Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Yishai mentioned this article: More than two million children are homeschooled in the United States.    o o o Dan G. notes: “People in Europe may want to keep a eye on Iceland’s volcano Katla which seems to be lit more and more like a Christmas tree every day”    o o o Reader Steven W. mentioned a high-quality homesteading magazine based in Oregon. Steven noted: “I talked with the editor and she asked me to send you a link to her magazine and blog site. While she may be a bit of an Oregon flower child, her magazine information …

K.T. mentioned: Biospharms – Sustainable Agriculture Mini Farming    o o o Cheryl (aka “the Economatrix”) sent: Food Emergency:  Millions of Americans Are Heading To Food Banks For First Time    o o o Natural disasters ‘killed 295,000 in 2010’    o o o Bob G. sent this: Everything Is Falling Apart: 20 Facts That You Will Not Want To Read If You Still Want To Feel Good About America’s Decaying Infrastructure    o o o Timeline of a Bee Massacre: EPA Still Allowing Hive-Killing Pesticide. (Thanks to Jeff B. for the link.)

Getting Out Of Dodge: In-bound migration to Idaho strong over past two years, United Van Lines study shows. (A hat tip to Steve S. for the link.)    o o o Reader R.L.H. spotted this: End of the world? Tune into WBT-AM. (Does anyone have a list of the similarly-equipped stations?)    o o o J.C. suggested this re-cap: The 10 Most Underreported Stories for 2010    o o o Steve S. also sent a link to a web page with some absolutely magnificent photos shot by Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock from the International Space Station. The preparedness tie-in? The …

Readers E.D.M. and Jonathan R. suggested Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre’s extraordinary photographs documenting the dramatic decline of a major American city: Detroit in Ruins. These scenes look like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie like The Book of Eli. I think that Detroit has had a few too many mayors like Louis Miriani, Coleman Young, and Kwame Kilpatrick. It is no wonder that Paul Verhoven chose Detroit for the locale in his movie Robocop.    o o o One week after the blizzard: The “Big Apple” Looks Like The “Big Dumpster”. So how would sanitation be in New York …

Steve H. found a good article about grow light bulbs.    o o o Reader Tim R. suggested this: Top 10 Survival Downloads You Should Have    o o o I heard about a web site that has lots of free woodworking plans including shed plans.    o o o Thousands of birds fall from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas

At least a dozen readers sent this: Ashton Kutcher Predicts Worthless Currency And Mass Panic, Recommends Getting As Buff As Possible.    o o o News from Lincoln, Nebraska: Twenty police respond to man playing with crossbow in his backyard, seize house. Here is the relevant statute from the Lincoln, Nebraska web site: “9.36.050 Discharge of Weapons and Other Instruments Unlawful.” JWR’s Advice: I recommend avoiding these ludicrous jurisdictional entanglements by locating your family well outside of city limits!    o o o I was saddened to hear that Aaron S. Zelman died on December 21st. He was 64 years …

As we near the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Army’s adoption of the Colt Model 1911 pistol, we should remember: The U.S. M1911 & The Medal of Honor. OBTW, the article begins with mention of my grandfather Ernest E. Rawles‘s friend, Frank Luke. They were mountain climbing buddies in Arizona, circa 1916. But FWIW, several accounts mention Luke being armed with a revolver rather than a .45 automatic.    o o o Matthew B. suggested a winter storm article that illustrates a great reason to be as prepared as possible and not rely on “the system” to take care of …

Leah mentioned a new Yahoo list says that foraging is a top 10 food prediction for the upcoming year.  They even have a link to a Philadelphia Food Harvest Map which has locations for many private properties.     o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson pointed us to a site that describes some PVC “Spud Gun” projects that might have some utility WTSHTF.    o o o C.D.V. pointed us to the web site of a gent who made a bet that he could eat well on $1 a day. He’d only learned about couponing five months …

T. sent a picture worth a thousand words: DIY snow tires for your bike.    o o o More dim bulbs: California banning 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. (Thanks to Yishai for the link.)    o o o Some weather-related news from Russia: Traditional troika back on track    o o o Weather news in the US: Storm in Eastern U.S. Wreaks Havoc on Travel. And, Blizzard moves from US to Canada, sowing chaos. Thankfully, most SurvivalBlog readers were well-prepared.

Reader L.M.W. mentioned a great money-saving online swap site for children’s clothes and toys.    o o o Coded American Civil War message in bottle deciphered. (A tip of the kepi to Richard S. for the link.)    o o o Also from Richard S. comes a Daily Bell link: Fitzroy McLean on Freedom, International Investing and How to Improve ‘the Space Between One’s Ears.    o o o Den from North Carolina flagged this news item: Converting Plastic Back to Oil. But here again, the EROEI numbers tell a tale of gross inefficiency.    o o o More 2012 …

From reader C.D.V.: A Village Was Swallowed by the Earth    o o o Airline / Army pilot points out substandard security, has personal weapon permit revoked. Why is it that the whistleblower gets punished? Unless he signed some sort of nondisclosure agreement, why should he get hammered for merely telling the truth?    o o o Peaceniks live in former Atlas missile silo.

Reader C.D.V. sent an article that describes the future of America, as seen in California’s Central Valley. Here is a quote: “Many of the rural trailer-house compounds I saw appear to the naked eye no different from what I have seen in the Third World… …The public hears about all sorts of tough California regulations that stymie business — rigid zoning laws, strict building codes, constant inspections — but apparently none of that applies out here. It is almost as if the more California regulates, the more it does not regulate.”    o o o Reader F.G. sent this sign …

The Marine Corps Times talks gloom and doom. The author even cited SurvivalBlog.    o o o A rare moment of common sense: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Commutes Sentence of Man Sent to Jail for Owning Guns Legally.Too bad it wasn’t the full pardon that he deserved.    o o o Eric K. sent an article about a shift in America’s political landscape: Massachusetts loses US House seat, political clout. This will give more political clout to some states with conservative leanings.    o o o There’s a mini ice age coming, says man who beats weather experts. (Thanks …

Larry C. wrote to note that Patrice Lewis wrote about the “Golden Horde” in a recent World Net Daily article. Hopefully more WND readers will wake up and start prepping.    o o o Our friend Bob G. sent: 2010’s world gone wild: Quakes, floods, blizzards    o o o J.B.G. sent a link to an article in The Telegraph: Shops hit by snow chaos and panic buying    o o o Ferdinand mentioned this project: Solar Powered DIY Portable Hot Spot    o o o Nature Girl wrote to say that she found a very interesting map tool that …