When Elliott Blackmore discovered Mental Health Swims, it felt like home. Swimming and paddleboarding alone had felt lonely; other groups seemed a little unwelcoming. This community felt “totally, 100 percent nonjudgmental,” he says. At Mental Health Swims, volunteer hosts around the UK organize meetups at the beach, lakes, rivers or outdoor pools, so that anyone can benefit from, as the organization puts it, the “healing power of cold water and community.” For Blackmore, a deputy headteacher (principal), the effect was immediate. He first joined a local swim, in Margate on the southeastern coast of England, during the winter holiday period. “Christmas was a really difficult time for me. [Swimming that day] meant that I felt, for the next two or three weeks, so much better,” he says. Mental Health Swims focuses on “dips not distance.” Courtesy of Mental Health Swims The benefits of outdoor swimming are well documented, but Mental Health Swims adds another layer, notes Blackmore, now a volunteer host with the Margate group. Swimmers share the adrenaline rush of a cold-water dip — and sometimes also a chat about what’s bothering them. “When people open up like that, it means your connections become really strong, really quickly,” he says. With its focus on “dips not distance,” Mental Health Swims is one of many groups sprouting up to encourage physical activity, whatever your ability. But the benefits may go beyond individual wellbeing. These groups also facilitate social connections, which is good for local communities. And they provide spaces for people of differing backgrounds to interact — something that experts say is sorely needed. A strong economy needs functioning infrastructure — transport links, utilities and so on. Similarly, strong social ties require underlying support. Some call this “social infrastructure,” which researcher Dan Gregory defines as “places and spaces and structures that allow people to come together.”

November 08, 2024

A roundup of mysterious, paranormal and strange news stories from the past week. 

As Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi points out in an article for Discover, in 1536, witnesses to Anne Boleyn’s execution claimed that her severed head’s lips moved, causing them to wonder whether she was attempting to speak. Likewise, when Jean-Paul Marat’s assassin, Charlotte Corday, was guillotined in 1793 and her executioner slapped the cheeks of her […] The post 10 Scientists Who Enabled Brains to Survive Bodily Death appeared first on Listverse.

Let’s flip the script on one of our old lists. Imagine cracking open a book for some mild escapism. Experience a fun, colorful, harmless fantasy world. Look behind the scenes for the life of an innocuous celebrity. Now, put a scene that would be considered envelope-pushing if Stephen King or Grady Hendrix included it in […] The post 10 Surprisingly Dark Moments in Seemingly Benign Books appeared first on Listverse.

Multiple outlets are reporting that anti-Israel mobs are chasing down Israelis and savagely beating them on the streets of Amsterdam Thursday following a soccer game between Maccabi Tel Aviv FC and Amsterdam's…

“It is a mercy that our lives are not left for us to plan, but that our Father chooses for us; else might we sometimes turn away from our best blessings, and put from us the choicest and loveliest gifts of His providence.” – Susannah Thompson Spurgeon The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, another look at China’s Financial woes. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Following Donald Trump’s election, the U.S. Dollar and stocks were up. Meanwhile, Bitcoin was up, and precious metals were down, in Dollar terms. Because the Federal budget deficit is continuing to grow, the long-term prospects for the U.S. Dollar are dour. … The post Economics & Investing For Preppers appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

(Continued from Part 3.  This concludes the article.) Critical Replacement Parts for the Long Term The single most common reasons small engines fail to operate at all or correctly is attributed to their fuel system that include water in the fuel, old fuel, or cracked fuel lines. And number one for chainsaw problems: old, dry and brittle fuel pump diaphragms inside the carburetor.  At one time the only affordable way to correct these problems was to install a rebuild kit.  However, there are other causes that make a carburetor less able to function such as fine deposits and internal corrosion. … The post Chainsaws for a Decade of Service – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

November 8, 1701: William Penn presented the Charter of Privileges, that guaranteed religious freedom for the colony in Pennsylvania. — And on November 8, 1967, silver hit a record $1.951 an ounce in London. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any … The post Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 8, 2024 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.