Category: Odds ‘n Sods

A word of warning for readers in the Northwest who live on the coast: Seismic fault beneath us is ‘fully loaded’ after 311 years    o o o America Needs Community, Not Collectivism. (A tip of the hat to Susan H. for the link.)    o o o Reader D.I.W. astutely observed: Amazingly Newsweek declares “the issue at the core” of the Giffords tragedy – in the first sentence of an article. No debate. Nothing other than gun control would have saved the situation. They didn’t even bother to say “the issue he believes to be at the core …” …

K.Y. pointed me to the web page for a new european shotgun slug design that looks very promising: Hexolit 32. Bowhunters will notice a similarity to modern broadheads!    o o o J.M.B. mentioned this: Mock city rises at Marine base for urban training. It has 1,560 buildings!    o o o Reader F.G. spotted a piece that obviously must have been written before The Governator left office: Top 10 Reasons Not to Live in California. Gee, and the article doesn’t even mention my #1 reason: draconian gun laws that have disarmed the citizenry.    o o o Risk of …

I heard from the developer of an interesting shelter system designed for natural disasters: LifeCube. It is a 144-square foot inflatable shelter that is transported in a 5-foot cube of pallets. The shelter is a very clever design and looks ideal for short-duration natural disasters.  However, its long term viability is dubious.  (Since it requires electricity (or compressed air), and once the integrity of the inflated envelope tubes is lost due to any large punctures, the structure will collapse. But I’ve been told that the fabric portion of the shelter is manufactured by the Patten Company which invented the inflatable …

F.G. sent a rousing tale of a Gurkha’s daring chivalrous deeds: “A retired Indian Gorkha soldier recently revisited those glory days when he thwarted 40 robbers, killing three of them and injuring eight others, with his khukuri during a train journey. He is in line to receive three gallantry awards from the Indian government.”    o o o The latest concern is sulfolane contamination of water wells: Tainted Wells in North Pole Spur Alaska Officials to Issue Garden Alert. Note that such contamination is suspected in other states.    o o o Cheryl N. spotted this: “Buy A Gun” Google …

Kathy N. sent this: Postal Service Eyes Closing Thousands of Post Offices. (This could have an impact on our readers with small town retreats who run mail order businesses–or those who plan to.)    o o o Reader Jack C. sent this: Police suspended for failing to show up during storm. Jack asks: “If public safety employees won’t come to work during inclement weather, then how will they react during a TSHTF scenario?   I think we already know the answer to that question but this is interesting nonetheless.”    o o o K. L. wrote to note: “Ron Hood …

News from Nanny State Canada: Man faces jail after protecting home from masked firebomb attackers    o o o Ian R. sent this: Kroger storm watchers prepare 24/7. (Once again, private enterprise is often more effectively proactive than government agencies.)    o o o Jason M. suggested this network news clip from last year: Obituary for Col. Robert L. Howard, U.S. Army Special Forces.    o o o Eleventh Hour Supplies (one of our newest advertisers) is offering SurvivalBlog readers a 5% discount for their entire order on anything in their store. They provide free shipping to the continental U.S. …

Jeff M. highlighted this: Yellowstone Magma Bubble is Swelling. This is yet another reason not to live in the eastern U.S. (Geologists tell us that the last time the Yellowstone caldera blew up, it buried the east coast under six+ feet of volcanic ash.)    o o o Reader Kevin S. mentioned this news item: Chinese Troops Stationed in North Korean Special Zone    o o o Jason G. flagged this: Schneider Electric Recalls Xantrex GT Series Grid Tie Solar Inverters    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this interesting article: Web-controlled guns are illegal. …

Joe Ordinary sent us the link to an amazing series of before and after flood photos, from Australia.    o o o More Nanny State Nincompoopery: Crossbows in legal cross-hairs. It seems that in Mount Prospect, they want to ban everything that might possibly be fun. That city (and Ohio as a state) sure has changed since the Blues Brothers days. Back then, we’ve been told, they sold awesome ex-police cruisers: “This was a bargain. I picked it up at the Mount Prospect city police auction last spring. It’s an old Mount Prospect police car. They were practically giving ’em …

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy’s magazine ban bill (H.R. 308) is getting a fairly chilly reception in the House of Representatives. As of January 20th there were just 53 co-sponsors who are predictably nearly all Democrats. (Bills with “popular support” often get more than 200 co-sponsors.) Meanwhile, in America’s heartland the demand for full capacity magazines is greatly outstripping supply. (Just try to find a dealer with any Glock or Springfield XD magazines on the shelf!) The gun shows this weekend are going to be packed with buyers. Mrs. McCarthy will learn that “308” has a much different meaning to American gun …

Reader Steve C. sent this: Camden, New Jersey Lays Off Half of It’s Police Force. Steve’s comment: “The second most dangerous city in the United States just laid off half its police force and nearly a third of their fire department. This is in a state where honest folks can barely own a gun without breaking the law and getting sent to prison. Anyone still in that city, if not the whole state, with any sense should vote with their feet, now!“    o o o Alex M. forwarded this: First burials as Australian flood crisis deepens    o o …

Scientists warn California could be struck by winter ‘superstorm’. (Thanks to John H. for the link.)    o o o Lily mentioned a very useful piece over at the Paratus Familia blog: TEOTWAWKI and Aging    o o o Court Victory for California Gun Owners! But meanwhile, in Occupied New Jersey, a court battle drags on: Traveling Man’s Gun Arrest Appealed to Supreme Court. (A hat tip to Ryan M. for the latter link.)

China’s control of rare-earth metals poses risk to U.S. solar future.    o o o Rourke spotted this: Inexpensive perimeter alarm. Keep in mind that those units are NOT weatherproof, so they should be installed in weatherproof enclosures, and buy plenty of spares!    o o o The Queensland Floods: Next shock will be high food prices    o o o James C. recommended this videotaped interview with Dimitri Orlov: “America Will Collapse”. It should come as no surprise to SurvivalBlog readers that Orlov predicts very high crime rates and that country dwellers will fare better than urbanites. He calls …

Pierre M. sent a link to a fascinating blog written by a wife and mother who lives deep in the interior of Alaska: The Last Frontier. Their main access to the outside world is via bush pilot flights. The blog is posted only sporadically, since they have to fly in the gasoline to run their generator. Now that is remote!    o o o Leading computer expert warns of cyber attack on National Grid. (Thanks to Dave B. for the link.)    o o o From Chris S. comes a news account of YOYO time: Brazil Mudslide Survivors Carry Food, …

#1 Son forwarded me this: In Nuclear Silos, Death Wears a Snuggie    o o o Some news from Israel for the Orchestrated Institutional Stupidity Department: IDF collecting settlers’ weapons    o o o Avalanche Lily flagged this one: “Food riots in America? You’re crazy…”    o o o P.J. sent this: Living large: Home going up in Highlandville to be one of country’s largest. This “one-family house” has some veeeery interesting specifications.

Who is guarding the hen house? Secret underground room at Border Patrol agent’s home may have hidden illegal immigrants. (Thanks to M.O.B. for the link.)    o o o Joe P. recommended this page: Homemade Firearm Cleaners & Lubricants. I’ve mentioned “Ed’s Red” in the blog before, but their site has even more formulas. I’ve added it to my Links Page.    o o o Reader Art R. liked this one, over at The Art of Manliness: An Introduction to Off-Roading.