming film about U.S. Navy SEALs: Act of Valor.    o o o The FBI Announces Gangs Have Infiltrated Every Branch of the Military. (Kudos to Keith G. for the link.)    o o o Steve H. sent this: November 9th: Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test.    o o o More omnivorous that than an Omnivore? Reader P.N.G. mentioned the Brunton Lamplight 360 …

Mike Williamson mentioned: CCW for Amputees    o o o FBI official calls for secure, alternate Internet. Will they simply expand JWICS or make a SIPRnet “Light”, or create something new?    o o o G.G. was the first of several readers to mention this piece: Copper Wiring Traded For Crack    o o o Gaddafi burial delayed amid calls for probe. That’s odd, I don’t remember reading that there wasn’t much of “Death Probe” for Mussolini. I guess that “angry mobs, ignominiously parading bloodied former dictators” are more civilized, these days.

An interesting piece on the EPA running roughshod over an Idaho family.    o o o F.G. flagged this over at The Daily Mail: Brains over 55 work quite well    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) recommended the Newseum web site, where you can see scrollovers of a large number of American newspapers.    o o o Über-absurd: The Glock 9mm Beta CMAG. I suppose the greatest practicality these will have is in giving Nancy Pelosi a fit of apoplexy when she learns of their existence. Oh, and then there’s the very rare chance that …

A foreshadowing of a post-collapse threat? Lions and Tigers and Bears! Deputies Hunt Exotic Animals on the Loose in Ohio. (A tip of the hat to Mary F. for the link.)    o o o K.A.F. sent this: Reid signals government jobs must take priority over private-sector jobs    o o o K.A.F. also sent a link to a scheme of genius from the Mickey Mouse State: San Francisco plan would offer tax break for hiring felons. (Yes, but will they take the next logical step and use taxpayer funds to provide free insurance for all the toner cartridges, laptops, …

This map originally posted in April is enlightening: Where to Live to Avoid a Natural Disaster. It also squares nicely with my American Redoubt locale recommendations. (A tip of the hat to Bill in Phoenix for the link.)    o o o J.B.G. sent this: Thieves, Seeking Quick Money, Steal X-Ray Film From Area Hospitals    o o o Submachine Guns, Pistols Stolen From LAPD SWAT Training Site    o o o Joe The Peacock reports: I Went To Occupy Wall Street. This Is What I Saw. (Thanks to Tim R. for the link.)    o o o Architecture Contest …

The Great Endarkenment: Detroit struggles to keep lights on: Copper thieves, aging equipment darken blocks in cash-starved city. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o Reader R.C. kindly sent this: Automotive ‘black boxes’ raise privacy issues    o o o The Womb to Tomb medicated society: Consider ADHD starting at age four, says doctor group. (thanks to Diana V. for the link.)    o o o John T. sent us this inevitable headline: New crime wave: Cooking Oil Thefts.

F.J. sent us a lesson in caching commonsense (or lack thereof), over at Commander Zero’s excellent blog: Article – Gun, weapons parts found buried in Arlington.    o o o I was asked by a consulting client what would happen if the “Occupy America” protests transition from “acute” to “chronic”. I told him that I think that the outcome might be a lot like the fate of the World War I veterans’ Bonus Army, in the 1930s. (That is, depending on the JBT proclivities of the particular States where the protests are held.) There is an old Japanese proverb: “The …

Some interesting observations from a fellow blogger: Oh Dark Thirty    o o o P.N.G. liked this article over at Electronic Design News: A super-het radio runs 5 years on a C-cell, plus a pentode radio    o o o Kyle L. mentioned a gooddeal on Federal brand .22 LR hollow point ammo from Cabela’s. I predict that .22 hollowpoints will be an ideal item for barter in the event of a socioecononmic collapse, so stock up. (BTW, they are also offering free shipping fee on any order over $150, with promo code “WOCTOBER”)    o o o FBI begins …

F.J. spotted this: 50 Simple Tools Used to Rebuild Haiti. (Those lists have applicability in rebuilding here in the U.S. of A., in the aftermath of major disaster.)    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) suggested this booklet: The Flowerpot Crucible Furnace–Build a furnace from a flowerpot and melt metal! Warning: All the usual safety provisos on high temperatures and molten metals apply! Do not experiment with this technique without all the proper safety clothing and gear, including a fire extinguisher. Also, be advised that a terra cotta crucible that is waterlogged or that has an …

Several readers sent this: Foreign insects, diseases got into US    o o o “PapaBeagle” wrote to mention that Amazon.com now has some good quality Facet fuel transfer pumps back in stock.    o o o Jeff W. recommended a great article from The Small Wars Journal: One Team’s Approach to Village Stability Operations. Ponder it as future history for a post-collapse United States.    o o o From Nanny State Europa: Children to be banned from blowing up balloons, under EU safety rules. Meanwhile, French multicultural do-gooders are re-writing history. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o …

F.J. suggested this money saving tip over at Lifehacker: Slice Your Own Steaks    o o o You’ve heard me mention a family in north Idaho that has a home-based business making washable feminine pads: Naturally Cozy. (Avalanche Lily says that they are very comfortable and very durable even after many washings, and that she uses them regularly.) I just heard that the company recently added two different types of washable incontinence pads for ladies. If there is a lady in your family that currently “Depends on Depends”, then please order them a set of these pads. Someday you may …