Category: Odds ‘n Sods

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 …

Gregory C. suggested this piece by Gerald Celente: 10 Trends for 2011    o o o Andrew sent us some news from England: Farmer accidentally shot burglars. (And of course who did the constables immediately arrest? The land owner, not the trespassing dope growers. In Wyoming, he’d get a commendation.)    o o o F.J. mentioned a little $12 item that might be a good addition to your EDC key chain: The Split-Pea Lighter.    o o o Chalk up three for the good guys: Houston Jeweler Kills Three Armed Robbers. (Thanks to J.S. for the link.)    o o …

Mike L. recommended the blog articles by Granny Miller.    o o o F.G. sent this news from the U.K.: Millions facing fuel rationing over Christmas as heating oil runs low    o o o James C. suggested this humorous video clip: UN Home Security System    o o o Reader “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” (OSOM) mentioned that the excellent EMP survival sharaeware novel Lights Out by David Crawford (a.k.a. HalfFast), is now available as a hard copy book from Amazon. OSOM’s comments: “This is a great read, and really helps you to internalize the reality of an …

Reader N.I.M. mentioned: Health Disaster Preparedness Rankings by State. N.I.M. ‘s comment: “Now if we could only get a ranking for overall preparedness.”    o o o Rural America gets even more sparsely populated. Most thinly populated counties in the U.S. continued to lose residents in the last decade, new census data show. December 15, 2010| By Doug Smith and Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times. The article begins: “The majority of the nation’s sparsely populated rural counties lost even more residents in the last decade, though some of the counties — particularly those in the Mountain West — saw population …

Of concern to readers in the U.S.: ATF to Require Multiple Sales Reports for Long Guns. Perhaps the Feds ought to police their own ranks, first. They seem to have some bad apples, some of whom have gone into “We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Badges” (WDNNSB) mode. For example, take John Thomas Shipley, a rogue FBI agent in El Paso, Texas. Here is a quote: “A federal judge in August hit him with a two-year prison term for selling guns illegally. ATF agents had traced back to him a .50-caliber rifle that was used in a drug cartel shootout in …

Mike H. sent me an amazing video by Halvor Angvik, filmed in the Swiss Alps. Okay, I guess that in order to qualify it for inclusion in SurvivalBlog, I’ll title this: High Speed Bug-Out in Alpine Terrain.    o o o Eric in Kansas sent this preview of American street riots, in a few years: Greece riots as fire bombs, stones fly in Athens, and meanwhile there are riots in Rome, following Berlusconi’s no-confidence vote. Oh, and more riots are expected.    o o o Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight: Would-be robber faced many previous charges. (Thanks …

Reader Dirk W. spotted this: Forever foods: 10 cooking staples that can outlast you    o o o I noticed that among the Top 50 Risk Management Blogs, SurvivalBlog is listed at #28.    o o o Several readers sent this: iPhone snitch network launched. Oh, and now YouTube has now added an option for flagging content that is terrorist in nature. So, any guesses on how long it will be before preparedness blogs, video blogs (vlogs), and podcasts get flagged?

N.J. doctor supplied steroids to hundreds of law enforcement officers, firefighters. (A hat tip to Chris M. for the link.)    o o o B.B. pointed us to: Tea Party Charter: Defense of Property & Revival of Virtues Equals Liberty    o o o Étienne de la Boétie (a pen name) has kindly made available a Survival Retreat Operations Manual. While nor perfect, it may be a good starting place for groups that want to write their own. (Note on the included photos: Somebody needs to re-package that bagged rice in buckets!)    o o o Global Eruption Rocks the …

David H. sent us this: The new hungry: College-educated, middle-class cope with food insecurity.    o o o Mullen: Risk of War Rising on Korean Peninsula. (Thanks to veteran content contributor KAF for the link.)    o o o Reader Paul G. sent this story about a Neighborhood Watch lapsing into Roy Bean-style vigilantism: In Mexico, a legal breakdown invites brutal justice.    o o o Life imitates art… This description of New Detroit by Mish Shedlock sounds like something out of Paul Verhoven’s Robocop movie: Detroit is Halting Garbage Pickup, Police Patrols in 20% of City: Expect Bankruptcy in …