Category: Odds ‘n Sods

I’ve only had one speeding ticket in the past 12 years, for driving 32 is 25 zone. Wouldn’t you know, I got it in a locale that I just recently found precisely described at this handy site: The National Speedtrap Exchange. (Thanks to K.T. for the link.)    o o o Interactive US map on concealed carry changes over the years (Thanks to Pete A. for the link.) Let freedom reign!    o o o And speaking of maps, Ben H. suggested the “This is Where We Live” map of the U.S. that was published back in 2006. Be sure …

J.K. sent this article that gave me a bit of Northern Exposure reminiscence: Move to Northern Minnesota and get $240k? J.K.’s comment: “Unfortunately you have to be a dentist. If I was one I’d be ‘chomping’ at this opportunity.”    o o o Ron. R. sent this: The kitchen is my closet; Meet the kitchenistas — New Yorkers who store their clothes in ovens and fridges. Ron’s terse comment on this ingrained lack of preparedness: “It won’t end well in Manhattan.”    o o o The DVD of seasons 1 and 2 of the British post-pandemic television series “Survivors” will …

Talkeetna Patriot found an interesting thread about constructing a hybrid ALICE/MOLLE bag.    o o o Cheryl sent this: Swine Flu Season Not Over, Warn Health Officials    o o o The leftist CNN is in hot water, after grossly under-reporting the size of the March 27th Tea Party Express gathering in Searchlight, Nevada. They described it as “hundreds of people or at least dozens of people” of people. Many more reliable accounts said that there were at least 10,000 people there. The Mainstream Media has obviously developed a bad case of myopia.

Trent sent this New York Times article: Push to Eat Local Food is Hampered by Shortage    o o o I just heard about a small company in Georgia that was founded by a retired USAF Tech Sergeant: Survival Solar Systems.    o o o A learning point (and OPSEC illustration) for SurvivalBlog readers: Militia group suspects charged with conspiracy. Don’t associate with mad bombers and radical “lunatic fringe” types! They are bad news and bound to suck a lot of innocents into trouble! Rest assured that there are a lot of good and honorable militias out there, but the …

Martin S. wrote to mention that he found some videotaped lectures from the University of California on Home Vegetable to be interesting.    o o o Grasshopper outlook strikes fear on Western range (Thanks to Jeff B. for the link.)    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us this You Tube clip: So Useless, It’s Awesome! Mike’s comment: “Tautological running”!    o o o There is an interesting post over at Leon Pantenburg’s site on survival knives.

I found an interesting piece linked over at Steve Quayle’s site about climate change: Global cooling: What happens if the Iceland volcano blows    o o o Greg C. sent this: 1918 and 2009 Pandemic Influenza Viruses Lack a Sugar Topping; Finding Could Aid Vaccine Design. (It sounds like we dodged a bullet!)    o o o Both Mark P. and my old friend Sandy sent this: Has SSL become pointless? Researchers suspect state-sponsored CA forgery

James M. found a free 36 hour video permaculture course available online, from the good folks at the LATOC Forums.    o o o Lee C. was the first of several readers to mention a brief BBC article about US preppers.    o o o Jeff sent this: Military Cartridge Brass Destruction 2010 – Round 2    o o o There is an interesting thread of conversation in progress, over at the AR15.com (“ARFF”) Forums: National Emergency, will parents be able to get their kids from Public Schools?    o o o I recently did some research for a consulting …

North American Bees Are in Even More Trouble After a Bad Winter. (Thanks to Damon for the link.)    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us this: This Turk shows one good way of defending oneself against multiple attackers, when unarmed. “Mike’s comment: Nice movement. Keep them coming singly and hit hard, while keeping a good block up.”    o o o Chester wrote me about RJR’s recommendation on Gentex 1030A active hearing protectors. (“Wolf Ears”). Here is a review of several types of hearing protection that Chester found on the net.    o o …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson forwarded this: Record numbers now licensed to pack heat; The “right-to-carry” movement has succeeded in boosting the number of licensed concealed-gun carriers to about 6 million. Mike’s favorite quote from the article: “Because the gun death rates parallel an overall drop in crime, Hemenway suspects that the decline ‘has nothing to do with concealed-carry laws.’” Mike’s comment: “Did a PhD actually say that?”    o o o Attention Coloradans: Reader P.M. in Colorado suggested a “private party” sales venue where he has both sold and purchased guns. Note that interstate sales of post-1898 …

Kyle was the first of several readers to mention this: Poll: Most Americans Fear U.S. Economy Could Collapse    o o o UN: Polluted water killing, sickening millions    o o o My Coast to Coast AM interview inspired a talented photographer to create this: Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson found a link to a YouTube video showing a nifty sandbag tool. Mikes’s comment: “Very clever. It fills them with enough slack space left for a fold or tie.”

Reader Greg C. wrote to mention that Wiggy’s is continuing their 20% off sale on sleeping bags, with free shipping. Order soon, since they rarely extend their sales into the backpacking season!    o o o Frequent content contributor Brian B. sent this: There’s a new buzz in gardening; With honey bees in decline, stacking-tray ‘condos’ attract mason bees that will pollinate fruit trees    o o o “Oxy” sent us this from The Wall Street Journal: Cartel Wars Gut Juárez, a Onetime Boom Town

More than 20 SurvivalBlog readers forwarded the link to a New York Times article on potential cyber attacks on the US power grid: Academic Paper in China Sets Off Alarms in U.S. Meanwhile, we read: Electricity disruptions a growing threat. (Thanks to Brian B. for the latter link.)    o o o Observations from the mainstream media on societal decline and collapse: In the Soviet suburbs of Hell and the blasted avenues of Mogadishu, I saw what our society could become.    o o o Smoky the Bear Big Brother: US Forest Service admits putting surveillance cameras on public lands. …

Rufus sent us this: San Diego Searches For Ways To Deal With Hoarders. No, not the sort of” hoarders” we usually think of, but just leave it to the vagaries of government to someday soon misapply such laws to to people that prudently build up larders.    o o o Rourke sent us this YouTube music clip: Meet You At Menards – Original Apocalyptic Ukulele Song. Rourke described it as “So cheesy that it’s actually funny.”    o o o Rebellion in America heats up as fifth state exempts guns. We also read in The New York Times: States’ Rights …

There is “suspicion of wolves’ involvement in Ms. Berner’s death.” (Suspicion? I guess those enormous red paw prints the snow might have been a clue.)    o o o Man Spends Four Days Stuck in Car in Snowbank. (A Cadillac would not be my first choice for an off-pavement vehicle.)    o o o Thanks to Kevin S. for sending this link: Psychopaths’ Brains Wired to Seek Rewards, No Matter the Consequences. (Thankfully, only 1% of the population is psychopathic, and perhaps 4% is sociopathic. But taken together, that is around 15 million people in the United States. Got ammo?) …

S.C.W. sent a link to an update on the Ugandan Wheat Rust: Red Menace: Stop the Ug99 Fungus Before Its Spores Bring Starvation. [JWR Adds: Given the fact that the same ship cargo holds are use to transport used for seed as well as wheat used for food, it is nigh-on impossible to stop the spread of Ug-99.]    o o o Quoting the MI5 maxim, Britain is ‘four meals away from anarchy’    o o o Brian B. suggested this troubling article: Pre-Crime Policing. If buying a number of guns or a large quantity of ammo in a short …