I really do hate having to write about this again but I get the feeling that there are still too many who just aren't listening. What is it going to take? I have tried to stay positive and not to jump on the doom and gloom bandwagon. I still feel that way, hopeful, but I have food storage and I have been preparing. I had planned to talk about earthquakes today because I haven't done that in a while and there are several new studies I wanted to cover and it was the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti this week. That will have to wait.

We are constantly being told things are looking up and the indicators are good. I have yet to feel this in my life and I have too many friends who are looking for work to be convinced. Today Realty Trac reported that 2.9 million foreclosure notices were filed during 2010 and 1.2 million homes were repossessed, up 200,000 from 2009. Five million homeowners are behind on their mortgages by 2 or more months. Home prices have declined 29% from their highs. During the depression, 1929-1933 home prices dropped only 25%. Experts now believe prices will continue to fall for another three years. At the same time Congress is considering dropping mortgage payments from tax deductions. AND Have you checked your property tax bills lately? Are you still being charged for the value of your home when prices were at their peak? If you are petition to have the tax adjusted. Did you know property taxes are up nationwide 35%? Check your tax bill.

As if that news isn't enough to get you moving consider this… Food commodity prices are soaring. Please remember that food prices and the price of items we must have, such as clothing are based on a world economy, not a national one. I'm sure many of you are aware of the floods in Australia. Did you understand that the area flooded is as big as Texas and New Mexico combined, or in other terms, as big as France and Germany combined? There are 11,000 homes underwater. What does that have to do with anything in the U.S., Canada, or Europe? First, we import beef from Australia. Since herds of cattle have been lost the price will go up. Add to that the fact that the price of corn is skyrocketing and the cattle we produce in the United States eat that corn, thus the price of domestic beef will go up. Then, add to that the cost of fuel to transport that beef to slaughter houses and then to stores. Yes, beef prices are going to go up!

Oh, but Australia also exports large amounts of the world's wool. Well, those animals have been lost too so we know the price of wool will go up but that's not all. Since wool prices will rise the wool will need to be replaced by another fiber so today, cotton trades at the highest price ever…ever! That translates into everything from clothing to upholstery and cotton balls. Did you store those when I asked you to last year? How about TP, that's cotton too!

That may still have you feeling like you won't really be affected too much. Okay…What if I told you there are shortages of corn, sugar, rice, coffee and wheat? It's true and the United States Department of Agriculture has announced that harvest will be short for the next two seasons.

Let's revisit oil prices. Oil is used in everything. According to the U.S. Department of transportation nearly 35 gallons of every 42-gallon barrel of crude oil is used for transportation fuel. The rest goes into the consumer products we use on a daily basis. What, you ask? Guitar strings, Pantyhose, Golf bags, Backpacks, Dentures, Candles, Hair coloring, Aspirin, Footballs, Basketballs and Soccer balls, Food preservatives, Shampoo, Makeup, Bedding, Paint, Bandages, Dishes, Flooring, even Heart valves.

Oil prices are at $92.00 a barrel today. The all time high was $147.00 a barrel. Experts tell us if prices rise to that level again, and they are going up each day, we can expect consumer goods to go up by 60%.

There are already places where rioting is taking place due to lack of food and escalating food prices. Could that happen here? What do you think? Do you remember the rioting after jury decisions elements of the public disagreed with? If they would riot over that what do you think they would do if their children were hungry? We in the United States, Canada and many other nations are spoiled. As a nation we have not been hungry, really hungry. We have not been homeless. Really homeless.

I will end as I began. I am hopeful. I hope these forecasts are wrong. I hope oil prices go down. I hope the weather in the U.S. improves and we have huge harvests, but…I am preparing as though the worst may happen. I hope you are doing the same.

Please follow the Monday posts for Food Storage 101, please stock your General Store shelves each week, please listen to READY OR NOT each Tuesday night and Please, Please ask questions so you can get the help you need to succeed.

http://www.realtytrac.com/content/press-releases/record-29-million-us-properties-receive-foreclosure-filings-in-2010-despite-30-month-low-in-december-6309

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO WIN AN EMERGENCY KIT FROM HEALTHY HARVEST. LISTEN TO THE READY OR NOT with Joyce Moseley Pierce  FOR DETAILS !!!

Last month’s Foreclosure numbers are staggering. Nationwide there were 95,000 home foreclosures, up 25% from the numbers last year! The economy can not rebound until these numbers change dramatically. Food prices are still on the rise and no one really knows the implications of the wheat crisis in Russia. Please continue to stock up on food and learn to use and rotate the foods you store.

For those who may be new to Totally Ready I need to take a second to let you know we are not about fear here. We are about information so you can make decisions for your family which will enable you to be safe and to thrive no matter what challenges are thrown your way. As those who have been around for some time know, I have been concerned about a pandemic for several years. Then, it happened! However, the pandemic we experienced was not the dreaded H5N1 or bird flu, but rather the H1N1, swine flu. It was mild, which is actually a concern for me. I am worried everyone will now look at medical emergencies, such as super bugs and a pandemic flu as not a big deal. This is not the case. These can, in fact, be very deadly and we are still at risk for this emergency, historically, it is overdue. We still need to be gaining knowledge and preparing. If you are in need of great (ok I’m prejudice) information on how to prep for and treat medical emergencies, especially a flu, check out my ebook Prep Not Panic

“The drug-resistant bacteria are already a widespread problem in India, and all of the cases reported in the U.S. and Canada cases of this bug have been linked to people who recently received medical care in Indian facilities. Dozens of cases were also seen in Britain in people who had recently returned from India where they had undergone medical procedures. Because of it’s origins, scientists have named the gene NDM-1 after New Delhi.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. cases that occurred this year were seen in patients from California, Massachusetts and Illinois. And so far, the gene has mostly been found in bacteria that cause gut or urinary infections.

The CDC is urging doctors to look for the NDM-1 gene in people recently returning from India or Pakistan — countries that according to officials — have the right conditions for widespread transmission.”

It’s obvious we’re losing the war against these “superbugs,” even here in the U.S., and here are five reasons why…

1. Over utilization of antibiotics.

2. Using antibiotics as a “cure-all.”

3. Medical tourism.

4. Massive legal and illegal immigration.

5. Lack of research and development.

http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/09/14/new-superbug-on-the-rise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogs%2Fhealthblog+%28Internal+-+Health+-+Blog%29

Tips 16-19: Again we are going to work on things that will take a little time, thus a weekend task.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

If you would like a copy of Joyce’s Moseley Pierce’s ebook All They’ll Need to Know to help you prepare your important documents get it at the special price for Ready or Not listeners at:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#1:  Find an out of area contact.

#2: Gather maps.  Get several different colors of highlighters and mark at least three different routes out of the city and  ending at the home of your out of area contact.

#3: Collect all your flashlights. Check  to make sure they are all working properly. Make note of any batteries you need to purchase.

#4  Post important phone numbers and your own address by each phone.

#5  Place a pair of good shoes under each bed where they can be reached in the middle of the night.

#6  Place a glow stick next to each bed.

# 7:  Listen to READY OR NOT. If you can’t listen tonight the show will be available for download at the same link as the live show. Hope to hear from you tonight!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, car insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

September Newsletter:

Let’s Play…a look at things to do during a power outage to keep sane.

Food Safety…keeping foods safe during a power outage.

Frozen Food During a Power Outage, when to save and when to throw away.

Dutch Oven Cooking…How to Control the Temperature

Haybox Cooking…one more way to cook when the grid goes down.

Recipes: This month all the recipes are from 1850. They are fun and easy to make and perfect during power emergencies, after all our great grandparents didn’t have electricity!

****Win a Consultation!***

To help motivate you to share I am offering the chance for you to win a personal one hour consultation. This will be a phone call where you can ask any questions you may have. You may even ask a group of friends to join you on a conference call or just using your speaker phone. To win one of five  consultations just refer five friends to blog.totallyready.com and our yahoo group. Have them mention your email address when they log into the yahoo group and leave a comment on any blog post. Ten friends and you get two chances to win. Fifteen friends and I will call you, guaranteed! It’s that simple. Watch for other special offers as we progress. I know I don’t want to look back when things get worse and think I could have done more to help you.

I know it may be a bold statement to assume there is a Double Dip Recession coming but I really can see no way around it right now. I don’t believe politicians have the courage to do what is necessary and I say that as a former politician. Did know that about me? Well…it was our local school board but it still meant a nasty campaign. Let me tell you a story…I was serving during a time of real economic crisis. We needed to make some changes and they were not popular but in order to retain state funding it had to be done. I did my research and spoke with teachers (off the record of course, unions hate it when the teachers talk to you honestly!). I talked to the custodians, secretaries, parents and kids. I made the tough choice, the choice that was best for all, not just a few, and I got slammed by the union and parents who refused to listen. I was not reelected and EVERYTHING I said would result, did. I know what it means to be blasted in the press and to have people I thought were friends desert me. Now I understand that this was just local but in some ways that is worse. My kids were harassed and I was harassed at the grocery store and soccer games. I really don’t believe we have enough people willing to give up their elected  positions to do what is best for all.

I also believe Americans may have become weak and dependent and that they don’t have the courage to demand the government reduce spending as it may mean those social programs we are used to may have to disappear.  We seem to have forgotten we are Americans and together we can get through tough times. Our parents and grandparents knew that. They planted victory gardens, shared skills, rationed food and did everything necessary to beat a great depression and a horrible dictator in Germany. We must become that type of person! We can begin within our own homes and among our own friends and family.

What we have done:

We have a binder, paper, a permanent marker and passion to succeed.

Begun by designating a change jar as part of your food storage fund. We are placing all your coins and any change you find on the street or in the sofa in the jar.

Next set a budget.

Determined high priced meals to skip and replaced some dinner meals with breakfast foods.

Made a list of  favorite meals and desserts.

Created a master list of all the ingredients in each recipe.

Using your permanent marker made a slash mark across all the cans and boxes you currently have in our cupboards.

Dated items around the house that are not single use. If you missed this go back and get the directions.

Emailed, facebooked and tweeted everyone you know and tell them we are beginning food storage again.

Created space for food storage.

Today is an easy day…#1 catch up. I realized we have lots of new people joining us so this is a catch up day. If you have not notified everyone you know please do that today. I have lots of people asking me to use articles to pass out at church and in other places. Have you notified all of those people from your church? #2…Now that you have notified others get a food storage buddy. This person will help you, and you will help them, stay on task and as we get to organizing and inventorying our storage you can help each other with the task. So today, catch up and get a buddy. Tomorrow we will use your recipes to create YOUR food storage plan.

For those who are stocking their General Store, and all you newcomers should be doing this also, this week add Insect repellent and aloe vera to your General Store shelves. Over the next few months we will to adding deodorant, hand soap, after shave and hair spray so if you have not already dated those items to discover how much you use in a month do that today. For soap place the wrappers in a drawer, just like we did for TP, and count them at the end of the month.

One more note. Have you noticed the interference on your TV screen the last few days? That is being caused by solar activity! Remember I warned you NASA is concerned we may be in for solar flares which will take down the electrical grid? These storms are very minor compared to the ones to come so keep planning for long term power outages, just in case. The July Newsletter is devoted to cooking off the grid so be sure to read that and use it to purchase or gather the items you will need.

I have also have questions about the blog talk radio show I did with Doctor Prepper last week. It has been taken down because we had a caller who was rude and disruptive and the podcast can’t be edited…too bad. It had such great info. I guess we will have to try to repeat some of it on the 19th when we do another show together.

Confused about the solar storms NASA is anticipating? Take some time and listen to my show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010



Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Halli Stone on her blog talk radio show. It is always fun to speak with her. We discussed solar flares again and it got me thinking about a few things. I knew last week there was a sun spot which caused an interruption to radio communications. I know scientists are expecting a massive solar flare in the not too distant future and they are also expecting many places on the planet to be without power following that flare from weeks to months. Halli asked me if we would be warned when a flare was on it’s way and I didn’t have an answer. Since the flare will not harm us, only our way of life, it appears the government has no plan in place to warn of an impending crisis.

Then, this morning there are reports of severe weather again over night. It seems every day brings another disaster. Last night it was tornadoes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota. We don’t normally expect tornadoes in those states. Now, I graduated from college in Iowa and I know we had tornadoes but they were normally in the southern part of the state, not yesterday. There were 62 tornadoes reported some with wind speeds of 136 miles per hour.

While I am concerned about a solar flare and an extended power outage a short outage of a week or less is  much more common and if we can prepare for those we will be prepared with the equipment and skills we need to deal with one that would last much longer.

I have been working on bread recipes which are baked in a Dutch oven, in the oven or using coals if the power is gone. These are in the May issue of the Totally Ready Newsletter. When I was in Houston I tried making the bread there and discovered I needed less water . I’m guessing it was do to the humidity. As with all recipes designed for one altitude and set of weather conditions, and then used in another, you will need to experiment a little. Do that now so you will have it conquered when the need arises and it is no longer a novelty to use a Dutch oven, but a necessity.

For the next few weeks we will concentrate on living without power as part of our disaster preparedness. I know we have done that in the newsletter and here but I will consolidate the tips and beginning next week ask you to try out some of them each week.

Hurricane season has begun and we have already witnessed deaths. Hurricane season extends until November 1st so we still have a long way to go! Last year a fire storm in Southern California came very, very close to taking out all the cell phone coverage in Los Angeles and taking down power.  We have become so dependent on the grid that we need to really think about what we would do without it.

I’m including an article here that I found yesterday which I think explains the danger and worry about solar flares. If you are still wondering what it really means continue reading.

So, do we really need to worry about a huge solar storm burning out the electrical systems of half the world in 2013? Masochists that we are here at the Telegraph, we love to shoot down our own stories, and I was cracking my knuckles for this one. It’s got all the ingredients – white-coated authority, grave warnings of impending doom, exciting science nuclear nemesis in space. NASA! Solar flares! Planes falling out of the sky! Etc.

But I read the piece, and spoke to the reporter, and – while always remembering that I am no more an astrophysicist than I am a black belt in taekwon do – it sounded pretty solid. Dr Richard Fisher, the director of Nasa’s Heliophysics division, is very clear in the quotes, and our reporter, Andrew Hough, was very careful to check his facts with Dr Fisher before publishing. It sounds like a lot of serious people think that this is a real danger.

Apparently the concern is in 2013, the sun will reach a stage of its cycle when these large events are more likely. This might strike you as a bit strange, as you’ve probably heard (as have I) that the sun has been especially active for the last half-century or so and is expected to die down in the next couple of years – I spoke to Marcus Chown, the physicist and author of We Need to Talk about Kelvin, who said “Solar activity has been abnormally high for the past 50 years, but the extremely feeble start to the latest 11-year cycle suggests this activity is coming to an end and things are going to be quiet on the Sun for quite a few years.” Dr Ruth Bamford, a plasma physicist at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, agrees:  “The sun has been particularly quiet for the last few years in a protracted solar minimum. It has just woken up, as it were, and started its usual 11-year cycle a bit later than most.”

So what’s going on? Well, something similar has happened before. In 1859 a huge solar storm burned out telegraph wires across Europe and the United States. Dr Stuart Clark has written a book, The Sun Kings, about when that happened. He says that the “Carrington flare”, as it was known, “smothered two-thirds of the Earth’s skies in a blood-red aurora a night later, and crippled all of global navigation and global communication, such as it was at that time.  Compasses span uselessly and the telegraph network went down as phantom electricity surged through the wire.”

The sun had indeed been running at a record high for the latter half of the 20th century, and has now died down to its lowest level for a century. But Dr Clark warns that “average levels of solar activity has fallen does not mean that the Sun is immune from large flares or even giant ones. Low average levels of activity may even promote the giant flares.

“Perhaps like earthquakes, when there are constant flares/tremors the energy is dissipated evenly over long periods of time. But in periods of quiet, that energy can build up and then suddenly be released in a giant event. This remains speculation, however.”

2013 is when the next peak in the sun’s cycle of activity is expected, and while we cannot predict individual flares, Dr Clark says that the largest flares are often shortly after the peak.

Of course, if a proper “Carrington event” happens again, it has the potential to be far more problematic now than in 1859 when electric communication was barely in its infancy. Dr Clark says “There is absolutely no reason to believe that we are heading for solar armageddon in 2013, but sooner or later we should expect there to be another Carrington event and that is what these scientists [at NASA] are trying to prevent. Legislation in the US has just passed Congress to help harden the grid against solar flares.”

So – it’s a real thing, and we should be concerned. But preventive measures can be taken – satellites can be sent offline during big flares, power grids and communication networks can be shielded against electromagnetic radiation and so on. As Dr Bamford says: “The extreme events like the 1859 Carrington Event  are 1-in-100-year probabilities, about the same probability as a storm of the level of Katrina  hitting New Orleans – and New Orleans did not build their defences to withstand the extreme-but-unlikely magnitude. 100 years isn’t that long.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tomchivers/100008500/nasas-2013-solar-flare-warning-how-much-do-we-need-to-worry/

** A note from me: some scientists believe this will happen the second half of 2012.

For even more info and some really….impressive photos visit:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7837036/Nasa-solar-flare-space-storm-warning-a-British-scientist-writes.html

So…get ready, next week the power goes out!

Take some time and listen to the show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

I promised to tell you how to build a Faraday cage with the foil and mylar blankets we are adding to our General Store this week. Now is the time to act to protect your electronic gear.

To be adequately shielded, electronics must be kept inside a completely enclosed metallic structure known as a Faraday cage. Nested Faraday cages offer even more protection for those closest to the attack, just in case. A Faraday cage is an enclosure surrounded by a good electrical conductor such as copper or aluminum. Large Faraday cages to protect computers and even power stations, are possible but more complicated and very expensive. For small electronics though, the task is very simple.

There are just a few simple but important points to remember.

1. Foil or metal should not touch the item placed inside or the EMP will be conducted back to the item you are trying to protect, destroying the electronic components.

2. Items must be completely covered with no gaps in the protective covering. The EMP will be conducted around the outside of the container preserving the items inside.

3. You will have no warning of an EMP attack so items will need to remain in the cage until needed and should be returned immediately after use.

4. Consider carefully which items you want to protect. Cell phone towers will be destroyed so storing a cell phone may be a waste of time. The same is true of convenience items such as hair dryers. The only reason to protect these is to avoid the cost of replacement later.

5. Adding more layers of foil or metal will do no good unless there is a layer of a non conductive material between the layers of metal. This is the same principle as layering clothing during a cold weather emergency. Simply adding more layers is not as good as adding clothing that is larger and allows air to become trapped between the layers.

6. Remember to protect cords. They must also be completely covered by a metal shield. Antennas also need complete protection.

A few options:

A Faraday cage can be built using two cardboard boxes. Place your items inside the smaller box. Be sure the box does not have any openings in the cardboard. If it does layer some more cardboard or place your items into a heavy duty plastic bag before placing in the box. Cover box completely with aluminum foil or a mylar space blanket. The blankets are great as they cover completely for much less money than the foil. Place the smaller box into the larger and again wrap the larger box completely, sealing it, with a mylar blanket or foil. Be sure the foil is taped securely to prevent tearing. Many advise to attach a ground wire at this point but the demonstrations I have seen did not include a ground. The impulse simply travels around the metal covering looking for a way in until it dissipates.

A military ammunition box can also be used as a Faraday cage. Wrap foil all the way around the gasket to form a seal, metal on metal. The inside of the can should then be lined, completely, with a non conductive material such as cardboard or foam. Do not use duct tape to seal spaces in the non conductive material. Once that is done the items can be placed inside, the lid closed and latched, and you are good to go.

You can also construct a cage using 2x4s and copper or aluminum mesh. The cage lid can be hinged for access but remember the mesh must to touching everywhere to provide protection. You cannot just staple the mesh to the wooded frame, it must touch metal to metal or a pulse can get through.

A microwave oven can also be used as a Faraday cage. Remove the power cord completely, place items inside and seal the vents and hole where the chord was with foil, mylar or metal mesh. Naturally, this is a microwave that is already dead as once you remove the chord it is no longer good for cooking.

A galvanized trash can or a large aluminum stock pot can also be used as a cage. You just need to be sure you have a good seal and there is metal touching metal all the way around the opening. As always your items being protected cannot come into contact with the metal.

Items to place in your cage may include, HAM radios, battery powdered radios, fuses, batteries, spare parts for tube radios, replacement components for your generator, and any other item which will be able to work separate from the electrical grid.

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Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Producer Price Index (PPI) report for March 2010 and it is frightening. Food prices in March 2010 rose by 2.4%, its sixth consecutive monthly increase and the largest monthly increase in more than 26 years. The bureau fears food inflation could be coming on a grand scale, and it will be devastating.

Prices increased during the past year as follows: fresh and dry vegetables up 56.1%, fresh fruits and melons up 28.8%, eggs 33.6%, pork 9.1%, beef and veal 10.7% and dairy products up 9.7%. Last year prices were similarly increasing at alarming rates. Many did not notice these extreme price increases because manufacturers reduced packaging sizes or, in the case of dry good such as cereals, they just reduced the number of ounces of food in the packages.

We have talked about food inflation the last several months and lack of water in California’s central valley causing some of these price increases. Now there is a new water threat. Have you heard about this one? The Clean Water Act gives the Federal Government the authority to control all navigable water ways in the country. The administration is attempting to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2009 (S787). This new act would amend the 1972 Clean Water Act and replace the words “navigable waters” with “waters of the United States.” These waters would include:

(A) all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;

(B) all interstate waters, including interstate wetlands;

(C) all other waters, such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds;

(D) all impoundments of waters of the United States;

(E) tributaries of the aforementioned waters;

(F) the territorial seas;

(G) wetlands adjacent to the aforementioned waters.

Why do we care? How will this affect food prices? We need to care because we have seen what the federal government did in California and food from California increased in price and over 30,000 people were left unemployed. This could happen to you. If you decide to stock a pond on your property with fish as part of your food plan and an environmentalist complains that it is disrupting the life cycle of a feeder fish or water bug the government could force you to remove the fish. The government could decide a stream needed to be damned or undamned to protect a fern. Farmers whose farms are watered using a stream or pond could be denied access to those waters. Those who have cattle grazing and drinking from ponds on their own property could have access to those ponds denied. The Great Lakes will be affected by this change and some fear they could be pumped to provide drinking water to drought ridden states. You need to be concerned.

What has this to do with Money Saving Tips…nothing and everything. If we can see a threat to our economy and especially food prices, since we all need to eat, and we do nothing, we can be sure the cost of living will increase in our own homes. Sometimes saving money means acting before an event. It’s time to let Congress know we are aware of what they are trying to do and that we will remember them on election day if they make this change. Again, this appears to be a democrat vs republican issue but I have not seen a complete list so please write or call your Congress men and women and get involved.

If you have not completed stocking your general store with food I suggest you concentrate your efforts there. You may still want to add some of the non food items we are adding this year, each Monday, but you may only want to add a few and use your budget to get your food shelves full. Now is also the time to get your garden planted and to talk to friends and neighbors about sharing produce from gardens and trees. Food prices will increase and we will eventually eat our stored food and have to replace it but if you replace foods when they are on sale you will always be eating cheaper than those who failed to prepare.

I feel so strongly about this that for the next two weeks I will send any new subscribers to the Totally Ready Newsletter a copy of our March issue which includes the information you will need to store a nutritionally balanced three month supply designed for your family’s needs, not the generic list you find other places.

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This is the second installment to help you understand a little better just exactly what an EPM attack is and what may happen to our families and society as we know it should one occur. This week, how the power grid and communications could be affected.  Once we understand the best and worst case scenarios we will look at what we can do to mitigate the effects and to prevent  and protect ourselves before an attack.

“The North American economy and the functioning of the society as a whole are critically dependent on the availability of electricity, as needed, where and when needed. The electric power system in the US and interconnected areas of Canada and Mexico is outstanding in terms of its ability to meet load demands with high quality and reliable electricity at reasonable cost. However, over the last decade or two, there has been relatively little large-capacity electric transmission constructed and the generation additions that have been made, while barely adequate, have been increasingly located considerable distances from load for environmental, political, and economic reasons. As a result, the existing National electrical system not infrequently operates at or very near local limits on its physical capacity to move power from generation to load. Therefore, the slightest insult or upset to the system can cause functional collapse affecting significant numbers of people, businesses, and manufacturing. It is not surprising that a single EMP attack may well encompass and degrade at least 70% of the Nation’s electrical service, all in one instant. ” (2004 EMP Commission Report)

An EMP attack on the electrical grid is different from a normal power failure in the following ways:

1. The EMP impact is instantaneous and occurs simultaneously over a very large geographic area. There are no warning signs such as flicking lights, and consequently no time for a response to prevent damage.

2. EMPs release pulses so all the damage is not done at first. Lines and components are damaged and when the second pulse arrives it can then disable a component which was previously damaged but not destroyed, this time destroying it.

3. The power grid requires other services to remain properly functioning. For example they require a continuous supply of fuel. They require communications networks and transportation. When these systems are destroyed also it makes restoration of the grid impossible.

According to the EMP commission report restoration of the power grid could takes weeks or months. The grid is divided into islands so as one is taken down the next can be protected. After an EMP attack some of these islands may have been protected and have power. In this case restoration can be accomplished using the working grids and would take only weeks. If however, the neighboring grids had also been destroyed the restoration could take months.

Because there are so many different components with numerous manufacturers, and various levels of protection built into some of the components it is too expensive and virtually impossible to create a protection that will work for all.

Telecommunications systems would be disrupted and/or disabled. During and in the weeks following the attack on the World Trade Centers on 9/11 communications were disrupted. Remember they shut down the stock exchange because of this. Just think about the effects of an EMP which wiped out miles and miles of electric grid and not just a few blocks.

“The telecommunication system consists of four basic and primary physical systems: wireline, wireless, satellite, and radio. In general, the national telecommunications infrastructure may be farther advanced then others in its ability to address the particular consequences of EMP. This is due in large measure to the recognized alternative threats to this system, as well as broad recognition of its importance to society. The three primary and separate systems (excluding radio) that make up the broad telecommunications infrastructure each provide specialized services; they also overlap heavily. Thus the loss or degradation of any one of these somewhat redundant subsystems subjects the remaining functional subsystems to heavier service loads.

Each of these four primary systems is unique in their capability to suffer insult from EMP. The wireline system is robust but will be degraded within the area exposed to the EMP electromagnetic fields. The wireless system is technologically fragile in relation to EMP, certainly in comparison to the wireline one. In general, it may be so seriously degraded in the EMP region as to be unavailable. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) communications satellites may also suffer radiation damage as a result of one or more high-altitude nuclear bursts that produce EMP.

The radio communication sub-system of the national telecommunications infrastructure is not widespread, but where it is connected to antennas, power lines, telephone lines, or other extended conductors, it is also subject to substantial EMP damage. However, radio communication devices not so connected or not connected to such conductors at the time of the EMP attack are likely to be operable in the post-attack interval.” (2004 EMP Commission Report)

Destruction of this system would mean we may not be able to get information from media sources. We may not be able to contact family or friends to check on them or to get help. The police and fire departments, as well as hospital and private ambulances, may not be capable of contact. And, these agencies may have no way to communicate with each other to maintain civil controls. The government may have no way to communicate with other government agencies. Power companies and other infrastructure agencies such as water and sanitation may not be able to call for the help they need to reestablish services.

We could be returned to life as the pioneers knew it in 1850.

A few weeks ago I posted concerning the emergency California farmers have faced the past three years as the Federal government has shut off water to farmers. There have been a few changes since that posting.

First, a federal judge ordered pumping to begin pumping for a two week period. This was seen as a huge triumph, and farmers will take all they can get at this point to help with the dire situation. However, after three days of pumping a few smelt were discovered near the pumps and the judge had no choice, due to the Endangered Species Act,  but to order that they be such off again.

The government has since issued the water allotment for this year and set the water ration at between 0 and 10% of normal flow. Awful news!

Diane Feinstein, Senator from California, has introduced an amendment to a jobs bill which would allow for the water to flow again for the next two years while a solution, acceptable to all, or at least most, is found. The reason for attaching it to a jobs bill is because that is the next bill to be debated in the Senate. Time is of the essence.  This also makes sense in another way as it is estimated between 40,000 and 80,000 jobs could be lost if the pumps remain silent, forty thousand farmers and the rest in other  areas of the economy. I was told today that a seed/chemical company in the valley has laid off 200 people due to this crisis, and this is only the beginning. Think of all the movies that won’t be seen, pizzas that won’t be ordered, clothing that won’t be purchased because of those farmers out of work. Stores, restaurants and theaters will have no choice but to reduce their work force.

If you think this doesn’t affect you in Ohio or New Jersey you are wrong. You may not know that half of all fruits and vegetables grown in the United States come from California farms. Ok, so half are still available, right?  No, not when you consider that:

99% of all almond and walnuts come from California–93% of broccoli–89% of carrots–94% of tomatoes–95% of apricots–90 % of strawberries–93% of nectarines–100% of olives–93% of plums–78% of lettuce–84% of avocados–82% of dates–98% of figs, 97% of kiwi,89% of lemons, and the lists goes on and on.

Still not concerned enough to take a stand, get involved, and start or increase your efforts to establish a General Store in your home? Let’s consider tomatoes for a minute. If tomato farmers are forced to stop planting then those who work at the canneries will lose their jobs in large numbers, but that still may not affect you. Tomato products will get much more expensive if we are forced to import tomatoes. That mean spaghetti may no longer be the meal you cook when you are trying to save a few bucks. Our favorite fast food, pizza, will become more expensive because a key ingredient is…tomatoes. You know that ketchup you love on your fries, hamburgers and hot dog? Guess what, tomatoes, so the price of ketchup will go up. That means the price of a burger will go up. Don’t like burgers? The price of tacos and enchiladas will go up, yep salsa, is tomatoes.

Bottom line, you will have less produce to chose. Prices on everything that uses produce, or nuts, as ingredients will rise.

No water to California farms will impact you!

As much of a concern as there is about higher prices the bigger concern is once we have given up farming for ourselves we will have no choice but to import our food. This means feeding foods to our family which will have been grown using chemicals outlawed in the United States. It will mean picking fruit before they have reached their full nutritional value so they will survive the additional time needed to transport them to stores. It will means produce grown without regulations. It will  mean other countries will control the quality, quantity and price of our food supply. They will get rich as we are forced to rely on their food in the same way OPEC countries have gotten rich because we are dependent on their oil.

This can happen to you too. The government controls much of the land in this country as well as the water resources. Your state could be next. We must learn to balance environmental concerns with human concerns.

This will impact your family. What can you do?

Write to your Senator and tell them you are concerned. Ask them to support legislation to turn on the pumps in California and also ask them to reexamine the Endangered Species Act. Write to Sean Hannity and ask him to revisit California, now, before planting decisions are already made for the year. Contact anchors at the major media outlets and ask them why they aren’t covering this issue. Contact your local TEA party groups and ask them to take up the cause. Support candidates who will commit to balancing environmental needs with the needs of families. Avoid any candidate who accepts money from environmental groups who will then have power over their votes.  If nothing else, pass along this post and the links below to everyone you know.

People did not take up the cause of jobs and housing until there was a real crisis. Now we are paying the price. Let’s do what we can to try to avoid a food crisis which will take us years or decades to correct.

Do something today and report back!

I appeared on the Halli and Friends blog talk radio show today discussing this issue. If you would like to hear more  listen at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/idahotalk/2010/02/12/halli-friends There is a five minute intro so just keep listening.

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Sign up for our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

Hannity interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twd59PrqCNg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwhGkiPfPzo&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InelCf0tMFI&NR=1

Hannity in California:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJfviDPVrc&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjWPGg4fhKg&feature=related

Congressional hearings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PykWODgPwIA&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUAgHbkkrk&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9Es0sc2Ig&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75jk5ZSqmAg&feature=related (this has the congressional vote)

Wow! I just spoke with my niece in Baltimore, yikes! a Fire station roof has collapsed and they are advising people that more roofs will do the same with the weight of the snow from the biggest storm season in over 100 years. Highways are closed in Pennsylvania and Maryland and people are being told to stay home. In fact, in Baltimore only emergency vehicles are allowed on the streets. The storm is so bad in some places that even the snow plows are shut down. There is no diesel fuel for truck and snow plows in some area and no more expected before tomorrow afternoon. You know all those friends who laugh at your General Store and your 72 hour and car kits. I bet on the east coast they aren’t laughing today!

If you are on the east coast our prayers are with you. Please stay safe and let us know of your experience so we can learn from you.

As we head into phase two of our General Store we need to continue thinking about how we can be saving money so we have the resources to keep preparing. Which reminds me, are you putting aside that five or ten dollars each week into your Christmas or Hanukkah fund? You should have either $30.00 or $60.00 in cash in your fund.

Back to today’s post…just a few tips for saving money when thinking about breakfast.

Cereal can be a great bargain food when purchased on sale but it has limited nutritional value and is much more expensive than hot cereals. I am a realist however, and understand that cold cereal is a must in most home. In our home our daughter and her dad would much rather eat a bowl of cereal as a snack than just about anything else. So how do you save?

It’s often cheaper to buy the smaller boxes of cereal so compare. Last week our national pharmacy store had cereal for $1.29 a box. They were small boxes but still much cheaper than purchasing the larger size.

You will remember I am trying to use coupons now. Truthfully I am still struggling with the hassle of clipping, saving and checking the ads to pair them with coupons but I’m trying. Many grocery stores offer special sales on cereal, sometimes even buy get one free. This is the time to use those coupons.

Bagged cereals are also a great buy. Always check these and compare the prices before purchasing.

Always check the bottom shelf and the top shelf in the grocery aisle, no matter what you are purchasing. The aisle at eye level usually have the most expensive items.

Combine cereals. If you family loves frosted corn flakes or frosted mini wheats, for example, purchase one box and then a box of the cheapest unfrosted variety and combine them. This not only saves money but cuts down on the sugar intake. This works great for raisin bran and bran flakes also. You really don’t need a raisin in every bite.

A few more breakfast ideas:

Cutting bacon strips in half before cooking. Everyone will feel they had a special treat and again you will save money as well as calories and fat. Wrap the other half and freeze for next time.

If you want sausage with your eggs cook half the amount you normally make and cut them into bite sized pieces. Add them to your scrambled eggs and no one will ever know you used less. Again, you’ve saved money and your breakfast has been just as exciting with half the fat and calories.

Don’t waste your money on packages of instant oatmeal. I know kids love these so make your own. See yesterday’s blog post and the January Newsletter for the recipe. You can make several varieties by altering the dried fruits and sweeteners you add. You can substitute sugar and cinnamon for the brown sugar. Add raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots….

Eat more eggs. They are a very inexpensive breakfast food and provide a great source of protein. They are quick and easy to make even for kids, in the microwave. Check out the January newsletter for the directions.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak to a church group about food storage. I’m all fired up again!

I am not a pessimist but I am beginning to become so. I am having a difficult time seeing just how we can pull our economy out of the mess that it is in.  Today we are each in debt $48,000 because of the national debt. By 2015 we will each be in debt $86,000 and by 2020 we will all owe $129,000. What are we thinking?

We have talked about food shortages and price increases and as planting and growing seasons approach I will have more information but I am not seeing any of this in the national media, other than shows on Hannity last year. If you missed the shows you may want to look at them on youtube. Nothing has changed. The pumps will be turned off again this year. We have had rain this winter which, if we get a little more, will end the drought. That is no help to the farmers who will still have no delivery system to access all that water. They will continue to experience the government imposed drought.

Please look at these videos and please, please pass them along to everyone you know. We must all be writing to, and calling our federal legislators. Everyone who eats needs to be angry and to step up and make their opinion heard. It is estimated that the unemployment rate will be as high as 80,000 this year due to this federal decision. So, is the administration and congress really interested in putting people back to work? If they are, all they need to do is flip a switch. It will cost NO money.

With a $48,000 debt or in my case a $96,000 debt, because there are two of us, how much more will our dent increase when we are forced to import food? Does anyone really believe food from South America or China is safer, or that it will continue to be cheaper, once those counties understand that we no longer provide for ourselves and must depend on them?

The congressional hearings are really interesting. Please listen to them as you do other things, make note of the legislators who support and those who do not support helping the CA farmer. Thank those who support and ask those who do not, to take a new look, now, before it is too late for this year.

Write to Hannity and ask him to go back to the valley and do a follow up. It’s not too late to change things for this growing season if we start now. Please, please, re-post this to your facebook, blogs, and twitter.

For now we need to continue our preparations so we can protect  our family from the challenges we may face in the future. This week add 5 cans of fruit to your General Store. Again, for those who are new, and I hope we have a few after my discussion  yesterday, we are adding per family member. For this week then, we will add five cans per family member to our store shelves.

Please let me know here or in our yahoo group how you feel about the situation in CA and where you have re-posted. Thanks

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Sign up for our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

Hannity interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twd59PrqCNg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwhGkiPfPzo&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InelCf0tMFI&NR=1

Hannity in California:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJfviDPVrc&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjWPGg4fhKg&feature=related

Congressional hearings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PykWODgPwIA&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUAgHbkkrk&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9Es0sc2Ig&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75jk5ZSqmAg&feature=related (this has the congressional vote)

I am overwhelmed trying to keep up with the storms which have been hitting the western U.S. the past few days. Today is going to be even worse with very high winds and lots of rains. They have just issued extreme weather warnings for California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah for today. A weather warning means there is no doubt it is coming. They had a tornado in Huntington Beach CA, very, very unusual, and have issued flash flood warnings for California and Arizona. If you live in any of these areas you should be preparing for power outages and possible evacuation. Do it now.

I didn’t want to get distracted from our normal Wednesday Money Saving tips with all these distractions. Clothing is a huge part of our budget so here are a few tips for keeping what you have in good shape, thus saving money on clothing replacement. These tips all include the use of vinegar, a much cheaper solution than commercial products.

To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.

To remove stains from white socks and towels add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and add items. Let soak overnight. Remove and launder.

For stubborn stains on clothing and linens soak using equal parts milk and white distilled vinegar.

Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.

After attempting to remove spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with very hot water, if you still have a stain use 2 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water solution. Dab and rinse.

Remove perspiration odor and stains as well as deodorant stains by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar before washing.

Adding 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse of your laundry helps dissolve soaps and detergents. White distilled vinegar also helps to prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew. Try this and you may be able to eliminate the need for dryer sheets or other fabric softeners.

I received this email yesterday morning and it is a very frightening warning about things to come over the next two weeks on the west coast of the United States. If you have family or friends on the west coast please forward this post to them so they can prepare and understand the threat.

If you are an amateur  radio operator in CA you may be called upon to provide assistance with this one. There are already awful landslides and whole neighborhoods being evacuated in southern CA and we have only seen the first storm go through. Do you have your grab and go kit ready? Are your back up batteries charged?

An email I got this morning from an NOAA colleague:

This is where things get even more interesting, though. The models are virtually unanimous in “reloading” the powerful jet stream and forming an additional persistent kink 2000-3000 miles to our southwest after next Sunday. This is a truly ominous pattern, because it implies the potential for a strong Pineapple-type connection to develop. Indeed, the 12z GFS now shows copious warm rains falling between days 12 and 16 across the entire state. Normally, such as scenario out beyond day seven would be dubious at best. Since the models are in such truly remarkable agreement, however, and because of the extremely high potential impact of such an event, it’s worth mentioning now. Since there will be a massive volume of freshly-fallen snow (even at relatively low elevations between 3000-5000 feet), even a moderately warm storm event would cause very serious flooding. This situation will have to monitored closely. Even if the tropical connection does not develop, expected rains in the coming 7-10 days will likely be sufficient to cause flooding in and of themselves (even in spite of dry antecedent conditions).

In addition to very heavy precipitation, powerful winds may result from very steep pressure gradients associated with the large and deep low pressure centers expect ed to begin approaching the coast by early next week. Though it’s not clear at the moment just how powerful these winds may be, there is certainly the potential for a widespread damaging wind event at some point, and the high Sierra peaks are likely to see gusts in the 100-200 mph range (since the 200kt jet at 200-300 mb will essentially run directly into the mountains at some point). The details of this will have to be hashed out as the event(s) draw closer.
In short, the next 2-3 weeks (at least) are likely to be more active across California than any other 2-3 week period in recent memory. The potential exists for a dangerous flood scenario to arise at some point during this interval, especially with the possibility of a heavy rain-on-snow event during late week 2. In some parts of Southern California, a whole season’s worth of rain could fall over the course of 5-10 days. This is likely to be a rather memorable event. Stay tuned.

Yesterday I caught up all the laundry, trimmed branches from trees close to the house so they wouldn’t blow into windows, and filled all my pitchers and picnic coolers with water. I also hung glow sticks on the door knobs in all our rooms, for easy access if the power goes out. I brought all the outdoor lighting and furniture into the garage and cleaned out gutters. If it is already storming where you are this morning do what you can and prepare.

My Favorite Preparedness Items to check out:

Leatherman New Wave Multi-Tool

Berkey Water Filters

I had the following comment on an old post this morning and as I was answering it I was so frustrated I just had to share it with all of you. The comment follows:

I was shocked yesterday to talk to a 60 yr old teacher who was told she had all symptoms of the H1N1 flu and she still went to school with a fever/cough and fatigue to teach 1st and 2nd graders in Virgina, they have also closed one school in DC due to the high number of cases- did not make the news either!

I just don’t understand. How could anyone who claims to be committed to kids be so irresponsible? I could never sleep again if I had knowingly exposed a child to this illness and they then had complications or died. I also cannot understand why the government is still advising schools not to close when there is no vaccine available and schools have been shown to be the leading breeding ground for this flu. I have been saying for months that we would have to make tough decisions for our own families and that is exactly what has happened.

The CDC used the politically correct argument that closing schools would be a hardship on families as they would have a difficult time finding child care. Having served on our local school board I have watched this belief grow. Schools should never be treated as babysitters. It is my belief that most parents love their children enough to stay home or find a way to care for them when schools close. I believe the biggest problem is lack of information. There have been so many conspiracy theories making the rounds on the Internet and so many with ulterior motives, to make money, that it is difficult to sort out fact from fiction.

I really am fed up with those on the Internet who are criticizing the media for covering the pandemic, accusing them of just promoting fear. This pandemic is to be taken seriously. The truth is those who yell the loudest about the media coverage are those who oppose the vaccine and their way of influencing you not to take the vaccine is to make the flu seem like it is no big deal. No matter what your view of vaccines, anything that is killing our children at these rates is a big deal. Why school closures are not being reported and even encouraged is a mystery to me.

Today I learned that a state of emergency has been declared in Grants Pass, Oregon. Yesterday one of the doctors there had more vaccine come into his office, 10 doses! Hopefully this state of emergency will get more vaccine flowing their way. One doctor reported that he has a patient who is 23 with no preexisting conditions and they are going to die.

One of the schools in Grants Pass has eliminated their recognition for perfect attendance for this year. Now, that is a great idea! I know parents who would send kids to school ill just because they wanted that perfect attendance recognition. Some parents with a family member who has a weakened immune system are working with the schools to teach their children at home until the crisis has passed. This is exactly what schools and parents should be doing.

Today there are reports that this flu has reached it’s peek, or will reach it’s peek in the next week. That is ridiculous. This virus will remain active until the end of the flu season or until everyone has built up an immunity.  Neither is likely in the next few months. In fact, many who had the H1N1 in the spring are getting it again as their bodies did not build up enough immunity. This is typical of a pandemic. The first wave, last spring and summer, is always the most mild. The second and third waves are worse. We are now into the second wave.

In a post a few days ago I spoke about schools in Sacramento closing and I have been asked where those are. Because I write for an international audience, and most know where Sacramento is, I used that city as an example. In fact those school are in a nearby town which I was afraid readers would not recognize, Vacaville. I’m sorry for any confusion for those who live in Sacramento.

As for our General Store…This week we are again adding fruit to our store. It is now apple season and a great time to make applesauce if you have access to apples, especially if they are free. Remember applesauce is a great food for anyone recovering from the flu. It is easy to digest and very nutritious. I know I have made many of these points before but we have many new friends here so please be patient when I repeat myself. This week add 5 (14oz.) cans, per family member, of fruit to your general store.  Once all the pandemic questions and daily updates calm down we will get back to talking about our General Store more in depth again.

Due to many factors I will be forced to raise the cost of my Prep Not Panic and other ebooks in the next few weeks. It is important to me to get the information in the book to as many as I can right now. For everyone who purchases Prep Not Panic: Keys to Surviving the Next Pandemic this week I will be sending you a copy of my ebook That Won’t Happen to Me for free. Please encourage those you know to add these ebooks to their library this week.

Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

To subscribe to our newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/?page_id=736

To purchase Prep Not Panic: Keys to Surviving the Next Pandemic : http://www.totallyready.com/

Blog Talk Radio Show with Kathy Hamilton..listen to our conversation at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/simikathy/2009/10/14/Carolyn–how-to-prepare-your-family-for-an-emergency-so-you-can-be-gone-with-confidence

Blog Talk Radio Shows with James Talmage Stevens: All are about the H1N1

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Talmage-Steven/2009/10/17/Family-Preparedness-Guide

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Talmage-Steven/2009/06/20/Family-Preparedness-Guide

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Talmage-Steven/2009/05/23/Family-Preparedness-Guide