NorthStarXO  

This weeks show gives a little more background in NorthStar Preparedness and what we're trying to do.

Here's the news for this week:

Afghan Fighting Drawing Foreign Jihadists

Christian Science Monitor

Washington, DC - This week's brazen and deadly attack on a US-Afghan outpost in an area near the Pakistani border is raising new concerns that foreign fighters bent on fighting the West are retraining their sights from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sunday's predawn assault on the still-unfinished camp left nine US soldiers dead and was the worst single toll for US forces in Afghanistan since 2005. It came only a few days after the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, said on a visit to Kabul that more foreign fighters are arriving in Pakistan's tribal areas just across the border.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0716/p01s08-usmi.html

Christian Science Monitor

Kabul, Afghanistan - In contrast to their traditional hit-and-run tactics and reliance on use of explosives, bombs, and suicide attacks, militants directly engaged soldiers at the outpost, in the village of Wanat, in a style that had not been seen for more than a year. A wave of insurgents attacked the outpost from multiple sides and some were able to get inside, killing nine US troops and wounding 15. The attack was the worst for US troops since June 2005, when 16 Americans were killed after their helicopter was shot down.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0715/p07s05-wosc.html

Associated Press

Geneva, Switzerland - Iran and the European Union's chief negotiators agreed on Saturday to resume talks on suspending uranium enrichment in two weeks, after Tehran ruled out freezing its program in talks that included the United States for the first time.

Washington's participation had raised expectations of a possible compromise on a formula under which Iran would agree to stop expanding its enrichment activities. In exchange, six powers — the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany — would hold off on passing new U.N. sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

But doubt was cast over the value of talks less then an hour after they started, with Keyvan Imani, a member of the Iranian delegation, appeared to indicate that Tehran was not prepared to budge on enrichment.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,386542,00.html

Associated Press

Beijing, China - Beijing's Olympic shutdown begins Sunday, a drastic plan to lift the Chinese capital's gray shroud of pollution just three weeks ahead of the games.

Half of Beijing's 3.3 million vehicles will be pulled off the roads and many polluting factories will be shuttered. Chemical plants, power stations and foundries left open have to cut emissions by 30 percent — and dust-spewing construction in the capital will be halted.

Under the two-month plan, vehicles will be allowed on the roads every other day depending on even-odd registration numbers. In addition, 300,000 heavy polluting vehicles — aging industrial trucks, many of which operate only at night — were banned beginning July 1.

Five days after Sunday's traffic ban goes into effect, special Olympic traffic lanes will begin operating until Sept. 25, a plan that has been used in previous games. Beijing is setting aside 165 miles of roadway on which certified Olympic vehicles will be allowed to move from hotels, Olympic venues and Athletes Village

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,386565,00.html

China View

Bangkok, Thailand - Both Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to temporarily suspend all military movements along the Thai-Cambodian border at Thailand's Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, waiting for the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting to be held in Thai Sa Kaeo province on Monday.

According to reports of the state-run Thai News Agency, Weewalit Jornsamrit, Second Army Area Deputy Commander of Thailand, has been assigned to inspect the disputed border area and discuss the situation with Cambodia's Preah Vihear province deputy governor.

Weewalit was quoted as saying that both sides agreed to suspend military movements that may cause further tension, but the military officials would remain stationed at strategic points pending the result of the GBC meeting.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/19/content_8574967.htm

Christian Science Monitor

Sao Paolo, Brazil - When Carl's Jr. looked at expanding its international fast-food franchise operation earlier this year, several emerging markets were muted. But after a trip to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in June, company officials made sure Brazil was on the list.

Add to that lower interest rates and easier credit, and you have the reasons Brazil is emerging as an investment magnet. Direct foreign investment to Brazil doubled last year as companies as diverse as real-estate developer Tishman Speyer and agricultural machinery producer John Deere looked to the Southern Hemisphere as a place to do business.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0715/p06s01-woam.html

CNN

Harare, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's troubled central bank introduced new $100 billion banknotes Saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy.

The new bills officially come into circulation Monday, although they were already on the foreign currency dealers market Saturday.

As high as they are, though, the new bills still aren't enough to buy a loaf of bread. They can only buy four oranges.

The new note is equal to just one U.S. dollar.

Once-prosperous Zimbabwe has seen an unprecedented economic meltdown since it gained independence in 1980, with the official inflation rate now at 2.2 million percent.

Gideon Gono, governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said the new notes are for "the convenience of the banking public and corporate sector" in light of price hikes.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/07/19/zimbabwe.banknotes/

Fire crews continue to make progress against wildfire in the Big Sur area
Associated Press

Big Sur, California - More people are being allowed to return to their homes as firefighters continue to make progress in containing a wildfire in the Big Sur area.

Fire officials have downgraded mandatory evacuation orders for some of the more remote sections of the region to voluntary evacuation orders.

Some fire crews have started doing repair work to roads and fences, while other crews will be working controlled burns in the area.

Fire officials say after burning about 200 square miles, the fire is now 65% contained.

Officials expect to have the wildfire contained on July 30.

Far to the north, the complex of fires in Butte County is 80% contained after burning through 84 square miles and destroying dozens of homes.

Christian Science Monitor

Washington, DC - Public anger over high gasoline prices is fueling new activity along bipartisan lines on Capitol Hill, especially over the need to lift a longstanding moratorium on new offshore oil drilling.

For weeks, a nearly united Republican caucus has been riding a crest in public opinion in favor of more exploration and drilling. Their slogan: Find more. Use less.

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/07/15/on-capitol-hill-democrats-push-back-on-offshore-drilling/

Associated Press

Charleston, SC - A tropical depression off the Southeast coast is the first to threaten the U.S. this hurricane season, and forecasters said Saturday they expect it to strengthen into a tropical storm.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from the northern South Carolina coast to the North Carolina-Virginia border, the National Hurricane Center said. Three to 4 inches of rain had fallen in some areas along the North Carolina coast, and cities were under flood advisories as more rain was expected, said Reid Hawkins, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Wilmington, N.C.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,386571,00.html

Associated Press

Washington, DC - All types of fresh tomatoes are safe to eat, federal health officials said yesterday, lifting a six-week-old warning that led restaurants to pull them and triggered tens of millions of dollars in losses for the tomato industry.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still do not know the source of the salmonella that set off the largest outbreak of foodborne illness in a decade. They blame raw jalapeño peppers for some of the cases and have dispatched investigators to a pepper packer in Mexico. Last week, they recommended that the elderly, infants and people with compromised immune systems avoid eating jalapeños as well as serrano peppers.

A total of 1,220 people in the United States and Canada have been sickened since April by Salmonella saintpaul, an unusual strain. While new reports of illness are still coming in, the number of cases appears to be dropping off, after peaking during the last few days of May and the first week of June, the CDC said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071701684.html?hpid=moreheadlines

The United States is in an ongoing spiral into chaos. Central, state and local governments are now run by special interest groups, corporate interests, greed and the lust for power. The judicial system is broken beyond repair and law enforcement at all levels is dysfunctional and no longer recognizes the rights of the citizen.

Consider these facts:

And the list could go on.

We have to change and it is up to us, the citizens, to change it. While we do not advocate overthrowing the federal government, we do believe that they have strayed beyond all hope of ever returning to the constitution.

We are on our own and when all fails we will have only each other to rely on. We have made it my personal mission to create an organization based upon the Tri-States ideals and the Constitution of the United States that is prepared and mutually supportive so that we can survive any event, man-made or natural and continue our American way of life.

WHO: We are a group of individuals joined together to provide information and training to the public and to help people meet other like-minded individuals to form smaller, more local groups.

I'm Suzanne Dobbs. I've been preparedness minded since I was a child. I grew up Mormon so we always had a years worth of food on hand. In the 80's, concerned with Y2K, I started a company called Bear Mountain Preparedness in an effort to build up my supplies, provide decently priced, quality supplies to others and to get the word out.

In the 90's there were Preparedness Expos around the country where you could go and look at all the different types of supplies and equipment, take a seminar and meet people who were concerned about the same kinds of things.

I gave seminars and talks along the same lines that I do here each week in the hopes that if something happens you'll remember some of what you've learned and you and your family will be safe. I became a FEMA certified emergency manager and continued to give talks and work with groups and organizations.

I'm a member of American Society for Industrial Security International (ASIS)

Above me is our Commanding Officer, Todd Osborn. He is also the owner of Osborn Survival Solutions. An emergency expert with more than 15 years experience, Todd Osborn has real life experience in natural and man-made disasters.

Mr. Osborn's hands-on experience and knowledge of business processes, information technology, emergency management, executive coaching, and organizational logistics. He is an industry leader in the field of emergency preparedness, pioneering the adoption of military intelligence and logistics techniques into the private sector. He is an experienced international executive coach and active in Public-Private Sector Partnerships such as “Safeguard Iowa Partnership”, the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF), and the Mutual Aid Response Network (MARN). Most recently he was invited to join the National Safety Council’s “Emergency Communications Network Advisory Council”. Mr. Osborn's expertise in Emergency Preparedness has earned him the distinction as one of the industry's most progressive and strategic thinkers.

Our Operations Officer is Paul Gray. A former diesel mechanic, he also was interested in preparedness and disaster education for many years. He is the backbone of education and training in NorthStar Preparedness Network.

Paul has taken every FEMA and USFA course available. He can help you find the training and information you need in your area.

We envision an organization of like-minded people working together to promote readiness and leadership. We also envision a structure that has an information network and plans established to support the rapid deployment of personnel in the event of cataclysmic events in each of the 50 states and Canada.

Our desire is to provide a forum and an organization that teaches preparedness and develops leaders and citizens that are prepared and can assume authority positions in the event of crisis be it natural disaster or man-made.

In the absence of civil architecture we will re-establish community and authority in accordance with the rules of civil society with respect to the individual freedoms, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution of the United States.

Laws are to be made with common sense and understandable to those who have to live by them. As long as the current system is in place, we follow the rules and laws or we embark on an effort to get them changed. We adhere to the rules of a decent, civilized society and conform to acceptable standards of appearance and lifestyle. The rule to follow is, "Treat others and their property with the same respect that you expect to be treated, defend those who cannot defend themselves and participate in your community and government."

Being prepared is only one phase of NorthStar Preparedness Network. The four phases are: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery.

Mitigation refers to activities that actually eliminate or reduce the chance of occurrence or the effects of disaster.

Preparedness is planning how to respond in case an emergency or disaster occurs and working to increase resources available to respond effectively.

Response activities occur during and immediately following a disaster. We are trained to provide emergency assistance to victims of the event and reduce the likelihood of secondary damage. Your local fire department, rescue squad and emergency medical services are primary responders.

Recovery continues until all systems return to normal or near normal. Short-term recovery returns vital life support systems to minimum operating standards. Long-term recovery from a disaster may go on for years until the entire disaster area is completely redeveloped either as it was in the past or for entirely new purposes.

To accomplish these four phases requires a national network of groups dedicated to preparedness and survival training of the highest quality.

WHERE: We are located all over the country with organized teams in the following states: Washington, Iowa, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas and New Mexico with friends and collegues in every state including Hawaii, and overseas in Canada, Afghanistan, Iraq, England and Australia.

HOW: The outpost system. Each community will be set up as a self-contained, self-sufficient community.

They will adhere to the NSPN Community Outlines

NSPN will provide information, education and training as well as the NSPN Store for discount supplies and equipment.

This is all under your own control.

Bermuda Issues Tropical Storm Warning as Hurricane Bertha Nears

Associated Press

Hamilton, Bermuda - The Bermuda Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for the Atlantic island due to Hurricane Bertha.

The category 1 storm had been nearly stationary for hours. But the U.S. National Hurricane Center says it is expected to chug north at about 2 mph later Saturday.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381253,00.html

Iran Begins War Game With Warning to U.S., Israel
Fox News
Tehran, Iran - The elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, staging a
mysterious military exercise, issued a warning that Israel and U.S.
naval forces in the Persian Gulf would be targets if Iran is attacked.

The Web site of the Iranian force posted a statement late Monday
announcing the military drill, which it said involved "missile squads,"
but did not say where it was taking place. Iran's guards and national
army hold regular exercises two or three times a year, but the statement
did not say whether this drill was one of them or if it was a special
exercise.

The Iranian Web Site quoted guard official Ali Shirazi as saying that
Israel's coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv and U.S. warships in the Gulf
would be among the first targets if Iran comes under attack.

"The Zionist regime is pushing the White House to prepare for a military
strike on Iran," Shirazi was quoted as saying. "If such a stupidity is
done by them, Tel Aviv and the U.S. naval fleet in the Persian Gulf will
be the first targets which will be set on fire in Iran's crushing
response."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,377626,00.html

Iran's Troubling Claims of New Firepower Appear False

Associated Press

Tehran, Iran - Iran's missile test this week demonstrated no new capabilities, according to a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence, and the test may not have included one of the longer-range missiles that Iran said was among those launched.

Iranian officials said the tests Wednesday and Thursday demonstrated a new variant of the Shahab missile with a range of 1,250 miles (2,012 kilometers). Such a missile would put much of the Middle East in striking distance, including Israel, 650 miles (1,045 km) from Iran, as well as Turkey, Pakistan and the Arabian peninsula.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381181,00.html

Associated Press

Beijing, China - North Korea agreed to disable its main reactor by the end of October and allow international inspections to verify its nuclear disarmament in a deal reached Saturday at the end of six-nation talks.

In exchange, the United States, China, and three other countries would complete promised deliveries of fuel oil and other economic aid to Pyongyang.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381247,00.html

Desert Oasis: Oil Sheiks Plan 'Green' City, Look to Alternative Energy
Fox News
Abu Dhabi, UAE - The United Arab Emirates won't run out of oil for about
a century, but it's already committing billions to help wean the world
off the very product that made it rich.

The UAE, which pumps millions of barrels of oil every day, wants to
become an alternative energy hub. It has made an initial investment of
$15 billion for its Masdar Initiative, which it hopes will establish it
as a leader in the field of green energy.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,378066,00.html

Russia Warns of Military Response If U.S.-Czech Missile Defense
Agreement Approved
Associated Press
Moscow, Russia - Russia will be forced to make a military response if
the U.S.-Czech missile defense agreement is ratified, the Foreign
Ministry said Tuesday.

The statement came hours after U.S. and Czech officials reached an
initial agreement on deploying elements of a missile defense system in
the Eastern European country.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,378065,00.html

And here at home:

Associated Press

Washington, DC - President Bush on Saturday tried to pin the blame on Congress for soaring energy prices and said lawmakers need to lift long-standing restrictions on drilling for oil in pristine lands and offshore tracts believed to hold huge reserves of fuel.

"It's time for members of Congress to address the pain that high gas prices are causing our citizens," the president said. "Every extra dollar that American families spend because of high gas prices is one less dollar they can use to put food on the table or send a child to college. The American people deserve better."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381263,00.html

Fox News

Washington, DC - U.S. Capitol Police closed off a swath of territory in front of the U.S. Capitol late Friday after some 30 birds and ducks were discovered dead in the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol.

Capitol Police Chief Phil Morse told FOX News it appears the water in the reflecting pool was somehow over-chlorinated.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381241,00.html

Associated Press

Willmar, Minnesota - A tornado touched down near Willmar on Friday, destroying homes and damaging a turkey farm, a mobile home dealership, and a farm equipment dealer, said Kandiyohi County Emergency Management Director Don Ericson.

Two people were reported injured, Ericson said. He did not have details but said both injuries were minor.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381221,00.html

Overseas Crews, More National Guard Troops Called in to Fight California Flames

Associated Press

Paradise, California - As hundreds of blazes continue to char California, additional National Guard troops and overseas crews are being called in to assist exhausted firefighters, and President Bush has scheduled a visit to the state.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday ordered 2,000 more National Guard troops to join the 400 already on firefighting duty. Australia, Canada, Greece, Mexico and New Zealand are also sending firefighters and equipment, federal officials said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381249,00.html

Associated Press

Spokane, Washington - A 1,200-acre wildfire fanned by winds gusting to 50 mph has destroyed at least eight homes in a heavily wooded part of the suburban Spokane Valley.

More than 200 residents were evacuated.

Wildfires were also reported burning in Ferry, Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties in northeast Washington.

Wildfires elsewhere in Eastern Washington advanced across rough terrain, burning nearly 9 square miles.

The Red Cross set up evacuation centers at University High School in the Spokane Valley and North Central High School in Spokane. An evacuation center for horses was set up at the Spokane County Fairgrounds.

The winds knocked out power to about 1,000 homes in the Spokane area and about 6,000 homes in Colville, in northeast Washington.

At the peak of the windstorm, about 8,900 Avista customers in Eastern Washington and north Idaho lost power, Markson said.

Near Tonasket, just south of the U.S.-Canada border, firefighters on the Cayuse Fire were battling steep terrain, rattlesnakes and winds gusting to 30 mph, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Robin DeMario.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008046198_apwawashwildfires.html

Gaston, North Carolina - The blaze dubbed "The Evans Road Fire" has burned more than 41,500 acres in east North Carolina throughout Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas.

Rain in the area has helped ease the surface fires that started June 1st.

Paradise, California - Officials said the unprecedented fire season, fuelled by drought and 100 degrees Farenheit temperatures, had seen the most fires burning at any one time in recorded California history.

Most of the blazes began during a massive lightning storm on June 21 that sparked 800 wildfires.

In the town of Concow, over 50 homes were burned to the ground and in the nearby town of Paradise, some thousands of residents were forced to evacuate their homes.

More than 10,000 people in California have been evacuated and wildfires in the high country have been left to burn uncontrolled while firefighters work on the preserving homes and businesses.

Bloomberg News Service

Los Angeles, California - Salmonella, the bacterium that has sickened more than 1,000 Americans who ate tainted produce since April, has also been found in Thai basil grown in Mexico.

FDA officials have boosted inspections of Mexican exports as they look for the origin of the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that has spread to 42 states since mid-April. Although the focus has been on certain types of tomatoes grown in Mexico and Florida, officials said this week that jalapenos caused some illnesses and serrano peppers and cilantro also were under investigation.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-basil12-2008jul12,0,4680493.story

So for this weeks show we're going to do an overview of some of the topics we've touched on.

On our April 5th Show we discussed the Global Food Shortage. We've touched on this topic on almost every show since and it's important that you realize that between food shortages, storms, damaged crops, rising fuel costs and contaminated food from unknown sources everyone needs to stock up as they can afford it and make sure that you store and prepare your food safely to keep you and your family healthy.

I have long advocated the 100-Mile Diet and I will post the link on the blog for today's show. You can go to their website at www.100milediet.org Visit their website and learn more.

Our April 12th show touched on the types of preparedness you should be looking in to:

When a disaster strikes there are several options:

1) Sheltering-in-place. This is where you hunker down in your location and stay put. You should be prepared enough to take care of yourself and your family without expecting local, state or federal help. Now I'm not saying suck it up and take it. If a family member is injured or ill, if your home is no longer stable, if there's is a clear & present danger, then get the heck out. That's just common sense. But if you can, if you're in a good, safe location, then why go anywhere else?

2) Emergency evacuation or "bugging out" is for when the danger warrants that you leave your home and it’s no longer safe to shelter-in-place It means you can't stay where you are, it's not safe, and you're leaving. You should have bags packed in advance and something that holds copies of important documents so that you can "grab & go".

3) The third option, which I don't count as an option, is government shelters. In the case of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, people who had no place to evacuate to and who, for obvious reason couldn't shelter-in-place, had to go to a facilities that held literally thousands and tens of thousands of people. We all saw from the news reports how poorly-organized these facilities were. Now politics could creep in here but I'm not going to go there. We'll save that topic for another day also.

We did have a discussion recently on one of our lists about this and the differences between areas that after the storms the citizens pulled themselves up by the boot-straps, got in there and helped their neighbors and themselves and about people who kicked back and to this day are still complaining that they're living in squalor still because the government hasn't helped them from a storm that has now happened three years ago.

Some of those areas in the southeast will never be the same. Ever.

The April 19th Show went back to the Global Food Crisis as at this point this year it was the topic of the day and some areas were at critical mass as crisis' go. We went over the information for having a year's supply of food per person in your home.

Per person you should have the following for one year:

Grains

150 pounds of wheat

25 pounds flour, corn meal, oats

50 pounds rice

25 pound pasta

This is 300 pounds of grains per person

Fats & Oils

4 lbs shortening

2 gal vegetable oil

2 qt mayonnaise

1 qt salad dressing

4 lbs peanut butter

For a total of 25 lbs fats & oils

Legumes/Beans

30 lbs dry beans

5 lbs lima beans

10 lbs soy beans

5 lbs split peas

5 lbs lentils

5 lbs dry soup mix

For a total of 60 lbs of legumes/beans

Sugars

3 lbs Honey

40 lbs sugar

3 lbs brown sugar

1 lbs molassas

3 lbs corn syrup

3 lbs jam

6 lbs fruit drink, powdered

1 lbs flavored gelatin

For a total of 60 lbs of sugar

Dairy

60 lbs Dry Milk

12 lb Evaporated Milk

13 lbs Other

For a total of 75 lbs of dairy

Cooking & Baking Staples

1 lbs Baking Powder

1 lbs Baking Soda

0.5 lbs Yeast

5 lbs Salt

0.5 gal Vinegar

14 gal water

1 gal bleach

You'll have to get meat through hunting and fishing unless you've stored a lot of canned meat. The list above are the staples. The basics that will give you protein and energy to survive but you'll have to learn how to hunt & gather to supplement these items.

Get a good book that lists the local plants that are edible. Make sure it's for your region.

Do you like your spring mix salad or mesclun salad? Some of what are in these mixes are weeds and wild plants like dandelions, corn salat, purslane - stuff that you can find in your yard, around your neighborhood, etc. You have to make sure that these items aren't treated. Don't use chemicals on your lawns. And don't forage next to a travelled road. The remnants of exhaust can contaminate the food.

Plant a garden. You can plant in containers and keep them in lighted windows in your home if you don't have a deck, patio or yard. You can buy seeds that are sealed in a can for long-term storage. These are heirloom seeds which are the kind you want to buy. Heirloom seeds are seeds that you can save and they will grow the same plant next time. Seeds nowadays are genetically-modified and if you save the seeds and replant them you may not even get the same plant. You definitely won't be able to harvest the same vegetables or fruits.

Stock up on canned food. Take your budget and add a buffer in it in case there's something on sale so that you can buy extras. Canned food needs to be rotated but you can do that by putting new purchases behind old purchases.

Also, watch buying at big box club stores. It's not always a deal and I've actually seen where it would cost more to buy six cans of corn then if you bought the same brand at the grocery store that's not on sale.

The April 26th Show continued this discussion.

The beginning of May and our May 3rd Show brought a discussion on Earthquake Preparedness. Shortly thereafter China had a huge earthquake destroying some areas and killing a large number of people.

May 10th's Show brought us Outbreak – How to Prepare for a Pandemic.

Historically there have been epidemics for as long as beast and man had contact. Some caused by bacteria, some by viruses.

Recently we've had outbreaks of Hoof & Mouth disease in China, Whooping Cough (Pertussis) here in Washington state and a measles outbreak spanning 15 states.

May 17th brought us 2 weeks to go in the current, 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season and a show on Hurricane Preparedness. To adequately prepare for a hurricane, you must first understand what one is which we discussed on the show.

May 24th's show discussed Preparedness Mindsets and what you should expect in an emergency.

June 1st we discussed the food shortages again and some shopping observations.

First, I recommended that everyone get a May/June 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.

The 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! It's why we're all here listening to the show and giving out the information!

June 8th we discussed types of disasters: 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?

June 14 the Iowa storms were full blown and we discussed the flooding in Iowa and the storms across the midwest and what should you expect in an emergency from local, state and federal government.

We went over emergency reports from Iowa Emergency management showing how it was organized and what to expect.

June 21st we went over kits and where to purchase the items in 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. We went through the lists and talked about the items on them.

June 28th we went over Education & Training. What you need to know and where you need to learn it. Everyone should know basic first aid and CPR. You should know how to prepare and what you need to prepare. You may want to learn some camping & survival skills. Maybe you just want to know some general survival information. If you or someone you know is disabled you may want to know how to care for them in a disaster. What about neighborhood safety and search & rescue or how to become an EMT or an emergency manager like me? A lot of this information is available for FREE in the form of online classes and community classes in your area. You just have to know where to look.

Last week were went over What is HAZMAT and what can you do to prepare for it?

We're recapping this week so that you know what's in the archives. Go back and listen to the shows, read the blogs, visit the links and learn the information.

Then contact us with questions and suggestions.

This is all under your own control.

Today's Topic: HAZMAT Preparedness - What is HAZMAT and what can you do to prepare for it.

Associated Press

Islamabad, Pakistan - A suicide attacker detonated explosives near a police station in Pakistan's capital on Sunday, killing more than 10 police officers, officials said.

The blast occurred in a kiosk in front of the police station, which is also near Islamabad's Melody Market, said Naeem Iqbal, a police spokesman. Television footage showed wounded security forces being taken away and ambulances rushing to the area.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376851,00.html

AFP

Toyako, Japan - The United States and Japan called Sunday for urgent action on red-hot oil and food prices that could derail the global economy on the eve of a summit of the world's richest nations.

As US President George W. Bush arrived at this mountain resort, authorities sealed off Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, with demonstrations relegated to its largest city, Sapporo.

Group of Eight leaders will hold three days of talks in the resort town of Toyako that will be dominated by the fragile world economy, global warming and problems ranging from Zimbabwe to North Korea and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

In pre-summit talks, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said he and Bush had agreed that urgent efforts are needed to tackle surging oil and food prices.

The dual crises "are having a negative impact on the world economy," Fukuda told a joint press conference. "We agreed there's a need for swift efforts on these fronts."

The leaders of the world's two largest economies also touched on climate change, North Korea's nuclear programme and aid to Africa.

The leaders of the G8 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United States -- will be joined by those of some 15 other countries including China, India, Brazil, Australia and eight African states for expanded sessions on global warming and poverty alleviation.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5inyZ8pEpiHMv89ctDOummBhHvhRw

Associated Press

London, England - Hundreds of endangered African monkeys are being taken from their natural habitat and sold for scientific experiments to “secretive” laboratories in countries such as Iran and China, London's Sunday Times reported.

In an undercover investigation by the Times, animal trader Nazir Manji said he sells some 4,000 vervet monkeys a year to laboratories all around the world for about $100 each.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376692,00.html

Associated Press

Los Angeles, California - Firefighters got a gift of a mild, mostly windless night and a forecast for similar conditions Sunday as they attempted to protect thousands of Santa Barbara County homes from a huge wildfire, one of more than 300 taxing their energy and resources around the state.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376802,00.html

Associated Press

Washington, DC - The government on Saturday increased the number of people reported being sickened in a record salmonella outbreak in which tomatoes are the leading suspect although investigators are testing other types of fresh produce.

There have been 943 reported cases nationwide, with at least 130 hospitalizations since mid-April after the first salmonella illnesses appeared, the Food and Drug Administration said Saturday. That compares with a total of 922 people about two days ago and 869 reported earlier in the past week.

The FDA also said it had begun looking at jalapeno peppers as a possible cause of the outbreak, as well as ingredients used to make salsa such as cilantro and Serrano peppers. Tomatoes continue to be investigated as well, spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said.

On Tuesday, the government said it would test numerous other kinds of fresh produce commonly served with fresh tomatoes while insisting that tomatoes remained the leading culprit.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376692,00.html

Washington Post

Washington, DC - With tomatoes getting all the attention--or should I say Mystery Produce--you may have missed the latest ground beef outbreak in the Midwest.

On Thursday, Nebraska Beef, an Omaha-based meat packer, said it was recalling 5.3 million pounds of hamburger meat that it produced since in mid-May after it was linked to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in Ohio and Michigan. The Kroger grocery chain which bought from Nebraska Beef is pulling ground beef from stores across the country.

This was an expansion of a recall announced Monday of only a half a million pounds.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service explained the expanded recall thus:

In a press release issued before the expanded recall notice, the company said in its defense that it had "processed over 10 billion pounds of product without a confirmed customer illness."

There is a lot of back story to this recall.

In 2003, USDA went to court to try to shut down Nebraska Beef 's Omaha packing plant after citing it for numerous violations. The company, in turn, sued USDA and challenged its authority require food safety plans and even won a court injunction stopping USDA from closing it down. Nebraska Beef and USDA later settled the case.

Three years later, Minnesota public health and USDA officials linked an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in ground beef that killed a Minnesota woman to Nebraska Beef, although USDA never publicly named the company as the source. The woman who died ate meatballs at a church event. Her family sued Nebraska Beef and the company, in turn, sued the church saying the volunteers who prepared the food were at fault.

Most recently, in 2007, Nebraska Beef sued USDA again, saying its inspectors had unfairly targeted it. The suit was later dismissed.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thecheckout/2008/07/in_other_news.html?nav=rss_blog

Associated Press

Miami, Florida - Tropical Storm Bertha is approaching warmer waters and is likely to strengthen during the coming days.

At 11 a.m. EDT Sunday, Bertha was centered about 1,185 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with some higher gusting. Forecasters say Bertha is expected to strengthen during the next few days and could become the Atlantic season's first hurricane.

The storm is moving toward the west at about 21 mph. It's still too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land.

The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gVWjsPEiqe1tEu2mhBIRaxxGi8owD91OE3F01

AHN

London, England - Mercury, the nearest planet to the sun and the smallest in the solar system, is shrinking, scientists said Saturday.

Astronomers assured the public that the planet, named after the winged-footed Roman messenger of the gods, will not disappear very soon. It will not happen in the lifetime of those alive now, but billions of years later.

Scientists said that the cooling of the planet's core triggered a magnetic dynamo, which led to the contraction of the planet. The contraction is estimated at least one-third greater than what was previously expected.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011518027

And now for today's topic: HAZMAT Preparedness - What is HAZMAT and what can you do to prepare for it.

What does Hazmat mean? Hazmat stands for "hazardous materials." which are chemicals which can cause harm to humans, animals or the environment.

The American Chemistry Council describes it as: “a substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety and property when transported in commerce and has been designated as hazardous under section 5103 [of the] Federal hazardous materials transportation law.“

Many products are listed individually, but DOT also defines nine classes of hazmat: 1. explosives; 2. flammable, non-flammable, or toxic gases; 3. flammable and combustible liquids; 4. solids that are flammable, spontaneously combustible, or dangerous when wet; 5. oxidizers and organic peroxides; 6. toxic and infectious substances; 7. radioactive materials; 8. corrosive materials and; 9. miscellaneous hazardous materials.

Additionally, hazardous products must be handled with respect! Read labels and follow directions carefully. Words to look for:

DANGER - WARNING - CAUTION

Poison: can injure or kill if absorbed through the skin, injested or inhaled.

Toxic: can cause injury or death if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.

Irritant: causes soreness or swelling of skin, eyes, mucous membranes, or respiratory system.

Flammable: easily catches fire and tends to burn rapidly.

Flammable Liquid: has a flash point below 140°F (100°F for US DOT purposes).

Combustible Liquid: has a flash point from 140°F (100°F for US DOT purposes) to 200°F

Corrosive: a chemical or its vapors that can cause a material or living tissue to be destroyed.

Some cities don’t want hazmat shipments within their jurisdiction. Why can’t they be allowed to decide this important question?

The U.S. Constitution is very clear – the federal government is directed to regulate interstate commerce, not the states or localities. Because certain hazardous materials are essential for producing crucial products or providing vital services such as water treatment, Congress directed the US Department of Transportation to create a rigorous, national system of hazmat transportation rules that allow these products to safely enter interstate commerce. DOT’s rules include civil fines and criminal penalties for failure to comply.

Local efforts to prevent or reroute hazmat movement violate the federal hazmat system and worse, may have unintended consequences: a patchwork of local hazmat rules and regulations will interfere and possibly damage the nation’s system of reliable hazmat transportation, and when hazmat is banned from one jurisdiction, it is inevitably sent to another, which may or may not be better prepared for hazmat contingencies.

Chemicals are found everywhere. They purify drinking water, increase crop production, and simplify household chores. But chemicals also can be hazardous to humans or the environment if used or released improperly. Hazards can occur during production, storage, transportation, use, or disposal. You and your community are at risk if a chemical is used unsafely or released in harmful amounts into the environment where you live, work, or play.

Hazardous materials in various forms can cause death, serious injury, long-lasting health effects, and damage to buildings, homes, and other property. Many products containing hazardous chemicals are used and stored in homes routinely. These products are also shipped daily on the nation's highways, railroads, waterways, and pipelines.

Chemical manufacturers are one source of hazardous materials, but there are many others, including service stations, hospitals, and hazardous materials waste sites.

Varying quantities of hazardous materials are manufactured, used, or stored at an estimated 4.5 million facilities in the United States--from major industrial plants to local dry cleaning establishments or gardening supply stores.

Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons, and radioactive materials. These substances are most often released as a result of transportation accidents or because of chemical accidents in plants.

How can I protect myself from a hazardous materials incident?

What to do Before a Hazardous Materials Incident

Many communities have Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) whose responsibilities include collecting information about hazardous materials in the community and making this information available to the public upon request. The LEPCs also are tasked with developing an emergency plan to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies in the community. Ways the public will be notified and actions the public must take in the event of a release are part of the plan.

Contact the LEPCs to find out more about chemical hazards and what needs to be done to minimize the risk to individuals and the community from these materials. Your local emergency management office can provide contact information on the LEPCs. Find your state office or agency of emergency management