NorthStarXO  

Resources - What are your prep resources and where do you find them?

Nuclear Power Plant Looking to Add Two New Units
Wall Street Journal
Glen Rose's nuclear power plant, Comanche Peak, has applied with the
United States Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) to build two more
units.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/energy/sceg--santee-cooper-announce-contract-build-new-nuclear-units/

CBS News

Washington, DC - An ex-commando, working undercover for the FBI, took photographs as aspiring terrorists plotted to carry out attacks against U.S. soldiers in Iraq. They trained with weapons and learned how to make suicide vests. Only this didn't happen in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Pakistan. This training played out in Toledo, Ohio (Snip) CBS News has learned e-mails and phone calls connect the Toledo cell to terror suspects in at least three other North American cities - and to a notorious al Qaeda operative."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/18/eveningnews/main4193179.shtml

Associated Press

Slidell, Lousiana - State police say the twin spans of Interstate 10 have been shut down because a tanker truck crashed and spilled 4,700 gallons of hydrochloric acid.

Police say the highway is shut down for six miles in both directions between Irish Bayou and Old Spanish Trail and will remain closed for much of the day. State trooper Louis Calato says the public is not in any danger and homeowners in the area have not been evacuated.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,369845,00.html

Associated Press

Winfield, Missouri - The flooding in the Midwest has brought freight traffic on the upper Mississippi to a standstill, stranding more than 100 barges loaded with grain, cement, scrap metal, fertilizer and other products while shippers wait for the water to drop on the Big Muddy.

"We're basically experiencing total shutdown," said Larry Daily, president of Alter Barge Line Inc. of Bettendorf, Iowa.

While the bottleneck is costing him and other barge operators tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue per day, June is a slow shipping period on the river compared with the late-summer harvest, the shutdown is expected to last only a few weeks, and it involves primarily non-perishable goods. So no major damage to the economy is expected.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,369805,00.html

Mercury News

Santa Cruz, California - The Trabing Fire is 90 percent contained Saturday morning, according to fire officials.

Those who were evacuated from inside the perimeter were likely to be allowed to return Sunday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_9658468

Reuters

Palmyra, Missouri - The crest of the swollen Mississippi River moved relentlessly downstream on Saturday as volunteers manned sandbagged levees, nursed hopes and coped with the costs of the worst U.S. Midwest flooding in 15 years.
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN20437093

Associated Press

Viroqua, Wisconsin - In a news release, county Emergency Management officials say there is a report of people trying to enter homes to evaluate damages. Vernon County is one of 20 counties declared federal disaster areas after severe flooding.

Officials are telling residents that if anyone shows up posing as a FEMA representative, they should ask for FEMA-issued photo identification.

Also, if their license plate can be safely seen, officials ask residents to write it down.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-fakedfema,0,41347.story

And not for this week's topic: Resources - What are your prep resources and where do you find them?

Most of the items called for on the lists from both FEMA and American Red Cross can be found around the house or at your local big box stores. Today we're going to go through the lists and talk about the items on them.

Quick Evacuation Kits assemble supplies you might need in an evacuation. You store them in an easy to grab-n-go containers such as a backpack or duffle bag.

Include:

A supply of water (one gallon per person per day). Store water in sealed, unbreakable containers. Identify the storage date and replace every six months.

A supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and a non-electric can opener.

A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes.

Blankets or sleeping bags.

A first aid kit and prescription medications.

An extra pair of glasses.

A battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries.

Credit cards and cash.

An extra set of car keys.

A list of family physicians.

A list of important family information; the style and serial number of medical devices such as pacemakers.

Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members.

If everyone carries a little bit then once you get where you're going you'll have a lot of necessary items. You'll never be able to carry "everything" you need but you'll have a decent assortment. It's all about planning & preparing.

If you've also prepared your vehicle then you'll have even more supplies.

PREPARE AN EMERGENCY CAR KIT

Include:

Battery powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries.

Blanket.

Booster cables.

Fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).

First aid kit and manual.

Bottled water and non-perishable high energy foods such as granola bars, raisins and peanut butter.

Maps, shovel and flares.

Tire repair kit and pump.

If you're sheltering-in-place, staying in your home the you need to prepare at home.

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days.

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit with items you may need in an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers like the Rubbermaid/Sterilite bins or covered trash containers.

Include:

A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil.

One change of clothing and footwear per person, and one blanket or sleeping bag per person.

A first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications.

Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries.

An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or traveler's checks.

Sanitation supplies.

Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members.

An extra pair of glasses.

Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep a smaller kit in the trunk of your car.

Now, if you want to be thorough, you'll plan for a lot longer. The 3 Days 3 Ways program allows for a disaster lasting 72 hours but FEMA and the Red Cross have upped the suggestions to 30 days or more worth of supplies on hand. I realize that some people may find this daunting but it can be 30 days of canned food or dry foods, etc.

People like me have upwards of a year's worth of food & supplies on hand. We prepare for long term disasters and problems. These types of disasters would include war, famine, civil unrest, pandemics and the like.

This is all under your own control.

That's our show for today. Our show next weekend will be on Sunday due to the July 4th holiday weekend at noon PST.

Today we're going to discuss the flooding in Iowa and the storms across the midwest and what should you expect in an emergency from local, state and federal government.

Since I didn't have a Burns My Ass story last week I'll lead with that this week:

CNSNews.com

Tehran, Iran - "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who as Iran's supreme leader is commander in chief of the Iranian military, predicted last week that terrorists would acquire nuclear weapons and ''take away security from all the tyrants of the world.'' In his speech at the tomb of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei made it clear that he understood America to be the leader among ''the tyrants of the world.'' While predicting that terrorists would obtain nuclear weapons, Khamenei claimed Iran was not interested in obtaining nuclear weapons itself"

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200806/FOR20080609b.html

Bloomberg News

Washington, DC - President George W. Bush said he was ``disappointed'' that Iran's government dismissed a package of incentives from six nations aimed at getting the country to suspend uranium enrichment.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said yesterday he would make a ``generous and comprehensive offer'' of economic and political incentives to Iran's leadership this weekend to persuade the Islamic Republic to halt uranium enrichment.

Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said today that ``Iran's position vis-a-vis the package is clear and a pre- condition such as suspension can't be considered,'' according to the state-run Mehr news agency.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a871EDk9cMAQ&refer=home

4 Marines Die in Afghanistan; 870 Inmates Escape - 5 Hours ago

Associated Press

Kandahar, Afghanistan - About 870 prisoners escaped during a Taliban bomb and rocket attack on the main prison in southern Afghanistan that knocked down the front gate and demolished a prison floor, Afghan officials said Saturday. And in western Afghanistan on Saturday, a roadside bomb exploded near a U.S. military vehicle, killing four Americans in the deadliest attack against U.S. troops in the country this year, officials said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8dGftYb0s4XWdUMRdIVs3vh1CKAD919SOOG0

Associated Press

Kurihara, Japan - A magnitude 7.2 earthquake ripped across mountains and rice fields in northern Japan on Saturday, killing at least six people as it sheared off hillsides, jolted buildings and shook nuclear power plants. At least eight people were missing.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366926,00.html

Associated Press

Osaka, Japan - Soaring oil and food prices are emerging as serious threats to global economic growth, finance ministers from the world's top industrialized nations said Saturday, while vowing to work together to address the problem.

The world economy faces uncertainty and inflationary pressures because of the recent rise in prices, the Group of Eight nations said in a joint statement as they wrapped up two days of talks in western Japan.

The finance ministers from the Group of Eight nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the U.S. — were also mapping out an agenda for a summit of their leaders next month in northern Japan.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367001,00.html

London Daily Mail

London, England - "Two Royal Navy destroyers could not fire their missiles if they came under attack - because they have been removed to save cash. Type 42s HMS Exeter and HMS Southampton have been working without their Sea Dart guided missile system since Christmas, it was revealed today. To go with the cutbacks, at least half a dozen operating crew have been transferred to other ships. The missiles, used to protect the destroyers and larger aircraft carriers against air attack, have been stored away"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025254/Two-Navy-destroyers-unable-missiles--theyve-removed-save-cash.html

Reuters

Des Moines, Iowa - A tornado roared through a Boy Scout camp in Iowa and flattened a cabin where many campers had sought shelter, killing four teen-aged boys and injuring dozens of others.

Close to 100 Boy Scouts scrambled for safety in shelters at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch when the tornado hit on Wednesday evening, one of dozens of twisters that ripped across the U.S. Midwest into the night.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKN1229458820080612

Washington Post

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - The sun finally broke through the layers of clouds on Friday, a reassuring presence after a week of rain. But as residents in and around this eastern Iowa city surveyed their waterlogged landscape, they did not like what they saw.

"It looks like Katrina," said a man in a pickup truck who declined to give his name. He was stuck in traffic that was at a standstill for 10 miles on the interstate north of the city, gazing at the Quaker Oats factory and buildings sitting in several feet of water.

Locals said the flood that hit Iowa's second-largest city is far worse than the deluge of 1993. About 25,000 residents have had to leave, and hundreds of homes and businesses have been damaged, many of them severely.

More than 400 blocks of downtown were evacuated, including a jail and a major hospital.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/14/ST2008061400622.html

Associated Press

Des Moines, Iowa - A levee ruptured early Saturday, sending the Des Moines River pouring into an area near downtown, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for 270 homes, authorities said. Many residents already had left after a voluntary evacuation request was issued Friday.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367004,00.html

Associated Press

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Days after it swamped Cedar Rapids and forced thousands of people out of their homes, the Cedar River has begun falling. But the misery could stretch on for days.

Officials guess it will be four days before the Cedar River drops enough for workers to even begin pumping out water that has submerged more than 400 blocks, threatened the city's drinking supply and forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital.

"We're estimating at least a couple of weeks before the flood levels get down right around flood stage and below," said Dustin Hinrichs of the Linn County emergency operations center.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hw95ek5Sllmi4SoQ_N4HJvwHE0ZAD919RIA00

Associated Press

Paradise, California - Strong, erratic winds that had been complicating efforts to fight wildfires in Northern California calmed down Friday, but firefighters were still struggling to get the upper hand on one stubborn fire that scorched nearly 36 square miles and destroyed at least 50 homes.

In Santa Cruz County, firefighters got a handle on a wildfire that has scorched 1 square mile and burned at least 10 homes in the Bonny Doon community.

Another wildfire had charred more than 35 square miles in the Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County. It was nearly 40 percent contained by Friday.

In southeastern Colorado, a fire that started on a military training site jumped the Purgatoire River, a natural fire break, and was threatening eight nearby ranches.

About 290 firefighters were battling the blaze in the remote and rugged country. It had burned over 65 square miles and was 10 percent contained.

Across the country, North Carolina officials on Friday warned residents in the northeastern part of the state to limit their time outdoors because smoke from a massive wildfire was so intense. The warning was the most severe air pollution warning the state had ever issued.

The lightning-sparked blaze has burned more than 62 square miles in and around the Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge, and was only 40 percent contained.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366981,00.html

Corn Jumps to Record on U.S. Midwest Rain, Crude Oil, Dollar
Bloomberg News

Washington, DC - Corn jumped to a record on speculation rain in the
U.S. Midwest will cut supply and as rising oil costs and the dollar's
decline boosted demand for a hedge against inflation. Soybeans, wheat
and rice also gained.

Thunderstorms affected areas from the central Plains to the Midwest
yesterday, bringing more than four inches (10 centimeters) of rain to
parts of Iowa, Massachusetts-based Meteorlogix LLC said in a report.
Further storms are forecast for the next five days. Corn and soybeans
planted in wet, cool soils develop shallow roots, increasing the threat
of damage from dry weather in July and August.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aQbf6P1pF8jQ

USA Today

Des Moines, Iowa - More than 2,800 people were evacuated Wednesday, including 1,800 in Cedar Rapids. Late in the day, there were signs the flooding that has killed 10 people could have an impact far beyond the upper Midwest. Forecasters watching the rising level of the Mississippi River were warning of potential flooding this weekend in St. Louis, about 350 miles downstream from Des Moines.

Meanwhile, the flooding is becoming an increasing threat to corn, wheat and other crops, raising the possibility that the storms here could contribute to already spiraling prices for food, fuel and other commodities. Besides ruining crops, the flooding has led the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to plan on closing a 200-mile stretch of the Mississippi — the nation's primary trade waterway — to agriculture and cargo ships.

Forecasters warned late Wednesday that the Mississippi River north of St. Louis may reach or exceed levels not seen since devastating floods in 1993. The Missouri River, meanwhile, was about to crest at Hermann, Mo. Record volume on the upper Mississippi and the Illinois River could create flooding in St. Louis by the weekend, forecasters warned.

The Red Cross has opened 37 shelters in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin and served 115,000 meals and snacks to people forced from their homes. Spokeswoman Renita Hosler said the numbers are deceptively low. "We know the impact on people affected is higher," she said. "Iowa is a great example. Right now 20,000 people are under mandatory evacuation."

The turmoil in the nation's breadbasket led the Agriculture Department this week to shave 3% from this year's corn crop prediction, a rare move so early in the season. Corn topped $7 a bushel for the first time as heavy rains in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin — combined with growing demand for corn-based ethanol — pushed prices up.

"It's clearly a panic situation," said Gary Rhea, president of Risk Management Partners, a marketing firm here.

As much as one-quarter of the crops in the southern third of Wisconsin may be gone, said Paul Zimmerman of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. "We're talking a couple hundred thousand acres of corn that could be in jeopardy" and a comparable amount of soybeans, he said.

Shipments of corn, grain and other farm commodities have been hit. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers planned to close a 200-mile stretch of the upper Mississippi River between St. Louis and Rock Island, Ill., beginning today after rising water flooded locks and dams along the critical route for shipping grain and other cargo.

Ron Fournier, a Corps spokesman, said the section will be closed at least two weeks. He said any barges that don't get through the locks Wednesday night are "going to get stuck wherever they are."

The closing halted barge traffic as far north as Minneapolis and stopped the transport of as much as 135,000 tons of cargo a day, 80% of it grain heading downriver. Coal, fuel and fertilizer headed upriver also were stranded.

The National Weather Service predicted clear skies Saturday before showers and thunderstorms return next week. Even if no more rain falls, said John Castle, a project operations manager with the Army Corps of Engineers, river levels aren't likely to return to normal until mid- or late July.

Some of the worst flooding has been in Indiana, where President Bush on Sunday declared 29 counties disaster areas, making federal funding available for the cleanup. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has asked that 15 more counties in the central and southern part of the state be added.

In Iowa, Gov. Culver said 51 of the state's 99 counties were disaster zones.

Day after drenching day, Iowans now at the center of the storm have pitched in to help hold off the rushing waters, which have closed hundreds of state and county roads. The Iowa National Guard has mobilized an army of 1,700 sand-bagging volunteers. Among them: University of Iowa football players who filled and loaded sandbags at a maintenance center in Coralville, north of Iowa City.

Water rushed over a spillway in Coralville for only the second time in the dam's 50-year history, spilling out over a fossil gorge and further raising the Iowa River downstream. It was expected to crest at 31 feet, the highest level since the 1850s, said Mike Sullivan, Johnson County emergency management coordinator.

"We're anticipating areas where the sandbags may not hold," he said.

In Wisconsin, where as many as 50 roads remain closed, river levels began to subside, but officials were nervously watching 19 dams for signs of failure.

"If we face another huge rainstorm, the pressure on some of these dams is going to be enormous, and that's the No. 1 concern we have," Gov. Jim Doyle said in an interview.

Stone reported from McLean, Va.; Keen from Chicago. Schulte reports for The Des Moines Register. Contributing: Oren Dorell and Doyle Rice in McLean; Tom Barton, Jared Strong, Melissa Walker and Mason Kerns of The Register; Jason Thomas of The Indianapolis Star; Maureen Groppe of Gannett News Service; and the Associated Press

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2008-06-11-floods_N.htm

Associated Press

Washington, DC - Inflation shot up in May at the fastest pace in six months, pushed higher by soaring costs for gasoline and other types of energy.

The U.S. Labor Department reported Friday that consumer prices rose by 0.6% last month, the biggest one-month increase since last November, as gasoline costs surged by 5.7%. Food prices, which have also been rising sharply, were up 0.3% as the cost of beef and bakery products showed big increases.

Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, edged up a more moderate 0.2% in May. But even there, core prices are up 2.3% over the past 12 months, above the Federal Reserve's comfort zone.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/economy/inflation-jumps-/

So with all the storms & flooding in the Midwest, how do you prepare?

Well part of it is, you can't. You can't prepare for a 500-hundred year flood because you'd have to wait 500 years for it to happen.

You can mitigate your damages, prepare in general for disasters, respond appropriately and recover as best you can but there was no way to know that this was going to happen.

I'm going to read some of the Iowa Homeland Security Situation Report - SITREP and explain that this is how local emergency management is supposed to work.

This is all under your own control. You need to prepare to evacuate, shelter in place etc. You can't expect people to come rushing in an save you. You have some responsibility to take care of yourself.

Today we're going to discuss Potential Threats and Dangers and what should you expect in an emergency from local, state and federal government.

Associated Press

Athens, Greece - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 struck southwestern Greece on Sunday, killing at least one person and injuring several others, authorities said.

The quake struck at 8:25 a.m. EDT near the port city of Patras, about 120 miles west of Athens in the northwestern Peloponnese, the Athens Geodynamic Institute said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364353,00.html

Associated Press

Tokyo, Japan - A man who police said "was tired of life" drove into a crowd of pedestrians Sunday and then went on a stabbing rampage in Tokyo's top electronics and video game district, killing seven people and wounding 10, authorities said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_re_as/japan_stabbing;_ylt=AvhBgWi58elpnA77RYMVNK.s0NUE

Aftershock Rocks China lake, Creates Landslides

Associated Press

Qinglian, China -A magnitude 5.0 aftershock shook a brimming, earthquake-formed lake and sent landslides tumbling down surrounding mountains Sunday, underscoring the persistent threat of flooding to more than 1 million weary refugees downstream. No new evacuations have been ordered.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_re_as/china_earthquake;_ylt=AkbMrGE7WmsS1n.68hoho1ms0NUE

Associated Press

Yangon, Myanmar - Tens of thousands of people killed in last month's cyclone may never be identified because their bodies have decomposed so badly and many ended up far from home, the Red Cross. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_re_as/myanmar;_ylt=Am6mvv4urRFFUmUxIHP3Qy9I2ocA said Sunday.

Fox News

Washington, DC - The head of the World Health Organization’s HIV/AIDS department has officially admitted for the first time that there will be no global epidemic of the disease among the heterosexual population outside Africa, The Independent reported.

Kevin de Cock said global prevention strategies to address AIDS as a risk to all populations, among the WHO and major AIDS organizations, may have been misdirected. It is now recognized that, with the exception of sub-Saharan African, it is confined to high-risk groups.

These groups include men who have sex with other men, drug users who inject with needles, and sex workers and their clients, The Independent reported.

“It is very unlikely there will be a heterosexual epidemic in other countries,” de Cock is quoted in The Independent. “Ten years ago a lot of people were saying there would be a generalized epidemic in Asia — China was the big worry with its huge population. That doesn't look likely. But we have to be careful. As an epidemiologist it is better to describe what we can measure. There could be small outbreaks in some areas.”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364345,00.html

Associated Press

Franklin, Indiana - Severe storms flooded central Indiana with as much as 10 inches of rain and spawned tornadoes that ripped up roofs and flipped tractor-trailers in Wisconsin and the Chicago suburbs.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364282,00.html

Wildfire Still Burning In North Carolina Refuge

Associated Press

Columbia, North Carolina - A wildfire that has burned nearly 31,000 acres in eastern North Carolina may smolder for months as it burns decayed vegetation that makes up the soil in the area, a state official said Saturday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_re_us/wildfires;_ylt=AiGedbrOMPTKd95qL7ABeRBvzwcF

Associated Press

Albuquerque, New Mexico - Salmonella food poisoning first linked to uncooked tomatoes has spread to 16 states, federal health officials said Saturday.

Investigations by the Texas and New Mexico Departments of Health and the U.S. Indian Health Service have tied 56 cases in Texas and 55 in New Mexico to raw, uncooked, tomatoes.

"We're seeing a steady increase," Deborah Busemeyer, New Mexico Department of Health communications director, said Saturday.

An additional 50 people have been sickened by the same Salmonella "Saintpaul" infection in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364305,00.html

A rare form of tuberculosis—Mycobacterium bovis—has emerged and been traced to illegal, unpasteurized dairy products, including tainted queso fresco cheese. The outbreak is rising among Hispanic immigrants in Southern California and is also raising fears about a revival of this strain that was nearly completely destroyed in the US in the 1900s.

Unlike typical TB caused by the M. tuberculosis strain, this reemerging bovine variety does not easily spread via human-to-human contact and tends to land less often in the lungs, making it less likely to be transmitted through breathing and coughing, Rodwell said. Unfortunately, this rare strain resists drug treatment and is resistant to front-line drug therapy. Adults who contract M. bovis TB are more than twice as likely as those with traditional TB to die before completing treatment.

http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/3223

http://www.hispanicprwire.com/news.php?l=in&id=4054&cha=9

Associated Press

New York, New York - Drivers are paying an average of $4 for a gallon of gasoline for the first time. AAA and the Oil Price Information Service say the national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose to $4.005 overnight from $3.988. But consumers in many parts of the country have already been paying well above that price for some time.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_bi_ge/gas_at4;_ylt=AhxnUTqrYOHJf6N43xjGuOpI2ocA

Reuters

Monroe, Georgia & Douglas, Arizona - In the richest nation on earth, a rising number of people line up for free food because they are struggling to put meals on the table at home.

Demand at food banks in the United States is up 15 percent to 20 percent over last year and many food banks are having difficulty coping, according to America's Second Harvest, the largest U.S. food bank provider with 200 in its network.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2843937320080606

Home-Grown Vegetables Grow in Popularity

Reuters

London, England - Almost 70 years after Britons were urged to Dig For Victory to produce hearty home-grown food to help the war effort, domestic horticulture is coming back.

Across the Atlantic, where mortgage defaults, plummeting property prices and spiraling oil costs have driven the U.S. economy to the brink of recession, home-grown food is also gaining in popularity.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSL2865585820080606

Climate Change Will Add to Food, Utility Bills

Reuters

Bonn, Germany - Climate change presents a tough choice for governments determined both to fight global warming and tackle the rising cost of living.

Climate measures inflate energy costs by putting a price on burning fossil fuels and also stoke food bills by using farmland and crops to produce renewable fuels.

Now near-record oil and food prices coupled with a global economic slowdown have triggered unrest in several countries and demands to ease taxes on fuels and free up farmland for food.

"This important part of the global economy, food and energy, has been grossly distorted due to under-pricing of water and (carbon-free) air," Nobel Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz told Reuters.

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Agflation/idUSL0549221920080605

Associated Press

Washington, DC - Police in the nation's capital set up controversial vehicle checkpoints Saturday in a neighborhood reeling from gun violence, with civil liberties groups considering legal action and closely observing officers.

Police in neon yellow vests stopped motorists traveling through the main thoroughfare of Trinidad — a neighborhood near the National Arboretum in the city's northeast section. Police checked drivers' identification and turned away those who didn't have a "legitimate purpose" in the area, such as a church visit or doctor's appointment.

The checkpoints were announced after eight people were killed in the city last weekend. Most of the killings occurred in the police district that includes Trinidad. Already this year, the district has had 22 killings — one more than in all of last year.

The checkpoints have drawn harsh criticism from civil rights groups. "Trinidad should not be treated like Baghdad," said Mark Thompson, the leader of the NAACP's local police task force.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_on_re_us/neighborhood_checkpoint;_ylt=AuqJePg7ZHEPTGjBl1vyQ4dI2ocA

Fox Business

Washington, DC - Crude oil prices soared by a once-unthinkable $10 on Friday, inciting a broad sell off on Wall Street and sending the Dow to its worst day in more than a year.

When the dust settled the Dow suffered its largest one-day point loss since February 2007 and closed at its lowest level since March 19. For the week the blue-chip index fell 3.5%, while the S&P slid 2.6% and the NASDAQ shed 1.9%.

As if the scary crude oil prices weren't enough, the government said on Friday that the nation's unemployment rate rose by 0.5% in May -- the largest one-month rise in more than two decades.

Oil's unprecedented rally sent the commodity to a new all-time record of $138.54 a barrel. Combined with Thursday's big gains, crude soared more than $16 in just 48 hours.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/oil-data-swallows-market-open/

So, with all this talk of Mother Nature, Climate Change, Plummeting Currency Values, and more, what are you supposed to do? What are the real threats that I'm talking about when I do this radio show every week? What are you worried about and what should you be worried about?

Well let's talk about it.

We have natural disaster and man-made disasters. Natural disasters are usually weather related or atmospheric, planetary, etc. Man-made disasters are accidents or as the result of negligence or on purpose like acts of terrorism or war.

So what should you prepare for and how do you do it?

With everything that's going on in the world today, it's easy to worry yourself straight into an early grave. And not that there isn't something to be concerned about but worrying gets you nothing. Doing is what will save you and that's why I do this show every week. I'm out there doing my preps and learning skills because I've educated myself and my doing this show helps you on that road. Even if you're starting now and have never thought of this before, it's not too late, you just have to learn faster but this isn't brain surgery. Most is common sense and there are so many times that someone posts something or I read something and I get that AH-HA moment where I just want to smack myself in the head and say, "Wow! I didn't think of that," or "WOW, I knew that, I forgot about that!" I consider it a perfect day if I've learned something and I really do try to learn something new every day.

So back to those disasters......

Natural disasters include: Heat wave, Flood, Flashflood, Landslide, Mudslide, Sinkholes, Avalanche, Volcano, Tornado, Thunder & Lightening, Snowstorm, Ice Storm, Blizzard, Earthquake, Tsunami, Forest Fire, Wild Fire and Outbreaks & Epidemics.

We hear about heat waves in the big cities every summer. We hear about it and every summer I wonder why didn't someone help that elderly person out of their apartment to get air? Why didn't the landlord or property manager go check on every tenant? Why are people sitting in their homes dying? I almost consider heat waves a manmade problem because we’ve built these asphalt ovens and choose to live in them but the heat itself is from the weather so it’s a natural disaster.

Floods & Flashfloods are really two different things. Flooding happens on a regular basis in some areas. Every year, here in Washington state, we get the snowmelt and certain areas flood every year. Flashfloods are what happens as a result of storms, hurricanes, sudden heatwaves that melt the snow pack too quickly, etc.

Landslides and Mudslides are similar in effect but happen for different reasons.

Landslides are from unstable cliffs, hillsides, mountainsides etc. Mudslides are the same thing but usually caused by too much rain or sudden snowmelts, volcanic activity like out here with Mt. St. Helen’s, etc. Both can also be manmade due to mass construction projects and the like.

Manmade Disasters include: Home Fire, Hazmat, Outbreaks & Epidemics, Terrorism, Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare, Economic Downturn, Government Collapse, Invasions, War, and the Overthrow of Governments.

All these disasters you can consider and prepare for but depending on where you live you may not have to worry about some. This is where we've talked about Mitigating you damages by looking through and see where your potential hazards are. Then Prepare for those dangers. If they happen and you prepared then after the danger has passed you're going to Recover by repairing, rebuilding, restocking you supplies and more. You get the idea.

Some of these hazards are seasonal like hurricanes, blizzards and such. Some depend on the economy and world affairs. Most are completely out of our, yours and my, control. What we can do it follow the news, understand economy and world affairs and prepare by talking to each other and evaluating situations and considering outcomes. This is another example of my message about getting to know people. The "lone wolf" attitude is a tough guy attitude but will get you nowhere but alone. Get out there and find like-minded people. If you have a hard time discussing politics with anyone other than those who share your opinion, find people who share your opinion and talk to them.

Get together people and do bulk food purchases and share the packaging chores and you'll build a better sense of community and friendship and it'll make this a better country.

So I’d like to leave you today with a couple really interesting websites:

The Pioneer Woman - Good recipes and gardening information

Just Bean Recipes - Literally Just Bean Recipes - 4,507 different recipes in 18 categories

Penny Meals - I heard Jaci Rae on the radio this morning and wanted to pass her website along. She has lots of great recipes and tips on buying groceries and getting more for your money.

This is all under your own control.