There is no evidence that Blinken made this specific statement

Russia became the fourth-largest economic power in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

A viral video shared on Threads purports to show 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump eating a carton of fries during a recent visit to McDonald’s.   Post by @hilmatthews View on Threads   Verdict: False The video has been generated with artificial intelligence (AI), according to Reuters, who performed a scan using […]

Author of The Widow in the Woods I sincerely hope that none of these medical books will ever be necessary, but recently, I’ve had the uncomfortable feeling that even if some kind of catastrophic disaster doesn’t strike us, we may be largely on our own regarding healthcare. I’ve always kept medical books on hand, even before I was a prepper, and it has paid off more than once. It’s a habit I picked up from my dad, who got the updated Merck Manual every few years. In the case of disasters at the awful level we’re seeing in Appalachia right now, you just never know when you might be unable to leave your home because the roads and bridges have been destroyed. A lot depends on the government going forward. I learned years ago not to make predictions of who would be named the winner of an election and I have been surprised before. So, I recommend preparing now, just in case things go in the direction of more censorship and control. Here are some of the medical books on my shelf. The Survival Medicine Handbook If you don’t already have The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Help is NOT on the Way by Dr. Joe Alton and Amy Alton, get yourself one ASAP. This book is filled with excellent advice from a physician and a nurse and is designed specifically for preppers. This book contains almost 700 pages of in-depth information written by medical professionals in language that is understandable to non-medical professionals. If you only get one book, this should be it. Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease A great complement to the book above is Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease: The Layman’s Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings. In the same language, this is a guide for the layman trying to treat a family member with the possibly limited antibiotics on hand. Where There Is No Doctor I know that we all criticize the WHO, but Where There Is No Doctor,  recommended by the organization, really does deserve a place on your shelf. This is one of the Hesperian health guides which are widely used by medical personnel and nonmedical personnel in third-world countries. The book also contains information about preventing illness through proper sanitation and water management. When There Is No Dentist An oft-overlooked topic in medical preparedness is emergency dental care. A toothache can be excruciating and distracting, and an abscess can cause a severe threat to health. Another of the Hesperian guides, When There Is No Dentist is a very important book to add to your library. Prepper’s Natural Medicine It’s equally important to have a resource for natural health care in the event there is no medication to be found. Cat Ellis’s book, Prepper’s Natural Medicine, is precisely the book you need. It’s thorough and walks you through not only what to use, but how to use it. The Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook Produced by the Department of Defense, The Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook is particularly useful for injuries, wounds, and even field surgery if necessary. There is also a veterinary section in the book for your furry friends. The Physician’s Desk Reference Also known as the PDR, The Physician’s Desk Reference can be useful for researching prescription drugs. It can be difficult and expensive to get your hands on the latest version, but usually an older version will suffice in an emergency. This book is costly, and while I believe it’s important, if you can only get one book, get something more accessible to the layperson. I got mine at a yard sale a few years ago, so keep your eyes open and you may be able to get it for a steal. The Merck Manual This is the diagnostic manual of my childhood library. Okay, it was my dad’s library, but I have always found it fascinating to read. Yes, I was a nerd. The Merck Manual is a diagnostic manual that can help you to figure out what’s going on with the person you are caring for in an emergency. It’s another expensive one, but if you can swing it, I believe you’ll find it extremely useful. Gray’s Anatomy Nope, not the television show. The book. It may be important in diagnosing a problem to know exactly what is where in the human body. Unless you’re a doctor, you probably don’t have every single part memorized. So, grab yourself an illustrated copy of Gray’s Anatomy. It’s a classic for a reason. Keep your eyes open. If money is tight, be sure to keep your eyes open for these books second-hand. You may be able to find them at yardsales, thrift stores, or online markets. Don’t worry about it being new. The information in the older books is still useful and relevant. Do you have the proper medications? Of course, it can be frustrating to know what to do for someone yet not be able to do it. Check out The Wellness Company’s medical kits to have important prescription medications on hand. Please note that once you have received your kit, you can order refills of medicines of your choice to have more on hand. I have several of these, and they’ve already come in handy to manage a sinus infection when I was laid up in bed after surgery. I think it could be progressively more difficult to get our hands on these kinds of medications. Fish antibiotics, a popular choice, are now illegal to sell over the counter. That doesn’t make them impossible to acquire, but it can be harder than before. I recommend also using some of these strategies to stock up on prescription medications used by your family members. Time could be running out. I hope it doesn’t come to this, but it’s entirely possible that a new wave of censorship could soon be upon us. That may take many forms, and access to medical information could be one of them. Are there other medical books you recommend for your prepper library? Do you have any of the books listed here? What is your favorite? Have you ever used these books in good times? Let’s discuss it in the comments section. About Daisy Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2)  The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews. Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter. The post The Medical Books in My Prepper Library appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

“Woke.” You keep using that word, but I don’t think it means what you think it means. A new survey shows that while most Americans think they know what “woke” means, they don’t actually have a firm grasp of the concept behind the term. I’d argue that the definition in my forthcoming book, “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government,” best encapsulates the real meaning and that most Americans do not support woke policies. But what do Americans think? Scott Rasmussen’s RMG Research surveyed 1,000 registered voters online last week, weighting the sample to make it more representative of Americans as a whole. The survey’s margin of error is plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points. Identifying as Woke Most respondents (77%) said they know what it means to be woke, and 41% of those who say they know what it means to be woke also identified themselves as woke. Half of those who said they know also said they don’t identify as woke (50%). Self-identified Democrats (63%) proved more likely to call themselves woke than independents (43%) or Republicans (24%), while Republicans (72%) proved more likely to say they were not woke than independents (38%) and Democrats (25%). When asked if they would approve of a woke political candidate, more respondents said they would have a favorable view (42%) than an unfavorable one (38%), but many said they were unsure (21%). Those who identified as woke unsurprisingly proved more likely to prefer a woke candidate (81%). Democrats (60%) proved more likely to say they would favor a woke candidate, while Republicans proved more likely to view a woke candidate unfavorably (61%), and independents were split between favoring (40%) and not favoring (32%) such a candidate. Institutional Racism Respondents did not fully align with the views of critical race theory (a lens that interprets America as institutionally racist, with black people oppressed and white people oppressors), though they did agree that America has systemic racism. Most respondents said the United States was founded on “the ideals of freedom, equality, and self-governance” (75%), rather than on “slavery, oppression, and racism” (20%). Even most of those who called themselves woke agreed that America had a noble founding (62%), although the self-identified woke proved more likely to say America was founded on slavery (32%). Respondents proved split on whether they thought a woke person would say America was founded on ideals (45%) or slavery (44%). Most Republicans (87%), independents (66%), and Democrats (64%) said America was founded on ideals, while independents (31%) and Democrats (29%) proved more likely than Republicans (11%) to say America was founded on slavery. Most respondents agreed with the statement that the United States is “a force for good in the world” (61%). Even those who identified as woke generally agreed (51%). Only 10% said America is a “force for evil,” and those who identified as woke were slightly more likely to call the U.S. evil (13%). Others said America is a force neither for good, nor evil (22%), or that they were not sure (6%). Republicans (71%) proved more likely than Democrats (58%) and independents (44%) to say America is a force for good. Many respondents (60%) said they think “there is widespread systemic racism and discrimination against minorities in America,” and those who identified as woke agreed even more (87%). Fewer Republicans (40%) than independents (68%) and Democrats (83%) agreed that America has systemic racism, and younger respondents (70% of those aged 18 to 34) proved more likely to agree. Woke Policy While many respondents agreed with some claims of critical race theory, most of them disagreed with policies the “anti-racism” movement supports. When asked whether the federal government should “impose new regulations requiring businesses to give preferences to minorities in hiring and promotions,” most (56%) said no, while only 31% said yes. Those who identified as woke proved more likely to favor such affirmative action (59%), although about a quarter of them did not (26%). Most who did not identify as woke (81%) opposed it. When asked “Are most white children taught racism at home?” most Americans said no (54%), while about one-third (29%) said yes. Those who identified as woke proved more likely (45%) to say white children learn to be racist at home, though many (37%) disagreed. Democrats proved slightly more likely to say white children are taught racism at home (41% yes, 39% no), while independents (47%) and Republicans (69%) mostly disagreed. Among those who said white children are taught racism at home, a sizable minority (38%) said they would support empowering “teachers and school administrators” to “limit the role of parents in the education of their children.” Respondents were more likely to oppose parental rights in this way when they identified as woke (43%). Most respondents said they would favor “cutting taxes to spur economic growth” (75%), while only 11% said they would not favor that policy. Even those who identified as woke (81%) supported tax cuts. Most Republicans (79%), independents (85%), and Democrats (69%) also supported tax cuts. Republicans (46%) proved more likely than independents (26%) and Democrats (16%) to say that people who are woke oppose tax cuts. Most respondents (73%) opposed allowing biological males who identify as women to compete in women’s sports, while only 16% supported it. Even most of those who identified as “woke” (53%) opposed males in women’s sports, while only 31% supported it. Most respondents said that someone who is woke would support allowing males in women’s sports (53%), while a sizable minority (29%) disagreed. Those who identified as woke were less likely to say the woke support males in women’s sports (42%). What Does Woke Mean? While “woke” is the past tense passive form of the verb “to awaken,” it came to be associated with racial politics after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014 and amid the Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter activists used it to describe themselves as having woken up to reality. It has become a catchall term for the Left’s ideology, and I define it as encompassing four different ideas: critical race theory, gender ideology, climate alarmism, and a preference for technocratic government. Woke activists believe that America is institutionally racist, was founded on slavery, and needs fundamental reform, if not a full revolution and overhauling of the current system. They also view America as oppressing various groups—racial minorities, women, LGBTQ people, and others. They support transgender policies, from allowing males to compete in women’s sports to placing male convicts in women’s prisons. They also believe that the burning of fossil fuels is changing earth’s climate and requires immediate action to save the planet. Finally, woke activists support bureaucratic solutions to each of these alleged problems. Ibram X. Kendi, one of the leading figures in the “anti-racism” movement, called for an “Anti-Racist Constitutional Amendment” that would “establish and permanently fund the Department of Anti-racism (DOA) comprised of formally trained experts on racism and no political appointees.” This federal department “would be responsible for preclearing all local, state and federal public policies to ensure they won’t yield racial inequity, monitor those policies, investigate private racist policies when racial inequity surfaces, and monitor public officials for expressions of racist ideas.” Kendi’s amendment would also empower this agency to discipline “policymakers and public officials who do not voluntarily change their racist policy and ideas.” According to critical race theory, “racist ideas” can run the gamut from true racism (believing people are inherently inferior due to their skin color) to a preference for virtues like timeliness and a work ethic. In 2020, the National Museum of African American History and Culture published an infographic presenting various aspects of Western culture—including the nuclear family, science, capitalism, and even competition, writing, politeness, and a work ethic—as part of an oppressive “whiteness” that must be rejected. Portland, Oregon, activist Lilith Sinclair said that “black and indigenous communities” have to fight “colonized thought” among themselves. As examples of “colonized thought,” she mentioned Christianity and the “gender binary.” The Elite 1% Most Americans do not agree with this ideology, but it has broad purchase among a population Scott Rasmussen describes as the elite 1%. People who make more than $150,000 a year, live in densely populated areas, and have postgraduate degrees are overwhelmingly liberal and tend to favor more woke policies, according to research from Rasmussen’s Napolitan News Service. The elite 1% give President Joe Biden an 82% approval rating, compared to his 40% average from the rest of Americans. Rasmussen’s polling found that Americans in the elite 1% are far more likely to support transgender policy, to support government crackdowns on disinformation, to trust government agencies over voters and elected representatives, and favor climate regulations. A vast majority (77%) of the elite 1% support rationing of the private use of gas, meat, and electricity, while 63% of voters oppose such rationing. Elites favor banning gas-powered cars (72%), gas stoves (69%), and private air conditioning (53%), while voters heavily oppose such measures. These elites likely support the Left’s infiltration of the federal government. My book, “The Woketopus,” explains how the Left’s dark money network funds woke nonprofits that staff and advise federal agencies. It explains how climate alarmist groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club collude with bureaucrats to tighten restrictions on oil and gas. It reveals how the Human Rights Campaign essentially wrote a transgender blueprint that the Biden-Harris administration followed. It exposes the labor unions who help fund other woke groups and pushed the administration to crack down on Americans’ freedom to work as independent contractors. “Woke” is an inherent part of “The Woketopus,” and I’d argue that my definition helps reveal exactly what the ideology is, and why it’s dangerous for America. The post What Does It Mean to Be ‘Woke’? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

As Trump Peaks Democrats Go Insane

Axios: Harris 'Stiff-Arms' Biden in Closing Days

"This tells me Americans are becoming more afraid in general, about everything."

Everybody knows that for life to thrive on any world, you need water, warmth, and something to eat. It’s like a habitability mantra. But, what other factors affect habitability? What if you relaxed the conditions conducive to life? Would it still exist? If so, what would it be? Those are interesting questions that arise as new worlds continue to be discovered around other stars. Astrobiology (the science of life on other worlds) has a general (and conservative) assumption that Earth-like environments are the best places to search. The problem is that Earth is the only place that fits that definition—at the moment. We know of approximately 6,000 exoplanets (and the number is growing) out there. Only a few come close to the Earth-like definition, which sets artificial limits on where we think life could exist. If we widen the definition of habitability, will that expand the places we can look? What other factors should scientists consider as they search for life in the cosmos? A recent paper titled “Self-sustaining Living Habitats in Extreme Environments”, by Harvard scientist Robin Wordsworth and Professor Charles Cockell, University of Edinburgh, examines the possibilities of specific types of organisms arising on worlds where habitability might not fit the “standard definition.” In particular, they examine the viability of photosynthetic-based simple life forms in space or on other worlds. “Our idea is to probe the limits for habitability of non-sentient life. We were able to show that there are no physical limitations on simple forms of life existing outside of planetary gravity wells, which was not a result we expected initially,” Wordsworth wrote in an email. A composite image of the planet Venus as seen by the Japanese probe Akatsuki. The clouds of Venus could have environmental conditions conducive to microbial life. Credit: JAXA/Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Questions about Life Elsewhere that Isn’t Earthlike There’s a lot to unpack in the team’s paper, but the TL:DR summary says that life CAN exist in a variety of situations, provided certain parameters are met. And, they don’t have to be strictly Earth-like. But for the best chances, those organisms need to be photosynthetic and live in a place where sunlight from the system’s star can get through. We only have to look at the other worlds of the Solar System to see that the standard definition isn’t going to fly for them. Venus, for example, can’t support any life on its surface. But, recent findings (and disagreements about) phosphine and warm layers in its atmosphere suggest that it could have habitable spots high above the surface. There’s no evidence that it exists in those clouds. But, they may provide a set of conditions for certain kinds of life—and those conditions don’t fit the Earthlike definition. Scientists also suggest Titan, Enceladus, and Europa as possibly habitable havens for life. Again, nothing’s been found at any of them. However, it’s possible that at least Enceladus and Europa could have safe harbors for certain kinds of life. Not Earthlike, to be sure, since those forms probably wouldn’t survive there. So, the authors ask, how much complexity do you need for life to sustain itself beyond Earth? That leads to a far more interesting question: what’s the minimum physical structure that could sustain habitable conditions on another world? Could non-sentient organisms exist in and modify different conditions? Enceladus is the sixth-largest moon of Saturn. It is about 500 kilometers (310 mi) in diameter, about a tenth of that of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Examining Other Parameters for Life To answer those questions, the authors looked at various parameters, including planetary habitability, atmospheric pressure, temperature, volatile loss (from the surface and atmosphere, which also involves looking at the gravity well), radiation, free energy, and nutrients, scale and location, and maintenance and growth. All of these factors affect the rise of life and its ongoing evolution. They considered simple photosynthetic forms (that is, those that depend on photosynthesis) as a test case. That’s because, as Wordsworth points out, a solar radiation energy source is key. “When solar radiation is the energy source, life can flourish and spread over a much larger area, until its growth is limited by other things, such as availability of essential nutrients or raw materials,” he pointed out. That reliance on solar energy is important. However, it plays much less of a role in places like Europa or Enceladus. Those two worlds do have internal energy sources or chemical energy sources, but those do not allow for photosynthesis to occur. If life exists under their ice shells, it won’t be basking in the sunlight. That’s because those surfaces are not transparent enough to allow sunlight to pass. It would have to depend on the central energy sources. That pretty much limits the areas where life can flourish. That’s not to say that it won’t exist there. It will occur under more limited circumstances than simple photosynthetic organisms arising with energy input from the star. As a result of their research, Wordsworth and Cockell argue that non-sentient life can flourish under the proper conditions at other worlds. They found no limitations to it surviving in self-contained ecosystems elsewhere, provided those ecosystems can regulate their habitability internally. In other words, life—particularly simple forms of it—can exist under conditions that aren’t always Earthlike. Jupiter’s moon Europa It’s Not Always About Other Planets One other outcome of the Wordsworth-Cockell research points out benefits for other fields of study. For example, life support for humans in space. That would allow for the use of biotechnology in medicine, food, habitat construction, and spacecraft propulsion. Essentially, we could create biologically generated habitats for environments such as the Moon or Mars. In addition, the idea that such simple life can exist in a wider variety of environments could push astrobiology to get past the idea that only Earth-like places should be the “holy Grail” of the search for life. Of course, once you assume that other places with more extreme environments can support life, you need to figure out ways to detect it. Such detections require new strategies that depend on where you’re searching and what you’re searching for. Finally, we need to look at how much the living beings on our planet have shaped its habitability. We also need to understand what the initial conditions were that shaped life here. Then, scientists can apply that information in the hunt for life in other places. That leads to further speculation about how we could (if we wanted to), shape the biospheres of other worlds. Obviously, Mars comes to mind. That’s terraforming, and scientists continue to examine that possibility. Source: www.universetoday.com The post Life May Exist On Planets Considered ‘Uninhabitable’ appeared first on Anomalien.com.