Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Reader John E. mentioned a video of a stealthy-quiet solar powered battery powered log splitter, and from the same inventor: a Suzuki motorcycle converted to a diesel yanmar type engine.    o o o The Growing Threat of Food Insecurity in America    o o o Reader M.G. recommend two books: Nature’s Garden and The Forager’s Harvest, both by naturalist Sam Thayer. Here is M.G.’s description: These books provide amazing, in depth, first hand accounts of how to identify, harvest, and prepare different wild foods.  I have a dozen other wild food books, but these two are by far the best.  …

Tom M. sent us this: Alaska attack: A shot too late. The article begins: “Even as Scott Oberlitner squeezed the trigger on the .375-caliber H&H Magnum rifle and sent a massive slug flying toward the hulk of the charging Afognak Island grizzly bear, he sensed it was too late.”    o o o Deborah B. recommended and audio clip of a prescient speech by Congressman Ron Paul: “Dangerous times ahead”    o o o Garnet found a humorous article about an alligator attack.

There is an interesting new forum called Every Day Carry Central. It is essentially a forum for gear junkies with a focus on personal protection, security, preparedness and self defense related gear. They post opinions and gear reviews from people who really know what they are talking about. It is free to register on it and there are no annual membership fees, unless you want access to the buy/sell/trade forum. For an initial membership drive, on November 24th they are doing a giveaway drawing for more than $200 worth of gear just for registering on the site. If the winner …

NASA is Building a ‘Solar Shield’ to Protect Power Grids from Space Weather. (Thanks to J.V.M. for the link.)    o o o Via Reason magazine: “Researchers at Purdue University have updated their popular Impact Earth! online calculating tool. If you’ve a morbid interest in just how big an asteroid it would take to end civilization (and who doesn’t?), click on over and type in size, density, angle of impact data to find out.”    o o o Brian spotted this over at the SHTFPlan blog: Homeland Security To “Regionalize” Emergency Supplies Over Next 90 Days    o o o …

Some good advice from Dr. K.: The Challenges of Medical Preparedness in a High-Tech Age    o o o Larry in Ohio flagged this: Carry a Cloaking Device for your Cell Phone anywhere you go. Decent protection from EMP, too…    o o o A reader mentioned the interesting Informed Citizen News videos available at YouTube.    o o o This definitely qualifies as an “Odd” item: Masked man nabbed on flight to B.C. from Asia. The accompanying video has some additional details.

US Coal to Gasoline Plant Will be the Largest in the World. The $64 question is: What will be the real EROEI ratio for this production process? If it is not any better that that for corn ethanol, then we may be witnessing little more that political grandstanding.    o o o Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish Department: ACORN Files for Bankruptcy. (A hat tip to Ross H. for the link.)    o o o AmEx (American Expatriate) forwarded this: FEMA’s data collection and analysis of national preparedness information stalled    o o o The folks at Internet Grocer (aka …

Jim C. spotted this: The BBC bunker they don’t want you to know about.    o o o Greg W. recommended an article on inclement weather performance of American arms in Korea.    o o o Reader Rick H. a link to a web page that describes how to make 9 volt DC LED flashlights. Rick added this proviso: “When soldering the LEDs try to use a low wattage soldering iron (30 watts or less) and use a couple of small clip-on heat sinks, alligator clips, or crocodile clips (for our British cousins) to protect them from thermal damage.”

“LT” pointed me to a sticky post in the Survival section of NorthEast Shooters forums. It’s a long post with lots of pictures, on primitive fire-making.    o o o Reader NLC sent this: NASA Now Ready to Detect World-threatening Solar “Storm of the Century”    o o o Say it ain’t so! Harley-Davidson to make motorcycles in India. Hopefully this production will be sold only in India. (A hat tip to F.G. for the link.)    o o o The bedbug infestation rate is getting worse, especially in the eastern U.S. You can sleep relatively tight, by checking the …

Reader U.G. sent this: The Ten Biggest American Cities That Are Running Out Of Water    o o o The latest over at Armageddon Medicine: The Challenges of Medical Preparedness in a High-Tech Age    o o o Robert Downey Jr. May Star in Emergency!: This Book Will Save Your Life

Reader Edmond H. notes: “An item I like is the Pak-Lite flashlight. It is perfect for the pocket, pack, purse, or in the car or truck. It is essentially a 9Volt battery with two LEDs and a switch mounted on top. A strap was included on mine. I purchased one for each for every member of the family. It often takes the place of my Surefire which is overkill for many simple chores. It has a dim and a bright light setting. If the battery ever goes dead, just pop on a new one. Their web site says [each battery …

Reader E.H. wrote mention: “I recently got into a lot of chiggers. I had many chigger bites all the way up to my waist and some above, with a bad concentration in the crotch area. I put a light dusting of Gold Bond Medicated Powder all over the affected areas. I don’t know what I expected, but within 30 minutes, all itching was gone and 2 or 3 days later after renewing the powder at each shower the bumps were also gone. I’m amazed.”    o o o Some Schumer Coming? As Reid Falters, Schumer Subtly Stands in the Wings. …

Russia’s hungry Bears dig up graves for food.    o o o KAF sent this: Latinos Hard Hit By Whooping Cough Epidemic    o o o Preparing For a Mumbai-style Active Shooter

Electromagnetic pulse impact far and wide. (Thanks to Chet for the link.)    o o o I’ve been mentioning Peak Oil in SurvivalBlog since 2005. Here is a scary bit of confirmation that oil supplies may indeed reach their limit in this century: Alaska’s untapped oil reserves estimate lowered 90 percent    o o o F.G. liked this one: The Toyota Pickup – Why U.S. Special Ops Units Prefer it

Jason in Central New York mentioned this PDF from the NRC : High-Impact, Low-Frequency Event Risk to the North American Bulk Power System (regarding the risks posed by Cyber or Physical Coordinated Attacks, Pandemics, and Geomagnetic Disturbance / Electro-magnetic Pulse.    o o o The folks at J&G Sales in Arizona noted in their latest e-newsletter: “Starting the end of January no ammo dealers including J&G Sales may continue to ship handgun ammo to individuals that live in California. This is a new law, now passed and signed by Governor Arnold [Schwarzenegger] called AB962. All handgun ammo sales in California …

David W. sent this interesting link: 10 Awesomely Bad Uses for Dead or Discarded Tech    o o o Pistols and nickels stolen from home. (Thanks to Scotty in Florida for the link.)    o o o G.M. flagged this: The Super La Nina and the Coming Winter.    o o o Think your laptop is tough? This one’s built to survive a war.    o o o Tsunami Kills at Least 113 in Indonesia; Scores Missing