Month: October 2021

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by Fabian Ommar

Author of The ULTIMATE Survival Gear Handbook and  Street Survivalism

When it comes to how we see and prepare for SHTF, thinking in terms of real and probable rather than fictional and possible can make a big difference. Even though SHTF has many forms and levels and is in essence complex, random, diverse and unsystematic, some patterns and principles are common to the way things unfold when it hits the fan.

With Toby and Selco’s Seven Pillars of Urban Preparedness as inspiration, I came up with a different list of the 15 dynamics and realities of collapses.

#1 SHTF is nuanced and happens in stages

Thinking about SHTF as an ON/OFF, all-or-nothing endgame is a common mistake that can lead to severe misjudgments and failures in critical areas of preparedness. Part (or parts) of the system crash, freeze, fail, or become impaired. This is how SHTF happens in the real world. And when it does, people run for safety first, i.e., resort to more familiar behaviors, expecting things to “go back to normal soon.” 

By “normal behaviors,” I mean everything from hoarding stuff (toilet paper?) to rioting, looting, and crime, and yes, using cash – as these happen all the time, even when things are normal. But no one becomes a barterer, a peddler, a precious metals specialist in a week. Society adapts as time passes (and the situation requires). That’s why preppers who are also SHTF survivors (and thus talk from personal experience) insist that abandoning fantasies and caring for basics first is crucial. This is not a coincidence. It is how things happen in the real world. 

Recently I wrote about black markets and the role of cash in SHTFs, emphasizing these things take precedence except in a full-blown apocalypse – which no one can say if, when, or how will happen (because it never has?). Now, I don’t pretend to be the owner of the truth, but those insisting changes in society happen radically or abruptly should check this article about the fallout in Myanmar.

#2 Everything crawls until everything runs

Number two is a corollary to #1. SHTF happens in stair-steps, but most people failing to prepare and getting caught off-guard is evidence of the difficulty of the human brain to fully grasp the concept of exponential growth. It bears telling the analogy of the stadium being filled with water drops to illustrate this.

Let’s say we add one drop into a watertight baseball stadium. The deposited volume doubles every minute (i.e., one minute later, we add two more drops, then four…

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Dining tables are a piece of essential furniture that helps create a calming and beautiful environment at home. Making your dining table extendable makes your environment more stunning and serves you better and more efficiently. If you want to improve the aesthetic beauty of your home or you want sophistication that fits your style, then including extending dining tables is the way to go. You will enjoy numerous benefits by having an extendable dining table in your home.

Saves Space

With extendable dining tables, you have the option of optimizing your space according to your changing needs. If you need a small dining table for your small family, contract the extendable dining table. However, if your guests outnumber your small fit dining table, it will be easy for you; extend your dining table to fit more guests. Some Extendable dining tables can accommodate up to 14 guests.

Moreover, if you have a vast family that requires a big dining table in a limited space, you need not worry.  You will have an option to contract your extendable dining table to occupy a smaller area and create more working space to meet your needs.

You can contract an extendable dining table to make it easy to clean the floors, create space for children to play, utilize the available space for other activities, fit on a limited area, or just for a change. An extendable dining table helps you add more usable space as your needs arise.

Durable

Extendable dining tables are durable, and they can serve you for decades. You will find extendable dining tables made of different durable materials such as oak wood and glass. The construction of extendable dining tables is simple yet very strong, making them durable, providing you with quality service for a long time.

Extendable dining tables depend on durable materials and solid construction to support the moving parts. However, do not follow trends blindly. Trends can be deceiving; consider quality and robust construction as essential even when looking for trending designs.

Suitable for Small Space

An extendable dining table will fit in your small space but at the same time serve as a backup in case you have friends or guests visiting. You can use your dining table in your small area or move it to a patio and extend it to accommodate your guests. Knowing you have a ‘hidden’ backup that can accommodate more guests if the need arises a sense of comfort.

Additionally, an extendable dining table will add beauty to your limited space and keeps your dining space simple. You choose the shape that favors your area, either circular, square, or rectangular.

Many Options to Choose From

If you need a dining table that fits your style, then be sure extendable dining tables will spoil you with options. Extendable dining tables come in different shapes; circular, square, octagon, rectangular, and free-form extendable dining tables.

Additionally, you will have different materials to choose from for extendable dining tables. You can have your dining table made of oak wood, blackwood, steel, or glass. These materials…

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It may be surprising to some people that there is so much more than just basic care for a rabbit. You have, as an owner or prospective owner, to consider what kind of cage they need (size), where you want their food bowl placed in relation to your home’s layout, when these little critters are ready to be bred, etc.

But what about their water source?

You’re probably not aware of how many alternatives you have until you enter the rabbit realm and do some research. Who would’ve guessed that there are so many viewpoints on using water bowls or bottles for your rabbit? Then, once you pick a water supply, there appear to be hundreds of various options with varying reviews from which to choose.

There are many options for providing water for your rabbit. This blog will assist you in navigating through all of the varying viewpoints regarding which water supply is best for your rabbit and then provide some pointers to purchase from one of these sources!

Water is just as vital to a rabbit’s health as it is to our own. If your rabbit isn’t able to drink, it won’t eat, which can result in various health problems and occasionally death. Because most rabbit owners are unable to watch their pets 24 hours a day, you’ll need to be confident that your method of providing them is fresh. 

We’ve discovered that the way you give your rabbit water doesn’t make a huge difference in the end. All is well as long as they are getting water and reacting to it in a good way! Read on to learn about the advantages and drawbacks of using a bowl or bottle to source your rabbit’s water.

Can rabbits drink water from a bowl?

Bowls are superior to bottles because lapping from a bowl is more natural for rabbits. Bowls will not get clogged, but they may be spilled or thrown, so if you can, give them a bowl and a bottle. Daily clean both and keep them free of slime or debris.

A rabbit’s water dish is often called a “crock” and can be made of ceramic, metal, or plastic.

Pros: In the wild, rabbits will look for their water supply on the ground, so a natural way for them to quench their thirst is a crock. They are simple to fill, simple to maintain, and if they break, inexpensive to replace.

Note: If you live in a cold environment and keep your bunnies outside over the winter, crocks are the best choice since they won’t shatter when the water freezes. You may also thaw the crock by bringing it inside.

Cons: A crock is the most natural way for a rabbit to drink water, but because it evaporates more quickly in a crock than in a bottle, so the water may evaporate quicker. It can acquire bedding, hay, or urine residue.

During the summer, if water is left outside for lengthy periods of time, insects…

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COPPA Child Online Protection Act DPA Data Protection Agency Facebook Instagram children data protection

Senate Committee Hears Testimony of Facebook Whistleblower

The Senate’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security convened this morning to hear the testimony of a Facebook whistleblower about Facebook’s harm and the need for regulation. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook project manager, has come forward to reveal that Facebook knew that its platforms were harmful, especially to young users. Haugen filed complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission and leaked documents to the Wall Street Journal which published a detailed investigation of Facebook. Today, Haugen testified that “Facebook has repeatedly misled the public about what its own research reveals about the safety of children, the efficacy of its artificial intelligence systems, and its role in spreading divisive and extreme messages.” She urged Congress to regulate Facebook, stating “there needs to be a dedicated oversight body” and “Facebook can change but it’s clearly not going to do so on its own.” EPIC advocates for the creation of a dedicated Data Protection Agency. EPIC has fought for transparency and accountability for Facebook’s privacy abuses for over a decade, from filing the original FTC Complaint in 2009 that led to the FTC’s 2012 Consent Order with the company, to moving to intervene in and filing an amicus brief challenging the FTC’s 2019 settlement with Facebook.

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Homemade lip balms are relatively easy to make. And this recipe, featuring calendula-infused oil, is sure to take your product to a whole new level!

In essence, a lip balm is very similar to an herbal salve. You combine a blend of oils combined with beeswax, which solidifies the product. The ratio of oil to beeswax determines the softness or stiffness of the lip balm.

Use the ratio in this recipe to get started. But once you’ve made it a few times and feel comfortable, adjust the blend to fit your personal preference.

What makes this lip balm unique is the use of calendula petals in the oil. Calendula is an emollient herb, meaning that it softens and soothes the skin. Adding these flowers to our recipe will create a balm that will nourish and protect our lips even in the driest and harshest of conditions. 

Yields 10 lip balm sticks

<!– googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1529391463348-3'); });
–>What You Need

(to make infused oil)

• •1/4 cup calendula flowers
• 3 1/2 ounces oil of choice

(to make lip balms)

• 2 tablespoons herb-infused oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon shea butter
• 1/2 ounces beeswax by weight (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 5 to 8 drops essential oil of choice (optional)
• double boiler
• lip balm tubes
• process

Read more: These herbal bath and body products bring the herb garden to the tub.

How to Make Homemade Lip Balm

The first step in crafting this balm: making the calendula-infused oil. This can be done by adding the calendula petals to a 4-ounce jar, then filling the jar with the oil of your choice.

Most people use olive oil for a product such as this. But sunflower oil would also work great. 

Allow the flowers to infuse in the oil for 4 to 6 weeks before straining them out. This will provide you with enough calendula infused oil to complete this recipe a number of times. Ensure you label the jar before putting it into the cupboard to infuse. 

When your oil is ready, combine it, along with the coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat until the beeswax has completely melted. Stir the mixture while it warms to ensure the ingredients are well blended. 

Once the oils and wax blend well, turn off the heat. At this point, you can add essential oils into the mix to enhance the qualities of the lip balms (optional). Consider using essential oils such as peppermint or vanilla to add flavor and scent to your product.

Carefully pour the mixture into lip balm tubes, tins or similar containers and wait for them to cool. As they cool, they will harden. Once they solidify, you can use your herbal lip balm!

You can find the proper containers for lip balms through online herb product suppliers or sometimes through your local co-op or…

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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Climate change continues to be a hotly debated subject. Regardless of what is causing it, the facts continue to emerge. Our climate is changing and agriculture around the world has emerged as the canary in the coal mine indicating the results may be ominous. 

The Double Whammy

Drought is devastating crops around the world. 

And There’s a Catch

Rain is the obvious solution and many parts of the world are still getting rain. Lots of rain. Too much rain. The result is flooding, and the irony of too much of what the rest of the world needs has the same affect on crops: failure. 

• China’s agriculture authority is ramping up efforts to ensure ample food supply in China amid extreme weather conditions this year that have posed challenges to the nation’s agricultural production in one of its top food producing regions, then Henan province, which was recently battered by torrential rainfall and inundated by floods.
• The extent of damage to the fresh produce business caused by catastrophic flooding in parts of Europe over the past week has slowly begun to emerge. Record rainfall in parts of Europe including Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands has inundated fields, destroyed crops, and caused major disruption to production sites

It’s a double whammy where food supplies are becoming increasingly threatened by either drought or flooding. As a warming climate elevates the likelihood of droughts and extreme rainfall in the future, human activity, such as increased water consumption, land-use changes, urbanization, and agriculture, could also force more rapid and violent transitions between seesaw events. 

The result is increasing food costs, and many of us have already started to notice that everything at the grocery store seems to be more expensive than we remember. The question is whether we’ll pass the tipping point where our climate cannot recover and climate change becomes a permanent condition. 

Weather Effects on The Food Supply Chain

It’s not just about what grows in the ground. 

• Reduced food production and increasing food costs increase the price of animal feed for livestock, raising meat prices. 
• Drought and the heat waves that accompany it have affected farm workers to such a degree that there is a shortage of labor, hiking labor costs. 
• Reduced water levels in some rivers has crippled shipping of crops from many food exporting countries and in the U.S. 
• Drought and a drop in river water levels in some countries has resulted in reduced exports and even embargoes to keep available crops at home. 

Are We Facing a Perfect Storm?

• The COVID pandemic has affected the global supply chain, reducing the ability to ship anything anywhere.
• Backlogs of so many critical components for manufacturing have created a surge in shipping prices, affecting anything that is shipped, including food.
• We are almost totally dependent on imports of all of our fruit…

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You buy a house, which is wonderful, but then eventually you need to move on to something else. Perhaps you’ve chosen to relocate, or perhaps your employer has forced you to do so. In any case, you’re faced with a dilemma: what to do with your old home?

If you opt to rent out the last house, owning two properties can really work and be lucrative. You may start generating real wealth through cash flow and equity if you maintain the residence. However, there are expenses to consider when deciding between selling and renting.

We’ll go through the things to think about when considering whether to sell a house by owner or rent it out.

Is there a chance that this property will generate a positive cash flow?

When determining whether to rent out or sell your home, the first thing to consider is the math. We recognize that math was probably not your favorite subject in school, but thankfully, real estate investing arithmetic can be understood by anybody with a fifth-grade mind. 

In other words, will this property create a monthly profit or a loss when rented out, after all, related expenditures such as the mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities, vacancies, management, and repairs are deducted? Consider selling if you’re facing a loss.

Consider your return on investment

Consider how much money you’d make if you sold the house today, assuming you’d lose 10% to agent fees, closing charges, and other expenditures. If you’re just going to make a little profit, it could be better to keep the property and wait for the market to improve over time. This is especially true if the property will generate a profit in the interim. Consider your return on investment if you would earn a profit by selling.

Think about the taxes

I disagree with many things the US government does, but one thing I adore is the possible exemption from paying capital gains tax on the sale of your main house.

If you sell real estate for a profit, you’ll usually have to pay capital gains tax, which may be as high as 20%, depending on your tax status. 

On the other hand, the IRS enables homeowners to deduct up to $250,000 on the sale of their principal house provided they resided in it for at least two of the previous five years. Of course, retaining the property increases the chances that it would rise in value over what the tax would have been, but there are no certainties for real estate values.

Is the Future Promising?

Looking into the future is another essential element to consider when considering whether to rent or sell your home. What does the future hold for the location of your house in the next five to twenty years? Is the situation getting better? 

Will the value of your neighborhood drop? If the future is bleak, consider selling now to avoid future problems. We can’t see into the future, but predicting where the market is headed isn’t…

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Over the years, many folks from the prepping community have decided to make the transition to an off-the-grid life. With a bit of elbow grease and their resourcefulness, they’ve managed to get their home economics in order and reject the “consume culture.”

Living off the grid means getting out of the consumerism race and making a personal commitment to a frugal yet fulfilling lifestyle. Imagine what your life would be if you managed to slash your utility or grocery bills in half. How about being able to pay down your mortgage? Sounds like a dream, right?

Well, there are folks out there who managed to do it, and their tips about living with less and enjoying every minute of it will also help you to start saving big today. Here is a selection of tips that will change your life if and when you decide you’re ready to leave the “modern society” behind.

1. Shelter and clothing

When it comes to housing in the US, we are a nation obsessed with going big, and everyone wants a large home. However, going big is not the best option when moving off the grid because larger homes are more expensive to build, cool, heat, and maintenance is no easy task. On the other hand, if you reduce the size of your home to something, let’s say, cozier, savings will soon follow.

• Learn to become your own electrician and plumber. You can do so by checking out all the books you find in libraries (or free resources online), or you can invest in a class at the local vocational school.
• Don’t buy power tools unless you need them and you have to use them all the time. Rather than spending money on buying tools, you should join a tool-lending library. Don’t buy a tool that will be used to complete a single project.
• If you decide to start a construction project, build using mostly salvaged or scrap materials reclaimed from construction sites. You can check with demolition companies and even on craigslist for available salvaged building materials.
• If you have to complete a construction project that requires an additional workforce, try to barter construction labor with your neighbors, or perhaps, with your friends.
• Please don’t use a real estate agent when shopping for land unless you want to pay their commission. You can browse online for homes listed for sale. Even better, you can talk with landowners or their neighbors directly. This is an excellent way to discover properties that have never been listed.
• Try consignment shops and thrift stores to change your wardrobe since these establishments often have unique and affordable clothes. Even more, learn how to patch and repair clothing you already own before deciding to replace them. You should at least know how to sew a button, patch jeans, or darn socks. Even more, you can organize a clothing swap group and trade clothes you own for “newer” ones.
• After you wash your…

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My purpose today is to make just two main points: (1) To show why Nazi Germany was a socialist state, not a capitalist one. And (2) to show why socialism, understood as an economic system based on government ownership of the means of production, positively requires a totalitarian dictatorship.

The identification of Nazi Germany as a socialist state was one of the many great contributions of Ludwig von Mises.

When one remembers that the word “Nazi” was an abbreviation for “der Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiters Partei — in English translation: the National Socialist German Workers’ Party — Mises’s identification might not appear all that noteworthy. For what should one expect the economic system of a country ruled by a party with “socialist” in its name to be but socialism?

Nevertheless, apart from Mises and his readers, practically no one thinks of Nazi Germany as a socialist state. It is far more common to believe that it represented a form of capitalism, which is what the Communists and all other Marxists have claimed.

The basis of the claim that Nazi Germany was capitalist was the fact that most industries in Nazi Germany appeared to be left in private hands.

What Mises identified was that private ownership of the means of production existed in name only under the Nazis and that the actual substance of ownership of the means of production resided in the German government. For it was the German government and not the nominal private owners that exercised all of the substantive powers of ownership: it, not the nominal private owners, decided what was to be produced, in what quantity, by what methods, and to whom it was to be distributed, as well as what prices would be charged and what wages would be paid, and what dividends or other income the nominal private owners would be permitted to receive. The position of the alleged private owners, Mises showed, was reduced essentially to that of government pensioners.

De facto government ownership of the means of production, as Mises termed it, was logically implied by such fundamental collectivist principles embraced by the Nazis as that the common good comes before the private good and the individual exists as a means to the ends of the State. If the individual is a means to the ends of the State, so too, of course, is his property. Just as he is owned by the State, his property is also owned by the State.

But what specifically established de facto socialism in Nazi Germany was the introduction of price and wage controls in 1936. These were imposed in response to the inflation of the money supply carried out by the regime from the time of its coming to power in early 1933. The Nazi regime inflated the money supply as the means of financing the vast increase in government spending required by its programs of public works, subsidies, and rearmament. The price and wage controls were imposed in response to the rise in prices that…

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EPIC Urges National AI Research Resource to Empower Developers to Design Fair and Accountable AI

In comments to the newly established National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force, EPIC called on the Task Force to prioritize privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties by creating resources for companies to develop purposeful, accountable, transparent, and fair AI. EPIC also urged the Task Force to provide regulators with the resources required to enforce civil rights and consumer protection laws against companies that deploy AI systems. EPIC recently submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence advising both agencies to follow the Universal Guidelines for AI and to push for actionable legal rights to protect against algorithmic harms.

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