Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Chuck G. spotted this: Using your RV to survive in an earthquake or other natural disaster. This might have some utility for a short-term disaster, but it would be suicidal in something long term. Without propane, your RV will turn into a refrigerator in the winter. Without gas, you will lose mobility, possibly when you are in an inopportune locale. And given the limited room for food storage, once that is consumed, you are likely to end up part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.    o o o A federal judge ends Idaho, Montana wolf hunt. …

RFJ sent this useful KK Cool Tools link: Coleman Lantern Hanger    o o o Conor sent this article link: Roundup: A week of hacker news from Black Hat and Defcon    o o o Frequent content contributor KAF sent us this: Should Videotaping the Police Really Be a Crime? Perhaps I ought to issue complimentary press credentials to all readers, who will then all become Associate Editors. Controversy resolved.    o o o Also from KAF: Nature’s Light Show from Solar Storm

“Millerized” sent this: Russia to halt wheat export. And reader L.L. sent this: Why Russia’s Heatwave Means Higher U.S. Food Prices. I predict this will start a chain reaction, around the globe. Other nations are sure to follow suit with export restrictions, and futures prices will soar. We can expect food riots in the future. There is also some likely inflation in other grain prices, as cattle feed is shifted slightly, to compensate. Get your wheat orders in with a trustworthy vendor pronto, before the inevitable prices increases hit the retail level! Wheat prices could double again, before December. Jim …

John H. mentioned an interactive election results map from 2008 that was designed to show political differences, but with its population density slider it also makes a great tool for visualizing potential retreat locales. You can zoom in on each state. It is fascinating to fiddle with this!    o o o RFJ sent this: Navy Flier Dieter Dengler’s Great Escape During The Vietnam War. OBTW, I highly recommend Dengler’s book Escape From Laos.    o o o Brute mentioned this Gizmodo article: Inside AT&T’s National Disaster Recovery Batcave: Who AT&T Calls When the Death Star Explodes    o o …

Tamara at the View From The Porch blog had a link to a good article about low-light marksmanship training: A Shot in the Dark.    o o o “Robo” sent us a piece that illustrates how our privacy is shrinking: Hacker tries to read a radio identification tag from 29 floors up. Meanwhile, we read: The Web’s New Gold Mine: Your Secrets. (Thanks to AmEx, for the latter link.)    o o o Trent H. flagged this article in The Boston Globe: Popularity of farming soars in Massachusetts.    o o o E.M.B.sent us the link to this terrorism map. …

K.A.F. sent an item for the “Surely, you jest” Department: EPA to Crack Down on Farm Dust. Perhaps cattle could be tranquilized or trained to not raise dust. They should commission a study.    o o o This is His Grandfather’s Bug, But Now It’s Electric. (Thanks to Len for the link,)    o o o Reader Susan Z. sent this: Arizona Sheriff: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’    o o o F.G. sent this: Rabid dogs kill at least 78 people in Bali, Indonesia.    o o o K.A.F. sent the link to this web page: The …

Reader A.S. wrote to mention that he liked a piece by novelist Matt Bracken, posted over at the WRSA web site: Bracken: The CW2 Cube — Mapping The Meta-Terrain Of Civil War Two. Please don’t mistake his comments on racial demographics as racism. Matt Bracken is not a racist. He is a realist.    o o o Chicago Times – Cops love iPhone data trail – Evidence Never Deleted. Here is a quote: “Every time an iPhone user closes out of the built-in mapping application, the phone snaps a screenshot and stores it. Savvy law-enforcement agents armed with search warrants …

Ron L. sent a link to a “how to” video on making nifty aluminum can alcohol stoves. These stoves were mentioned once before in SurvivalBlog, but this clever design deserves a repeat.    o o o Laurence W. forwarded a link to an article about a new mesh communication system. I predict that in another few years, fully distributed mesh networks will transform both telephony and our current conception of the Internet. “They can’t stop the signal!”    o o o Reader Tony B. spotted this: Emergency Response to a Disaster – from a paramedic viewpoint    o o o …

F.J. sent us this item: Risk of Earthquakes in the U.S. Midwest May be More Widespread Than First Thought    o o o E.M. sent a link to a surprisingly even-handed New York Times video piece about an Appleseed shoot.    o o o Matt S. suggested a site with farm and building plans. This is the North Dakota State University farm plans service. It has plans for all kinds of buildings for farm, camp, residential and storage buildings. All plans are available to look at or download in PDF format, and you can also buy copies of the plans …

Reader Mike P. forwarded a link to this BBC News article: Greek police clash with hauliers amid crippling strike. Mike’s comment: “The truckers’ strike is in its fourth day, gas stations are empty, and the government is implementing emergency measures originally intended for wartime or natural disasters. Does any of this sound familiar?” Reader Tom G. sent a link to a fascinating companion article: Greece Haulier Strike – Your Experiences.    o o o Some charming news, courtesy of reader R.F.J.: Rats Overrun Manhattan Park    o o o Also from R.F.J. comes a link to an Instructables article: How …

Kevin S. forwarded a link to a piece on building with compressed earth bricks (CEBs) (Also called compressed earth blocks.)    o o o Reader Joshua H. sent this: Tight budgets and fewer cops; time for citizens to ‘arm up’    o o o Ready Made Resources now has just one or two full mil-spec AN/PVS-14 Gen 3+ weapons sight monoculars remaining on hand, in their special sale. These are autogated and complete with military issue monocular head mounts, manuals, sacrificial lenses, mil-spec soft nylon carry cases, et cetera. The price is just $2,995, which is less than most dealers …

Remember what I wrote about cross-border threats in my book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”? Well here it is, even before TEOTWAWKI, folks: Mexico Drug War Spills into U.S. (A hat tip to B.B., for the link.)    o o o Phil K. sent this item: Power grid upgrades could pose security risks, experts says. And meanwhile, we read: Power grid hacking fear grows as industrial-targeted virus emerges. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)    o o o National Guard troops to head to border states August 1st. (A hat tip to John B. for the link.)    o o …

Reader R.F.J. recommended this article, over at Instructables: How to Freeze Blueberries. “High in antioxidants, blueberries are considered a ‘super fruit’. In order to reap the health benefits of these tasty little berries all year, while taking advantage of seasonal prices, freezing is an easy way to preserve them.    o o o A short but vicious thunderstorm on Sunday evening left three dead in the Washington, D.C. region. Some residents won’t have electricity restored until Friday. As of Tuesday, there were still 150,000 households without power, most in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County is one of the richest counties …

David R. relayed this article: Warren Pollock Warns Of Emergency Drug Shortage as EMTs Told to Go to “Alternate Protocols“    o o o If you like the Multicam camouflage pattern, then check out this home-based business, that makes Multicam clothing and packs, all reasonably priced: BadMoonRizing.com    o o o F.G. sent this: Desperate cities try giving away land, to get any taxes later. Here is a quote: “Around the nation, cities and towns facing grim budget circumstances are grasping at unlikely — some would say desperate — means to bolster their shrunken tax bases. Like Beatrice, places like …

Reader R.F.G. recommended an Instructables piece on rain water collection barrels. R.F.G.’s comment: “Sometimes all you need is a few pictures to make something ‘brain dead’ simple.”    o o o G. &K. suggested this news article from Kentucky: Growing number people growing their own groceries.    o o o Nancy Tappan very kindly sent me a review copy of her fledgling magazine, The New Pioneer. It is subtitled “The Complete Guide to Self-Reliant Living.” I am very impressed with the magazine. The articles are well-written and fit the back-to-the-land/prepper audience very well. The premier issue was a hefty 128 …