PASSING SENATE BILL 14 | SARC

On Tuesday, May 2nd, the Texas House will vote to decide whether doctors will be allowed to medically “transition” children in Texas. 


SB 14 would illegalize medical procedures, both surgical and hormonal, done for the purpose of altering a child’s sex.

This is, without a doubt, a good and necessary law.

There are few issues that motivate the extremes of America’s politics as the Trans issue does. Both sides on this issue believe that the well-being, indeed, the very lives of children are at stake. Both sides have turned to public protest. 

These protests are regularly becoming scenes of violence, as assaults on “anti-trans” speakers have become normalized

We hear regularly about a so-called “trans genocide” as states across the US establish laws limiting the medicalization of American youth. 

SB-14 is one such bill. 

This bill, it must be said, will not legalize or incentivize any acts of violence against trans-identifying people. This law is not an act of violence, despite what many activists will say.

This, we are told, will lead to a mass wave of suicides among trans-identifying youths. Oddly, we are also told that these procedures are NEVER performed on minors

Simply put, the arguments against the bill are contradictory. Either the procedures are occurring, and therefore should be banned, or the procedures are not occurring, and therefore this bill will have no impact on trans-identifying youth. 

I believe that the vitriolic response of the far left reveals which argument is more true. The response certainly suggests they are terrified that these procedures will be disallowed. Which means these procedures do occur. And there are people that will lie to keep them going.

We are told that there are two options for those with gender dysphoria: transition or death. We are told that transitioners are always happier. We are told that gender dysphoria is a medical reality, but not a mental illness.

Yet there is not one shred of evidence for any of these claims. And while these claims are debated, one must ask, how many more children are going under the knife? How many more are beginning to take life-altering, body-modifying drugs that we know will harm them? 

The reality is that an unknown number of young people–overwhelmingly girls–are being told that there is something medically wrong with their bodies and that this can be solved through extensive, irreversible procedures. They are routinely lied to when they are told that puberty blockers “pause” puberty, or that the results of these drugs can be easily undone. 

And there is still not one study to prove that young people who undergo transition are any better off in the long run.

Their bodies are left scarred, and all too often seriously ill. 

Don’t believe me? Listen to the stories of the de-transitioners, several of whom spoke at the Texas Legislature on their horrific experiences. 

But how could so many doctors have it wrong, you ask. 

Or perhaps you’re less charitable and wonder how I could possibly think I know more than doctors.

Firstly, many medical professionals in the United States have spoken out against these procedures. They have also alleged that there is intense political pressure to conform to what a small group of academics wants them to believe. The American College of Pediatricians warns against using puberty blockers.

Secondly, the American medical community has made massive, unspeakable errors in the past. There was the lobotomy craze, which led to the mutilation of at least 50,000 Americans. Today, the practice is essentially unused. Electroshock therapy was used in numerous universities in ill-fated attempts to “cure” homosexuality. This was finally found to be cruel and ineffective. The mentally “unfit” were subject to castration as a way of “improving” the human race. After thousands upon thousands of these barbaric rituals, it was realized that this was a violation of the Hippocratic oath.

Large groups of doctors can be wrong. And when no one questions doctors, enormous numbers of vulnerable people are harmed. And we, as a society, can never cure the harm done.

Do you think that there is a medical consensus favoring “gender-affirming care?” You’d be wrong. The United Kingdom, Finland, and Sweden have largely banned these unsettling practices on children following reviews of the available evidence. There is no consensus; only dogma. A vocal minority has gaslit a nation into allowing thousands of children to be used as guinea pigs in a vast medical experiment. 

Ending experimentation on our children is a moral necessity.

The idea abounds that somehow the amorphous concept of “gender identity” exists almost entirely separately from physical reality. This idea is anchored in a pseudo-scientific conception of humanity. It is telling that many gender ideologues readily embrace mystical concepts such as “two-spirit” from Native American folklore as a part of their supposedly fact-based worldview. 

Ultimately, however, gender theory is an intellectual dead end. It represents an attempt to deny and overcome nature.

Humans exist on a biological binary with extremely minimal deviations from said binary. The cells that make up our very existence are biologically male or female.

And no matter how much we try, we, humans, cannot change our nature.

Movement after movement, cult after cult, has preached the changeability and perfectibility of man.

The Nazis believed they could create supermen through selective breeding. The Soviets believed they were within reach of the New Soviet Man, free of vice and selfishness, through ideological education. The Puritans believed they could be more like God through strict laws and prayerful consideration of all actions.

And all of them failed. Why should our society’s sudden belief that we can unlock the fullness of human potential through radical medical intervention be any different?

We must recognize that those suffering from gender dysphoria are people. In just about any argument regarding gender ideology, or-trans activists will claim that their opponents are denying trans people’s humanity.

Nothing could be further from the truth. SB 14 does not deny anyone’s humanity. Indeed, the only activists I know who deny any person’s humanity are pro-abortion activists. 

Instead, we who support SB 14 recognize those confronting gender dysphoria as people who are suffering and in need of help; not experimental mutilation.

Help doesn’t look like feeding delusions, needlessly removing healthy body parts, and administering drugs designed to castrate adults to children in an attempt to alter a healthy body into a pale imitation of the opposite sex. 

We must acknowledge reality and seek to heal the mind, not damage the body. 

 We must pass SB 14  into law.

PASSING SENATE BILL 14 | SARC

South Austin News | SARC

“This morning, Austin Energy had around 3 dozen homes without power, but around by 5:25 a.m. that number jumped to 7,772.” FOX7 “People were seen fighting over food in the dumpster at an H-E-B store in South Austin on William Cannon and I-35 yesterday.” FOX7 “A residential development containing 375 units and rising up to seven floors at the…

Press Release: 2022 Midterm Election Statement

9AM CST – Austin, TX USA

South Austin Republican Club

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


South Austin voters’ voices were loud and clear on Election Night. Even though the South Austin Republican Club doesn’t align with the results, we want to thank all the candidates that ran, their campaign staff, volunteers, and warriors that worked tirelessly to get out the vote for who we supported.

These next months and years will be critical to saving Austin from the progressive left and making progress for our principles in Travis County. This is going to require everyone to provide effort and resources to dominate the field and turn out everyone we can for the candidates and causes we support.

The hardest challenges will yield the most satisfying victories in times of great adversity. George Washington faced seemingly insurmountable odds when crossing the Delaware River in the dead of winter in 1776. But, with perseverance, focus, and unwavering determination to protect and maintain the principles he found important, we prevailed in one of the most significant ways in American history.

We too have this same chance in Travis County in 2024. The odds may seem stacked against just. The data may not add up. But if we fold now we do a disservice to everything we believe.

Therefore, we can’t back down. We must cross our Delaware River. We must protect what we hold to be true and important.

The fight is not over. We can and will do more in 2024. And, most importantly – We Can Win Austin!

###

Press Release: 2022 Midterm Election Statement

South Austin News | SARC

“Roughly a dozen families living at a mobile home park in South Austin who received 60-day notices to leave will be able to stay for the time being after a Travis County judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday.” KUT 5 Fun Things in South Austin – DO512 “A 25-year-old man has been arrested for…

South Austin’s Narcan Dispenser: A Good Idea – A Frightening Precedent | SARC

Image: Fox7

Image: FOX7

As Texas deaths caused by opioid use have risen, Austin has installed its first Narcan vending machine. This machine was deployed by the N.I.C.E. Project (More Narcan In Case of Emergency) in conjunction with Sunrise Homeless Navigation.  

What is Narcan? It is a nasal spray drug that prevents death from overdosing on opioids like Fentanyl. It is so effective and can be successfully administered to people who are in such dire conditions that it has been referred to as a “Lazarus drug.”  

The vending machine is located in South Austin and is free to use, allowing those who may be at risk of overdosing to have a life-saving drug on hand. Of course, those at risk are very likely to be addicted to illegal drugs, causing some to worry that Austin is subsidizing addiction.  

However, as a life-saving measure, the vending machine isn’t a terrible idea. It strains credulity to think that someone would decide to begin taking opioids only because the city now had a free Narcan dispenser, and it is unlikely that drug users who are considering quitting their dangerous abuse would suddenly double down on their addiction because of a vending machine. It does, however, seem likely that an opioid addict, worried for their life, might use Narcan. Perhaps a near-death experience will convince them to seek help. Without Narcan, an opioid OD is essentially a death sentence.  

Drug addicts deserve our sympathy and help; their deaths are tragedies even if they know their behavior is risky.  

That being said, Austin’s decision to deploy a Narcan vending machine looks like only a first step in a general campaign of so-called “Harm Reduction.” And if that’s the case, it is opening a door, I would rather remain shut.  

Regarding drugs, “Harm Reduction” has noble goals; rather than criminalizing drug addiction and making the lives of those afflicted by addiction harder, it focuses government agencies instead on rehabilitation and care. Again, these are noble goals. Anyone who has seen a loved one laid low by addiction has seen the need for radical love and mercy in attending to them. 

But anyone who has seen addiction knows the fine line between care and subsidy, between showing mercy and enabling. We’ve all heard of parents with a child who cannot seem to escape the terrors of addiction. The parents provide housing, food, water, medicine, and sometimes even cash to purchase more of the substance that’s killing them—out of love for their child whom they see slipping away. 

It has been said a million times: that an addict must hit “rock bottom” before changing his or her way. Of course, some people’s rock bottom is lower than others. Some find theirs, in a circle of loved ones, being told just how important their life is and what it means to know them. Others only find theirs under six feet of earth—leaving families devastated.  

When a government follows a policy exclusively of “Harm Reduction,” the government risks rapidly shifting its relationship with addiction from one of reform and rehabilitation to one of enablement. And it almost always ends in enablement.  

Case in point: San Francisco. San Francisco began a campaign of “Harm Reduction,” in the early 2000s, along with California as a whole. Drugs were increasingly decriminalized. Resources increasingly focused on addiction care. But deaths by overdose stubborn refused to decline. Quite the opposite. San Francisco, like Austin, massively outstripped the national average increase in opioid deaths. As deaths increased, so too did open-air drug markets, where poison is peddled in broad daylight, and primarily homeless and the working poor buy their pleasant suicides.  

To try to combat this growth in open usage, the city has now deployed secretive “safe use” sites in the city. The drug-addicted may now go to a government-administered site under the care and protection of government-funded staff. The City of San Francisco has become the administrator of the soul- and life-destroying sickness of addiction.  

To say that this is morally questionable is an understatement.  

To give someone a life-preserver when they go for a swim in dangerous waters is one thing; to drive them in a boat into the middle of the storm and watch as they struggle to stay afloat is altogether another.  

The groundwork for going further with “Harm Reduction” is already being laid as the vending machine is being used much more frequently than anticipated, with the supply that was intended to last months now almost exhausted. The City Council itself is getting in on “Harm Reduction,” has declared the opioid epidemic a public health crisis in a resolution that specifically calls for employing “harm reduction strategies.”  

Should we follow the San Francisco model, we can expect worsening addiction, greater expenditure supporting that addiction, and more and more deaths. 

Austin’s first step in “Harm Reduction” is one that many Republicans may support. However, we must all now be on the lookout for further steps that will take us down a dangerous, morally bankrupt path.  

South Austin’s Narcan Dispenser: A Good Idea – A Frightening Precedent | SARC

Are We Rewarding Failure? | SARC

Austin City Council voted to increase their pay by 40% last week by an overwhelming margin. Out of the eleven members, only three opposed this egregious hike in pay; Paige Ellis (D8), Vanessa Fuentes (D2), and the redoubtable Mackenzie Kelly (D6).

Murders in the Park | SARC

In 2020, the city council removed $150 million from the Austin Police budget. While this author has given special attention in the past to the obscenity of losing our sex crimes unit, there is another element that was eliminated causing all too tragic consequences. 

Murders in the Park | SARC

The incident happened inside Zilker Park. (CBS Austin)

 Image: The incident happened inside Zilker Park. (CBS Austin)

In 2020, the city council removed $150 million from the Austin Police budget. While this author has given special attention in the past to the obscenity of losing our sex crimes unit, there is another element that was eliminated causing all too tragic consequences. 

APD was forced to cut patrols specifically designated for our once-pristine parks.  

We have had two reported murders in Austin’s parks in two days. This can hardly come as a surprise. Where the police go, criminals flee; where they don’t, criminals gather. Adding police officers to a city has a measurable impact on the murder rate.  

No doubt the leaders of our city will splutter and attempt to explain away these actions as part of a national trend—ignoring the fact that Austin followed the national trend of tearing police budgets to ribbons.  

But those of us who understand how criminals operate, whether through research or purely common sense, know that the city is witnessing what could be normal in murder rates because the Council chose to ignore all warnings. There was history to be made. There were ideologies that needed backing. There were activists to be appeased. 

And now there are bodies to be buried. There are losses to mourn.  

Sources say that APD is sending patrols back into the parks, but with fewer and fewer officers, this means crime will simply move to another underserved area of the city.  

Murders in the Park | SARC

America the Violent | SARC

In the wake of mass shootings, Americans are regularly told that these atrocities do not happen in other developed countries. This, we are to believe, is the damnable result of the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

Austin’s Doomed Experiment | SARC

Austin has decided to launch an experiment with Universal Basic Income (UBI) in partnership with the nonprofit UpTogether. The program, when implemented, will send $1000 per month to 85 low-income individuals in the city.

America the Violent | SARC

An anti-gun violence rally on the steps of New York City Hall in 2019. (William Alatriste/NYC Council)

An anti-gun violence rally on the steps of New York City Hall in 2019. (William Alatriste/NYC Council)


In the wake of mass shootings, Americans are regularly told that these atrocities do not happen in other developed countries. This, we are to believe, is the damnable result of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Americans are told again and again that the key to solving this problem is to drastically reduce the number of firearms in circulation; specifically, the number of semi-automatic rifles. 

Of course, America isn’t entirely unique. As we’ll examine later, many other developed countries experience mass violence, including France, Norway, and New Zealand.  

Despite the hyperbole, though, there is an element of truth in the idea that America’s violence is unique in the developed world. As a country, we are much more violent, both in mass settings that capture our imaginations and headlines and in individual cases that tend to be accepted as somehow normal.  

For example, when we compare US cities to those of comparable nations—Western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia—we find that American murder rates are startlingly high in comparison.  Murder rates may not be a perfect indicator of overall violence but work very well as a way of identifying serious violent tendencies.  

Glasgow, Scotland ranks as perhaps the most dangerous major city in America’s peer nations with a murder rate of around 5.1/per 100,000 residents in 2020. 

That murder rate would make Glasgow, Europe’s deadliest city, the 62nd most deadly city in America in 2020, landing between San Francisco and Anaheim.  

So, does that prove it? Is it true that because Americans have access to so many guns, we are much more likely to murder each other?  

Not exactly.  

As it turns out, Americans do not rely on a single tool to commit murders.  

Indeed, according to the FBI in 2019, the most common murder weapon was the handgun, used in 45.7% of murders. Firearms of unknown type were used in 23.9%.  Knives were the second most common identifiable weapon at 10.6%.  

It is worth mentioning that murders with hands and feet (600) outstrip murders with rifles and shotguns combined (564).  

Now, there’s no doubt looking at those numbers, that the number of firearms almost certainly increases the number of murders—it’s just a lot easier to kill someone with a gun than with your hands. 

But when we have gun control debates, lawmakers focus almost exclusively on one type of firearm: the semi-automatic rifle. A weapon so rarely used in murders the FBI does not distinguish its use from that of other rifles. I’ll say that again; rifles are so seldom used that the FBI does not count semi-automatic rifles separately from other, slower-firing rifles.  

To further put this in perspective, in 2019, there were estimated to be 16,425 murders. 10,255 of these were committed with firearms. 364 were committed with rifles—that we can prove. We have to assume some of the unidentified firearms are rifles.  

Even so, this is a tiny fraction of the overall number of murders; about 2.2%.  

To put this further in perspective, there were 36,096 vehicular homicides in 2019.  

There are 271,000,000 cars in the US.  

There are believed to be more than 400,000,000 guns. 

Despite this, a regular point of argument is that if we had the same kind of regulations around cars as we did guns, there would be fewer deaths. The belief is that by requiring training, licensing, registration, and other qualifications, deaths caused by firearms would be reduced. But as we have seen, the numbers don’t really bear this out, as cars—which have numerous, onerous regulations to own and operate, are involved in far more yearly deaths than guns, despite there being far more firearms.   

But even if we were to impose greater regulations on gun ownership, we wouldn’t expect it to have much impact on their use in crimes. Simply put, weapons that are acquired through legal means are very rarely used in crimes. 

In 2019, just about 10% of guns used in crimes were obtained in retail environments according to the Department of Justice. Retail environments include gun stores, sporting goods shops, gun shows, pawn shops, and flea markets. While it is often difficult to prove the provenance of firearms otherwise acquired, very few purchased in this verifiably legal way are ever used in crime.  

About 20% of guns used in crimes fall into a legal gray zone, in which the criminal claims to have acquired the firearm from someone else, either through purchase or as a gift.  

In total, 70% of firearms are acquired in an explicitly illegal fashion.  

What this points to is that criminals generally seek out non-verifiable means to obtain firearms, meaning that adding further regulation to the acquisition of guns would have, if not negligible, very minor effects.  

But again, given Americans’ highly violent nature, even if we were to ban all guns, and remove all firearms immediately, Americans would still attack one another by other means more commonly than our peer societies. 

America, however, is not merely more violent than our peer nations. 

We are much more criminal overall, with 715 per 100,000 people being held as prisoners. Some might say this is because of over-incarceration, with nearly 45% of those in federal prison being held for drug offenses. However, the statistic is still meaningful, as it demonstrates that Americans incur the risk of incarnation at a higher rate than our peer societies.  

This tendency also appears when we look at traffic fatalities. We have nearly three times as many traffic deaths per capita as the European Union—11.7 vs 4.2, suggesting more reckless driving in the US. 

Indeed, social science regularly demonstrates that Americans perceive less risk than those of other developed nations.  

Lack of risk aversion is highly correlated with crime, and those who commit even low-level offenses are much more likely to also commit violent crimes.  

All of this suggests that guns are not the root cause of violence in America.  

American people are.  

A murder committed with a firearm is just as evil and tragic as it would be with a knife.  

Let us turn our attention now to mass shootings, the crimes that most often grab headlines and shake our nation.  

Even looking exclusively at these horrifying crimes, the handgun is the weapon of choice for offenders, not the semiautomatic rifle. Handguns were used in 98 mass shootings since 1982 compared to 52 in which rifles were used.  

Now rifles are disproportionately favored in mass shootings as compared to the more common individual murder—making up about 30% of the weapons chosen in mass murder, but only 2% in individual cases. They are, however, not universally, nor even particularly often used, making up—of the three categories (rifles, shotguns, and handguns)—about one-third of the weapons.  

To sum all of this data up, targeting semi-automatic rifles would have a negligible impact on the overall American murder rate, and would not even prevent the majority of mass shootings. It is worth noting, that once a person has come to the point of deciding to murder a classroom of eleven-year-olds, the choice of which type of firearm is probably not extremely important to the outcome. In the cases of Uvalde, Parkland, and Sandy Hook, it would be foolish to suggest that had the shooters chosen handguns, rather than AR-15 style rifles, there would have been less carnage. The AR-15, firing once every time the trigger is pulled would not kill any more efficiently than a handgun operating in the same manner.  

This makes the proposed ban on semi-automatic rifles—often erroneously called an “assault rifle ban”—window dressing, intended to allow lawmakers to claim to have “done something,” with little regard for the actual results of this policy.  

This might lead one to ask, “why not ban all guns?” This is a topic we will turn to shortly in another post.  

There is basically no support in the US for a handgun ban, despite this being the most commonly used murder weapon.  American support for such an idea is actually shrinking, reaching an all-time low in 2019 according to the latest available data from Gallup. This is likely because Americans understand that the handgun is also an essential self-defense weapon.  

In conclusion, we are a more violent people and a less risk-averse people than our peers. We kill each other at much higher rates than our peers, but rarely with rifles—semi-automatic or otherwise. Simply calling out our differences in gun laws and gun violence is not a strong enough reason to ban an entire class of firearms.  

As we continue, we will examine what such a ban might look like, and what laws would need to be altered to implement it. However, our next piece will examine mass shootings specifically. How are they defined, who commits them, and where do they occur?  

America the Violent | SARC

Winter Weather Preparedness

Severe winter weather can be deadly and we want you to be as prepared as possible for the next major storm that will hit the Austin metro area. Below, you will find ways to be prepared. Please take every suggestion seriously. The intention of this article: To ensure you have the soft/hard skills and options…

Winter Weather Preparedness

Severe winter weather can be deadly and we want you to be as prepared as possible for the next major storm that will hit the Austin metro area. Below, you will find ways to be prepared. Please take every suggestion seriously.


The intention of this article:

To ensure you have the soft/hard skills and options for hard resources for when a winter storm arrives. If you can know what to do and have access to canned food, water, heat and power for at least one mobile device – we will consider it a success.


Each year, hundreds of Americans are injured or killed by exposure to cold, vehicle accidents on wintry roads, and fires caused by the improper use of heaters. Prepare now so you can stay safe during blizzards and other winter storms!

American Red Cross

Protect Your Family

  • Talk with your family about what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued. 
  • Have your vehicle winterized before the winter storm season to decrease your chance of being stranded.
    • Have a mechanic check your battery, antifreeze, wipers and windshield washer fluid, ignition system, thermostat, lights, flashing hazard lights, exhaust system, heater, brakes, defroster, and oil.
    • Install good winter tires with adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate but some jurisdictions require vehicles to be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.
  • Keep in your vehicle: 
    • A windshield scraper and small broom 
    • A small sack of sand for generating traction under wheels and a set of tire chains or traction mats 
    • Matches in a waterproof container 
    • A brightly colored (preferably red) cloth to tie to the antenna 
    • An emergency supply kit, including warm clothing
  • Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full so you can leave right away in an emergency and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
  • Keep a supply of non-clumping kitty litter to make walkways and steps less slippery.
  • Service snow removal equipment before the winter storm season and maintain it in good working order.
  • Keep handy a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, water-resistant boots, and extra blankets and warm clothing for everyone in your household.

Protect Your Home

  • Learn how to protect pipes from freezing.
  • Make sure your home heating sources are installed according to local codes and permit requirements and are clean and in working order.
  • Make sure your home is properly insulated. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out.
  • Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside to provide an extra layer of insulation to keep cold air out.
  • Consider buying emergency heating equipment, such as a wood- or coal-burning stove or an electric or kerosene heater (if permitted by law in your area). Follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions for safe installation and use.
  • Consider storing sufficient heating fuel. Regular fuel sources may be cut off. Be cautious of fire hazards when storing any type of fuel.
  • If you have a fireplace, consider keeping a supply of firewood or coal. Be sure the fireplace is properly vented and in good working order and that you dispose of ashes safely.
  • Consider installing a portable generator, following our safety tips to avoid home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Consider purchasing flood insurance, if you live in a flood-prone area, to cover possible flood damage that may occur during the spring thaw. Homeowners’ policies do not cover damage from floods. 
    • Ask your insurance agent about the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if you are at risk. More information on NFIP is available at www.fema.gov/nfip.

Alternative Power Options

Remember, when your power goes out keeping your phone and small heater charged can be life-saving action. No alternative power source is too small for a dire and chilly situation like a winter storm.

330W Portable Power Station – $259

Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery – $200

88Wh Portable Power Station, 24000mAh Camping Solar Generators Lithium Battery – $76

Powermate P0081300 Gas Generator 4500 Watt – $580

PowerSmart Generator, 4400W Open Frame Inverter Generator – $540

Alternative Heat Options

Portable Electric Space Heater for indoor use – $24

PELONIS PHTA2ABB Space Heater – $50

Utility ‘Milkhouse’ Style Electric Heater – $40

Mr. Heater F232017 MH9BXRV Buddy Grey Indoor-Safe Portable RV Radiant Heater – $100


Canned Food (in bulk with home delivery)

Bargain Wholesale

Amazon

Warehouse 115

Boxed


Water (filtration)

“I was wondering if it is safe to put snow in water filtration and then just wait until it melts down if the temperature is right. Of course, carefully picked, clean looking snow.”

Yes, though it’s more common to melt snow and boil it before ingesting (outdoors.com)

The suggestion is to boil it if you can, however. If you plan to use a Brita filter for your snow please filter it 3 times or more before drinking it. Also, make sure to select the cleanest snow possible. This can be accomplished by setting out a clean bucket or catcher as if you would if you were capturing rain water, to capture snow straight from the sky and not from the ground. But boiling is suggested over any other method.

Brita Standard Metro Water Filter Pitcher, Small 5 Cup – $18 (for snow filtration)

Brita Extra Large 18 Cup Filtered Water Dispenser with 1 Longlast+ Filter, Made without BPA – $42 (for snow filtration)

Water (bulk)

“How long can you store bottled water?”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the bottled water industry, does not require a shelf life for bottled water. Bottled water can be used indefinitely if stored properly, but we recommend no more than two years for non-carbonated water, and one year for sparkling water. (nestle-watersna.com)

Buy It By the Case – $30-$1,000

Sam’s Club – $4-$400 (membership required)

Bargain Wholesale – $9-$250

Distillata – $180-$600

Step-by-Step Guide to Storing Bottled Water

  1. Store in a cool, dark place away from products with strong odors
  2. Rotate product on a regular basis 
  3. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight
  4. If storing outside, use a tent/cover to protect products from direct exposure and to shield the bottled water from the outside elements (excessive heat, rain and snow) (1)

If You Do Nothing Else, Do This

  • Listen to local area radio, NOAA radio or TV stations for the latest information and updates.
  • Be prepared to evacuate if you lose power or heat and know your routes and destinations. Find a local emergency shelter.
  • Check emergency kit and replenish any items missing or in short supply, especially medications and medical supplies. Keep it nearby.
  • Be sure you have ample heating fuel.
  • If you have alternative heating sources, such as fireplaces, wood- or coal-burning stoves, or space heaters, be sure they are clean and in working order.
  • Bring your companion animals inside and ensure that your horses and livestock have blankets if appropriate and unimpeded access to shelter, food, and non-frozen water.

Community Impact Newsletter December 2021

Press Release: Keep Voting | SARC

6:07PM – Austin, TX USA South Austin Republican Club Dallas Emerson, Communications Director & Data Analyst dallas@southaustinrc.org Keep Voting Former President Donald Trump released the following statement yesterday, October 13th, 2021:   This message has been received as a threat to the Republican Party; somehow to address the alleged fraud of the 2020 election.   There are…

South Austin News | SARC

“People who live in South Austin and use Stassney Lane will soon have safer and more convenient ways to cross the street or get to a public transit stop.” @KVUE

November 2021 Propositions | SARC

On November 2nd, 2021 Texans will have the chance to vote on 8 statewide propositions. Austinites will have the chance to vote on 2 city propositions. You can learn about them here and we encourage you to vote!

Patriotic Things to Do on Veteran’s Day – Movies, Blogs, Projects and More | SARC

By Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, Nov. 9, 2017

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”

George S. Patton

Veterans Day is a time to pay tribute to those who have served and those who are currently serving whether active duty, National Guard, or Reserve.

Veterans Day is a time of remembrance and gratitude, but also a time to celebrate as Americans.

The American tradition of barbecues, military-themed gatherings, and special events is definitely what helps us feel connected to those that have served – helping those that have served to feel connected to the country.

SARC has put together a list of things you can do this Veteran’s Day that will help bring you closer to Veterans and the spirit of America.

If you have a favorite film, personal story or something to add that we missed – please send us an email or comment below! We’d love to hear from you!


MOVIES

The Great Escape

Director: John Sturges
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough

Platoon

Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe

Top Gun

Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer


The Great Escape

Director: John Sturges
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough


Platoon

Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe


Top Gun

Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer


Iron Eagle

Director: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet


The Great Escape

Director: John Sturges
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough


Platoon

Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe


Top Gun

Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer


Iron Eagle

Director: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet


Stalag 17

Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger


Black Hawk Down

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore


A Few Good Men

Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Pollak


PROJECTS

Write a Letter to a Veteran via https://www.operationgratitude.com/

Read Books About Soldiers’ Experiences via https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125128156

Interview a Veterans via https://www.loc.gov/vets/kit.html

Create and Send Paracord Survival Bracelets via https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks-virtual/paracord-bracelets-virtual/


Take a Virtual Trip to a Military Museum or Memorial via –
The National WWI Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri:
 The museum offers a number of online exhibitions on topics including volunteerism during World War I, the end of WWI in 1918, and more.National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Washington, D.C.: Your students can view artifactsdigital exhibits, and photography related to various wars. In addition, the museum offers high school lesson plans on Pearl Harbor.Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex, New York, New York: The complex offers virtual tours and talks as well as videos on its YouTube channeloral history interviews with those who served on board the famous aircraft carrier, a searchable database of the Museum’s collection of items, and more.The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana: View exhibits including “Road to Tokyo” and “Road to Berlin,” which contain historical photographs and information. The museum also offers distance learning opportunities and resources for students and teachers.Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D.C.: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund offers a virtual tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, which is available online or via the VVMF’s Mobile Tour app.


EVENTS

Veterans Day Parade – Thu, Nov 11, 8 AM Congress Avenue Bridge
Congress Ave, Austin, TX

Cookies for Cops – Thus, Nov 11, 1pm 715 E 8th St, Austin, TX 78701

Veterans Day Parade – Sat, Nov 13, 12 – 6 PM Kyle, TX

The 5th Annual Veterans Day 5K – Sat, Nov 13, 7 AM – 12 PM Fritz Park
400 Park Ave, Hutto, TX

VETERANS DAY EVENT – Thu, Nov 11, 7 AM – 5 PM The American Legion George Johns Post 447 1000 N Georgetown St, Round Rock, TX

Heroes & Hot Rods Veteran’s Day Car Show – Fri, Nov 12, 4 – 10 PM Downtown Bastrop 904 Main St, Bastrop, TX

Veteran’s Day Bus Tour (2nd Annual) – Thu, Nov 11, 11 AM – 6 PM Lazydaze Pflugerville 1202 Farm to Market 685 Suite A5, Pflugerville, TX

Veterans Day Ceremony – Thu, Nov 11, 4 PM 1011 S Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX

2021 Veteran’s Day Dinner and Dance – Thu, Nov 11, 5 – 8 PM Dripping Springs Distilling 5330 Bell Springs Rd, Dripping Springs, TX

Vets Day Classic Car Show and Cruise In – Fri, Nov 12 – Sat, Nov 13 1107 Pine St, Bastrop, TX

Veterans Day Luncheon – Thu, Nov 11, 5:30 – 7:00 AM First Lockhart Baptist Church Connection Center 200 S Blanco St, Lockhart, TX


YOUTUBE VIDEOS








BLOGS

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/

https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/

https://cv4a.org/the-overwatch/

https://veteransmatter.org/blog/

https://veteranstoday.blog.gov.uk/

https://www.vfw.org/

https://attorneysforfreedom.com/news/

https://vaclaimsinsider.com/blog/

VNR

http://vftla.org/blog

http://combatfaith.blogspot.com/

https://transitioningveteran.com/wordpress/blog/


Veteran’s Day Quote to Share

Happy Veteran’s Day! “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.” – George S. Patton


South Austin News | SARC

“A colorful, 140-foot mural was installed by the Southern Oaks neighborhood of Austin to greet travelers on Buffalo Pass in south Austin.” @KXAN_News

South Austin News | SARC

“Legend says in the ’20s, it was a hangout spot for train robbers the Newton Gang, Carvalho said. Roughly 50 years later, the likes of Willie Nelson and Janis Joplin performed at the venue.” COMMUNITY IMPACT

Press Release: Keep Voting | SARC

6:07PM – Austin, TX USA

South Austin Republican Club

Dallas Emerson, Communications Director & Data Analyst

dallas@southaustinrc.org


Keep Voting

Former President Donald Trump released the following statement yesterday, October 13th, 2021:  

This message has been received as a threat to the Republican Party; somehow to address the alleged fraud of the 2020 election.  

There are those who argue this message is not a threat but, an analysis: Republican voters will stay home because they feel their votes will not count.  

While South Austin Republicans Club takes voter fraud very seriously, we cannot encourage people to not vote. The idea that Republican voters should stay home is destructive, and the same attitude that handed two Georgia Senate seats to Democrats in January. When Republicans stay home, Democrats win.  

As our club has noted before, there is no evidence of election-altering fraud in Austin. If the powers that be could suppress the vote, we would have never passed Proposition B (citywide homeless camping ban) or gotten a conservative councilwoman elected (Councilwoman Mackenzie Kelly).  

As we look to vote for Prop A this year, and electing new councilmembers next year, we cannot allow the questions we have about the 2020 election prevent us from making our voices heard.  

Despite how badly we wanted to see Donald Trump reelected, we must honestly and factually take up the many challenges that Republicans face. So that we ensure conservative leaders are elected and conservative policies implemented.  

###

“There are those who argue this message is not a threat but, an analysis: Republican voters will stay home because they feel their votes will not count.”  


Campaign Soft Launch – This Saturday | SARC

In 2023 we have a chance to change the composition of the Austin City Council. What the really means is that we have a chance in 2022 since candidates can start officially running one year prior to the election in November of 2023. In South Austin we will have two seats up for the taking…

The Party of Lawless Disorder | SARC

By Dallas Emerson, SARC Senior Communications Director & Data Analyst The rule of law is essential in a free society. Law and liberty are not opposed; they go hand in hand. In a lawless world, the powerful do what they wish, regardless of consequences. In a free society, even the rich and powerful can be held accountable.  …

South Austin News | SARC

“People who live in South Austin and use Stassney Lane will soon have safer and more convenient ways to cross the street or get to a public transit stop. Crews from the Austin Transportation Department will start phase two of a project aimed at improving pedestrian crossings, bike infrastructure and bus stops.” KVUE

“The Austin Police Department has made an arrest and is looking for another person in connection with a homicide that took place back in April in South Austin. It happened on April 26th in the 6200 block of Boxcar Run at 11:53 p.m.” CBS AUSTIN

“About 70 COVID-19 vaccines were given to festival goers during weekend one of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, according to authorities.Constable George Morales, who oversees Travis County’s vaccine strike teams, told the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday of the latest vaccine distribution.Officials said the 70 vaccines were a part of the 763 doses that were given in Travis County last week.” PATCH

“An elderly woman was struck and killed by a car in south Austin last week, authorities said Monday. The crash took place around 8:55 p.m. Friday near the 7000 block of E. Riverside Drive and Frontier Valley Drive.” PATCH

“Tesla officially moved its headquarters from Palo Alto, California to Austin, Texas CEO Elon Musk announced at the company’s 2021 annual shareholder meeting.” CNBC

“Make the most out of an autumn trip to pumpkin patches near South Austin by planning to play a few games beforehand. The best experiences at the nearby fields this fall can become treasured childhood memories when you organize a friendly competition among young pumpkin patch visitors.” PATCH

“People who live in South Austin and use Stassney Lane will soon have safer and more convenient ways to cross the street or get to a public transit stop.” @KVUE


Flood Preparedness | SARC

Austin will experience consistent rain in the coming days and possibly weeks, requiring us to be prepared in order to stay safe and help others.

South Austin News | SARC

“The Austin Police Department on Friday identified the man who was found dead lying in the road with multiple gunshot wounds early Wednesday morning in South Austin.” CBS AUSTIN “Commercial developer and operator Unico Properties has sold Bouldin Creek, a 170,000-square-foot office building in South Austin to San Francisco-based DivcoWest for an undisclosed price. Unico…

South Austin News | SARC

“If you’ve been wanting to add a four-legged ball of love and affection to your family, start with these South Austin area animal shelters for a pet to take home.” @KXAN_News

South Austin News | SARC

“Austin Public Health (APH) said it has identified four positive mosquito pools for West Nile Virus while doing routine monitoring for mosquito-borne diseases. The pools were found in the 78744 ZIP code area during the past two weeks.” KXAN

“A colorful, 140-foot mural was installed by the Southern Oaks neighborhood of Austin to greet travelers on Buffalo Pass in south Austin.” KXAN

“All northbound lanes of Interstate 35 are open again after two 18-wheelers crashed and closed the freeway Tuesday morning.” KXAN

“This year, as the pandemic turned the education world on its head, many families began looking at private schools or homeschooling for the first time, according to local school districts’ data. This noncomprehensive guide provides insights into private schools around Southwest Austin and Dripping Springs, from specialized instruction to different religious affiliations.” COMMUNITY IMPACT

“When Albert Demi and his wife, Melanie, adopted Cooper in college, the retriever would not eat. Then, one day he stole a bite of their sandwich, and it seemed like his entire demeanor changed.” COMMUNITY IMPACT

South Austin News | SARC

“..fears someone will get hurt riding on the stretch of Hether Street near South Lamar Boulevard, where Urban Motorsports is located.”-KXAN