Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Here is a house design with some retreat potential: The First Zombie-Proof House. (A hat tip to Dane for the link.)    o o o If you’ve ever wanted to make some parachute cord bracelets, but don’t have the skill, the patience, or the time, then I recommend this maker in Georgia: SportBraceletStore.com. Yes, they are American made! An explanation from their site: “The cord can be gutted to use the seven inner strands for fishing line or thread to repair torn clothing. For a medical emergency, the cord can be used to create a sling for an injured arm …

K.T. sent this YouTube video: The Lost Art of Cut Shells. JWR’s Comment: Don’t attempt to feed cut shells in a pump or a semi-auto from a gun’s magazine–instead, drop them into the chamber, one shot at a time. (Otherwise, you can expect some horrendous jams.)    o o o Cheryl N. sent this: From Stockpiling To Living Off The Grid, More Colorado Residents Preparing For Disasters    o o o Tam, over at the View From The Porch blog mentioned this bit of whimsy: The Silver Bullet. Also by way of Tam comes an article guaranteed to make your …

Feds mine Facebook for info. JWR Adds: I expect this sort of intrusive intelligence gathering to be commonplace, soon. Avoid social network services!    o o o Tom F. recommended these two Altoids tin hobby projects: Altoids Solar Charger and Altoids Emergency USB Charger.    o o o I just noticed that our SurvivalBlog visitors map shows that I have a reader on Madagascar and one in Antarctica. The Internet is a simply amazing way of linking folks, globally. I’d like to welcome our many new readers. (SurvivalBlog now gets well in excess of one million unique visits per month!) …

Ron in Florida suggested this YouTube slide show: How to Make Powdered Eggs    o o o I’m considering doing something special to celebrate SurvivalBlog reaching the 30 Million Unique Visits milestone. That is coming up soon. Any suggestions?    o o o K.A.F. kindly sent this: Five Tech-Related Ways to Reuse an Altoids Tin    o o o Jeff F. sent a link to a bit of data, for those considering retreat locales: The Best and Worst Run States In America: A Survey of All Fifty. Of course, state indebtedness is just one factor to consider. For example, Hawaii …

Reader A.A. described this as “Another retreat that could use some OPSEC”: Sanctuary Retreat and Survival Center    o o o My #2 Son alerted me to this: Internet I.D. System? This does not bode well for personal privacy.    o o o Eric B. suggested this: Why ‘Self-Sufficiency’ Should Replace ‘Sustainability’ in the Environmental Movement    o o o F.G. was the first of several readers to mention this news item: Termites Devour $222,000 in Indian Rupees Stored in Bank Safe. (Another Matthew 6:20 reminder.)

Reader G.E.C. wrote to note: “I have been surprised to see little mention of Smithfield Hams.  In the South these are called, generically, “country hams”, and are considered a special delicacy.  They are salt-cured, bagged in cotton, and hung without refrigeration.  The original “Smithfield Ham” was tested and preserved well for twenty years.  I’ll be adding several to my supplies.”    o o o Safecastle has introduced a new Solar Laptop Bag, using components that they’ve assembled from reliable makers like Maxpedition. (Their Gleneagle Messenger Bag.)    o o o Keeley flagged this: Second Amendment Rights Once Again at Risk …

Science fiction writer David Brin (the author of The Postman) offers his observations on societal fragility: Our Worst Frailty: An Electro Magnetic “Hit”. (Thanks to G.G.)    o o o Dateline: Nanny State, New York: Summer Camp Tag, Wiffle Ball Will Come With a Warning, Thanks to New York Politicians. “Camps that want campers to play the games will be required to pay a $200 registration fee and have medical staff on hand.” (Thanks to Eric B. for the link.)    o o o B. sent a link to a video about the only remaining B-29 Superfortress that is still …

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent this: Stuff To Consider When Planning For SHTF Scenarios.    o o o Reader F.G. suggested this: Earth Class Mail – Best Mail Forwarding Service So Get A Ghost Address    o o o Dan S. recommend this article: Banning Guns by Changing Definitions, Part 4    o o o For those of you who are news junkies, bookmark this one: The InnoPlexION    o o o When the drug you need to cure a cancer is nowhere to be found. (Thanks to F.D. for the link.)

There is an excellent new blog that I can recommend called the Preparedness Advice blog. It is chockfull of useful information. Unlike so many other blogs that are long on diatribes and short on practical skills, the Preparedness Advice blog is full of clear, concise, level-headed advice. This one has been added to my blog roll.    o o o Reader K.A.F. sent this: Video: Atlas is shrugging already    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) spotted this: Georgian woman cuts off web access to whole of Armenia: Entire country loses internet for five hours after …

Roman recommended: Your bike – the coolest part of your disaster kit    o o o Non-Retreat Locale: Riding Along With the Cops in Murdertown, U.S.A.    o o o Vin Suprynowicz chimes in: The enormous disconnect between ‘mainstream’ professional reviews and viewer response to ‘Atlas Shrugged The Movie, Part I’. Bottom line: Statists hate this movie and the novel that it was based upon. The fact that that a 54 year-old Libertarian novel is presently ranked #6 overall on Amazon, and #1 in Political Fiction no doubt has the posteriors of the statists chaffed to a shade somewhere between …

Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) recommend this National Geographic documentary: Witness: Disaster in Japan. Mike’s comments: “This is an excellent presentation.  The first 30 minutes is raw footage from cell phones, local cameras and news, with almost no commentary.  There are English subtitles.  Watching six minutes of magnitude 9.0 shaking and collapse, followed by 20 minutes of blasting waves demolishing buildings and sweeping everything inland in a filthy black crush, is very sobering. The sheer level of devastation is a reminder that natural disasters dwarf anything that we might do ourselves.”    o o o How about Gas …

Disaster in the Deep South: Death toll from severe storms rises to 17    o o o C.A. in Oregon mentioned: Price of Tomatoes Has a Lot to Do With These Thefts    o o o F.J. suggested this, over at Lifehacker: Download Emergency Medicine Manuals for Free    o o o Sun’s Storm Season Finally Heating Up. (Thanks to Steve S. for the link.)

Americans Saving Money By Purchasing Old Military Equipment. (A tip of the hat to Sue C. for the link.)    o o o Timothy R. flagged this: New Bill is Direct Threat to Ham Radio    o o o Frequent content contributor Pierre M. sent this: Yellowstone Supervolcano Bigger Than Thought. Be sure to follow the infographic link.    o o o Safecastle is conducting a non-fiction video and article writing contest that will last from March until the end of 2011. SurvivalBlog writing contest winners are automatically included in the judging. Safecastle is giving away more than $12,000 worth …

Joe D. sent some insight on retreat locales: West Texas becomes ever more lonely as population drops. Since domestically-produced oil may spark a post-collapse renaissance, finding West Texas land with a reliable water well might be a good idea.    o o o Commentary from Laurel, over at the Faith and Heritage blog: A Good Children’s Book Is Hard to Find    o o o Claire Wolfe comments on the botched Mt. St. Helens evacuation, in Backwoods Home. (Thanks to The Other J.R. for the link.)    o o o The folks at Backyard Food Production are again offering a …

Trapper Mike sent this: Future farm: a sunless, rainless room indoors    o o o Pierre M. sent us a link to an interesting site on van modifications–showing real world experience with both four wheel drive and photovoltaic power systems.    o o o Bill in Virginia sent this: Hanging out at the Sensible Preppers Conference (in South Carolina.)    o o o F.H. recommended this article: North Dakota the First to Pass New Tactic Against Federal Debt    o o o G.G. liked this one: Feral chickens have proliferated in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina