There’s never a dull moment down in the land of the Nile for those with a shovel. A recent discovery of two exquisitely detailed sarcophagi, one sealed inside another, was made recently in the ancient land of Asyut, dating to the 19th century BCE, in the earlier days of the Middle Kingdom. Interred within was […] The post Overshadowed Period of Ancient Egypt Illuminated by Intricate Coffins for ‘the Lady of the House’ appeared first on Good News Network.

The post How Movies and Television Portray Cats: Stereotypes & Olga’s Nature by Christopher Bays appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga. Before a friend gave me a Siamese cat several years ago, I knew little about them and had no idea how vocal they were. I met several people who thought they were meaner and more devious than other breeds, which isn’t accurate, but I don’t think they formed their opinions from their personal experiences. Cartoon Animals When they were kids, they probably watched Lady and the Tramp and didn’t appreciate how Am and Si treated the dogs. Movies and television programs influence us more than we would like to admit, and Disney, in particular, has had a profound impact on our understanding of animals. The writers and producers have good intentions, and it’s not their fault that we make assumptions based on the actions of animated cats and dogs. Some blame 101 Dalmatians for an increase in overbreeding and deafness in Dalmatians, but the film didn’t contain subliminal messages encouraging everyone to adopt and mistreat a high-energy breed. Making Siamese look like manipulative fiends or portraying Dalmatians as pets any family can own doesn’t bother me. Cartoonists and writers have an artistic license to exaggerate; they’re not bound by breed standards or veterinary evidence. However, I don’t like seeing live-action movies with cats drinking milk. What can I do for you, Christopher? I’m trying to relax! Milk and Hollywood Cats Most cats are lactose intolerant, but characters who find or rescue cats usually give them milk even in today’s shows and films. I understand that it is a staple in most homes, and unprepared, new owners are unlikely to have cat food. Because of the fat and protein, cats generally like drinking milk until they get stomach aches or diarrhea. Since most cats don’t get seriously ill from milk, it’s better for them to drink it in films than eat a loaf of garlic bread or a bowl of raisins. Olga isn’t interested in dairy products and would ignore a bowl of milk if she escaped and was rescued by a thoughtful neighbor. She can be affectionate and playful but also displays the stereotypical behavior of “evil cats” in the movies. This isn’t the time to take my picture. Dinnertime is precious to me. Olga’s Similarity to Church If she were resurrected like Church in Pet Sematary, Olga would probably toss a dead mouse into my bathtub. Even though Church, played by seven cats, was a British Shorthair, he’s one of the few movie cats that slightly resembles Olga. When he hisses in the film, he reminds me of her. Olga only hisses at me when I return from a trip, and I feel honored that I’m the only one who has seen her scary side. She likes hiding in the dark, surprising me with quick attacks, and hovering over me when I sleep late, just like the fictional felines in films. She makes the stereotypes seem more plausible but is more manipulative and violent than my Siamese cat. Although Olga would be an excellent horror film cat, she wouldn’t enjoy being around strange people or shooting a movie away from home. Films and television shows have portrayed cats as evil, insane, playful, indifferent, and ignorant, which isn’t a problem, but I’m surprised by how many people believe what they see on a screen. I heard it’s better to sleep with your front paws elevated. This article is a part of Christopher and Olga's series. Read his previous article: Words Your Cat Understands: Olga’s Language Skills The post How Movies and Television Portray Cats: Stereotypes & Olga’s Nature by Christopher Bays appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Author of The Blackout Book and the online course Bloom Where You’re Planted [Editorial note: As inflation wrecks the American economy and articles on homelessness become relevant, it is worth taking the time to review this piece from 2021 on food preservation during harvest time.] As supplies become more expensive, and in many cases, more difficult to come by, it’s time to up your preparedness game. If 2020 has made anything clear, it’s that you can’t simply rely on regular shopping for your food. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to begin preserving your own. These new skills will pay off even if things somewhat do go back to “normal” and you’re able to find everything you want at a reasonable price at the grocery store, any time you want it. So without further ado, here are the food preservation books that every prepper needs. The 10 food preservation books you need in your survival and preparedness library The Prepper’s Canning Guide  – Shameless self-promotion alert: This is my book. In it, you’ll find all the basic instructions you need for water bath and pressure canning food safely, as well as detailed recipes for everything from single ingredients to full meals. Prepper’s Dehydrating Handbook –  You don’t need one of those super-expensive Cadillac dehydrators to use this book. A less expensive one will do just fine. I’ll note that the font in this book is a little bit light. As a writer myself, I realize this is through no fault of the author, but of the printer. It does not lessen the incredible value of this book – it’s a standby for me while I’m living in a place with more produce than I can possibly eat before it goes bad. Fermented Vegetables – This is a guide to preserving all sorts of veggies using the ancient art of fermentation with recipes from around the world. Make krauts, kimchis, chutneys, and relishes. Fermentation is a method of preservation that actually adds nutritional benefits. Pickled Pantry: From Apples to Zucchini – This book is a really fun read and it walks you through the art of pickling, making relishes and chutneys, and preserving foods that would normally require pressure canning safely in a water bath. Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables – This is a guide to an incredibly important method of food preservation – simply storing produce properly in a cool, dark environment. You can greatly extend the availability of certain items of garden-fresh produce by properly storing it. The Complete Guide to Smoking and Salt Curing – Are you looking for a way to preserve meat besides canning it? Check out this guide to smoking and curing and learn to preserve meat, fish, and game. This book is loaded with photographs and simple instructions. Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing – If you’re looking for a slightly more upscale bunch of meat preservation recipes, this is your book. It’s got some really delicious recipes for things like pancetta, prosciutto, salami, and sausages. The Jerky Bible – If you like jerky, this is the book for you. With recipes for beef, venison, fish, poultry, and more, learn how to safely preserve your meat in the form of flavorful jerky. Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation – I love, love, love this book because the methods are so different. It describes traditional French food preservation methods that don’t rely on kitchen gadgets. Food Storage: Preserving Meat, Dairy, and Eggs – The thing that makes this book so unusual is the subject matter. It is divided up by food category and provides the reader with all sorts of alternatives for preserving these items that can be a little trickier to put back safely. (If you’re looking on more reading material on food preservation, check out our free QUICKSTART Guide to home canning.) Bonus: Here are some books about food storage and using the foods you’ve stashed away Of course, many of us are still shopping at grocery stores and adding to our pantries that way as well. Here are some suggestions to help you build your pantries and how to use shelf-stable food in everyday cooking. Prepper’s Pantry – I know, more shameless self-promotion. In the first edition of this book, I wrote about starting a pantry from scratch after moving from one country to another and not being able to bring my stockpile. In this updated version, I went into much greater detail about how I built my pantry on a budget, included healthful and unprocessed foods, and the methods I used for storing them. A Year Without the Grocery Store – This incredible guide has a step by step plan for building a pantry that will keep a large family fed for a year. Author Karen Morris will help you get organized and stocked up in no time at all with this fantastic book. (There’s even a companion workbook you can get to go with it.) A Cabin Full of Food – This book focuses on taking the food that you grow, then preserving it and cooking with it. It takes the reader from garden to pantry to table and is written in a friendly, approachable style. It’s jam-packed with delicious traditional Mennonite recipes to use your garden goodies. The Prepper’s Cookbook – Wondering how to use all those shelf-stable foods in meals that your family will enjoy? This is the book for you. The Prepper’s Cookbook has more than 300 recipes that are all based on the ingredients that preppers store. The Seasonal Kitchen Companion – This is a PDF filled with the way I use and preserve fresh food for my family, using such methods as cooking, canning, dehydrating, and freezing. What are your favorite food preservation books? Do you have some books that you swear by for food preservation? Please share them in the comments! (Be sure to include the author’s name so we can find them more easily.) I’ll add a reader’s choice section to this article if we get enough suggestions. (Want uninterrupted access to The Organic Prepper? Check out our paid-subscription newsletter.) 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 10 Food Preservation Books Every Prepper Needs appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, did not respond to concerns that his administration would rely on the Southern Poverty Law Center to exclude conservatives from a state flag program after his office apologized for honoring a gay organization the SPLC brands a “hate group.” Polis’ signature appeared on a document celebrating the Colorado chapter of Gays Against Groomers, a group of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who oppose experimental transgender medical procedures on children. The SPLC—which vehemently supports transgender interventions for children and labels mainstream conservative and Christian organizations “hate groups,” placing them on a map along with chapters of the Ku Klux Klan—branded Gays Against Groomers an “anti-LGBTQ Hate Group” in June. Colorado state Rep. Brandi Bradley, a Republican, paid to fly Colorado and United States flags above the state Capitol in the name of Gays Against Groomers on Oct. 1. The state suspended the flag program Tuesday, amid criticism regarding the group. The program allowed people to purchase honorary flags for as little as $26. Customers would fill out an online form with the message of their choice to appear on a certificate with the state seal and the governor’s signature. The governor’s office and the administrative agency in charge of the flag program both pledged to update their vetting procedures. “Hate has no place in Colorado, and Gov. Polis denounces hate in all its forms,” Polis spokeswoman Shelby Wieman told the local NBC News affiliate KUSA-TV. “The administration is taking active internal steps to ensure more vetting is conducted on these types of requests today and in the future.”  Tony Gherardini, executive director of the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, apologized for the “unfortunate misstep,” according to a memo to state legislators provided to KUSA-TV. “At the time of request, [the department] was unaware Gays Against Grooming [sic] has been designated as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League and did not do our due diligence,” Gherardini wrote. “We are taking internal steps to ensure that a more thorough vetting occurs going forward.”  Gays Against Groomers’ Response “It’s wrong that the governor would want to make decisions about who can or cannot have an American flag flown over their own state Capitol,” Rich Guggenheim, head of the Colorado Gays Against Groomers chapter, told The Daily Signal in a statement Wednesday. “We hope that as Colorado updates their ‘vetting’ policies, they will start utilizing stakeholder feedback and be inclusive of everybody’s perspectives,” he added. “The SPLC is biased and spreads significant misinformation to line their own pockets and foment hate and violence against gay people who do not align with their ideological agenda against the safety of innocent and still-developing children.” Polis is the first openly gay man to serve as Colorado’s governor. As I wrote in my book, “Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center,” the SPLC gained its reputation by suing Ku Klux Klan groups into bankruptcy, but later took the program it used to monitor the Klan and transformed it into a fundraising tool that also shames its political and ideological opponents. A former SPLC employee called the “hate” accusations a “highly profitable scam,” and critics on both the Right and the Left have publicly dissented from the SPLC’s “hate group” accusations. The SPLC strongly advocates for experimental transgender medical interventions, which proponents euphemistically refer to as “gender-affirming care.” There is no conclusive evidence that these interventions improve the lives of those who undergo them, but the negative side-effects include seizures, cancer in teens, an increase in suicidal thoughts, sterility, and reduced sexual function. Advocates such as Gays Against Groomers oppose these drugs and surgeries in part because they believe minors under the age of 18 cannot thoroughly understand the lifelong effects and therefore cannot provide informed consent. In addition to gender ideology, the SPLC advocates for loose enforcement of immigration law and against parental rights in education, among other issues. It uses the “hate map” to demonize the groups that oppose its preferred policies. The “hate group” accusation inspired a domestic terrorism attack in 2012 against the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. The SPLC is currently facing a defamation lawsuit that cleared a major legal hurdle last year. When the SPLC added Gays Against Groomers to its “hate map” this summer, it added four chapters: the group’s headquarters in Milwaukee, and three state chapters, in Missouri, North Carolina, and Washington. The Colorado chapter does not appear on the SPLC “hate map.” No Response From Polis The Daily Signal reached out to Polis and Gherardini, requesting comment about the “vetting” process and whether Colorado will consider the SPLC’s accusations when determining which groups can fly American and Colorado flags above the state Capitol. The Daily Signal asked how they would respond to criticism that reliance on the SPLC might exclude conservatives based on their viewpoints. Neither responded by publication time. The post Colorado Governor Silent on Whether He’ll Use Far-Left Smear Factory to Cancel Conservatives After Flag Squabble appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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