Category: Odds ‘n Sods

The Medical Corps private training organization is holding another one of their excellent three-day Combat/Field Medicine School courses, April 30th through May 2nd. The class will be held near Caldwell, Ohio at the Ohio State University Extension building. Contact: Chuck Fenwick at (740) 783-8009 for details.    o o o The good folks that organize the EMPACT America conferences are currently lobbying Congress for funding to re-fit some US military bases as EMP-proof “bastions” as centers for rebuilding societal infrastructure, following either an EMP attack or a Carrington-scale Solar Flare event. If the BHO Administration wants to spend money to …

Could this start a trend? Bill seeks to outlaw lengthy overnights at Minnesota rest areas. (Thanks to Chad S. for the link.)    o o o My book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times” is featured in the March-April 2010 Books in Brief section of The Futurist magazine, under the headline: Alarmingly Practical Advice For Doomsday. You can look for it on pages 60 and 61 of the March-April issue.    o o o Reader G.S. in the State of Jefferson spotted this interesting thread, over at …

Merry mentioned an interesting video on self defense techniques when riding a horse. JWR Adds: BTW, I can personally attest that it takes quite a while to gradually get a horse accustomed to the sound of gunfire (starting with just the sight and smell of guns, then the sound of .22 Shorts, …), but it is time well spent! The training results (as shown in the various CMSA videos) can be impressive.    o o o Desert T. pointed us to an article that ran in The Wall Street Journal: A Growing Obsession: Rare Seeds. (When The Wall Street Journal …

“River Chief” was the first of several readers to send us the link to this article in The Guardian: Americans stock up to be ready for end of the world    o o o Sale ends tomorrow! JRH Enterprises is running a sale on new Third Generation AN/PVS-14 night vision weapons sight/monoculars–now with a five year warranty–for $2,995. I bought one of these from JRH last summer, and I love it. I have it mounted on a “flat top” AR, just behind an Aimpoint Comp 3 electronic red dot scope (with a 2 MOA adjustable brightness dot). With a flip …

Bobbi sent us this sobering news: Haiti, One Month Later    o o o C.N. sent us an interesting article on bear preparedness.    o o o Several readers mentioned this troubling article, written by Declan McCullagh: Feds push for tracking cell phones

H.D. in Alaska recommended a piece by Mona Charen in National Review Online: “Frontier Suburbanite“.    o o o Scientists Invent Rice That Doesn’t Need Cooking. (Thanks to Joe P. for the link.)    o o o JRH Enterprises is running a President’s Day sale on new Third Generation AN/PVS-14 night vision weapons sight/monoculars–now with a five year warranty–for $2,995. I bought one of these from JRH last summer, and I love it. I have it mounted on a “flat top” AR, just behind an Aimpoint Comp 3 electronic red dot scope (with a 2 MOA dot). With a flip …

Karen H. forwarded this news item: High sugar prices will soon hit bakeries. Here at SurvivalBlog, we warned you about this as far back as May of 2009. Stock up. (But preferably with more healthy natural sweeteners like honey and stevia.)    o o o Bruce T. spotted this in Popular Science magazine: New Armored Wall System Assembles Like Legos, Could Replace Sandbags in Afghanistan. Somehow, I doubt that these Big Boy Legos will ever see much use outside of “Green Zone” roadblock set-ups. Let’s face it: Empty sandbags are cheap, and they fit in a backpack. It is safe …

There are just two days left in the 25% off sale at SafeCastle on all Mountain House foods in #10 cans is in progress. They are offering free shipping to the 48 continental states! The sale ends on February 13th, so order soon!    o o o “Hokie” sent us this: High demand for road salt prompts rationing in Maryland and Virginia    o o o Just one week remains in Directive 21’s sale on the Royal Berkey water filters. Presently just $262.50, the price will revert to $275, on the 18th of February.    o o o More about …

The BHO administration seems bent on paving their way out of the recession, with $20 billion in new road and bridge building contracts. But I’m dubious about how efficacious this will be in creating permanent jobs, and boosting economy. This is all just sinking us (collectively) deeper in debt. Take a look at Japan’s massive road building program in the1990s. It certainly didn’t buy them an economic recovery. How can the BHO administration expect anything different? Chad flagged this: Is Washington’s tax exemption on bullion a gold mine? [JWR Adds: As the majority of the 50 States get increasingly desperate …

Reader Dick S. mentioned that there’s a great article in the February issue of Field & Stream magazine, titled; “The Ultimate Survivor: Life in the wild with Alaska’s toughest trapper.”    o o o The 25% off sale at SafeCastle on all Mountain House foods in #10 cans is in progress. They are offering free shipping to the 48 continental states! The sale ends on February 13th, so order soon!    o o o The recent article titled “Forges Foundries, and Factories” by JIR prompted several readers to write to remind me about the wealth of resources on traditional skills, …

More than a dozen SurvivalBlog readers sent us a television news piece about King, North Carolina (in the Winston-Salem region) banning the purchase of guns, or carrying guns outside one’s home, during the recent heavy snowstorm. Here is a quote: “‘Other restrictions included a ban on the sale or purchase of any type of firearm, ammunition, explosive or any possession of such items off a person’s own premises.” [Emphasis added.] Needless to say, this will have some major political repercussions, once all the snow gets shoveled. A police chief will likely have to find new employment, after making such a …

The original NAIS plan may be dead! Jeff B. sent us this link: USDA starting over on national animal ID system    o o o F.R. suggested this resource that is great for homeschoolers: The Basic English Grammar ebook.    o o o FG sent us an item for the “Bring Enough Gun” Department: Giant, 25 foot Crocodile has eaten 200 men in 20 years (This sounds like something out of a tabloid, but it is a BBC news piece.)

Steve K. sent us this link: Snowpocalypse 2010: Everybody Panic!    o o o Mark O. sent us an article that has both libertarian and OPSEC ramifications. Is That A Castle You’re Hiding Behind That Haystack? Perhaps Mr. Fidler should have moved to one of the many states in the western US where no building permits are required, and there is no mandatory building code. (except inside city limits, by some local ordinances).    o o o A reader recommended getting a copy of the Pocket Ref, by Thomas J. Glover. One reviewer described it as: “… part encyclopedia, part …

Please stop! Some well-intentioned (but naive) folks are forwarding the e-mail titled “See with your own eyes Nephilim” with several Photoshop-doctored pictures of supposed skeletal remains of 16-foot tall humanoids. Here is a link to one of the original photos that they doctored. Again, please stop forwarding this fakery!    o o o Kurt B. sent this: Nuclear missile threats to U.S. mount; Report warns of Pyongyang’s aims    o o o Chad S. spotted another piece from Nanny State Britannia: Cheers! Brits toast new shatterproof pint glass. Chad Adds: “Note that this was developed by the British Government, not …

Ham radio: A fading hobby … until emergencies hit. (A hat tip to John M. for the link.)    o o o Mark A. was the first of several readers to mention this: Digital doomsday: the end of knowledge    o o o Joel S. sent us this: Bogota’s Bulletproof Tailor