I have no idea why I didn't think to link to Cody Lundin's blog before,

but well worth looking over.  I still think the man's an idiot for going barefoot no matter what or where, but no question he has a HUGE knowledge of survival.


The UN is getting all hot & bothered about accusing the Vatican of not sufficiently caring about children.
Or maybe it's just that the molesting priests weren't UN personnel; THEN they'd be protected.


From the People's Democratic Republic of Californicated: A man had his guns confiscated over a misdemeanor drug conviction... in 1970. Of course, the police returned them a few weeks later, once they figured out he was allowed to have them. These are the people who are targets of gun control -- the honest citizens trying to follow the law. Not the criminals who are killing people.


There actually are some Evil Party members who have a problem with administration weenies lying to Congress.
In the video snip below, he’s questioning James Clapper about warrantless searches. Please note that the last time these two crossed paths, Wyden asked him if the NSA was spying on Americans and Clapper said, unreservedly, NO. Then Edward Snowden’s document drop hit the fan and revealed that Clapper had committed perjury. Unfortunately, the Committee isn’t pursuing that, but as you’ll see, Clapper is walking a fine line with Wyden.


Williamson puts it 'This is why honest feminists have a hard time being taken seriously'.  Pretty much.
“While it appears that this statue of a nearly naked, older white man with outstretched arms is an art installation, it does not provide our community with any of the value that art is traditionally intended to add,” wrote student Zoe Magid in the Change.org petition. The statue had “become a source of apprehension, fear, and triggering thoughts regarding sexual assault for many members of our campus community,” reads Magid’s petition.
Translation: "We are strong women, but we must be protected from even a STATUE of a male!  This campus is for WOMEN, and we're scared of this figure."


Be it noted: Williamson checked out the 'panic over 'no gun' signs' story, and the principal isn't being a jerk; she's DEALING with a lot of them.

That drink can stove I posted on updated

the other day?  Found a can and tried it; it works.

Hardest part: getting the top cut out without destroying the can.  I've got some 91% isopropyl alcohol and tried it with that; had a hard time getting it to light, but once lit it took right off.  Put a small pot with 1.5-2 cups of water on top, and it took roughly 3 minutes to have it to a boil, and used very little alcohol.

No pictures, as the flash washed out the flames and I'm too lazy tonight to screw around with it; I'll try for a decent shot tomorrow.


Update: from Scott in comments, this is too good not to add on:
Did that as a kid - while sitting in a deer stand....folgers coffee can with a roll of toilet paper soaked in alcohol....take the lid off - light - and I had a nice smokeless hand warming heater....works like a champ..

Those 78 skills

With an asterisk behind those I can do/have done, a question mark behind those I'm iffy on.  I'm not counting anything where I have some idea but have never actually done it.

1. Drive a stick shift  *
2. Swim  I
3. Start a fire without matches or a lighter  *
4. Build a garden  *
5. Use herbal remedies  ?
6. Produce beer/wine
7. Build your local community
8. Tan leather   *
9. Cure/smoke meat  
10. Make soap  
11. Construct animal/fish traps   *
12. Make activated charcoal
13. Survive hypothermia   *
14. Properly load a backpack   ?
15. Conduct basic repairs (home, auto, equipment, etc.)   *
16. Operate a ham radio
17. Defend yourself without a weapon   *
18. Identify surveillance
19. Build a rainwater collection system  
20. Weld   *
21. Accurately fire an arrow   ?
22. Dehydrate food  *
23. Construct snowshoes   *
24. Build a raft with a tarp
25. Navigate using the stars
26. Right an overturned raft
27. Build with stone/brick (basic masonry)   *
28. Cut down a  tree with an ax   *
29. Forage for food   ?
30. Sew and/or make clothing   *
31. Pilot a boat   ?
32. Shoot a firearm accurately   *
33. Find water   ?
34. Utilize camouflage
35. Construct a pond
36. Can food   ?
37. Ski
38. Dig a latrine   *
39. Build with wood (basic carpentry)   *
40. Determine authenticity of gold and silver
41. Rappel   ?
42. Follow a trail/tracking   ?
43. Use less-lethal weapons (baton, stun gun, pepper spray, etc.)   ?
44. Metal working (blacksmith)   *
45. Lose a tail
46. Operate power tools   *
47. Construct a splint   ?
48. Open a can without a can opener
49. Drive a motorcycle   *
50. Construct a net   ?
51. Identify animals by tracks and/or scat   ?
52. Patch a tire   *
53. Reload ammunition   *
54. Build a bow and arrow   ?
55. Administer first aid   *?
56. Identify venomous snakes   *
57. Accurately fire a slingshot   ?
58. Make candles
59. Raise fish (for food)
60. Distill water/alcohol
61. Hot wire a car
62. Cook without a stove   *
63. Survive heat injuries
64. Raise livestock
65. Find tinder   *
66. Create fertile soil   *
67. Make charcloth   *
68. Properly store food   ?
69. Survive a riot   ?
70. Sharpen a knife   *
71. Butcher livestock   ?
72. Purify water   *
73. Make leather products (sheathes, holsters, boots, etc.)   *
74. Hunt and fish   *
75. Cast bullets   *
76. Maintain a bee hive
77. Use hand tools   *
78. Tie a knot   *

That's a LOT more than I expected to find even counting the 'iffy' ones.  Speaking of which:
I remember some bits & pieces about herbal stuff; I need to read up on that.
Been a looong time since I did any backpacking, need to brush up on that.
Used to be a decent archer; between time/location/joint problems, WAY out of practice.
Foraging and boat piloting I've done, but again, badly out of practice.
Number of things I've done/been part of, but long enough ago I have a lot of holes in my knowledge of, and need to brush up on.  Especially first-aid, though I have tried to stay caught-up on some things there; more reading in my future.

Good question: how many of these

can you do?
78 Skills Everyone Should Know

I'll go over this later and check off what I can.  And watch some of the videos they link to.

Back when LED lights still sucked,

being dim and blue-tinted, when the kids went to college, I gave each of them a few high-intensity light sticks and a carrier; no batteries to worry about and in an emergency they could be safely used around a gas leak or other flammables, and would supply plenty of light for long enough to get the hell out of the dorm.

Now we have really good LED lights: flashlights and lanterns and weapon lights(I've seen  mount to put one on a bow, even).  I've still got a few of the light sticks around, and a carrier, but as the lights have improved the sticks have become harder to find.  I still like the idea of having a few as a 'just-in-case extra' matter, but if I want more of the high-intensity I'll have to order them.


If the information in this story is true, then I hope he's awarded the legs, tails, balls and ovaries of everyone involved in it.


What?  The TSA nekkid-body scanners may have had tests screwed with?  Who could imagine such a thing...

If you don't have a copy of the Army Survival Manual,

the gentleman at Q&O has a link(pdf file)

Well, my first thought would be

You're Screwed.

First off, Dutch windmills. Electric ones.

They suck. Out of the customers pockets.
The 36 turbines -- each one the height of a 30-storey building -- produce enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 100,000 households each year.

But five years later the green future looks a long way off. Faced with the need to cut its budget deficit, the Dutch government says offshore wind power is too expensive and that it cannot afford to subsidize the entire cost of 18 cents per kilowatt hour -- some 4.5 billion euros last year.

The government now plans to transfer the financial burden to households and industrial consumers in order to secure the funds for wind power and try to attract private sector investment.
...
But the new billing system will reap only a third of what was previously available to the industry in subsidies -- the government forecasts 1.5 billion euros every year -- while the pricing scale of the investment plan makes it more likely that interested parties will choose less expensive technologies than wind.
I would point out that the consumers of this boutique electricity were already paying extra for it in their taxes; what the government used to subsidize this mess. Now, since I doubt their taxes will go down, their rates are going up so they'll be paying TWICE for the same boutique power: more on their actual electric bill, and still paying the taxes used to subsidize it before. Wonderful, isn't it?



Second, odd things sometimes turn up when you dig:
Construction workers near Rostock made an unusual discovery Thursday, when they unearthed half of a Soviet World War II-era tank with skeletal remains inside. Experts believe the other half of the tank is buried across the street.
...
Inside the rusted tank, a bomb disposal team identified shells, hand grenades and rifle ammunition, said Fred Tribanek, a team member. Tribanek said the ammo was live but would not be dangerous if it remained within the tank.
An AP shell of some kind that blew the turret off? No telling for now, maybe not ever depending on how bad the weathering is.


Third, What caliber for snoopy drones?


To borrow from Insty: I might start believing AGW is both real and a threat when the bastards wanting to use it to take over our lives start acting like THEY believe it's both real and a threat.


I did not know that: you can get surgical instruments(All instruments are stainless steel. Not Sterile & NOT FOR MEDICAL USE.) and suture sets at Amazon; just on the general preparedness idea, I need to get someone to give me a people-sewing lesson. Also, they have some of the Best Reviews Ever, including
I have chased my pets for hours to get to test this suture kit but their having nothing to do with it. I don't have any younger siblings to test it on because they have all moved away, possibly for safety reasons. Finally I can't get my hands to stop shaking so I can make a deep enough laceration (Ten dollar word for CUT) that will require suturing (STITCHES). So, I'll have to get back to you after the Trick-or-treaters start bugging me.


Done for now, folks; after the last couple of days I'm beat. Enough that this has been sitting here for about two hours 'cause I forgot to hit 'publish'. Good night

This take the 'light rifle' idea

to a whole new level

Emergency/survival notes: firestarter test

Not long ago I linked to a method of storing/carrying the cotton ball/petroleum jelly firestarters I hadn't seen before: fire straws. Very good idea, and I made some up to try.

And today I remembered to actually take one out and actually try it, using a magnesium block/striker to light it.
First thing: you need something with an edge to cut it open(ever tried to twist a straw apart?) You might be able to beat one between two rocks to shear it open, I'll try that later.
Second: I'd had this one
sitting around for a while, including in a hot area; no leakage of the jelly. I nipped it open in the middle and just pulled one side partway out, stubbed it like I was putting out a cigarette to fluff it a bit, and hit it with sparks; lit right off.
I was curious as to how it'd continue; as it burned the straw melted/burned along the top and the cotton continued burning nicely.

I forgot my watch so no exact time; I'd say this had been burning for about three minutes when I put it out. Three minutes of heat to light your tinder or kindling... that's enough to dry out damp stuff and get it started.

Non-electric lighting

Some good information at Survival Blog. Some stuff on making lamps, lantern info and such.

Also, a prep list for hurricane country. I'll note that some of this stuff would work very well as general 'start of the season' prep for spring and winter storm seasons in much of the country.

Insty notes the government WANTS you on the terrorist suspect list

So it would seem:
SO THE OTHER DAY I HAD A STORY ABOUT THE FBI TREATING “PREPPERS” AS POTENTIAL TERRORISTS, and then when I was in the car yesterday I heard a PSA from the Department of Homeland Security pitching . . . disaster preparedness via its Ready.gov site. So if you do what Homeland Security recommends, the FBI will wonder if you’re a terrorist. Sweet.
I just took at look at the government site, and let's see... buying stuff like MREs or match containers and masks 'in bulk'(whatever the hell that really means to them) makes you suspicious, yet on their site where it recommends a kit,
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Infant formula and diapers(if you have a baby or two and 'stock up'...)
From the original 'You should report possible terrorists to us' list:
Weatherproofed ammunition or match containers
Meals Ready to Eat
Night Vision Devices; night flashlights; gas masks
So. You've got a family so you buy half-a-dozen match safes, a case or two of MREs, you grab a bunch of spare batteries for thel ights and hey! if a dust mask is good a couple of these gas masks couldn't hurt! and Presto!! You're on the Feeb Terrorist Watch list for having followed their suggestions!

You have to wonder if some of the weenies in on this are deliberately trying to make a self-perpetuating list of 'possible terrorists' so they can either justify their existence or create more possible 'enemies', or both.

We've told you, and told you...

'Sometimes drowning doesn't look

like drowning.

Good information, especially this time of year

Because I'm both sick of politics and very tired, (added info)

I present another episode of 'Survival Tips from IITF'.

In this case, fire starting. Something that'll store well, light easily and burn long enough to get damp small kindling started. Get yourself the following items:
Cotton balls(COTTON, no synthetics)
Petroleum jelly
Take a cotton ball. Get a good blob of jelly in a finger, smoosh it into the cotton ball and work it in. Get another ball and repeat.

That's it. Especially after it's sat a while, just touch a match to it and it's off. Matter of fact, know those fire starters you scrape with something sharp and they throw a shower of sparks? Those will ignite them, too. They burn smoky, but long enough to get small kindling started. And you can put a bunch of them in a baggie to store in the pack/toolbox/whatever. Few years back daughter was going on a campout with some friends and made up a few to take along, just in case. It rained- a lot- that weekend, and she said the only way they could get a fire going was with these.

I'll throw in that a while back I bought a package of those round cotton makeup-remover pads at the dollar store and tried this with them; wiped the jelly into the fuzzy side and folded it in half. Opened up, the sparker lit one right off.

Yes, I know some of you already know this, but SOMEBODY out there doesn't.

Added: Thanks to Bob, a very good idea: fire straws

What? Us worry?

'Cause NATO can't even handle Libya without running out of guided munitions?

'Cause we've got idiot politicians who blames the iPad for eliminating American jobs?(wonder when he'll get to the Kindle)

'Cause we're hearing crap like this from our tax-cheat Treasury Secretary?

Stuff like this makes getting these medical manuals(thanks to Insty for linking) an even better idea. Y'know, just in case

With all the disaster prep posts out there, (updated)

it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to link to this over at Fr. Frog's Pad. This was written during/aftermath of Katrina; some very good do/do not/don't forget stuff.

Added: should have done this in the first place, it began at Bayou Renaissance Man, a good blog in other ways as well. For instance, he found this:

Portable fire can Updated

Something Dad showed me a few years back, it's a good and pretty waterproof way to have a small fire without having to gather wood.

Take a tuna can, or something about that size(extra points if you used one of the openers that lets you use the lid). Cleaned out, of course. Cut some strips of cardboard wide enough that a piece inside will let the lid sit in place, and coil them up so you have a can full of cardboard. Then melt some wax and pour it in; let it sit a minute or two so the cardboard can soak it up, then pour out any excess and let cool. When lit the cardboard acts as a wick for burning the wax.

It does take a flame to ignite it, no flint & steel here, but it gives a hot fire in a small area
Besides covering it up for transport, and smothering the fire, you can use the lid to control the size of the burning area
Remember, both the can and the lid will get hot, so for use it needs to be on a much better surface than what I used here(JUST long enough to take the pictures).


Update: A good tip from comments:
I learned to keep it warm and get as much wax as possible in it before allowing it to cool from Gerry. You could use the oven on warm to keep it liquid until the cardboard is saturated.

And something I remembered: you can either make a couple of the pieces a bit wider than the others or stick some small pieces in between coils; a bit that sticks up above the rest makes it easier to light.

Survival preparation site

In the comments to my "The water's off" post, Arthur put a link to this article on using calcium hypochlorite to treat water.

Handy thing to know.

Also, Insty linked to this "How I got prepared" article, good reading.

Here's a contest for you

M.D. Creekmore over at the The Survivalist Blog – a survival blog dedicated to helping others prepare for and survive disaster – with articles on bug out bag contents, survival knife choices and a wealth of other survival information is giving away a Go Berkey Water Filter System (a $139.00 value)! To enter, you just have to post about it on your blog. This is my entry. Visit The Survivalist Blog for the details.

Yes, I'd like to win it.