Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Kurt sent this: What sells in a recession. Kurt’s comment: “Hmmm, canning and freezing supplies up 11.5%. Maybe some of the sheeple are waking up.”    o o o Simon in England suggested this: “Jericho” gets second life — as comic book. Meanwhile, there is still talk of a Jericho feature film. (You can read the latest gossip at this fan site.)    o o o Responding to my recent mention of creative “bumper attachments” that fit is standard receiver hitch channels, Johnny Utah mentioned this none-too-subtle novelty accessory.    o o o For a limited time, MURS Radios is …

Rob C. sent us a bit of good news: Vehicular open-carry expanded in Utah.    o o o HPD forwarded this item from Police State Britannia: Revealed: police databank on thousands of protesters    o o o Appleseed shoots are ramping up! There are a huge number of “shoots” scheduled all around the nation, with many on our around Patriot’s Day weekend (the weekend of April 19th). For example, Southern Arizona will be hosting its first ever Appleseed Shoot and Rifle Clinic.on April 25th and 26th, in Sierra Vista. The cost is $70 (pre-registered) for a two day rifle clinic …

Utah, Hawaii, Wyoming top ‘happiness’ poll (a hat tip to Michael H. for the link.)    o o o The folks that operate CampingSurvival,com also host an amazing collection of first-hand survival narratives. I found that the one from Hurricane Rita provided a useful glimpse into human nature, en extremis.    o o o OSOM mentioned a very good podcast on home defense at LewRockwell.com.    o o o Thanks to GG for sending this: Seed companies have a bumper crop of customers

I just noticed that Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand has jumped to #62 in the Amazon sales rankings. (Out of four million+ titles.) Not bad for a 52-year-old novel! Meanwhile, Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times by Steve Solomon has advanced to #316. Those statistics tell me a lot more than anything we are hearing from the cheering section at CNBC.    o o o Garret D. flagged this piece from Time: Another By-Product of the Recession: Ex-Convicts    o o o The folks from CampingSurvival.com (one of our loyal advertisers) just launched a completely re-vamped web …

More evidence that survivalism is going mainstream: Can you survive economic crisis?, Booming preparedness industry says Americans are stockpiling. (A tip of the hat to J.W.P. in California, who was the first of several readers to send that link.)    o o o KAF sent the link to a captivating article at the Global Guerillas blog on the concept of Fictive Tribes. On an intellectual and philosophical level, Rawlesian survivalists are already a tribe. Sometimes it is something as subtle as a “thumbs up” sign when someone spots your SurvivalBlog hat or T-shirt at a gun show. But often it …

FloridaGuy sent this data point: Church pastor killed during service    o o os Rex mentioned the pending “Food Modernization Act” which makes it a crime to refuse entry to government inspectors if you own “any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.” Rex’s comment: I especially like the wording that allows them to conduct monitoring and surveillance of animals, plants, products, or the environment, as appropriate.’ I had first assumed this was some sort of nutty Nanny-State bill that would die a quick death, but it has 39 co-sponsors!”    o o o Referring to the …

Adam W. suggested this bit of preparedness humor from Germany: Urban Camouflage    o o o Dale B. found this: How safe is your safe deposit box? And speaking of bank boxes, Dale also found in the UK’s Sun newspaper: £2.5bn safety deposit box raid    o o o Ben in Nevada spotted a good deal on Blackheart AR-15 magazines.    o o o Edward K. mentioned a piece over at the Alpha Rubicon site on how to make cloth maps for G.O.O.D. purposes.

Luddite Jean, reporting from Nanny State Britannia, tells us that eBay.UK and eBay Ireland are banning most knife sales, starting March 10th. The only exception will be some kitchen cutlery. (But not any sharp, pointy knives, those might be dangerous!) The logic of this move escapes me. Ostensibly, this is being done “…to help further protect our members…” So henceforth, law-abiding Englishmen will have to rely on just ASBOs and harsh language to fend off the yobs.    o o o J. in Northern California sent us this link to articles on some huge prisoner releases caused by the state …

William B. alerted us to an economy story from South Korea that is actually a preparedness story if you read between the lines: Empty Containers Clog South Korea’s Busan Port as Trade Slumps. We can safely conclude that it is just a matter of time before the price of used CONEX containers plummets. As previously noted in SurvivalBlog, CONEXes have potential for aboveground storage, and even conversion into housing. (On the latter, just ask any returning Iraq vet about “CHU” billets.) OBTW, the ones to look for are they type made with Corten (aka “Weathering”) steel. Just don’t make the …

Christian homeschooling advocates step up their campaign, in a video appeal to have parents take their kids out of public schools: The Call to Dunkirk    o o o Reader Jeff B. asked: “Have you addressed ATVs or especially side by side ATVs or even the more recent electric ‘Buggys’ and their pros/cons?” The Bad Boy Buggy is definitely a viable option for short distance hauling at a retreat with a large photovoltaic, wind, or micro-hydro alternative energy system. And an off-road suspension conversions to a used electric golf cart is a good low-cost alternative. Also, don’t miss this article …

A gent in the Peak Oil camp recently posted a very interesting round-up review that compares James Howard Kunstler’s novel World Made by Hand to several other post-collapse novels, namely: Parable of the Sower, Lucifer’s Hammer, The Road, Wolf and Iron, The Long Emergency (also by Kunstler, non-fiction), and my novel Patriots . I think he went way too far when he referred to me as “the patron saint of survivalism.” I believe that the moniker “obscure, backwoods enthusiast” would have been much more accurate.    o o o Upcoming hearings: A new NAIS legislative battle. Please contact your congresscritters …

Rourke sent us this: An Asteroid Near Miss    o o o OSOM recommended this review of Joseph Tainter’s book The Collapse of Complex Societies. This squares nicely with my views on the complexity and fragility of our modern, highly technological society with long and vulnerable chains of supply.    o o o Cheryl sent us this: Food for Guns in Dallas [JWR notes: Perhaps it would be better titled: “Trading Pottage for a Texas Birthright”]    o o o Cheryl also flagged this: Nationwide Ammo Shortage Hits US

KAF forwarded this: Depression Cooking Teaches You to Cook Really, Really Cheaply    o o o Ben B. sent this: Jim Rogers sees civil unrest in the US    o o o A bit of food storage humor, courtesy of reader Larry T.: The “Worst Food Product Ever” May Have Been Found. Is it cheaper in case lots? 😉    o o o Fitzy in Pennsylvania flagged this Lou Dobbs Journal piece on CNN: 2nd Amendment Under Attack

Reader Bill N. asks: “Did you ever wonder what those markings spray-painted on doors by FEMA in New Orleans meant?” This PDF shows the codes.    o o o BRB and Jim E. both mentioned a design for a ram (water-powered) water pump, over at the Instructables site.    o o o Reader FS had this comment on the Obama administration’s call to renew the 1994 gun and magazine ban: “So let’s see if I understand this. Because Mexico can’t keep it together, American’s must disarm. If anything, having a violent and unstable neighbor is reason for our citizens to …

CIA and Pentagon Wonder: Could Mexico Implode? (A hat tip to Darin B. for the link.)    o o o MP sent this: Recipes from The Great Depression.    o o o Cheryl sent this: EMP Attack: Overlooked Catastrophe    o o o Mrs. G. in Montana found a site that he thought would be of interest to the ladies: The Homemaker’s Mentor. She notes: “I was looking for directions for dehydrating eggs and found a forum for a group of women who are striving for prepare for their families. Oh and speaking of the distaff viewpoint, also check out …