You donโt have to be a full-on โprepperโ to at least occasionally wonder what would happen if civilization collapsed. One thing you probably couldnโt do is go on the Internet and ask your favorite AI how to purify water, repel zombies, or treat a burn, all of which may be highly relevant depending on your situation. Now, with Survival LLM, you have a chance.
Theย LLM is pretty much the stock chatbot, but it is trained on survival topics, and it runs locally. Naturally, you need the Internet to set it up, so youโd want to do that now before everything hits the fan. The training set uses medical references, survival manuals, FEMA and CDC documents, and nearly a million Wikipedia articles. It includes the survival references in a library and links to them when answering, too.
The installer is small, but it assesses your system and loads a model based on what you have. If you have less than 32 GB of RAM, youโll get the IBM Granite 4.2 8B model, which was able to correctly answer 14 of 22 test questions. Other models do better, including the NVIDIA Nemotron 3.5 Super model, which got 21 correct, but requires at least 128 GB of memory.
Now, somehow you have to power your computer, but thatโs a separate problem. At least there will be plenty of GPUs to scavenge from abandoned data centers. Weโve seen prepper digital libraries before. More than one, in fact.
Kaju apple also known as kaju katli apple is a cute little dessert which is a twist to the traditional kaju katli. This sweet is made with cashews and sugar, then shaped into little apples to make them look pretty. These kaju apples are easy to make at home with just a few ingredients, specially...
If we care to cast an eye over the history of ubiquitous personal computing as we know it today, we might immediately point at the original IBM PC. After all, for most of us our machines share backward compatibility in some form through multiple generations back to that original box from 1981.
But if we look at the things we use today and take for granted, from laser printers to graphics cards to the routers which power most of the Internet, theyโre not from IBM at all. At the recent Vintage Computing Festival Berlin, [Michael Engel] delivered a talk naming a surprising progenitor for much of that technology, none other than Sun Microsystems.
It all starts with [Andy Bechtolsheim], famously Sunโs co-founder, when at the end of the 1970s he was a postgraduate at Stanford University. Working on the Stanford University Network โ SUN โ project he designed a computer to be used as a workstation on the network. The processor of choice then was Motorolaโs 68000, but it lacked the MMU that would be required to run UNIX. His design had an MMU implemented externally to the 68000, with a bank of SRAM serving as the page table. This design would form the CPU board of the first Sun workstation.
The story might end there, were it not that many other companies had the same requirement, and Sun could supply them a CPU board. Silicon Graphics, the distant ancestral progenitor of your GPU, was one of them, so the first SGI workstation also had the same CPU as the first Sun. It appeared in the early Imagen laser printers too, as well as commercial AppleTalk to Ethernet bridges. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that because the original Stanford board had also been used as a router, the software for that became part of Ciscoโs first product.
The video is below the break, and itโs a fascinating watch.
Authentic Traditional Halwai Style Kalakand Recipe, also known as paneer burfi or barfi. This paneer sweet is so popular in Rajasthan and is made with milk, khoya, sugar. This grainy milky kalakand is a labour intensive sweet which is made purely with milk and is worth the effort. Kalakand Sweet Recipe (Halwai Style) I originally...
Kalakand Sweet Recipe is a popular sweet originated in Alwar, Rajasthan. This sweet is made purely with milk and milk based ingredients. Making halwai style traditional kalakand requires time and patience, but this version which I have shared here is instant and can be made in less than 20 minutes and just 6 ingredients used...
Jalebi Recipe, one of the most popular and loved sweet recipe for the North of India. This is made with a flour, yogurt batter which is added to piping bag and piped on hot oil. This is a deep fried and then drenched in sweet sugar syrup. It taste more or like honeycomb. Traditionally it...
Thereโs just something about backing way, way off the cutting edge to rediscover the simpler joys of yesteryear. Weโve got a contest about to wrap up along those lines, and there are festivals celebrating all things retro in the world of computers and electronics the world over. Vintage Computer Festival (VCF) Southwest happened back in the summer, but [Wave Design] just posted a gloriously retro retrospective, complete with the full 1990s video-editing workflow, completed on an SGI O2.
The footage was recorded on a 1990s vintage DV camera, and read using a somewhat-newer Sony tapedeck that we sadly have to admit also counts as retro in these late days. That gets piped into a vintage SGI O2 workstation that would have had us drooling back in the day, whose only concession to modernity is the inclusion of an NVMe SSD through a collection of adapters we can only call a hack. This may be burying the lede deep, but it turns out there is now an NVMe driver for IRIX 6.5. Using a modern SSD saves [Wave] from dealing with the literal stack of external drives video editing called for back in the day, so we canโt hardly blame him.
After the hardware walk-through, [Wave]โs video gets into the software, which is surprisingly modern. The footage he creates is decidedly not. It looks exactly like it was broadcast in 1996, perhaps following an episode of ReBoot โ which conveniently enough, also used SGI workstations in its production, though with aย decidedly rarer type of digital video tape.
Pottukadalai urundai also known as pottukadalai mittai, is a simple South Indian sweet made with pottukadalai, jaggery and cardamon. It is one of those easy homemade traditional sweets that needs only a few ingredients and comes together in less than 20 minutes.ย Pottukadalai Urundai Recipe Pottukadalai urundai, I love all these types of ladoo. Not...
Chocolate dates energy bites are a simple and healthy no-bake snack made with dates, nuts, cocoa, honey and coconut. Sometimes it can be difficult to get kids to eat healthy nuts and seeds. Making them into these easy energy bites is a simple and tasty way to enjoy them.ย Chocolate dates energy bites are a mixture...
Carrot halwa also known as Gajar Ka Halwa is a popular Indian sweet also known as carrot pudding made using carrots, sugar, ghee and fried nuts. Festive occasions like Diwali or any special occasions is not fulfilled without this wonderful sweet. Carrot halwa with condensed milk makes best tasting carrot halwa. This halwa taste amazing...
No-cook Cornflakes Balls is a quick and easy sweet made with cornflakes, Nutella, raisins and tutti fruity. These Cornflakes Nutella ladoos are naturally crunchy, nutty, delicious and can be prepared in just 5 minutes. They are a great choice for festivals, special celebrations or whenever you want to make a quick sweet in no time.ย ...
Easy Maida Burfi also known as Maida Barfi, fudge or cake is made using flour, ghee and sugar which creates this delicious fudge like cake. Perfect and simple burfi to make for this Diwali or any festive occasions. This is an easy sweet which can be made in under 30 mins. Maida Burfi Recipe In...
Delicious Marzipan Chocolate which is eggless made with just a handful of ingredient. This simple eggless marzipan is made with whole almonds, rather than ground almonds. Sugar, extract, honey and lemon juice. When coated in chocolate, this marzipan chocolate turns so delicious. This is a healthy sweet treat for your kids to put in their...
The Tamil month of Aadi (เฎเฎเฎฟ), which usually falls between July 16 and August 16, is the fourth month of the Tamil calendar. It marks the beginning of Dakshinayana Punyakalam, the six-month period extending from Aadi to Margazhi, when the Sun begins its southward journey. According to Hindu tradition, this period is believed to mark the beginning of the night of the Devas (celestial beings).
Traditionally, Aadi is not considered an ideal month for weddings and other major auspicious ceremonies. However, it is one of the most spiritually significant months, dedicated to the worship of the Divine Mother in her various forms. Devotees observe special prayers, fasting, and temple visits throughout the month, seeking the blessings of Goddess Shakti for prosperity, happiness, good health, and family well-being.
The month is also filled with several important festivals that are celebrated with great devotion across Tamil Nadu and by Tamil communities around the world.
Auspicious Days in Aadi Month (2026)
Date
Festival
July 16, 2026
Aadi Pirappu (First Day of Aadi)
August 3, 2026
Aadi Perukku
August 6, 2026
Aadi Krithigai
August 12, 2026
Aadi Amavasai
August 14, 2026
Aadi Pooram
August 28, 2026
Varalakshmi Vratham
August 27, 2026
Yajur Upakarma (Avani Avittam)
Aadi Pirappu
Aadi Pirappu marks the first day of the Tamil month of Aadi and usually falls on July 16 or 17. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm, especially by newly married couples and their families.
A special puja is performed at home, followed by a festive meal featuring traditional dishes such as:
Coconut Milk Payasam
Puran Poli (Obbattu)
Medu Vadai
Other festive South Indian delicacies
In many Tamil families, the newly married groom is invited to his wife's parental home, where the couple is presented with new clothes, gifts, and a grand feast as a symbol of love, prosperity, and blessings for a happy married life.
Aadi Velli (Fridays in Aadi)
The Fridays during the month of Aadi, known as Aadi Velli, are considered especially sacred for the worship of Goddess Shakti. Devotees believe that prayers offered on these Fridays bring prosperity, good health, and family happiness.
Traditionally, each Friday is associated with a different form of the Divine Mother:
First Friday โ Goddess Swarnambika
Second Friday โ Goddess Kali
Third Friday โ Goddess Kalikambal
Fourth Friday โ Goddess Kamakshi
Last Friday โ Goddess Varalakshmi (observed as Varalakshmi Vratham)
Many women observe fasting, perform special pujas, decorate lamps, and offer flowers, fruits, and sweets to the Goddess. Temples conduct elaborate abhishekams and alankarams, attracting thousands of devotees.
Aadi Chevvai (Tuesdays in Aadi)
Just like Aadi Fridays, the Tuesdays during Aadiโknown as Aadi Chevvaiโare also highly auspicious.
Many women observe fasting, chant Devi stotras, and offer prayers to Goddess Parvati for family welfare and prosperity.
One of the unique observances during Aadi Chevvai is the Avvai Nonbu (Ovvai Nonbu). A special sweet kozhukattai made with rice flour and jaggery is prepared as prasadam.
In many temples, the Goddess is beautifully adorned in various forms such as:
Durga
Chamundeshwari
Kali
Rajarajeshwari
Some families also prepare Manjal Pongal and Thalagam, offering them to young girls (Kanya Pooja), who are traditionally regarded as manifestations of Goddess Shakti.
Aadi Amavasai
Aadi Amavasai, the new moon day during Aadi, is one of the most important days for performing Pitru Tarpanam (ancestral rituals).
According to Hindu tradition, while Tarpanam can be performed every Amavasai, Aadi Amavasai, Thai Amavasai, and Mahalaya Amavasai are considered especially significant for honoring one's ancestors and seeking their blessings.
Many devotees perform Tarpanam at sacred rivers and seashores. Among these, Rameswaram is considered one of the holiest places for the ritual, where thousands gather to take a sacred bath and perform ancestral offerings.
It is traditionally believed that these rituals help express gratitude to departed ancestors and invoke their blessings for the family's well-being.
Aadi Pooram
Aadi Pooram celebrates the birth of Goddess Andal, one of the twelve Alwars and one of the most beloved saints in the Vaishnavite tradition.
Andal is revered as an incarnation of Bhudevi (Goddess Lakshmi) and is celebrated for her unwavering devotion to Lord Ranganatha.
The festival is celebrated grandly in Vishnu temples across Tamil Nadu, especially at Srivilliputhur, Andal's birthplace. It is also an important day in many Shakti temples.
On this day:
Glass bangles are offered to the Goddess and distributed among devotees.
Women pray for family happiness and marital bliss.
Devotees recite Thiruppavai, Nachiyar Tirumozhi, and Lalitha Sahasranamam.
Aadi Perukku
Aadi Perukku is celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi.
This unique Tamil festival expresses gratitude to Mother Nature, particularly to River Kaveri, for providing water, fertility, and prosperity.
As the monsoon fills the rivers and reservoirs, people gather on riverbanks to offer prayers, perform pujas, and seek blessings for a bountiful harvest and family well-being.
Women traditionally wear new clothes, prepare a variety of rice dishes, and worship Kaveri Amman.
Aadi Krithigai is dedicated to Lord Murugan (Kartikeya).
Although the Krithigai star occurs every month, the one that falls during Aadi is considered especially sacred. Special abhishekams and pujas are conducted in Murugan temples across Tamil Nadu.
According to the Skanda Purana, this day holds special significance in the worship of Lord Murugan. Devotees observe fasting, visit Murugan temples, and offer milk, flowers, and fruits while chanting Kanda Sashti Kavasam and other Murugan hymns.
Varalakshmi Vratham
Varalakshmi Vratham is one of the most important festivals dedicated to Goddess Varalakshmi, the bestower of prosperity, wealth, and well-being.
It is observed on the Friday before the full moon (Pournami) during the Tamil month of Sravana (Avani).
Married women traditionally perform this vratam, praying for the health, prosperity, and happiness of their families. The festival is associated with the story of Charumathi, a devoted woman who was blessed by Goddess Varalakshmi in a dream and instructed to perform this sacred vratam.
Homes are beautifully decorated, Kalasam is installed, and elaborate pujas are performed with devotion.
Avani Avittam, also known as Upakarma, is an important annual Vedic ritual observed by many Brahmin communities.
On this day, eligible men and boys ceremonially change their sacred thread (Yajnopavita/Poonal) and recommit themselves to the study and practice of the Vedas.
The rituals and dates vary slightly among Yajur, Rig, and Sama Veda followers.
Traditionally, the day symbolizes spiritual renewal, self-reflection, and a fresh beginning in Vedic learning.
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