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Today's Topic: A smorgasboard of observations and information,

Associated Press

Cairo, Egypt - Muslim extremist women are challenging Al Qaeda's refusal to include — or at least acknowledge — women in its ranks, in an emotional debate that gives rare insight into the gender conflicts lurking beneath one of the strictest strains of Islam.

His remarks have since prompted an outcry from fundamentalist women, who are fighting or pleading for the right to be terrorists. The statements have also created some confusion, because suicide bombings by women seem to be on the rise, at least within the Iraq branch of Al Qaeda.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361166,00.html

Associated Press

Mianyang, China - Chinese authorities had evacuated nearly 200,000 people by early Saturday and warned more than 1 million others to be ready to leave quickly as a lake formed by a devastating earthquake threatened to breach its dam.

Hundreds of Chinese troops have been working around the clock to drain Tangjiashan lake in Sichuan province. The lake formed above Beichuan town in the Mianyang region when a hillside plunged into a river valley during the May 12 quake that killed more than 68,000 people.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361142,00.html

Associated Press

Rangoon, Myanmar - The military government in Burma, also known as Myanmar, is removing cyclone victims from refugee camps and dumping them near their devastated villages with virtually no aid supplies, the United Nations said Friday.

In an aid agency meeting, the U.N. Children's Fund said eight camps earlier set up by the government to receive homeless victims in the Irrawaddy delta town of Bogalay had emptied as the mass clear-out of victims was stepped up.

"The government is moving people unannounced," said Teh Tai Ring, a UNICEF official, adding that authorities were "dumping people in the approximate location of the villages, basically with nothing."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,360431,00.html

Associated Press

Seoul, South Korea - North Korea questioned Saturday U.S. willingness to settle an ongoing nuclear dispute after criticisms by Washington included in a report on global democracy.

North Korea's official news agency said the country's Foreign Ministry blasted a recent State Department report that called North Korea a "militarized society" and "dictatorship."

Such criticism from the U.S. left North Korea "skeptical about whether it has true willingness" to peacefully settle the nuclear issue and improve bilateral relations, the Korean Central News Agency quoted the ministry as saying.

The Foreign Ministry called the State Department report an "arrogant and self-justified document" in which the U.S. "let loose a spate of balderdash" against North Korea.

In May, the State Department released "Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports" on numerous countries.

The report on North Korea says it is a "closed and highly militarized society" and a "dictatorship under the absolute rule of Kim Jong Il."

North Korea is highly sensitive to criticism of its political system and society, and often responds with harsh rhetoric and threats.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361147,00.html

Associated Press

Vienna, Austria - Growing pressure on Iran to explain what could be secret nuclear weapons work has left Tehran increasingly defensive — and the U.S. and its allies hopeful they can exploit the situation to wrest concessions from Tehran. But it may be too late for that.

Even as it resists a strong push by the International Atomic Energy Agency for answers to allegations it tried to make nuclear arms, Iran continues to refuse to compromise on the key demand that it stop uranium enrichment.

For years, the Islamic Republic shrugged off offers of economic and political rewards in exchange for an enrichment freeze. It has thumbed its nose both at U.N. Security Council demands that it do so, and at veiled U.S. threats of a military action. Instead, it exploited international indecision and expanded and improved its enrichment capability.

An agency report Monday to the U.N. Security Council and the IAEA board suggested that Tehran was stonewalling investigators and possibly withholding information crucial to the U.N. nuclear monitor's probe of allegations it did nuclear arms research.

A senior U.N. official — who demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the report — told the AP its tone was unusually tough. And Simon Smith, the chief British delegate to the IAEA, said the language reflected deep "frustration at the lack of cooperation" by Iran.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361144,00.html

Associated Press

Tehran, Iran - Iran warned Sunday it may limit cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, expressing disappointment over the agency's recent report that was critical of Tehran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in a report to the U.N. Security Council last week, suggested Iran was stonewalling investigators and possibly withholding information crucial to determining whether it conducted research on nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Sunday the IAEA "could present a better report," adding Iran may have to set "new limits" on its cooperation with the agency.

Iran's newly elected parliament speaker Ali Larijani made a similar threat on Wednesday. Parliament on Sunday elected Larijani, formerly the country's top nuclear negotiator, to the powerful post of speaker for a year.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361249,00.html

Taipei, Taiwan - Officials say a powerful earthquake has struck at the Pacific Ocean off southeastern Taiwan, but no damage or injuries have been reported.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau says the magnitude 6.8 quake hit at around 9:57 a.m. on Sunday. It was faintly felt in Taiwan.

The bureau says the epicenter was located at the Pacific Ocean about 140 miles south of the eastern island of Lanyu, which is about 180 miles southeast of the capital, Taipei.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361201,00.html

Associated Press

Sydney, Australia - Australia, a staunch U.S. ally and one of the first countries to commit troops to the Iraq war five years ago, ended combat operations there Sunday, a Defense Department official said.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was swept into office in November largely on the promise that he would bring home the country's 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361248,00.html

Washington, DC - The Bush administration is pressing U.N. inspectors to broaden their search for possible secret nuclear facilities in Syria, hinting that Damascus’s nuclear program might be bigger than the single alleged reactor destroyed by Israeli warplanes last year.

At least three sites have been identified by U.S. officials and passed along to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is negotiating with Syria for permission to conduct inspections in the country, according to U.S. government officials and Western diplomats. U.S. officials want to know if the suspect sites may have been support facilities for the alleged Al Kibar reactor destroyed in an Israeli air raid Sept. 6, the sources said.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/05/30/search-is-urged-for-additional-syrian-nuclear-sites/

Anacortes, Washington - A threatening message was posted on the Shell refinery’s Web site Friday evening.

The company did not reveal the contents of the threat, but authorities didn’t take any chances and they were searching the premises for any sign of a bomb.

The U.S. Coast Guard set up a marine safety zone 200 yards from the facility.

U.S. Coast Guard boats were patrolling the area Friday night, and the Skagit County Sheriff’s Department also was searching the premises, but so far there has been no sign of anything suspicious. No evacuations have been ordered.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/05/31/anacortes-oil-refinery-receives-bomb-threat/

Washington, DC - Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff warned Thursday that the radical Islamic group Hezbollah “makes Al Qaeda look like a minor league team,” and poses the greatest threat to national security.

“Someone described Hezbollah like the A-team of terrorists in terms of capabilities, in terms of range of weapons they have, in terms of internal discipline,” Chertoff told FOX News. “To be honest, they make Al Qaeda look like a minor league team.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/05/30/chertoff-hezbollah-makes-al-qaeda-look-minor-league-greatest-risk-to-national-security/

Associated Press

Ambergis Caye, Belize - A weak tropical storm became the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season, dumping rain as it moved across the Yucatan Peninsula.

Tropical Storm Arthur kicked up surf when it made landfall at the Belize-Mexico border Saturday and headed west with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361167,00.html

Associated Press

Phoenix, Arizona - Scientists overseeing the Phoenix Mars Lander said Saturday they believe the spacecraft's thrusters uncovered a large patch of ice on the Martian surface.

That bodes well for the mission's main goal of digging up ice and testing it for evidence of organic compounds that are the chemical building blocks of life.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361171,00.html

Tornado Destroys Indianapolis Apartments as Severe Weather Sweeps Across Country

Associated Press

Indianapolis, IN - A tornado that swept through a neighborhood on the city's east side ripped roofs off several apartment buildings but caused no serious injuries or death, part of a severe storm system sweeping across the country.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361172,00.html

Los Angeles Times

Colorado River Delta - As U.S. scientists warn of impending drought along the Colorado River, Mexico offers glimpse of what living on parched land is like.

As U.S. scientists warn of a semi-permanent drought along the taxed river by mid-century, Mexico today offers a glimpse of what dry times can be like. Rationing is in effect in some areas. Farmers have abandoned crops they can no longer irrigate. Experts fear the desert will reclaim the region's most fertile land.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Disaster-downstream

So what's up with this weeks topic? Just observations and information that I've seen passing through the lists and the news this week.

First, I recommend that everyone get a current copy of Backwoods Home Magazine. If you've never seen a copy it's one of the best preparedness magazines left. If you're looking for reading material I also suggest Countryside, Back Home, Mother Earth News, Soldier of Fortune and the online only Modern Survival Magazine which is run by Jim Benson, the former editor of American Survival Guide.

You've got to start getting the information in your hands and practicing it. You can listen to my show and trust me or not but if you get out there and gather the information yourself, from sources you trust, then you'll, in my opinion, trust the value of what I'm telling you about more.

This month's (May/June 2008) issue of Backwoods Home Magazine is a "special preparedness issue" titled "Gearing Up for an Econimic Squeeze." Well let me tell you, the squeeze is ON!

We went shopping yesterday and I'll give you a little run down.......

I live on an island and work on the mainland so I take a ferry to work every morning. In a rush to get in line for a ferry to get home every night I don't make many stops unless it's absolutely necessary and if I just have to run in the store for something quick so I don't get a lot of time to wander the grocery store daily.

Now once a month we do a BIG grocery/stock up shopping trip, usually on a Saturday and that's what we did this weekend.

For Paul, my fiance, who stay home on the island due to a disability, it was an eye opener. He hadn't seen the gas prices on the signs. Oh he'd heard about them on the news and heard me complain, DAILY, about them but it's different when you see them for yourself.

First we hit the gas station. We went to one of my favorites, Arco, and it was still $3.99 a gallon despite every station on the way being $4.12 and up. There are three of these stations in my area that I buy from regularly because they don't jack their prices up as high as they could. They have a good customer base and they know that if they have a good price they'll still get customers well after the other stations lose business. After spending $75 just to fill up the truck, one full tank and the spare tank 1/2 way we headed to Walmart.

Our son is going to summer camp next week so I had a specific list and we went through but were amazed at some of the prices, some good and some bad. I haven't shopped for shoes or clothes for a while with the exception of prom clothes for our daughter so I was happy to see items like boys t-shirts made from organic cotton in El Salvador for $4.50 each. I don't mind buying these types of items because he's going to grow out of them so fast that I'll pass them on and not be upset about it. Food, pet food, detergents, toilet paper, etc., those things had huge jumps on them. I'm sure a lot of it is that transporting them is getting outrageous. Laundry detergent is heavy stuff and a couple pallets has got to cost a small fortune to ship nowadays.

So we left Walmart heading through Tacoma to JoAnn's Fabric for thread. Nothing spectacular there, same for Borders Books and Best Buy. Next we headed to Cash & Carry, our favorite bulk grocery outlet. There's where we got the shocker. Some groceries had almost doubled. 50 pound bags of #2 potato which were $5.50 3 weeks ago were now $9.47 a bag. #10 cans of veggies were decently priced if you bought the "hot sheet" ones. We got green beans for $3.29 a can, corn for $3.83 a can, a case of egg noodles, 10 pounds for $6.49 and one of our favorite C&C items, 1 gallon jug of sauerkraut for $4.75. But meat and rice, sugar, flour, general staples were up 30-50% or more. We've been vowing to make meat a side dish and have more traditional side dishes as the main course and this just forces the issue. We did buy another bag of rice. They didn't have a lot and what they had has gone up considerably in price but I still have empty buckets to fill before I buy another batch and I had the extra $20 so we grabbed one.

Next stop was H&L Produce. A great farmer's market type store that sells fresh regular & organic produce and locally grown meat. I buy meat from there exclusively anymore. Pork loin chops were on sale for $1.99 a pound for the thick, rib style without the bone despite the recent news that you should expect to see the prices of pork double in the coming months. Beef tenderloin steaks were $4.99 a pound and I usually buy 2 steaks which is about 1 1/2 pounds and cut them in half to make 4 servings. I don't usually eat all mine and I save it for the morning to make a steak & egg burrito for breakfast on my way to work. I love food that travels well like burritos which I can just wrap in a napkin and go.

Fresh lettuce was a $1 per head. I have some growing in containers on the porch but they're not quite ready to eat yet.

When you're buying #10 cans to feed your family because they're cheaper, you really have to plan out your meals.

If I'm opening a #10 can of green beans then we're having green beans as a side dish every night until they're gone. Usually about 3 days. If I have a little leftover, not enough for a meal, then I'll save them and mix them with the next can of veggie I open, like corn. Equal amounts of the leftover green beans and the newly opened corn, mixed with a potato, a carrot, a chopped chicken breast and some gravy makes a great meal over egg noodles or with dumplings. Then we eat the corn for the next 2 days or so. It's boring but once the corns done you can have a different meat that doesn't include beans or corn, etc. You just have to rotate but we Americans need to get past the obsession of food as something more than nourishment. Too many of us use food as a relaxer, as something else to do when they're bored. It's why we're all obese and unhealthy. Food is nourishment, to keep us alive and in the end it all turns into the same waste and goes to the same place so save your money and occasionally treat everyone to something really special.

Don't forget the survival rule of threes: 1) you can only go three seconds without thinking, 2) you can only go three minutes without air, 3) three hours without shelter, 4) three days without water and three weeks without food.

The local, state and federal emergency management agencies push the 72-hour 3 days rule for preparedness but you need more than that and you need more than one way to get it. But you really need more than that. Especially considering the economic outlook and forecasts. Right now you should put a halt to unnecessary spending and start putting everything into your household. Buy food, necessary items, etc.

Remember, you've been warned by the news, world events, current economic conditions and more. You're listening to me. The local, state and federal emergency preparedness offices are telling you to prepare.

So do it!

This is all under your control and remember, fear conscripts its own armies, takes its own prisoners.