Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Water matters. “Michigan’s attorney general opened an investigation Friday into lead contamination in Flint’s drinking water, and the governor asked President Obama to declare a disaster as National Guard troops fanned out across this anxious city to help distribute bottled water, water filters and testing kits. The actions drew new scrutiny to an environmental crisis that poisoned the water supply for a year and a half before it was addressed. The contamination has left a city of 100,000 people unable to use tap water for drinking, cooking or bathing…” From the New York Times: Anger and Scrutiny Grow Over Poisoned …

SurvivalBlog reader K.S. wrote in with these links on how to re-pressurize spray cans. (This should work with anything in a spray can. As long as whatever is in it hasn’t dried up.) I don’t think he mentions it, but a basketball inflating needle would screwed into a blow gun would help. This guy uses a tire valve. It just overpowers the built-in valve. This guy refills the liquid while he is at it! (This would work well with anything you can buy as a liquid, like WD40 or maybe Rustolium?) o o o Reader W.A. sent in this link …

After 2½ years and 1,000,000 page views, Frank and Fern are bringing their blog to a close. They want more time to continue their prepping but will continue to leave the blog up and encourage folks to spend time looking through the archives. Many of SurvivalBlog’s readers enjoyed their perspectives, and we are certain to miss their input and reading about their experiences. Jim, Lily, and the whole SurvivalBlog team wish them well. We are already missing them! o o o SurvivalBlog reader JFJ sent in this link to SurvivalSherpa: How to Estimate Distance in the Woods with Right Triangles …

The Right to Keep and Bear Blenders. The title is perhaps tongue-in-cheek, but as usual, Krayton Kerns, DVM (The Conservative Cow Doctor) has some pretty good words on the Second Amendment. o o o Have you prepped for protection from mosquitos? As diseases proliferate, mosquitoes becoming Public Enemy No. 1 o o o The dangers of “high-tech” are sometimes forgotten or overlooked when looking at modern conveniences: Software bug forced Nest thermostats offline. High-tech may be “cool”, but make sure you have a low-tech option available. o o o Reader D.S. wrote in: This European move to crack down on …

A conversation with one of our favorite bloggers, Patrice Lewis, resulted in this link. The Coil Pump – a nearly forgotten invention that can pump water to a head of over 60 feet from a slow moving stream. It’s a very useful skill to know. o o o For anyone looking for gun parts and accessories, especially semi-autos, I highly recommend the forum set up by the Albert Brothers, Sturmgewehr.com. (Commonly called “Buddy’s Boards”–named after the main board administrator.) For the past 16 years, it was a very simplified board with some arcane posting rules, but they’ve recently implemented forum-style …

House Homeland Chair Warns of Terror Attacks at Disney, Oscars, the Mall of America… – Sent in by T.A. o o o Disturbing news for those planning on having children: Scientists push for new wave of eugenics with genome testing for all newborns While there may be good reasons for knowing this information, I can think of a stream of ways that it will be abused if it exists. – Sent in by D.S. o o o An interesting idea for a survival kit was sent in by reader M.T. PACE lid. Be prepared for whatever life throws your way. …

The latest from Wranglerstar (one of our favorite vloggers: Best Everyday Carry Gear 2016) o o o Reader C.S. sent in this link to a review of some inexpensive/cheap “mop wick” diesel stoves. Part of the article is a video that shows how to re-wick them and their operation. Prepping 101: Cooking With Diesel – Mop Wick Kerosene Stoves Explained o o o From Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large: Point source failure – One major highway and only one bridge connecting the nation. Ontario’s Nipigon River bridge fails, severing Trans-Canada Highway o o o After Ebola, two other tropical …

Reader B.B. sent in this link. We have been discussing the danger of computer algorithms determining everything about you from your credit worthiness to how “good” a citizen you are, now comes the “threat” score: The new way police are surveilling you: Calculating your threat ‘score’ This should be yet one more wake-up-call for those who are active on social media. Data mining of information that you just “throw out there” is big business. o o o Continuing the ongoing bluster coming out of North Korea is a video of a ‘new’ submarine-launched missile test. There is some considerable question …

The Islamic State’s suspected inroads into America. A map showing where Federal prosecutors have charged people with crimes in connection with the Islamic State. – G.P. o o o From our friends over at the Thoughts from Frank and Fern blog: On the Brink o o o Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large wrote in: Why did they make them look like daleks? Crime-Fighting Robots Hitting The Streets In California. I can see legitimate observation and recon uses for this in reducing crime, as moving security cameras with interactive capability for victims. My concern is that someone will decide to …

Computers as judge, jury, and executioner – The risks — and benefits — of letting algorithms judge us. We aren’t to be judged, so we are algorithmed. – T.Z. o o o Doctors Urge California Residents “Leave Now…While You Can” As Gas Leak Fears Grow – Interestingly enough, I have some contacts in Texas that are telling me that this leak is small potatoes. There are apparently oil fields that have long had unstoppable leaks much larger than the one in California. o o o Denver Science Museum Reverses Course on Concealed Carry – T.P. “The new policy quietly went …

Internal War Is Now On The Horizon For America – B.B. o o o Max (of Max Velocity Tactical) wrote in with a link of his view in the Malheur situation. Incidentally, Max also has a new book out – Patriot Rising: The Unbroken available both as a paperback and a Kindle version. o o o SurvivalBlog reader J.B. sent in this interesting take on “North Korea’s H-Bomb: The Lesson You Haven’t Thought Of” – Certainly something to chew on as this election cycle heats up. o o o Cyber-Attack On Ukraine Proves US Power Grid Is Vulnerable Photo of …

Attorney KrisAnne Hall makes a solid case, supporting to goals of the Constitutionalist group that is occupying a Federal building in eastern Oregon. HJL Adds: It is important to remember that while we agree that the underlying principles that brought this mess in Burns, Oregon to a head are very important and that abuses have, are, and continue to be propagated by the Federal government, the methods and tactics employed by the Bundys and militia leave much to be desired. Bob Wright has written a letter titled “Why Bunkerville was so right and Burns is so wrong” that outlines our …

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” – Frederick Douglass

It appears that one of President BHO’s new executive orders (due to be signed on Wednesday) will expand the definition of “engaged in the business” selling guns, and this will hurt gun collectors and our gun shows. It appears that they are going to try to corral more INTRAState transactions of used merchandise into Federal jurisdiction, via the Commerce Clause, which is all about INTERstate commerce of newly-manufactured merchandise. They can “hope and change” this all they want, but it is unconstitutional. And we all know what Marbury v. Madison says about unconstitutional laws: We can ignore them. (“Lex malla, …

Doctors can report some mentally ill patients to FBI under new gun control rule – JBG o o o Reader P.S sent in this link to a “Graduation-rate Estimator”. For communities that are fairly well in the middle, it does a pretty good job of estimating graduation rates from high school. However, as you move towards the ends of the spectrum, it has trouble. It is possible on the estimator to get better than 100% graduation simply by paying your teachers more than anywhere else. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a tool to help you decide where to relocate, …