June 20, 2017 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"r/K: The Evolutionary Psychology Behind Politics (by Anonymous Conservative  and read by Tara McCarthy)"--posted and illustrated by Matthew Drake (22 min.). The key points of r/K theory as applied to politics.

Firearms/Self-Defense/Prepping:

• "Survival Garden: Five Dual-Duty Vegetables Every Prepper should know how to grow"--Security and Self-Reliance. A list of vegetables that take up little space, have edible leaves and roots, and grow quickly enough to provide some nutrition in a short period of time. Hint: these are root vegetables extensively grown in Europe prior to contact with the Americas.
• "Simple Ingredients to Spice Up Your Food Storage"--All About Food Storage. The list includes: baking powder; powdered milk; molasses; honey; peanut butter powder; dried fruit; salt and sugar.
• "Stay Cool: 4 Tips to Help Renters Beat the Heat This Summer"--Allstate Insurance Company (H/t Apartment Prepper). The four points are:

1. Update your curtains to medium-colored drapes or curtains with white plastic backings to prevent an exchange of heat between your apartment interior and the windows.
2. Use a "swamp cooler" (evaporative cooler). I presume this recommendation is for people without air conditioners. I would note that these work best in dryer climates, but use a lot of water. From personal experience using one for a couple summers in an apartment, the matting that soaks up the water needs to be cared for and cleaned to reduce the growth of mold or mildew. The author notes that running a fan across ice can also help cool the air.
3. Avoid cooking with a stove top or oven, because it can heat up your apartment. The alternative is to use food that doesn't need cooking in its preparation (e.g., sandwiches), grilling outdoors, or using a slow-cooker or microwave oven for cooking (both of which will not heat up your living space like a regular oven or stove,  
4. Wear a cooling scarf, by which the author means gel filled cloths that, when wet, absorb water and allow the water to evaporate, cooling the cloth. These are worn draped over the back of your neck. (As a side note, these can be helpful for controlling a nose bleed). 

• "Mansfield Two Dot Pistol Iron Sights"--The Firearms Blog. This is something that you need to see to really understand, so I recommend that you go to the linked article. Basically, though, it works on the principle of Vernier acuity--"the ability to discern a disalignment among two line segments or gratings." In this case, however, what the inventor uses are two circles: half of a circle on each side of the rear sight, and the other half of each circle on the front sight. The object is to align the halves to form two whole circles. 

Other Stuff:

• "Yellowstone Waking Up"--Anonymous Conservative. The author cites to an article about a recent swarm of earthquakes and tremors (some 60 all told), and speculation that it could be a sign of rising pressure within the caldera. Interestingly, the article cited indicates that "[t]he U.S. is currently under contract with at least 4 countries all of which have agreed to house displaced U.S. citizens in the unfortunate event the Yellowstone supervolcano were to erupt. Hundreds of billions of dollars were paid to foreign governments to facilitate the agreement which spans a ten year period from its signing, ending in 2024." The countries include Australia, Brazil and Argentina. 
• More cultural enrichment news from Europe: "Fresh terror in Brussels: Suspected suicide bomber threatening train passengers 'shouts Allahu Akbar and triggers an explosion' at city's central station as he is shot dead by soldiers"--Daily Mail. Stopped by good guys with guns.
• Escalation in Syria: "American fighter jet shoots down armed Assad drone that was 'threatening' US troops - as tensions escalate days after Russia threatened to shoot back after F-18 shot down Syrian fighter jet"--Daily Mail. The drone was manufactured by Iran, although it is not clear who was controlling it.
• Follow the money: "Soros, Clinton-Linked Teneo Among Donors to McCain Institute"--Daily Caller. The institution is called the McCain Institute for International Leadership, and was apparently started with $9 million in contributions left over from McCain's 2008 presidential campaign (I wonder if this includes the interest earned or if that went somewhere else). However, the Institute has received donations from various international sources, included Soros. The article suggests that the Institute may serve the same purpose as the Clinton Foundation--taking money in exchange for favors. Not too surprising: McCain has always been the quintessential RINO.