This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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Reader C.B. found this: Common gene variant linked to COVID mortality.
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In Oregon, farmers are revamping century-old irrigation canals to stem water loss. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)
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SaraSue sent us this update:
I weaned the calf at five months old. Interesting fact: Dairy heifers, Jerseys in particular, can come into heat earlier than other breeds and cycle every 17-21 days. She’s just had her second heat and was driving her mother crazy, mounting her, head butting, bawling, pacing, etc. She’s a very big girl, so I decided the time had come. My criteria was that she was plenty fat, was a good grazer on her own, and would drink plenty of water. She’s done pretty well in her own pasture, with occasional bawling. She can see her mother – i.e., “fence line weaning”. She gets hay and a little grain treat in addition to having about an acre of good grass – more than she needs. I spend time with her every day and we have “conversations” about her plight. She grunts and moos as I talk to her.
I’m officially drowning in milk – approximately 21+ gallons/week. Learning all the ways of making milk into cheeses and yogurt, in addition to supplying family and friends with fresh milk. Butter and sour cream require cream. The calf was getting all the cream because mom would “hold up” and save the cream for the calf. Dairy cows have an innate “on/off switch” for their calves. They can and will save the best for their baby, even if you are milking them. Now that I’m [in effect] the baby, she is giving the cream to me. Soon I will be able to make butter and sour cream. Right now, processing the milk is time-consuming, and my refrigerator is not big enough to hold the volumes of milk coming in twice a day. Took a hay delivery of about 150 square bales this week from a local source.”
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And, in a similar raid, more recently: FBI Misled Judge to Seize $86M Cash during Raid.
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South Africa in electricity crisis, nationwide blackouts.
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Some fascinating history: How a remote lagoon and a ‘secret weapon’ allowed the US Navy to overwhelm Japanese forces during World War II.
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An observation from JWR: It is clear that with the full integration of artificial intelligence (AI), all of the major search engines, social media, and many media sites including YouTube are now algorithmically steering their users to the right and to the left. Here is how this happens: Once they are quickly identified by “personalizing” AI, conservatives are fed conservative content and liberals are fed liberal content. This creates what are often referred to as filter bubbles. This steering could ultimately add to the polarization of our society, and possibly full Balkanization and another civil war. So… Will historians in the 2050s refer to the Second Civil War as “AI-driven”?
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Plane tickets out of Russia are selling out after Putin announces partial military mobilization.
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H.L. sent this one: Vanderbilt Responds After Matt Walsh Blows the Lid Off Their “Big Money Maker” Gender Destruction Program for Children.
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Reader O.G. sent this comment in response to a comment by Dan:
“Climbing equipment is best in class when used properly. It is designed specifically for fall arrest, that is precisely why it was made and designed for such. Climbing equipment as with fall arrest equipment can fail and you can die if used improperly or abused. Climbing gear specifically carabineers are made of many materials including aluminum, stainless steel and steel. They have both spring-loaded and manual locks. I have been climbing since I was 14 and am now 54. I have and will continue to trust my life with Black Diamond (formerly Chouinard), Petzel, SMC, etc. They are all tested and stringently scrutinized before release. That snippet is an insult to the industry, practice, and art of climbing…’in a jamb’ or not.”
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Governor Abbott Designates Mexican Cartels As Terrorist Organizations.
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State Department Stops Publishing Military Expenditures, Arms Transfer Report.
Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR. or AVL. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.