Preppers are ingenious people‚ and we can provide a lot of things for ourselves. Food? We can grow‚ hunt or forage it. Water? We might drill a well‚ set up a rainwater collection system or run a pipe to a nearby river and let the current bring it to our home. Electricity? Solar panels‚ wind […] The post These Fuel Storage Mistakes Could Kill You appeared first on Ask a Prepper.

“We’ve never seen anything like this.”

Preview Reviews: Early looks at unfinished reviews for paid subscribers; annual subscribers receive vacations! This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.The post True Detective: Night Country (season 4) first appeared on Worth It or Woke.

Thrash metal meets teen pop. The post How Metallica inspired the life and career of Backstreet Boys first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

by The Wellness Company‚ Breitbart: People all over the world never want to hear the word “vaccine” again after the pandemic debacle. Yet‚ with new mRNA biotechnology ready on the computer screen for the next genetic code to come in‚ you can see how vaccine ideologists cannot wait for another pandemic to test out the […]

by Paul Serran‚ The Gateway Pundit: The years-long political struggle between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the European Union seems to be coming to a head. Conservative champion Orbán is hated with a passion by Brussels for the very same reasons that make us care for him – defense of family values‚ of a […]

In Telangana‚ an arid south Indian state notorious for drought‚ a man swipes a card at an ATM. Instead of cash‚ the machine doles out 20 liters of clean drinking water. The ATM is housed in an iJal (My Water) station‚ run by 31-year-old Somarathi Sindhuja‚ a petite mother of two. When she set it up seven years ago‚ she had not imagined that her seed money of Rs 2‚00000 (just under $2400 US) would help her create what she today calls her “public service business‚” which supplies clean drinking water within a two-mile radius of her home in Warangal‚ Telangana’s second largest city.  Sindhuja is one of the 350 rural water entrepreneurs trained and supported since 2017 by Safe Water Network (SWN)‚ an American nonprofit founded in 2006 by the late actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and other civic leaders. The entrepreneurs buy or provide the space for the water filtration equipment and ATM‚ as well as the raw water. SWN provides them with the necessary training‚ technical support and water treatment expertise. Using all this‚ they are able to filter water to international safe drinking water standards and sell it for the nominal sum of Rs 5 ($0.07 US) for 20 liters.  That’s an extremely good deal for the community: Typically the price for a similar quantity of water‚ from a competing supplier like commercial tanker owners‚ is at least double this amount; bottled water can go for as much as 10 times more. It’s a good deal for the entrepreneur‚ too. “I earn about Rs 15‚000 to 20‚000 (roughly $180 to $240 US) per month from this‚ which is amazing as there are hardly any jobs available to women like me here‚” Sindhuja says. “And I’m also improving the lives of people in my neighborhood.” Sindhuja says her iJal station gets about 200 customers per day. Credit: Raj Kumar / Safe Water Network Warangal is undeniably parched‚ and the water that most residents there can easily access is not safe to drink. And it’s not alone in these challenges: Due to depleting groundwater reserves‚ erratic rainfall and poor civic infrastructure‚ an estimated 2.2 billion people across the globe were unable to get safe drinking water in 2022. In India‚ thanks to the government’s ambitious piped water scheme Har Ghar Nal ka Jal (Water on Tap in Every Home)‚ things are looking up — but a lot more needs to be done.  “The piped water still needs to be filtered and treated before it can be drunk‚” says Poonam Sewak‚ SWN’s vice president for programs and partnerships‚ pointing out that an estimated 63 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water‚ and half of the country’s groundwater is contaminated with fluoride‚ nitrate and heavy metals. The network’s iJal stations with attached water ATMs offer high-tech and decentralized safe water access solutions in India and Ghana. Building a corps of rural water entrepreneurs  The network’s water ATMs operate in several districts in Telangana‚ Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Some are co-owned and run by self-help collectives of five to six women‚ while others are run by single entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs provide the fixed assets and water source‚ usually a borewell on the premises. SWN contributes technical expertise to set up a reverse osmosis water filtration unit‚ provides marketing support and maintenance help and trains the entrepreneur to operate and maintain the water station and ATM. All in all‚ an iJal station costs under Rs 20 lakh (about $2‚400 US) to set up and can service around 350 households. Sindhuja reckons she gets about 200 customers every day.  Creating clusters of iJal stations is crucial to this model‚ as this enables SWN’s technical staff to monitor and maintain the stations efficiently and cost-effectively. On average‚ each cluster with 30-plus stations creates about 60 to 100 jobs. This leads to what Kurt Soderlund‚ CEO‚ and Venkatesh Raghavendra‚ vice president‚ of the network described in an article in the Wharton School’s business journal as a “virtuous cycle‚ in which “[f]amilies participate‚ using more‚ safe water‚ leading to a healthier population and improved livelihoods.” The network’s water ATMs operate in several districts in Telangana‚ Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Credit: Safe Water Network This is one of the many ways in which water entrepreneurship has been facilitated in underserved regions across Africa and Asia. While this model trains new business owners as well as provides technical and maintenance assistance‚ other models are more hands-off. For example‚ the for-profit African company Jibu has a network of franchises‚ which purify existing water sources in high-density communities and distribute water to the neighborhood within walking distance of their storefronts.   Jibu’s one-time paid transfer of water filtration technology to rural entrepreneurs probably costs less in terms of time‚ energy and money‚ compared to the SWN model‚ which continues to maintain the ATMS and handhold its iJal station owners through their working lives. Consequently‚ the stations’ water revenue does not cover all the costs — of water advocacy; monitoring‚ evaluation and maintenance; water quality testing; and field supervision costs — which are mostly subsidized by the network’s donors.  Crushed by negative news? Sign up for the Reasons to be Cheerful newsletter. [contact-form-7] This makes the SWN model highly dependent on philanthropic funding. In 2020‚ SWN’s biggest donor‚ Honeywell‚ decided to shift its funds to Covid relief and environmental sustainability. “We have other donors like PepsiCo‚ Oracle‚ Macquarie and Pentair Foundation‚ so there was no pause in our programs‚” Sewak says. “But it was tough.” However‚ this stream of funding is also why‚ as Sewak points out‚ Sindhuja’s and other ATMs have been working smoothly since 2017. “None of our stations have closed down‚” she says. In some cases‚ she notes‚ stations have been “lifted and shifted” because the community wasn’t buying the water or because there were issues with the machine or the entrepreneur. “Why should I spend on drinking water?” Sindhuja set up her iJal station seven years ago. Credit: Raj Kumar / Safe Water Network Sindhuja says one of the initial challenges she faced was in convincing people that drinking clean water was imperative for their continued good health — even if it meant paying for it. Many other similar projects across the world have observed a similar hesitation to buy drinking water. “Some even said that the iJal water tasted different from the water from their wells and borewells‚” she recalls.  To this end‚ SWN conducted large-scale outreach programs to educate people about the necessity of safe drinking water and improved the branding and signage at all their iJal stations. “We have also trained all our station operators to become safe water advocates‚” says Sewak. Sindhuja uses her TDS meter (which measures the total dissolved solids in water) to show skeptical customers that the water from her ATM is cleaner than untreated water. Also‚ the palpable impact of drinking clean water has told its own story. An impact assessment report in 2020 found that the reported incidence of waterborne diseases among water ATM users in Telangana declined from 34 percent to 23 percent over a period of three years. Sixty-three percent of users reported a reduction in medical expenses and 73 percent‚ a reduction in school absenteeism.  Vanitha Baloth‚ 30‚ comes to Sindhuja’s water ATM every day to buy drinking water for her household. “My parents and I have been drinking this water ever since we moved to this neighborhood six months ago‚ and none of us have had diarrhea‚ dysentery or any other waterborne disease during this time‚” she says. Baloth lives across the road‚ but in general‚ last-mile connectivity poses a challenge as customers still have to ferry heavy containers from the iJal stations to their homes. Sindhuja says she often helps elderly customers carry their water cans home.  Become a sustaining member today! Join the Reasons to be Cheerful community by supporting our nonprofit publication and giving what you can. Join Integrating water purification with doorstep delivery could help. For example‚ the Indian company Janajal (Hindi for “community water”) operates water ATMs in and around Delhi‚ as well as at several railway stations. In 2019‚ the company introduced clean fuel-powered three-wheeled vehicles that deliver clean water directly to communities‚ reaching both prime urban and deep‚ previously inaccessible rural areas. SWN “tried several water distribution models in India as well‚” Sewak says‚ “but this increased the cost of the water.” It is worth noting that the network does operate a piped drinking water program in Ghana. In India‚ however‚ since the Indian government’s Jal Jeevan Mission already aims to provide tap water supply to every rural household by 2024‚ it is focusing on safe drinking water as the government water supply cannot be drunk without being filtered.  “I earn about Rs 15‚000 to 20‚000 per month from this‚ which is amazing as there are hardly any jobs available to women like me here‚” Sindhuja says. Credit: Raj Kumar / Safe Water Network Another issue lies in the fact that the clusters of  iJal stations are by and large dependent on groundwater extraction‚ which depletes a limited supply‚ and makes them vulnerable to any drops in groundwater levels brought about by climate change or overuse. “Today‚ as the government is moving towards water safety in its sustainable development goals‚ we have developed an automatic chlorination and online monitoring system‚ which digitally monitors and chlorinates water in the overhead water tanks installed by the government‚” Sewak says. “This last-mile chlorination removes microbes that have contaminated the water as it is transmitted through pipelines‚ making it safe to drink.”  Meanwhile‚ Sindhuja is upbeat about the future of her “social business.” “Reverse osmosis filters are expensive to run at home. My water ATM offers a cheaper and equally good alternative‚” she says. “Today‚ the iJal station supports me and my family‚ and together we support our entire neighborhood.”   The post The Cheap‚ Clever Promise of ‘Water ATMs’ appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

  The Domus Aurea‚ or the “Golden House”‚ was a vast and opulent palace complex built by Emperor Nero in the heart of ancient Rome. The Palace‚ sprawling over three hills‚ was one of the most extravagant architectural marvels of the ancient world‚ covering an area of about 100 hectares (250 acres). The luxurious complex featured marvelous gardens‚ a man-made lake‚ fountains‚ statues‚ frescoes‚ and even a rotating dining room! The fabled palace was a symbol of Nero’s power and influence‚ but also of the emperor’s decadence and downfall.   After he died in 68 CE‚ Nero’s successors tried to erase his memory‚ razing the palace and burying it under new buildings‚ including the Colosseum. The Domus Aurea would remain hidden for centuries until its rediscovery in the Renaissance‚ inspiring the host of artists who admired its paintings and decorations. Today‚ the palace‚ located under Rome’s busy streets‚ is a fascinating archaeological site that offers a glimpse into the life and culture of the ancient city and the splendor of the lost Empire.   Domus Aurea Was Emperor’s Nero Masterpiece Visual reconstruction of the Domus Aurea‚ built after the Fire of Rome in 64 CE‚ by Josep R. Casals   In the aftermath of the Great Fire of Rome of 64 CE‚ Emperor Nero seized the opportunity to build his grand palace – the Domus Aurea. Known as the “Golden House”‚ the vast palatial complex sprawled over most devastated areas‚ including the Palatine‚ Esquiline and Caelian Hills. It was an opulent structure‚ a fulfilment of Nero’s ambitions and dreams. The Domus Area was more than a simple palace. A vast area (over 100 hectares) included sprawling gardens‚ artificial lakes‚ vineyards‚ fountains‚ an army of statues‚ a host of buildings‚ and hundreds of rooms elaborately decorated by lavish frescoes.   The highlight was a rotating dining room – an architectural marvel of the ancient world. To give it a personal touch‚ emperor Nero commissioned a colossal bronze statue of himself – the Colossus Neronis. Thus‚ the Domus Aurea was not merely a residence of the emperor. It was a symbol of Nero’s absolute power and‚ for his enemies‚ the clear and present evidence of the emperor’s decadence.   It Was a Marvel of Architecture and Art Domus Aurea‚ Ceiling decoration of the Hall of Achilles; with detail of the fresco from the Room of the Little Birds‚ ca. 64-68 CE‚ Rome. Source: Parco de Archeologico del Colosseo Starting in 64 CE‚ the best architects‚ engineers‚ and artists worked tirelessly for four years to realize Nero’s dream. The result was the marvel of Roman architecture and art – the Golden Palace. The buildings and gardens of the vast complex were filled with sculptures the emperor‚ who considered himself an artist‚ had taken from Greece and Asia Minor. Elaborate wall paintings adorned the walls‚ inset with semi-precious stones‚ gems‚ seashells‚ and‚ of course‚ gold. The Octagonal Hall‚ a highlight of the palatial complex‚ featured a rotating ceiling‚ creating an illusion of the heavens in motion.   The Palace architects‚ Celer and Severus‚ went even further‚ inserting panels to a ceiling‚ which would open to shower dinner guests with perfume‚ rose petals‚ and gifts. Nero’s grand palace was a marvel to behold‚ outshining the more famous Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli. To those who visited the Domus Area‚ one thing would be immediately apparent. Emperor Nero was truly a master of the world.   Yet‚ it Led to Nero’s Downfall Marble Bust of Nero‚ Rome‚ 1st century CE‚ restored in the 17th century   While the Domus Aurea was the imperial residence‚ it seems that Nero planned for at least some parts of the complex to be open to the citizens of Rome‚ with the emperor playing the role of the protector and the patron of the arts. Yet‚ the timing of its construction was unfortunate‚ as the works started immediately after the Great Fire of Rome.   The emperor’s powerful enemies‚ many of them senators‚ seized the opportunity and blamed Nero for the fire‚ using the opulent “Golden House” as the symbol of the emperor’s decadence and waste of money – a clear and present evidence of emperor’s megalomania illustrated by Nero’s colossal statue‚ placed at the entrance of the grand palace. Faced with increased hostility‚ Nero committed suicide in 68 CE‚ six months after the complex’s completion.   The Palace Shared Nero’s Fate The Colosseum‚ ca. 80 CE‚ Rome. Source: National Geographic   The Domus Aurea shared the fate of its maker. After a bloody civil war‚ the new Flavian dynasty decided to get rid of all symbols of the hated emperor. Seeking to distance himself from Nero’s extravagance‚ Emperor Vespasian ordered the filling of the artificial lake and built the amphitheater over the site. Interestingly‚ Vespasian did not destroy the colossal statue of Nero‚ refashioning it instead into the statue of the sun god Helios. Which eventually gave the name to the Flavian amphitheater – Colosseum. In the following decades‚ most buildings were buried underground‚ with new structures constructed above them. Historians like Suetonius and Cassius Dio‚ employed to legitimize the new imperial dynasty‚ tarnished Nero’s name and reputation‚ turning the Domus Aurea‚ from the symbol of the Roman Empire’s splendor to the warning of the dangers of unchecked power.   Domus Aurea Became Emperor’s Nero Lasting Legacy The interior of Nero’s Domus Aurea‚ mid-first century CE   The imperial propaganda did its best to erase the memory of the vast palatial complex that was briefly a marvel of the ancient world. Yet‚ the Domus Aurea could not be completely destroyed. In one of those historical twists‚ the buried remains of Nero’s grand palace saw the light of day once again following their accidental rediscovery in the late 15th century.   The exquisite frescoes‚ intricate decorations‚ and the monumental vaulted spaces captivated the host of artists and architects‚ helping to spark the Renaissance. Raphael’s visit to the long-buried halls – grottoes – inspired the master painter and his colleagues to start an entirely new artistic style – grotesque – emulating the mythological and fantastical scenes depicted on the frescoes of the Domus Aurea. Furthermore‚ the rediscovery of Nero’s Golden Palace also ignited a renewed interest in classical antiquity and ancient Rome‚ which remains strong to the present day.

For years‚ especially during the Cold War‚ Hungary looked to America as an example of freedom‚ but now it might be time for the U.S. to take notes from Hungary‚ according to Shea Bradley-Farrell.  Bradley-Farrell‚ president of the Counterpoint Institute for Policy‚ Research and Education‚ recently spent several months in Hungary doing research for her new book. While in the European nation formerly controlled by the then-Soviet Union‚ Bradley-Farrell says she found herself often having a similar conversation with Hungarians.  “Hungarians told me over and over‚ ‘the rhetoric coming out of the United States reminds us of our Soviet era‚’” Bradley-Farrell recalled. “And the more I dug into that‚ the more that I realized that the things that we’re dealing with here and the so-called progressive agenda‚ the woke agenda‚ the Biden administration‚ they’re directly out of the playbook of communism‚” she says.  As a deeply religious and freedom-loving nation‚ Hungary—which came out from under Soviet oppression in 1991—has long looked to America as a “light on a … hill‚” Bradley-Farrell says. But Hungary is not a model for America because “America and our Constitution‚ our founding‚ is the model for the world‚” she says. in 1991—has long looked to America as a “light on a … hill‚” Bradley-Farrell says. But Hungary is not a model for America because “America and our Constitution‚ our founding‚ is the model for the world‚” she says. However‚ “our Hungarian friends‚ the people that care about us‚ are saying‚ ‘Hey‚ your rhetoric is communist. You guys need to wake up‚ because you’re about to lose what we loved about you.’”  In her new book‚ “Last Warning to the West: Hungary’s Triumph Over Communism and the Woke Agenda‚” Bradley-Farrell outlines a road map for how America can change course and learn from our friends in Hungary at this moment in history.  Bradley-Farrell joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the book and share the stories of the conversations she had in Hungary.  Listen to the podcast below:  The post From Hungary‚ a ‘Last Warning to the West’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.