Category: Odds ‘n Sods

John K. mentioned a simple chart to aid in the practice of learning Morse code.    o o o Reader Henry M. recommended the new TNT cable television sci-fi drama, “Falling Skies“, starring Noah Wyle. Henry says: “It is actually pretty good viewing and has some common survival strategies in each episode.  It has not really hit it’s stride yet, but has great potential.  I would enthusiastically recommend the show, with the caveat that it will probably be Big Brother and not aliens that comes to take our kids away.”    o o o Swampfox, MD recommended a video from …

Were the Bavarian Erdstallen dug by 6th Century preppers? Experts Baffled By Mysterious Underground Chambers. (Thanks to Lamont for the link.)    o o o James C. mentioned a new tiny and tough USB drive. Too bad that they are so expensive. (I think that I’ll wait about a year until they are available less expensively.)    o o o Loyal content contributor K.A.F. mentioned that an Idaho real estate has posted a wealth of web links and phone numbers for those who are considering relocation to northern Idaho.    o o o Several readers mentioned this: DHS Video Characterizes …

Sale ends tonight! Ready Made Resources is running a two-day special 25% off sale on Mountain House canned long term storage foods on July 25th and 26th. They are offering free shipping on case lots, any multiples of six cans of the same variety per case. And, if your order at least one full case of the same Mountain House item in #10 cans, you can add a Katadyn pocket water filter for just $279 ($40 off.) Don’t miss out!    o o o Report: China building electromagnetic pulse weapons for use against U.S. carriers    o o o Reader …

T. sent this charming news: Bill to allow DHS to seize authority over U.S. coastlines (and anywhere within 100 miles of the Canadian and Mexican borders!)    o o o Martin sent this news story from England: Poacher in the woods: A new breed of poacher is plundering our forests – with wood-burning stoves in mind.    o o o My #1 Son mentioned that five new retreat property listings were just added to his SurvivalRealty.com web site, including his first one in Africa. SurvivalRealty.com is a successful spin-off of SurvivalBlog that specializes in unusual retreat properties. Most of them …

Geoff S. sent: Farm Thieves Target Grapes, and Even Bees    o o o A final reminder that the deadline for the Ready Made Resources Preparedness Video Contest is July 26th. Instructional (nonfiction) videos on any topic related to family preparedness are sought. The prizes are a brand new Rock Rivers Arms (RRA) Elite Comp M4 (AR-15 series compatible ) complete Barreled Upper Receiver and a Trijicon Reflex sight with a combined retail value of more than $1,400. Please keep your privacy in mind when you create your videos. (Don’t mention any surnames or towns). You may post up to …

A BFO award to Heidi L. for mentioning that five-round boxes of 12 gauge shells (buckshot or slugs), fit nicely in the standard USGI cotton bandoleers originally made for 5.56mm NATO ammo. What a convenient way to store 35 shotgun shells (5 shells per seven-pocket bandoleer) and have them ready for immediate use! BTW, two bandoleers packed in that manner (70 rounds) fit in a standard USGI .30 caliber ammo can.    o o o Tom at CampingSurvival.com announced a new 10% off coupon code for all of their Keystone meats and broths.   Great stuff!  High quality, tasty and …

G.G. mentioned a piece over at The Volokh Conspiracy: Foot Voting for Freedom    o o o Some thoughts on the sad demise of the Space Shuttle program, made worse by stifling the commercial manned ventures with heaps of bureaucratic paperwork: Be Careful What You Wish For… (Thanks to Greg C. for the link.)    o o o Reader David M. mentioned that there is an extension for Firefox browser called “ShowIP” that displays the IP address of the page being browsed in a small window in the status bar. Handy for making your backup web page bookmarks. (OBTW, please …

Mr. V. mentioned a site of interest in the Onionspace: A movement devoted to anonymity, resilient communities, and free markets. Mr. V. also mentioned: “There is a table of contents viewable from “vanilla” Internet space. For full access, you will need to get set up in Tor .onion-space, then you can access this board.” More eastern liberal know-nothing feel-goodism: Bullet Tax’ Proposed By Mayoral Candidate. Will someone please explain to Otis the difference between a “bullet” and a “cartridge”? Oh, and while you are at it, please show him the way that many .22 rimfire cartridges come from the factory …

Casey in Arizona sent a link to a fairly scientific study on firearms “stopping” power that is sure to generate some controversy: An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power. If nothing else, it confirms my long-held belief that it is the man behind the gun that counts. Perfect practice makes perfect.    o o o Dust Bowl II? Oklahoma hit by relentless heatwave.    o o o Is there a Nobel War Prize? A mostly distaff and svært-liberal Nobel Peace Prize committee hurriedly and presumptuously nominated President Barrack Hussein Obama after he’d been in office for only nine days. For …

Captain Anaconda sent this MiiU link: AxMan’s $30 Bug Out Bag. (I’m hoping that the MiiU wiki continues to grow.)    o o o If you must live in California, then at least live in a county where you have a reasonable chance of getting a CCW permit. Here is a useful map.    o o o Commentary from Tamara, over at View From The Porch: On brain drains and foot voting…    o o o The Idaho County Free Press reported that a Christian Reformed Church is forming in the Clearwater Valley of north-central Idaho. Those interested are invited …

Jeff B. wrote to mention this site: DNSDown.com. FWIW, our IP address is: 64.92.111.122. Please make note of it–both in your browser’s bookmarks file and on the back of a business card in your wallet. And just in case this blog (or even the whole Internet) ever disappears, a SurvivalBlog 5-Year Archive CD-ROM is available for just $14.95. Production of the CD-ROM will end on August 1st, so order soon! (We are currently developing a prototype with a new vendor. Stay tuned.)    o o o Reader John R. mentioned the trailer for a high budget Hollywood movie with lots …

Avalanche Lily mentioned some commonsense observations from Enola Gay, over at the Paratus Familia blog: TEOTWAWKI Fatigue    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson offers this, over at his own blog: The Garand: Almost As Good As A Real Rifle. (Thanks to Tam for the link.)    o o o News from the American Redoubt as seen through the statist lens of The Wall Street Journal: A Gun Activist Takes Aim at U.S. Regulatory Power    o o o I just heard that Country Living Grain Mills will increase their Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) to a …

“Fast and Furious” Scandal Making Cops, Citizens Furious Fast. Just one correction: This was not a “renegade operation”. It was sanctioned at the highest levels of the BATFE and the Obama Administration.    o o o I just heard about a company that makes a very clever compact fishing pole: Montana Innovative Fishing Gear. These are American-made. (Yes, I checked: They are manufactured in Spokane, Washington.) They are ideal for backpacking, or even for your “maxi” size bug out bag. These poles can be used for bait casting, trolling, ice fishing, and even marginally well for fly fishing.    o …

Here is something new for all you paracord hobbyists: BBK Paracord “Rip Cords”. It isn’t patented, so I suppose it a good candidate for reverse engineering.    o o o Just a slight tightening of the noose: Police: Internet providers must keep user logs.    o o o Dark Fireworks on the Sun. (Thanks to Frank Z. for the link.)    o o o Ready Made Resources has added the Goal Zero PV portable power systems to their product line.

Health experts warn of new tick-borne threat. (Thanks to Rick for the link.)    o o o Loyal reader R.B.S. sent this: Answer for Invasive Species: Put It on a Plate and Eat It    o o o One of my consulting clients took my advice and transitioned from using clunky cigarette lighter plugs to 30 Amp Anderson Power Pole genderless connectors. He showed me a large assortment of cable and terminal adapters, splitters, and and terminal blocks–all with Power Pole connectors. He had recently ordered these from a very reliable company called West Mountain Radio, in Wisconsin. Most of …