Last year, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was on prime time television with an hour-long program bringing the danger of the bird flu into the hearts and minds of America. His program probably did help reach a good many folks and raise awareness of the still lingering naturally occurring biological threat.
Now, Newt has another cause to embrace and to impart to the unwary ... nuclear holocaust.
You have GOT to read this story on an Israeli site, "Israel Faces Nuclear Holocaust Warns Gingrich." It's not only Israel that is staring down the barrel of the gun, says Newt, but America as well.
"Israel is in the greatest danger it has been in since 1967. Prior to '67, many wondered if Israel would survive. After '67, Israel seemed military dominant, despite the '73 war. I would say we are (now) back to question of survival," Gingrich said.
He added that the United States could "lose two or three cities to nuclear weapons, or more than a million to biological weapons."
Gingrich added that in such a scenario, "freedom as we know it will disappear, and we will become a much grimmer, much more militarized, dictatorial society."
"Three nuclear weapons are a second Holocaust," Gingrich declared, adding: "People are greatly underestimating how dangerous the world is becoming. I'll repeat it, three nuclear weapons are a second Holocaust. Our enemies are quite explicit in their desire to destroy us. They say it publicly? We are sleepwalking through this process as though it's only a problem of communication," Gingrich said.
The article also quotes Newt this way:
"We don't have right language, goals, structure, or operating speed, to defeat our enemies. My hope is that being this candid and direct, I could open a dialogue that will force people to come to grips with how serious this is, how real it is, how much we are threatened. If that fails, at least we will be intellectually prepared for the correct results once we have lost one or more cities," Gingrich added.
He also said "citizens who do not wake up every morning and think about the possible catastrophic civilian casualties are deluding themselves."
Well that's a fine how-do-you-do, isn't it?
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Litvinenko's Killer IDed from Airport Camera Video
This is just a bit apart from the normal fare I post in this blog, but I think this story IS or should be of interest to those who don't believe that Russia is our friend.
Great reporting on this story ...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2556377,00.html
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Great reporting on this story ...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2556377,00.html
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Prepare for the Unthinkable
Preparing for the possibility of disaster is logical in mathematical terms. If we can agree on defining "disaster" to include not only widespread catastrophe, but also such things as unexpected personal financial downturns, job loss, serious illness or injury, residential displacement, legal troubles, major disruptions and disconnections in one's immediate family, then obviously, the odds are very strong that having some resources set aside for rainy days can pay-off at some point for most people.
Even narrowing the definition to simply include unanticipated regional tragedies such as natural disaster damage, economic slides, or acts of war, then a strong case can still be made for carrying substantive on-site "insurance" against loss. We think nothing of shelling out thousands annually for financial insurance against long-shot calamities that may or may not have as much real impact as would getting flattened by "the big one." The pay-off of having the means to "dig oneself out" from the debris of disaster is often the difference between life and death.
Bottom line--crisis preparedness makes sense. Best estimates are that about 10% of American households put forth some effort to physically prepare for future difficulties.
What we are doing, when we set aside some long-term storage food, or we set up storm shelters or saferooms at home, or we prepare basic survival kits for our cars, is preparing for the unthinkable. At least we are recognizing that a few quick calculations and preemptive actions on our part can go a long way toward helping our odds of recovery should the worst happen.
Truly, even when we are doing these things that make sense to us on some internal level, we are not allowing ourselves to become TOO aware of what kind of misery we might be trying to forestall. To do so would be counterproductive and self-defeating. It would be too much information and too little congruity.
The Core Rationale is Emotional Vulnerability
Some make lists. They identify threat scenarios. They seek out experienced advice for how to attenuate risk. Systematically, these most diligent of preppers acquire the means and resources to put their minds at ease and to actually be well-situated for most potential disasters.
BUT, even these people, who take preparedness VERY seriously, do not spend much if any time fully trying to understand the pain and misery and emotional toll that comes with the worst events that they are preparing for.
Should they? No, of course not. But it's a crucial variable in the disaster-recovery situation that makes the case for preparedness all the more important. Physical, mental, and emotional shock and paralysis is normal and expected of survivors, post-catastrophe.
Folks emerging from a sudden disaster or those struggling through an ongoing, life-changing event are very often ill-equipped to think straight or to take positive action for themselves at that time. What that means is, they either are then totally dependent on the goodwill and competence of others, OR they are well-enough situated to be able to fall back on their prior introspection.
Figure the odds.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Even narrowing the definition to simply include unanticipated regional tragedies such as natural disaster damage, economic slides, or acts of war, then a strong case can still be made for carrying substantive on-site "insurance" against loss. We think nothing of shelling out thousands annually for financial insurance against long-shot calamities that may or may not have as much real impact as would getting flattened by "the big one." The pay-off of having the means to "dig oneself out" from the debris of disaster is often the difference between life and death.
Bottom line--crisis preparedness makes sense. Best estimates are that about 10% of American households put forth some effort to physically prepare for future difficulties.
What we are doing, when we set aside some long-term storage food, or we set up storm shelters or saferooms at home, or we prepare basic survival kits for our cars, is preparing for the unthinkable. At least we are recognizing that a few quick calculations and preemptive actions on our part can go a long way toward helping our odds of recovery should the worst happen.
Truly, even when we are doing these things that make sense to us on some internal level, we are not allowing ourselves to become TOO aware of what kind of misery we might be trying to forestall. To do so would be counterproductive and self-defeating. It would be too much information and too little congruity.
The Core Rationale is Emotional Vulnerability
Some make lists. They identify threat scenarios. They seek out experienced advice for how to attenuate risk. Systematically, these most diligent of preppers acquire the means and resources to put their minds at ease and to actually be well-situated for most potential disasters.
BUT, even these people, who take preparedness VERY seriously, do not spend much if any time fully trying to understand the pain and misery and emotional toll that comes with the worst events that they are preparing for.
Should they? No, of course not. But it's a crucial variable in the disaster-recovery situation that makes the case for preparedness all the more important. Physical, mental, and emotional shock and paralysis is normal and expected of survivors, post-catastrophe.
Folks emerging from a sudden disaster or those struggling through an ongoing, life-changing event are very often ill-equipped to think straight or to take positive action for themselves at that time. What that means is, they either are then totally dependent on the goodwill and competence of others, OR they are well-enough situated to be able to fall back on their prior introspection.
Figure the odds.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Saturday, January 20, 2007
JAN. 22 is the Last Day for the Current Mountain House Three-Case Buy
Looking to supplement your long-term food storage situation? The best solution out there for food you'd actually enjoy eating is Mountain House freeze-dried entrees. They are dee-lish, and they store for 30 years or more!
A great way to get a wide variety of their foods is with our unique Safecastle 18-can/18-variety package. We put these together with food fresh from the factory two or three times a year.
The current buy requires your purchase by Monday, January 22.
Have a look at our buyer's club listing: https://www.safecastleroyal.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=82&categoryId=4
Note that the list price there is our full sales price. Smart buyers pay the one-time $19 membership fee and save well over $100 on just this purchase alone!
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
A great way to get a wide variety of their foods is with our unique Safecastle 18-can/18-variety package. We put these together with food fresh from the factory two or three times a year.
The current buy requires your purchase by Monday, January 22.
Have a look at our buyer's club listing: https://www.safecastleroyal.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=82&categoryId=4
Note that the list price there is our full sales price. Smart buyers pay the one-time $19 membership fee and save well over $100 on just this purchase alone!
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Clinton Aims to Reveal/Exploit Obama's Youthful Muslim Education in Madrassa
The Democrats are squaring off against each other already. Hillary Clinton is set to formally begin her candidacy for the Presidency, just as Barrack Hussein Obama has already.
Reports suggest that Clinton has been digging up dirt on Obama, since he may be her biggest challenger for the Democratic nomination. Her sleuths have found that Obama has been less than forthcoming about his years spent in Jakarta in a Madrassa, or Muslim seminary in Indonesia.
This should get very interesting.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Reports suggest that Clinton has been digging up dirt on Obama, since he may be her biggest challenger for the Democratic nomination. Her sleuths have found that Obama has been less than forthcoming about his years spent in Jakarta in a Madrassa, or Muslim seminary in Indonesia.
This should get very interesting.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
U.S. Intel: Bin Laden Plotting Attack on U.S. Bigger than 9/11
Am seeing reports again out there to the effect that Bin Laden's recent time of relative security in the boonies of Pakistan have allowed him to keep plotting a major attack or attacks in the U.S. that aim to dwarf the 9/11 attacks.
Outgoing Nat'l intelligence Director John Negroponte told the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on Jan. 11 that al Qaeda leadership has been communicating with underlings throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Negroponte indicated the planned attacks involve conventional explosives.
Al Qaeda is networking with seasoned operative groups now established in the West who are presumably focusing their terror objectives on aviation, energy, mass transit, and government buildings.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Outgoing Nat'l intelligence Director John Negroponte told the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on Jan. 11 that al Qaeda leadership has been communicating with underlings throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Negroponte indicated the planned attacks involve conventional explosives.
Al Qaeda is networking with seasoned operative groups now established in the West who are presumably focusing their terror objectives on aviation, energy, mass transit, and government buildings.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
"It is 5 Minutes to Midnight"
The scientists who mind the Doomsday Clock - symbolizing the annihilation of civilization - have moved it two minutes closer to midnight, adding the threat of global warming for the first time to acute nuclear threats. This "progress" is the first movement of the hands since 2002, when the clock moved from 9 minutes to midnight to 7 minutes till.
Thus sayeth the watchers ...
http://www.thebulletin.org/minutes-to-midnight/timeline.html
IT IS 5 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
2007
The world stands at the brink of a second nuclear age. The United States and Russia remain ready to stage a nuclear attack within minutes, North Korea conducts a nuclear test, and many in the international community worry that Iran plans to acquire the Bomb. Climate change also presents a dire challenge to humanity. Damage to ecosystems is already taking place; flooding, destructive storms, increased drought, and polar ice melt are causing loss of life and property.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Thus sayeth the watchers ...
http://www.thebulletin.org/minutes-to-midnight/timeline.html
IT IS 5 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
2007
The world stands at the brink of a second nuclear age. The United States and Russia remain ready to stage a nuclear attack within minutes, North Korea conducts a nuclear test, and many in the international community worry that Iran plans to acquire the Bomb. Climate change also presents a dire challenge to humanity. Damage to ecosystems is already taking place; flooding, destructive storms, increased drought, and polar ice melt are causing loss of life and property.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Monday, January 15, 2007
Nuclear Blast on "24" Causes Fallout for Fox?
Puhlease ... talk about the need for an increasingly robust nanny-state to more compassionately babysit and nurture our delicate mass-psyche.Read this first, from ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2795969&page=1
Go ahead, I'll wait.
OK. Now, I'm not a "24" fan. I watched a few episodes in the first season, mainly because my wife always tells me I look like Kiefer Sutherland. And I do really like good espionage-related entertainment when I'm in the mood. But the show never quite hit the mark for me.
Nonetheless, "24" is obviously is a hit with a lot of folks, and I guess the plots must twist the spin close enough to keeping the good guys on the real front lines looking like the heroes they are.
So, all the more power to Kiefer and company. Go Jack Bauer!
But why is someone now crying about this season's shows? .... because they are nuking L.A. on our very own widescreens? Is someone actually concerned about our collective ability to handle the fear we'll be immersed in as the result of watching must-see WMD TV in high def?
Hmmm ... ABC TV is the source of this article. Is it not just way too obvious that they might be screeching pitiably about their own inability to compete in the Nielsens in this time slot?
Of course.
But also, it is amazing that there are folks out there--"scholarly experts"--who are willing to be quoted to the effect that " ... the dramatic action in the show creates a dangerous climate in which the public loses some of its perspective on what's real and what's not."
And, "Fear has been used to paralyze people's intellects. If they can scare people, almost anything becomes possible. When people are afraid their brains shut off and it makes you confused and want easy solutions."
Then there is the P.C. angle that has to be given voice in this "debate" ... "Television shows like '24' also reinforce stereotypes about Arabs, he said, and in this episode connections are drawn between terrorism, Arabs and nuclear war. With the U.S. wrestling with Iran over its nuclear capabilities, these associations are dangerous."
Guess we just can't be trusted to manage our own emotions and opinions, can we? Or at least we must not be counted on to separate high-def imagery from our kitchen window's-view of the world.
The article mentions that the 1983 drama "The Day After" (aired by ABC!) showed the horror of life after a nuclear attack, and that in 2002, "The Sum of All Fears" was questioned by authorities who were apparently concerned about public fears so recent to the reality of 9/11.
Also, this year, it is pointed out that CBS has a series, "Jericho" that portrays life after nuclear war.
Here's the clincher: "'It fits into a mind set," Jhally said. "Iran is on the news about nuclear power, and now there is an American TV story on an Arab terrorist using nuclear power. It's dangerous because this present administration wants any excuse to attack an enemy. Fear is (the) main enemy in our political culture and we have to cut through the fear to see the world clearly, and then we can find solutions to make the world safe.'"
Sometimes you just have to wonder, don't you? I would hope that we all, in our feeble little minds, at least give it a little thought from time to time--that there ARE folks out there "watching out" for your best interests.
Bottom line, WE have the power to live well and prepare for any contingencies, IF we so choose.
Repeat after me: I am not afraid of network entertainment ... at least not to the point of soiling my pants and changing my vote.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Offer for a FREE Case of Mountain House Organic Fruit Ends Jan. 15
One more day before our offer ends for a free case of Mountain House freeze-dried organic fruit in pouches, with ANY purchase in our new Safecastle Royal buyers club.
A one-time $19 lifetime membership fee gets you into the club where the lowest prices on preparedness-related gear and materials is standard fare. Join, save, and build peace of mind!
It's a no-brainer ... the case of fruit is worth more than the membership fee right off the bat. And most any initial purchase you make willl bring savings many times over the membership fee.
Check us out: www.safecastleroyal.com Note that the list prices shown are for non-members. Members receive coupon codes for 20% or more off the list prices!
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
A one-time $19 lifetime membership fee gets you into the club where the lowest prices on preparedness-related gear and materials is standard fare. Join, save, and build peace of mind!
It's a no-brainer ... the case of fruit is worth more than the membership fee right off the bat. And most any initial purchase you make willl bring savings many times over the membership fee.
Check us out: www.safecastleroyal.com Note that the list prices shown are for non-members. Members receive coupon codes for 20% or more off the list prices!
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
Sunday, January 07, 2007
What Are People Thinking Today?
Just thought I'd provide a little insight into the public mind today. In light of the report of the plan for Israel to nuke Iran's nuclear enrichment facilites, the topic of the world's attention is obvious.
How are people responding over the morning coffee? Well, it's not a time for panic by any means. However, our sites are taking unprecedented traffic today already. Especially our shelter site. We are being deluged with requests for brochures and for quotes on shelters.
Site traffic doesn't always translate into purchasing decisions, but if you are considering any major preparedness buys, take note ... it doesn't take much of a spike in demand before our industry's various product supply lines are strained and overwhelmed. We've seen it several times over the last several years, and customers have found themselves having to wait weeks or months for their orders--not exactly the thing you want to happen when you are trying to pocket a little peace of mind.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
How are people responding over the morning coffee? Well, it's not a time for panic by any means. However, our sites are taking unprecedented traffic today already. Especially our shelter site. We are being deluged with requests for brochures and for quotes on shelters.
Site traffic doesn't always translate into purchasing decisions, but if you are considering any major preparedness buys, take note ... it doesn't take much of a spike in demand before our industry's various product supply lines are strained and overwhelmed. We've seen it several times over the last several years, and customers have found themselves having to wait weeks or months for their orders--not exactly the thing you want to happen when you are trying to pocket a little peace of mind.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Israel Plan to Nuke Iran?
This morning, the hot news is the report that Israel has drawn up "secret" plans to nuke Iran's uranium enrichment facilities.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2535310,00.html
Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi, New York and Sarah Baxter, Washington
ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.
Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.
The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.
Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.
“As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,” said one of the sources.
The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years.
Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.
Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack.
[snip]
Escalating Half-a-Notch
I have to agree with the opinion that this is less news and more posturing--leaked for a purpose. That is not to say there is not a plan, nor that the strategy won't come to fruition. Israel is being backed into a corner and Iran is incessantly poking them with a radioactive stick.
This story brings the issue once again front and center in the public mind. It needs to be there and the international community must come up with an effective strategy to head off a burgeoning disaaster in the Middle East that could quickly engulf the world. We're not there yet, but if you stop and take notice, you'll catch a distinct whiff of smoke in the wind.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2535310,00.html
Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi, New York and Sarah Baxter, Washington
ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.
Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.
The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.
Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.
“As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,” said one of the sources.
The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years.
Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.
Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack.
[snip]
Escalating Half-a-Notch
I have to agree with the opinion that this is less news and more posturing--leaked for a purpose. That is not to say there is not a plan, nor that the strategy won't come to fruition. Israel is being backed into a corner and Iran is incessantly poking them with a radioactive stick.
This story brings the issue once again front and center in the public mind. It needs to be there and the international community must come up with an effective strategy to head off a burgeoning disaaster in the Middle East that could quickly engulf the world. We're not there yet, but if you stop and take notice, you'll catch a distinct whiff of smoke in the wind.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
Join the Club, Order Any Mountain House Case CHEAP for Free Delivery in Two Weeks
Just want to point out that we have now listed all the available Mountain House emergency storage food cases on our buyers club sign-up site: www.safecastleroyal.com
Non-members can order at our regular prices and get FREE delivery within about two weeks at this point (if the Israel/Iran situation doesn't seriously spook a lot of people and create a demand surge as what happened last year at this time, post-Katrina).
However, Safecastle Royal members (simply sign-up for a $19 lifetime membership fee) can purchase those cases on that site, and use a coupon code to get a very serious discount on those foods.
Mountain House is THE premier emergency storage food, as well as the preferred outdoor adventure-expedition food in the world. The canned food is delicious, nutritious, and easy to store, with a 30-year shelf life.
It's some of the best piece of mind you can buy in a world that is increasingly uncertain.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Non-members can order at our regular prices and get FREE delivery within about two weeks at this point (if the Israel/Iran situation doesn't seriously spook a lot of people and create a demand surge as what happened last year at this time, post-Katrina).
However, Safecastle Royal members (simply sign-up for a $19 lifetime membership fee) can purchase those cases on that site, and use a coupon code to get a very serious discount on those foods.
Mountain House is THE premier emergency storage food, as well as the preferred outdoor adventure-expedition food in the world. The canned food is delicious, nutritious, and easy to store, with a 30-year shelf life.
It's some of the best piece of mind you can buy in a world that is increasingly uncertain.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Hurricane Center Chief Issues Final Warning
Glad to have ya', Max! ...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hurricane3jan03,0,3253020.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Hurricane center chief issues final warning
A departing Max Mayfield is convinced that the Southeast is inviting disaster.
By Carol J. Williams, Times Staff Writer
January 3, 2007
MIAMI — Frustrated with people and politicians who refuse to listen or learn, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield ends his 34-year government career today in search of a new platform for getting out his unwelcome message: Hurricane Katrina was nothing compared with the big one yet to come.
Mayfield, 58, leaves his high-profile job with the National Weather Service more convinced than ever that U.S. residents of the Southeast are risking unprecedented tragedy by continuing to build vulnerable homes in the tropical storm zone and failing to plan escape routes.
He pointed to southern Florida's 7 million coastal residents. "We're eventually going to get a strong enough storm in a densely populated area to have a major disaster," he said. "I know people don't want to hear this, and I'm generally a very positive person, but we're setting ourselves up for this major disaster."
More than 1,300 deaths across the Gulf Coast were attributed to Hurricane Katrina, the worst human toll from a weather event in the United States since the 1920s. But Mayfield warns that 10 times as many fatalities could occur in what he sees as an inevitable strike by a huge storm during the current highly active hurricane cycle, which is expected to last another 10 to 20 years.
[snip]
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hurricane3jan03,0,3253020.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Hurricane center chief issues final warning
A departing Max Mayfield is convinced that the Southeast is inviting disaster.
By Carol J. Williams, Times Staff Writer
January 3, 2007
MIAMI — Frustrated with people and politicians who refuse to listen or learn, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield ends his 34-year government career today in search of a new platform for getting out his unwelcome message: Hurricane Katrina was nothing compared with the big one yet to come.
Mayfield, 58, leaves his high-profile job with the National Weather Service more convinced than ever that U.S. residents of the Southeast are risking unprecedented tragedy by continuing to build vulnerable homes in the tropical storm zone and failing to plan escape routes.
He pointed to southern Florida's 7 million coastal residents. "We're eventually going to get a strong enough storm in a densely populated area to have a major disaster," he said. "I know people don't want to hear this, and I'm generally a very positive person, but we're setting ourselves up for this major disaster."
More than 1,300 deaths across the Gulf Coast were attributed to Hurricane Katrina, the worst human toll from a weather event in the United States since the 1920s. But Mayfield warns that 10 times as many fatalities could occur in what he sees as an inevitable strike by a huge storm during the current highly active hurricane cycle, which is expected to last another 10 to 20 years.
[snip]
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Don't Look Now, But H5N1 May Be Sneaking Up on Us
Of late, most of us have chosen to relegate the Bird Flu Pandemic threat to the bottom of the heap. If you think about it, this common reaction is a reminder of how delicate a job it is, if the media was to actually be doing a public service, walking the fine line--increasing awareness and avoiding the over-hype of potential imminent risks.
The fact is, the bird flu is creeping back into the picture, if you are paying attention. In Vietnam and Egypt in particular, there are current spikes in human fatalities. No, nothing to get too excited about here in America yet, but the point is, we cannot put this boogeyman to bed anytime soon.
This report should make you go "hmmm ..."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=59855&nfid=rssfeeds
Human H5N1 Virus Replikin Count Overtakes That In H5N1 "Bird Flu"
Article Date: 02 January 2007
A common question asked at current scientific conferences is: "Where did bird flu go?"
The recent decrease in reported H5N1 human cases and bird outbreaks might indicate that the virus has become dormant. However, quantitative analysis by Replikins, Ltd. released yesterday of human H5N1 virus sequences in 2006 has found that the Replikin Count(TM) has significantly increased beyond all annual previous levels reported in chickens and humans. The Replikin Count(TM) determined by virus protein software analysis, provides an index of the capacity for virus rapid replication. The Replikin Count(TM) is defined as the number of replikin peptide sequences per 100 amino acids of virus protein, that is concentration, and is independent of the number of specimens examined.
Rather than declining, the Replikin Count(TM) in humans in 2006 has risen 35% over that in 2005, and outstripped the Count in all reported chicken H5N1 virus specimens, both with reference to the mean and the range, of the peptides in all human H5N1 virus specimens reported by the National Library of Medicine.
With the rise in Replikin Count(TM) in human H5N1, (3.7(+/-4.1) in 2005 to 5.0(+/-5.9) in 2006, p<0.001), the human Count exceeds that for H5N1 in chickens, which after rising from 2003, has been constant (3.2(+/-2.8) in 2005, and 3.2(+/-3.1) in 2006. The Replikin Count(TM) in H5N1 is now seen to have risen steadily, by a factor of 3.9 from the 1998 Replikin Count(TM) of 1.3(+/-0.4) in chickens to the Replikin Count(TM) in humans in 2006 of 5.0(+/- 5.9) (p<0.001). The Replikin Count in the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic was 7.0. The mortality rate in human H5N1 cases has also increased 2.3 times, from 26 percent in 1997-98 to approximately 60 percent in 2006.
The increase in Replikin Count(TM) could have provided early warning of the last three H5N1 bird outbreaks (2001-2006). It was also found to precede or was an early association of the three influenza human pandemics - 1918 (H1N1), 1957 (H2N2) and 1968 (H3N2), and the H5N1 outbreak in Hong Kong (1997) (see http://www.replikins.com for detailed data).
In contrast to H5N1, Replikin Count(TM) analyses of H3N2 influenza virus (the cause of the pandemic of 1968) has decreased (2.7(+/-0.6) in 2005 to 0.8(+/-1) in 2006, p<0.001). Such decreases have been associated with periods of relative viral quiescence.
"This rise in human H5N1 Replikin Count(TM) suggests that the replication rate of this virus in humans continues to increase. Humans may be becoming a preferred host for H5N1," according to Dr. Sam Bogoch, Chairman of Replikins, Ltd.
"The Replikin Count(TM) is specific to the virus strain, the host species, and the region, and can be used to indicate the threat level of a particular virus. We know of no other quantitative measures of particular peptide sequences of virus proteins, or of any other chemical constituent, which have this correlative and predictive value," he said.
In addition to FluForecast(R), Replikins, Ltd. has enlisted an international "Replikins Group" of several universities and research institutions to test the effect of its potential synthetic replikins vaccines and other products against these new targets related to rapid replication in H5N1 and other virus disorders.
Replikins, Ltd.
http://www.replikins.com/
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
The fact is, the bird flu is creeping back into the picture, if you are paying attention. In Vietnam and Egypt in particular, there are current spikes in human fatalities. No, nothing to get too excited about here in America yet, but the point is, we cannot put this boogeyman to bed anytime soon.
This report should make you go "hmmm ..."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=59855&nfid=rssfeeds
Human H5N1 Virus Replikin Count Overtakes That In H5N1 "Bird Flu"
Article Date: 02 January 2007
A common question asked at current scientific conferences is: "Where did bird flu go?"
The recent decrease in reported H5N1 human cases and bird outbreaks might indicate that the virus has become dormant. However, quantitative analysis by Replikins, Ltd. released yesterday of human H5N1 virus sequences in 2006 has found that the Replikin Count(TM) has significantly increased beyond all annual previous levels reported in chickens and humans. The Replikin Count(TM) determined by virus protein software analysis, provides an index of the capacity for virus rapid replication. The Replikin Count(TM) is defined as the number of replikin peptide sequences per 100 amino acids of virus protein, that is concentration, and is independent of the number of specimens examined.
Rather than declining, the Replikin Count(TM) in humans in 2006 has risen 35% over that in 2005, and outstripped the Count in all reported chicken H5N1 virus specimens, both with reference to the mean and the range, of the peptides in all human H5N1 virus specimens reported by the National Library of Medicine.
With the rise in Replikin Count(TM) in human H5N1, (3.7(+/-4.1) in 2005 to 5.0(+/-5.9) in 2006, p<0.001), the human Count exceeds that for H5N1 in chickens, which after rising from 2003, has been constant (3.2(+/-2.8) in 2005, and 3.2(+/-3.1) in 2006. The Replikin Count(TM) in H5N1 is now seen to have risen steadily, by a factor of 3.9 from the 1998 Replikin Count(TM) of 1.3(+/-0.4) in chickens to the Replikin Count(TM) in humans in 2006 of 5.0(+/- 5.9) (p<0.001). The Replikin Count in the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic was 7.0. The mortality rate in human H5N1 cases has also increased 2.3 times, from 26 percent in 1997-98 to approximately 60 percent in 2006.
The increase in Replikin Count(TM) could have provided early warning of the last three H5N1 bird outbreaks (2001-2006). It was also found to precede or was an early association of the three influenza human pandemics - 1918 (H1N1), 1957 (H2N2) and 1968 (H3N2), and the H5N1 outbreak in Hong Kong (1997) (see http://www.replikins.com for detailed data).
In contrast to H5N1, Replikin Count(TM) analyses of H3N2 influenza virus (the cause of the pandemic of 1968) has decreased (2.7(+/-0.6) in 2005 to 0.8(+/-1) in 2006, p<0.001). Such decreases have been associated with periods of relative viral quiescence.
"This rise in human H5N1 Replikin Count(TM) suggests that the replication rate of this virus in humans continues to increase. Humans may be becoming a preferred host for H5N1," according to Dr. Sam Bogoch, Chairman of Replikins, Ltd.
"The Replikin Count(TM) is specific to the virus strain, the host species, and the region, and can be used to indicate the threat level of a particular virus. We know of no other quantitative measures of particular peptide sequences of virus proteins, or of any other chemical constituent, which have this correlative and predictive value," he said.
In addition to FluForecast(R), Replikins, Ltd. has enlisted an international "Replikins Group" of several universities and research institutions to test the effect of its potential synthetic replikins vaccines and other products against these new targets related to rapid replication in H5N1 and other virus disorders.
Replikins, Ltd.
http://www.replikins.com/
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Thursday, December 28, 2006
The State of Preparedness
Business has been rather slow in recent months ... not only for Safecastle, but for most other preparedness-related outfits as well.
The logical explanation is that there was such a huge surge late last year and early this year in readiness buying around the country, (triggered by the Hurricane Katrina aftermath) that we are in the corresponding trough that almost always follows a reactionary spike like that.
And hey, all of us DO seem to be a bit drained of our sense of urgency anymore to prepare for this, that, and the other, after so many loud wake-up calls in recent years.
Nonetheless, in total, my educated guess is that right now, the American population is as well prepared as it has been for decades. Perhaps 10% of American households have done some substantial preparedness work in the last year or two ... so that those folks can at least pull through a few days of major difficulties without having to crash through the plate glass at the padlocked Piggly Wiggly for water and Twinkies.
Ten percent! Not much more than a sliver out of the big pie, but really, it's progress over the days when "survivalists" were being uniformly ridiculed and/or skewered in the media. Today, the tide HAS turned and we're seeing preppers and practical folks taking heroic roles in TV series (Jericho), and every week there are cable shows if not major network news programs that are outlining how easy it can be to survive disaster with just a little common sense (Survivorman, Bird Flu news programs, etc.). Not to mention a resurgence in the print media of similar fictional titles and non-fiction articles presenting readiness in a mostly positive light. The mass mind-meld is in full blossom, so fear not, the preparedness trend will continue for quite some time.
All in all, my view is that we're in a lull right now. It's a good time to be buying if you need preps, as the demand is down for the moment. Reason--emotionally, we as a population have needed to pause and have a look at the scenery before we have to react to the next spate of the unexpected and horrifying.
Bottom line ... bad stuff happens, but at least some of us will be ready when it does.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
The logical explanation is that there was such a huge surge late last year and early this year in readiness buying around the country, (triggered by the Hurricane Katrina aftermath) that we are in the corresponding trough that almost always follows a reactionary spike like that.
And hey, all of us DO seem to be a bit drained of our sense of urgency anymore to prepare for this, that, and the other, after so many loud wake-up calls in recent years.
Nonetheless, in total, my educated guess is that right now, the American population is as well prepared as it has been for decades. Perhaps 10% of American households have done some substantial preparedness work in the last year or two ... so that those folks can at least pull through a few days of major difficulties without having to crash through the plate glass at the padlocked Piggly Wiggly for water and Twinkies.
Ten percent! Not much more than a sliver out of the big pie, but really, it's progress over the days when "survivalists" were being uniformly ridiculed and/or skewered in the media. Today, the tide HAS turned and we're seeing preppers and practical folks taking heroic roles in TV series (Jericho), and every week there are cable shows if not major network news programs that are outlining how easy it can be to survive disaster with just a little common sense (Survivorman, Bird Flu news programs, etc.). Not to mention a resurgence in the print media of similar fictional titles and non-fiction articles presenting readiness in a mostly positive light. The mass mind-meld is in full blossom, so fear not, the preparedness trend will continue for quite some time.
All in all, my view is that we're in a lull right now. It's a good time to be buying if you need preps, as the demand is down for the moment. Reason--emotionally, we as a population have needed to pause and have a look at the scenery before we have to react to the next spate of the unexpected and horrifying.
Bottom line ... bad stuff happens, but at least some of us will be ready when it does.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Monday, December 25, 2006
All's Well That Ends Well
On this Christmas day, I am reminded, all's well that ends well.
I closed the previous post (see "Who and What will Endure in Our Rapidly Changing World?" ) with a comment about being sure about your philosophical position on things, and a suggestion that life is not all there is to be trying to preserve.
Faith in Jesus Christ and His promise for eternal salvation is the ultimate enduring ambition for those of us who celebrate His birth.
Regardless of all else on this earth, if we are spiritually prepared and faithful to the Lord Jesus, all will end well for us. And that is really none of our doing, but a gift from above. Accept it or refuse it--the choice is each of ours to make.
I closed the previous post (see "Who and What will Endure in Our Rapidly Changing World?" ) with a comment about being sure about your philosophical position on things, and a suggestion that life is not all there is to be trying to preserve.
Faith in Jesus Christ and His promise for eternal salvation is the ultimate enduring ambition for those of us who celebrate His birth.
Regardless of all else on this earth, if we are spiritually prepared and faithful to the Lord Jesus, all will end well for us. And that is really none of our doing, but a gift from above. Accept it or refuse it--the choice is each of ours to make.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Who and What will Endure in Our Rapidly Transforming World?
Change is inevitable. It's always been so, yet rarely has "progress" been so strenuously dramatic as what we are experiencing in the 21st century.
Change in and of itself causes fear and resistance in most people. We are creatures of habit and we all develop our own little comfort zones from which we view and interpret the world around us. Normally, we can remain largely in control of at least that personal space so that the changes which otherwise encroach all around us are taken on at a manageable pace.
The key to the success of that kind of personal dynamic is that others out there are not too aggressive or insistent on us to change our ways before we are ready to. This allows us to feel that we retain our freedom of choice ... even if the only choice is whether to get on board now or later.
History Suddenly Morphs
Yet personal choice is not always a given. Human history tends to periodically convulse, usually in the form of violent conflict. These historical mile markers show up when the world as it was, is no longer. Contemporary populations are forced to adapt to explosively overpowering realities. World War II comes to mind as a fairly recent example.
Today, revolutionary levels of technological advancement, global access to the new technologies, resulting oppressive multi-cultural compression, and good-old-fashioned human nature in the form of resistance to change, create a volatile mix that seemingly must ignite and explode before it will clear off.
Virtually nothing today in the world is as it was 20 years ago--certainly not international ethnic attitudes, with emerging hatreds of every flavor competing daily for highest-casualty head-count--sometimes literally. And can my recollection be so bad as to be candy-coating memories of not that many years ago when America had many trusted allies and most border crossings were routine and more welcoming than threatening?
It's one big, hot kitchen today. Pots are simmering on all burners and there are plenty of cooks in line to stir them. Tension and mistrust, pride and envy are a few of the base human ingredients being allowed to fold into each other. Worst of all, emotionally rooted belief systems are at odds with each other, being forced into the same recipe--one that is supposed to be suitable for all palates.
We are living this socio-culinary experiment without a plan B. The only satisfaction being found is for those with a taste for violence, and that is being served up in many parts of the world.
Niche groups pushing aggressive, intolerant agendas are leading the way. Keeping global order will require a popular level of resolve that quite simply is not in place among the masses who are instead determined to remain familiarly comfortable for as long as possible. Surely, the vast majority of people in the world want to opt for peace, but given the malleable passivity of the various large majorities, significant yet small violent causes have little to fear, and their momentum becomes virtually unstoppable at some point soon. Resisting or not resisting that momentum ... either way, the global dynamic changes radically, in short order.
What Endures?
The question that has no sure answer--what will become of the world? Those of us who prepare for potential crises would like to believe that our own existence will be a positive experience.
But can we be sure? Of course not. We cannot even forecast with assurance the variables that will determine new realities. But those who feel there is radical change ahead in some form are likely on track.
How comfortable can we hope to be? Will cultural traditions such as Christmas, baseball, and Boy Scouts endure? Will institutions such as church and family continue unaltered? Will representative government and personal liberties remain possible? Will public utilities and food supplies be dependable? Will neighbors open their doors to each other?
There are certainly lots of opinions on outcomes, causes, and effects. But in the end, what matters is the moment. Be ready to adapt and to make choices quickly based on your values and your position of readiness. At crunch time, you may not have the opportunity to think through options, so it might be best to solidify your philosophical outlook now. I can't spell it out for you and no one else should either.
But one suggestion to take into consideration: death and suffering is not the worst-case outcome to seek to avoid. It may very well be that a just cause or position of belief is larger than any of us.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
Change in and of itself causes fear and resistance in most people. We are creatures of habit and we all develop our own little comfort zones from which we view and interpret the world around us. Normally, we can remain largely in control of at least that personal space so that the changes which otherwise encroach all around us are taken on at a manageable pace.
The key to the success of that kind of personal dynamic is that others out there are not too aggressive or insistent on us to change our ways before we are ready to. This allows us to feel that we retain our freedom of choice ... even if the only choice is whether to get on board now or later.
History Suddenly Morphs
Yet personal choice is not always a given. Human history tends to periodically convulse, usually in the form of violent conflict. These historical mile markers show up when the world as it was, is no longer. Contemporary populations are forced to adapt to explosively overpowering realities. World War II comes to mind as a fairly recent example.
Today, revolutionary levels of technological advancement, global access to the new technologies, resulting oppressive multi-cultural compression, and good-old-fashioned human nature in the form of resistance to change, create a volatile mix that seemingly must ignite and explode before it will clear off.
Virtually nothing today in the world is as it was 20 years ago--certainly not international ethnic attitudes, with emerging hatreds of every flavor competing daily for highest-casualty head-count--sometimes literally. And can my recollection be so bad as to be candy-coating memories of not that many years ago when America had many trusted allies and most border crossings were routine and more welcoming than threatening?
It's one big, hot kitchen today. Pots are simmering on all burners and there are plenty of cooks in line to stir them. Tension and mistrust, pride and envy are a few of the base human ingredients being allowed to fold into each other. Worst of all, emotionally rooted belief systems are at odds with each other, being forced into the same recipe--one that is supposed to be suitable for all palates.
We are living this socio-culinary experiment without a plan B. The only satisfaction being found is for those with a taste for violence, and that is being served up in many parts of the world.
Niche groups pushing aggressive, intolerant agendas are leading the way. Keeping global order will require a popular level of resolve that quite simply is not in place among the masses who are instead determined to remain familiarly comfortable for as long as possible. Surely, the vast majority of people in the world want to opt for peace, but given the malleable passivity of the various large majorities, significant yet small violent causes have little to fear, and their momentum becomes virtually unstoppable at some point soon. Resisting or not resisting that momentum ... either way, the global dynamic changes radically, in short order.
What Endures?
The question that has no sure answer--what will become of the world? Those of us who prepare for potential crises would like to believe that our own existence will be a positive experience.
But can we be sure? Of course not. We cannot even forecast with assurance the variables that will determine new realities. But those who feel there is radical change ahead in some form are likely on track.
How comfortable can we hope to be? Will cultural traditions such as Christmas, baseball, and Boy Scouts endure? Will institutions such as church and family continue unaltered? Will representative government and personal liberties remain possible? Will public utilities and food supplies be dependable? Will neighbors open their doors to each other?
There are certainly lots of opinions on outcomes, causes, and effects. But in the end, what matters is the moment. Be ready to adapt and to make choices quickly based on your values and your position of readiness. At crunch time, you may not have the opportunity to think through options, so it might be best to solidify your philosophical outlook now. I can't spell it out for you and no one else should either.
But one suggestion to take into consideration: death and suffering is not the worst-case outcome to seek to avoid. It may very well be that a just cause or position of belief is larger than any of us.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
"Need to Know" Forum - Still Another Good Reason to Come in From the Cold
Another new development for Safecastle Royal Buyers Club members ... a new members-only discussion forum, "Need to Know."
Members, check it out.
Soon-to-be members, sign-up for the club and you'll be provided your access info to the separate members site.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Members, check it out.
Soon-to-be members, sign-up for the club and you'll be provided your access info to the separate members site.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Sunday, December 17, 2006
New Mountain House Group Buy Runs into January 2007
At long last, over the next several weeks, we will be taking orders for a brand new variety package of Mountain House foods ... a new selection of #10 cans in three cases ... 18 different varieties ... at a price you can't afford to pass up.
You can pay full price for the food at our eBay store, www.safecastle.net ... OR you can save BIG BUCKS by joining our buyers club now!
And oh yes, there's more ... also for the first time, and for the duration of this group buy, we are offering only to members a couple of specially selected add-on pouch packages, including items such as hamburger patties, ice cream sandwiches, organic fruit, and more.
These limited-time offers at the traditional full-discount Safecastle group buy prices are available now only to Safecastle Royal members. So if you haven't yet joined up, go to www.safecastleroyal.com and sign-up. When you have done that, we will send you access info to the separate members site with the new special deals.
There's no doubt these limited time Mountain House buying opportunities will save you big $$$ and help you continue to build your emergency supplies.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
You can pay full price for the food at our eBay store, www.safecastle.net ... OR you can save BIG BUCKS by joining our buyers club now!
And oh yes, there's more ... also for the first time, and for the duration of this group buy, we are offering only to members a couple of specially selected add-on pouch packages, including items such as hamburger patties, ice cream sandwiches, organic fruit, and more.
These limited-time offers at the traditional full-discount Safecastle group buy prices are available now only to Safecastle Royal members. So if you haven't yet joined up, go to www.safecastleroyal.com and sign-up. When you have done that, we will send you access info to the separate members site with the new special deals.
There's no doubt these limited time Mountain House buying opportunities will save you big $$$ and help you continue to build your emergency supplies.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com
Thursday, December 14, 2006
"Whack-a-Mole" Keeps Preppers Jumping
You know the classic arcade game ... now a Hasbro home game as well ... the game where you wield a rubber mallet and try to keep up with the increasingly frenetic pace of whacking those pesky rodents as they pop up out of their holes. Fun for all ages for sure, but most of us end up reaching the limits of our ability to keep things in check.
The game is really not unlike real life for those who try to stay on top of the latest threats of the moment as brought to us by our favorite media outlets.
Within the last few years we've been jumping from emerging threat to emerging threat ... Y2K was a grand technological wake-up call that ended morphing into a snooze button. Then 9/11 jolted us from our slumber. For a while, terror fears and threats were popping up all over. The Axis of Evil entered into the common lexicon and Afghanistan and Iraq became focal points of our national wrath. WMDs in all forms became our boogeymen.
With time, frustration set in (or was it simply attention deficit flaws built into media production cycles?) and our collective attitudes started to degrade, even as other threats drew our attention ... for many, demanding further preparatory action to somehow make us feel safer.
The catastrophic tsunami in Asia caused coastline populations worldwide to rethink their positions. Major earthquakes from time to time reminded us that firm ground under our feet and foundations cannot be taken for granted. Hurricanes, to include Katrina, and their difficult aftermaths served as evidence of how vulnerable we are to nature and dependent on others to recover from disaster.
Talk of the risk of a pending global flu pandemic brought a whole new way of fearing the future, even as we looked to past pandemics to witness how devastating an invisible enemy can be.
Of course the elusive terror and global jihad specters continue to materialize, then disappear again through it all.
Nuclear proliferation, peak oil, and global climate change are other fearsome threats to modern reality, not to mention unexpected visitations from near earth objects touring the solar system.
The danger of economic collapse seems to be gaining popular traction these days. Then there is always the pet conspiracy theory prevalent within a given group or channel that promises to change our world as we know it.
Whack, whack, whack. Deep breath. Whackety whack whack. "Coming up next, a team of experts warn that the earth will implode into a shriveled-up, lifeless peach pit ... it's not a question of 'if' but 'when!' But first stay tuned for another message from our sponsors."
Let's not forget to take advantage of the break to grab a cold beverage and kiss our loved ones. There's always the next emerging nightmare to rest up for, and to have to try to keep in perspective.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
The game is really not unlike real life for those who try to stay on top of the latest threats of the moment as brought to us by our favorite media outlets.
Within the last few years we've been jumping from emerging threat to emerging threat ... Y2K was a grand technological wake-up call that ended morphing into a snooze button. Then 9/11 jolted us from our slumber. For a while, terror fears and threats were popping up all over. The Axis of Evil entered into the common lexicon and Afghanistan and Iraq became focal points of our national wrath. WMDs in all forms became our boogeymen.
With time, frustration set in (or was it simply attention deficit flaws built into media production cycles?) and our collective attitudes started to degrade, even as other threats drew our attention ... for many, demanding further preparatory action to somehow make us feel safer.
The catastrophic tsunami in Asia caused coastline populations worldwide to rethink their positions. Major earthquakes from time to time reminded us that firm ground under our feet and foundations cannot be taken for granted. Hurricanes, to include Katrina, and their difficult aftermaths served as evidence of how vulnerable we are to nature and dependent on others to recover from disaster.
Talk of the risk of a pending global flu pandemic brought a whole new way of fearing the future, even as we looked to past pandemics to witness how devastating an invisible enemy can be.
Of course the elusive terror and global jihad specters continue to materialize, then disappear again through it all.
Nuclear proliferation, peak oil, and global climate change are other fearsome threats to modern reality, not to mention unexpected visitations from near earth objects touring the solar system.
The danger of economic collapse seems to be gaining popular traction these days. Then there is always the pet conspiracy theory prevalent within a given group or channel that promises to change our world as we know it.
Whack, whack, whack. Deep breath. Whackety whack whack. "Coming up next, a team of experts warn that the earth will implode into a shriveled-up, lifeless peach pit ... it's not a question of 'if' but 'when!' But first stay tuned for another message from our sponsors."
Let's not forget to take advantage of the break to grab a cold beverage and kiss our loved ones. There's always the next emerging nightmare to rest up for, and to have to try to keep in perspective.
Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com
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