Category: Odds ‘n Sods

K.A.F. was the first of several readers send this: Armed Beauty Queen Fatally Shoots Intruder in Florida Home Invasion. Don’t miss the bad OPSEC mentioned near the end of the article.    o o o Libya: UN air strikes aid rebels. JWR Notes: I still have a lot of “cui bono?” questions about this military adventure. Why are the French so heavily involved? What reconstructions deals were made, in order to create the coalition? Why was Germany so incensed that they withdrew their troops from NATO? Is Gaddafi’s gold reserve an issue? How about the Libyan Dinar? (Were there plans …

The mainstream media finally catches on: Special Report: Disasters show flaws in just-in-time production    o o o More civilian disarmament bills before the Illinois legislature. Among other things, a ban on 11+ round magazines, a ban on .50 caliber or larger rifles, and a loosely-worded ban on most semi-automatic rifles and shotguns!    o o o Rick H. mentioned this: Ramen Hacks: 30+ Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Instant Noodles

Ron G. sent this: The Psychology of Disaster    o o o K.A.F. recommended a site with a lot of recipes for storage food: EverydayFoodStorage.net.    o o o Thomas M. pointed me to the documentary film The Battle of Chernobyl, available for free streaming.    o o o Reader Tim R. suggested this news article: Japan’s mafia among the first to organise and deliver aid    o o o Here’s an interesting new product: The Sun E-Box. Keep in mind that for those that are handy with tools, that the same components are available off the shelf. Also, several …

Yet another member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns civilian disarmament cabal is now facing trial: Monticello mayor indicted. He is accused of selling fake Nike shoes, Timberland boots, counterfeit music, and pirated movies. (Well, at least it wasn’t something more serious such as bribery, misappropriation of campaign funds, corruption, extortion, mail fraud, wife beating, influence peddling, felony theft, child pornography, attempted child sexual assault, child enticement, conspiracy, money laundering, perjury, assault, fabricating evidence, and filing false tax returns–like the others. Yes, these are the sort of people in Mayor Bloomberg’s “crime fighting” group.)    o o o A reminder …

The UN seems intent on invading or at least bombing Libya. And U.S. forces will it seems, as per usual, be in the thick of it. Pardon me for sounding like a hick who inappropriately points out the obvious at a swank soiree, but I must ask: 1.) Why are we directly sticking out noses into a civil war? 2.) Who gave the U.N. debating society the God-like omniscience to deem Gaddafi’s national government “illegitimate”? 3.) When did Congress abrogate its power to declare war? And, 4.) Why is the current Administration so intent on replacing an ostensibly secular dictatorship …

I was saddened to hear from Granny Miller that Derry Brownfield passed away. I had been a guest on Derry’s radio show a couple of times. He impressed me as both a very patriotic and very personable guy. He was also very knowledgeable. Derry probably forgot more about livestock and agriculture than I’ll ever know. He will be missed!    o o o The folks at Hardened Structures wrote to mention a new EMP Engineering web site.  They provide professional analysis, design engineering, fabrication, manufacturing, installation and construction.  This includes HEMP Resistant Electrical Generators and HEMP Resistant Enclosures of all …

R.P.B. sent this: Forecast for Plume’s Path is a Function of Wind and Weather. Keep in mind that not much radioactive dust is likely to make it all the way from Japan to U.S. and of that, most of it will be carrying lighter isotopes with short half-lives. If you have dosimeter and ratemeter pens, then go ahead and zero them, and start making a chart. (A dosimeter that reads milliroentgens or milligrays would be the most useful, for now.) If nothing else, this will be useful experience for any future event where there is a substantially greater risk. Also, …

This headline may remind readers of a prescient article that they read in September, 2010 in SurvivalBlog: Spent nuke fuel pool may be boiling, further radiation leak feared. Note that most spent fuel ponds are typically NOT housed the same heavy duty containment vessels as reactors. Thus, they pose a greater contamination risk than reactors!    o o o Reader Troy H. sent this: No looting going on in Japan. Troy’s comment: “I think this article gives credence to your idea that having a morally unified community (e.g. your fellow retreaters, your small rural town, etc.) increases your chances of …

Reader J.B.G. sent this: Panic Buying Adds to Shortages After Japan Quake. JWR’s Comment: I predict that next they’ll try to cast blame on folks that stocked up before the earthquake. (True “hoarding” is something that occurs after a the onset of a crisis.) Meanwhile, in Tokyo: Japan’s nuclear emergency prompts panic buying in Tokyo    o o o Don’t miss this essay by Victor Davis Hanson: The Fragility of Complex Societies. (Thanks to Z. for the link.)    o o o Six Lessons for Preppers from the Japanese Earthquake / Tsunami / Nuclear Meltdown Disaster    o o o …

Japan earthquake and tsunami death toll expected to exceed 10,000; survivors worry about dwindling supplies, food.    o o o Robert J. flagged this: Japan ‘overwhelmed by the scale of damage’ 1,000 bodies are found scattered across coastline; body bags, coffins in short supply. Here is a quote: “”I never imagined we would be in such a situation” Watanabe said. “I had a good life before. Now we have nothing. No gas, no electricity, no water.” He said he was surviving with his family on 60 half-liter bottles of water his wife had stored in case of emergencies like this. …

Nicole W. was the first of several readers to send this piece: US farmers fear the return of the Dust Bowl: For years the Ogallala Aquifer, the world’s largest underground body of fresh water, has irrigated thousands of square miles of American farmland. Now it is running dry    o o o Chad S. sent this piece datelined Worchester, Massachusetts: 2,000 rounds of ammo found during traffic stop. Oh, my goodness! They nailed this bad man with “…four counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device, and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card.” Cue the wailing, teeth-gnashing, …

Desperation, panic grip Japan after quake    o o o Commentary (via YouTube) from The Patriot Nurse: Who Will Die First When SHTF.    o o o So much for the propaganda that it was “gun shows” that were to blame for guns of U.S. origin getting into the hands of Mexican drug cartels: Indictments released in arrest of Columbus police chief, mayor and trustee in firearms trafficking case. OBTW, SurvivalBlog readers that study history will remember Columbus, New Mexico as a border town that was raided by Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s revolutionary army.

Mary F. wrote to note that the New York Times recently ran a piece about offgrid living, in Texas: A Glow in the Desert. It is about a New Yorker removed to West Texas and living off the grid. “When you work alone, you have to be patient. Progress is measured in the completion of small tasks, and construction takes years, not weeks. Safety is a colossal issue.”     o o o Britain “The Era Of Constant Electricity At Home Is Ending”, National Grid Chief. (A tip of the hat to G.P. for the link.)    o o o Troy …

Reader Tom M. suggested a great two-hour educational video produced by UCSF: Injuries in the Wilderness.    o o o Kevin R. sent us this: The secret world of doomsday shelters Blast from the past: Underground home bunkers once again have a small but growing following as a refuge from a host of perceived threats. And most people who have them would prefer that you didn’t know. Kevin notes: “Notice the demographics mentioned on page two, describing who is building these and that most are in the Washington, D.C. area?.  Do our bureaucrats know and anticipate something they aren’t sharing …

Another Self Reliance Expo is planned for April 8-9, 2011 National Western Events Complex, in Denver, Colorado. There will be a number of panel discussions and many exhibitors putting on product demonstrations. Topics will include aquaponics,canning and food dehydrating, ham radio, solar ovens, and much more. Admission is $9 at the door or you can get a 20% discount on tickets by registering online (click on the “Admission” tab.) Another Expo will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, October 7-8.    o o o Paul Farrell: The 2008 crash isn’t over, only covered up    o o o File …