Category: Odds ‘n Sods

An average of once per day, I get forwarded “warning” e-mails about two essentially mythical legislative threats: SB-2099 and HR-45. Let me clear up some misunderstandings: SB 2099 is dead in committee, and is a piece of Illinois state legislation (not Federal), with no co-sponsors. HR-45 (a.k.a. The Blair Holt bill) is an actual bill before the US House of Representatives but it is similarly dead in committee, with no co-sponsors. (See the last two paragraphs of its Snopes article. BTW, I consider it horribly disingenuous of the leftist Snopes editors to bury this information at the bottom of the …

A reader mentioned a new web site that is worth a look: The Biblical View of Self-Defense    o o o Andrew D. suggested this from Popular Mechanics: Off-the-Grid Living – Self Reliance Through Home Solar and Wind Power and Farming    o o o FG flagged this: Sheriff’s Department Responds to Sonic Device Outrage. Another article notes ” The device was stationed by San Diego County Sheriff deputies at a recent town hall forum hosted by Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) in Spring Valley and at a subsequent town hall with Congressman Darrell Issa (R-San Diego).” [JWR’s comment: I …

Tamara (of the always entertaining View From The Porch blog), linked to this: The Plow, The Surplus, and The Idiot. Don’t you know how cruel honey is, people? [Sarcasm Mode On: “Oh, those poor imprisoned bees! And wool? Totally cruel, like, all those poor cuddly sheeps and sheeplings, all senselessly slaughtered just for their wool coats. You know, we should just think of them as taller baby fur seals. The barbarity of wool harvesting must be stopped. The world would be a better place., Oh, and Naugahyde, too. All those little Naugas, butchered for their hides, by greedy, cruel capitalists!” …

Marko like this Instructables piece: How to Build Your Own BBQ Barrel. OBTW, all the usual warnings about toxic chemicals and paint apply! It is best to start with a “virgin” barrel.    o o o Inyokern suggested a 18 minute mini-documentary on solar flares from the Discovery Channel, on Hulu. Attack of the Sun    o o o Reader FG sent an article from The Guardian for those who might mistakenly consider the bayonet a useless anachronism. (Although a bayonet on an Enfield SA-80 bullpup rifle must be far from ergonomic.) Speaking of the British school of soldiering, FG …

Courtesy of reader Trent H. comes the link to this Draft Horse Journal article: A Horse-Powered Produce Farm    o o o Sean M. suggested a PDF on small hydroelectric plants.    o o o Will M. flagged this piece by Grandpappy: Five Different Shelf Life Studies: Two on Canned Food and Three on Dry Food

This is not overtly related to survival and preparedness, but I found a page of photos linked over at Tamara’s blog simply fascinating: Abandoned Soviet Fortifications and Cities of the Kola Peninsula.    o o o Heather H. liked this piece: Quick Preserves an Alternative to Canning    o o o Cheryl flagged this: CSIS Report: US Preparing for North Korea Collapse Scenario. (Thankfully, the Dear Leader has decreed that a societal collapse will not be tolerated.)

Earlier this year, SurvivalBlog reader David Wendell launched a video blog on bushcraft skills call Bushcraft On Fire. He has already posted more than 80 practical “how-to” video segments, and has gathered more than 1,100 subscribers. I recommend subscribing. Good stuff!    o o o Reader Jeremy N. mentioned that there are some great storm surge survival tips in Dr. Jeff Masters’ WunderBlog: Tropical Storm Fred is born; storm surge survival misconceptions    o o o Sept. 11th Coast Guard Training Exercises Spark Confusion in D.C.    o o o Thanks to Craig W, for this PDF: M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability …

I just heard that my writings were mentioned on page 60 of the latest issue of Popular Mechanics magazine. It had been 10 years since they last mentioned me. To get more PM ink, I suppose that I need to write more about gadgety stuff in SurvivalBlog.    o o o Flesh-eating Superbug Killed Dad in Just Four Hours    o o o Huge Solar Storm Could Hit Earth Again    o o o Super-soldier exoskeletons ready for troop tests in 2010. (Thanks to FG for the link.)

This article from Virginia was picked up by our local newspaper: Fed-up Smokers Grow Own Tobacco    o o o Yet another use for baling twine: The Baling Twine Knife    o o o Reader “Yankee Doodle” sent this: The vegetable gardeners of Havana.    o o o If you’ve ever wondered how you can archive the educational videos you find online: How to Download and Save YouTube Videos to Your Computer    o o o Wired magazine: ‘E-Bomb’ Doomsday Conference. (A tip of the hat to Tom R. for the link.)

New frugality is the new normal, by necessity; Even if shoppers’ willingness to spend returns, ability likely to be constrained for years    o o o 1,000,000+ Guns Added to American Homes in August    o o o GG flagged this: Rejecting Tech, Some Opting for Human Power    o o o Gary Marbut gets his five minutes of fame on CNN: 2009 HB 246 Montana Made Firearms Bill

FG spotted this: Ammo demand remains Sky High. Here is a quote: “On delivery days at the Bass Pro Shop in the Silverton, 20 to 30 customers will line up for the store to open, said Keith Rainey, an assistant manager in the hunting department. ‘They call us up every day to find out when the next load is coming in,’ Rainey said. ‘If you don’t get there early, you don’t get any bullets.’    o o o Mark D . sent this: Veggie Vandals: community gardens deal with theft    o o o As they say in Southern China: …

Cheryl mentioned: 13 Tips On Cutting The Family Budget    o o o I made the mistake of spending more than a half hour on the phone with this journalist who promised me that he was sympathetic to the preparedness movement, and would write a favorable article. Either he was disingenuous, or his editor thoroughly re-wrote the piece: The new survivalists: Oregon ‘preppers’ stockpile guns and food in fear of calamity. Oh well, at least they spelled my name correctly. Oh, and don’t miss the lengthy comments section. It shows how ultra-liberal Portland has become.    o o o Reader …

Michigan State Fair Ending After this Year Items from The Economatrix: Cerberus to Ban Withdrawal From New Hedge Funds for Three Years. Note: JWR warned us about hedge fund redemption suspensions, two years ago! So You Just Squandered Billions…Take Another Whack at it Soft Number Folly (The Mogambo Guru) Scam H*ll Ahead (The Mogambo Guru) Americans’ Income Slump Biggest on Record The Renminbi as the World Reserve Currency (Pt. 1) Hit Me Again (The Mogambo Guru) Video: Peter Schiff on CNBC Fast Money Small Retailers Feel Sharper Pinch Loan Sharks Circle Credit-Starved Consumers Mike Whitney: Band-aids for the Recession John …

Marko liked this Lifehacker article: Build a BBQ Smoker for Under $50.    o o o JRH Enterprises (one of our most loyal advertisers) is running a Labor Day special on new 3rd Generation PVS-14s for only $2,995. This is a great price, so I’m buying one! The sale ends on September 8th.    o o o Ticketing tiff ends with courtroom gunfire.    o o o Two radio towers in Washington state toppled. Possibly the work of eco-terrorists. (Thanks to FG for the link.)

America’s Breadbasket Drying Up (What the article doesn’t explain is that half of this drought is political–since California Aqueduct water has been diverted from many farmers. California’s water politics are Machiavellian.)    o o o When is a nickel not just five cents? By chance, I got a fine condition 1944-P War Nickel in change at the local US post office today. (These are 35% silver, with a current melt value of about 90.1 cents per coin, their numismatic value is a bit higher.)