SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR [1]. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, growing feral pig populations.
Feral Pig Crop Damage: $1.6 Billion
MarketIntel reports: Feral Hogs vs. Farmers: The Damage Price Tag [2]. Here is an excerpt:
“Feral hogs are a highly adaptable and invasive species that have been found in more than 35 U.S. states. With reproductive rates that allow populations to double in as little as four months, their geographic range and damage footprint grow rapidly without intensive eradication efforts. These animals cause extensive harm to agriculture by consuming and uprooting crops, degrading pastureland, damaging fences and infrastructure and directly impacting livestock — including through predation on newborn animals and competition for feed and water. They also pose serious disease transmission risks to both domestic livestock and wildlife.”
South Carolina’s Wild Pig Population is Exploding
Bird Flu Outbreak Near Wisconsin Lab
Reader D.S.V. sent us this: Bird flu outbreak near Wisconsin lab raises gain-of-function concerns [4].
Documentary: Ukraine’s Killzone Frontline
I found this recent documentary video linked over at the Whatfinger.com [5]news aggregation site: I Went To Ukraine’s Killzone Frontline [6]. JWR’s Comments: It was interesting to see how the Russo-Ukrainian war has morphed in recent months. Note the use of commercial off-the-shelf systems, and the extensive use of anti-drone netting. I must say that it was refreshing to see an in-theater report from a former U.S. military officer — someone with the knowledge and experience to actually understand what he was looking at, and also able to competently and succinctly articulate it.
BlackRock and Blackstone Buying Up Power Utilities
Reader Tim S. suggested this article: Critics Fear Financial Titans Have Found Trojan Horse For ‘Climate Mandates’ [7].
A New Look at States’ Rights
Over at Mises Wire: A Principled View of States’ Rights [8].
China Shuns US, Israeli Cybersecurity Software
H.L. sent us this link: China Orders Domestic Firms To Stop Using US, Israeli Cybersecurity Software On ‘National Security’ Grounds [9]. JWR’s Comment: After the Stuxnet fiasco, many users are wary of Israeli-developed software, worldwide.
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You can send your news tips to JWR [1]. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact [10] form.) Thanks!