Food From China: Can You Trust It?

"Not even the people monitoring imports can say with certainty that those goods are safe for consumption."

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/1303235.html


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Pencil In a Full, Blessed Life Ahead, BUT ...

Preparedness. What's it really about?

It's about having a backroom or storm cellar stocked with some emergency supplies IN CASE something happens in our area that makes it difficult to rely on others to continue to supply us with our everyday needs.

It means being suitably equipped to not only consume our emergency supplies, but also to some extent, be able to produce or acquire more via our community and in nature.

It's about understanding how the day could arrive when nothing is easy, and suffering becomes a new reality, for at least the short-term ... and mentally and spiritually positioning for that possibility.

It implies we know that worst-case survival scenarios often demand unusual levels of cooperation between people who find themselves "sharing a life boat."

It acknowledges that very bad and unexpected things happen everyday on this earth to someone out there, and that we consciously choose not to bet the lives of our loved ones on chance.

Balance

When all is as it should be, we enjoy life and plan to live every day of it to its fullest.

We hope and pray for blessings and work for prosperity for our households, our communities, and our nation. But being among those who embrace a logical level of personal readiness, we have chosen to ensure we are ready for most anything that can come our way today.

Thus, the odds are strong that at the end of our journey, we will look back with thankfulness and satisfaction at how we handled all our opportunities and risks.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

"Obsession: The Threat of Radical Islam"

Must-view 2006 documentary, now at a time when more and more are shrinking away from the fight.

To view next part of documentary, click here.

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

How to Survive (Almost) Anything

I've been waiting for this August issue of National Geographic Adventure to be posted online. The magazine itself arrived in my mailbox two or three weeks ago. I have to say--this is one of only two magazine subscriptions I keep current--it is absolutely a fascinating and relevant publication--and very well done.

Anyway--here is an excellent series of articles on survival aspects and experiences that you are not likely to come across anywhere else (at least in such an easy to digest form). Wander around the site and read them all--better yet, get the magazine--it's a keeper.

Here's one small excerpt of one article:

The Darwin of Dumb

by Laurence Gonzales

Accidents of all types used to be analyzed in terms of their physical or mechanical causes. When the cause was clearly human error, they were often written off as the result of foolishness or lack of training. But among those who investigate accidents, there is an increasing awareness that this type of analysis does not fully explain why otherwise rational people do what may seem irrational.

For example, in May 1989, Lynn Hill, the winner of more than 30 international rock-climbing titles, was preparing to climb what she called a "relatively easy" route in Buoux, France. She threaded her rope through her harness, but then, instead of tying her knot, she stopped to put on her shoes. While she was tying them, she talked with another climber, then returned to climb the rock face. "The thought occurred to me that there was something I needed to do before climbing," she later recalled, but, "I dismissed this thought." She climbed the wall, and when she leaned back to rappel to the ground, she fell 72 feet (22 meters), her life narrowly saved by tree branches. In her case, more training would not have helped. In fact, experience contributed to her accident. She had created a very efficient model for tying her rope to her harness. She could do it without thinking. So the act of tying her shoes may have been similar enough to tying her rope that it allowed her to reach the unconscious conclusion that her rope was tied, even while leaving a slight residue of doubt.

I've been studying accidents of various kinds for more than 30 years, and I have tried to go beyond conventional analysis to explain why seemingly stupid actions can actually make a type of biological and evolutionary sense at the time and under the circumstances. We can laugh at the Darwin Awards and write off our mistakes as stupidity or bad luck.

But at some level, most of us are like Lynn Hill, with a knot half-tied somewhere in our lives, just waiting for us to put our weight on it. And one of the most frequently ignored factors in many accidents is the way we form models of the world and refer to them—not the world itself—in most of what we do. Understanding this system will help explain why smart people do irrational things. And some of the dumbest things I've done have been in the wilderness.

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com

Nuke the Enemy?

Many online enjoy playing an alternate-reality role of armchair commander in chief, and they freely and regularly espouse one solution for most difficult issues -- "just nuke 'em."

Not actually having on our shoulders the responsibility for the well-being of millions of fellow Americans in a very complex and dangerous world, we are free to spout off as we see fit online.

Talking about nuking the enemy is gratifying to some extent for those of us who are frustrated by difficulties in the war on terror. Some take to literally hoping for it or even expecting it to happen. On the flip side, there are those who promote the fearfulness of nukes for their own political purposes (claiming and sometimes believing the neocons will unleash nuclear hell upon the world for whatever reason). Either way, I would hope that most folks fully understand that we are nowhere near a potential reality of a U.S. nuclear launch.

It just ain't gonna happen.

We have as a society irrevocably attained a level of civilized restraint and abject horror at the prospect of incinerating thousands upon thousands of innocent people. In fact, our homogenous, all-tolerant level of enlightenment would even cause us to seriously debate similar retaliation (and probably decide against it) in the wake of nuclear attack on the USA.

The ONLY way there is even a possibility of a commander in chief beginning to entertain the idea of nuking the enemy is if he has a very solid majority of political support in government, in his party, and in the population. And of course these days, that is only really possible when the whole country is up in arms and shocked to its core about some great atrocity. (Still however, in that rare window of opportunity, the rule remains applicable that we would not as a people allow for even a strong leader to obliterate a lot of innocent people. It just ain't gonna happen.)

For those who need it spelled out--face the sad reality--IF we were to retaliate in kind with a nuke ... EVEN if we were to take several nuclear hits first within our borders ... most of the rest of the world would fully band against us, isolating us, freezing us out, and they would quite possibly give Russia/China/N. Korea/Iran, etc. the mandate to try to take us down by force. That certainly has to be understood by the American powers-that-be today.

At the very bottom line, political reality is defined today by the popular media in the world. Every selected news story is tinted to achieve a desired perception in the mind of the viewer. One or two stories so managed do not make for a brainwashed populace, but over a period of time ...

Until the day comes when more control is exerted over the media, the west will be largely impotent to go full bore at victory in any war, nuclear or not. Politicians are beholden to the messages projected on issues in the mass media and to resulting opinion polls. We are crafting our leaders today to be flip-flopping, flexible mirrors of what we think we want that day. (Do you REALLY think it's a good idea to have your circle of friends, neighbors, and relatives continuously dictating what's best for our nation?)

In today's war on terror, where so many (out of high-minded politically correct principle) can't even name the enemy for who he is, well ... the best we can pragmatically hope for in today's environment is a strengthened intell capability and the political will to use very precise attacks wherever we find the enemy in the rest of the world ... and of course THAT is even out of reach.

(For the record, personally, I see very valid uses for tactical nukes in warfare, but careful targetting is critical even in all-out, unrestrained wartime.)

American Nukes are Display Pieces, Propped on a Bed of Political Strength

Nuclear weapons in the arsenal of stable nations are for all practical purposes mere chips for deterrence. The USA does not threaten anyone with the use of our nukes. Still, their existence and our technical capability to use them if really needed serves to keep some of the world's actors from doing their worst on the global stage.

Of course, deterrence impacts entities with a geographic/political footprint (physical target). An enemy that can materialize, morph, dissolve, and re-form anywhere in the world is a challenging foe. Obvious targets for even conventional force projection are elusive. Nuclear targets, even if our societal mores and national security demanded it would be few and far between.

Main point: Yes, every sitting president has the nuclear football at hand, but it would take a full-on mass attack from no less than Russia's mega-nuclear inventory before a commander in chief would be able to act in kind. ANYTHING less than in-progress nuclear annihilation of the U.S. and/or its closest allies would require widespread buy-in of key parts of the governmental/political machine before our own nuke card could be trotted out.

Most of the world understands by now that that in turn requires a manageably strong political stance from which the President could exercise his judgment and exert such military will.

When we allow ourselves to effectively pull the rug out from under our political leaders, threatening them with impeachment, etc., we have largely disarmed our nation. That is simply a crime. It is weakness. It is a woeful flaw in our system that our enemies love to have at their disposal since it is so easily manipulated through our own media.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

At Stake in the Iraq War: Survival of a Way of Life

Below is the link to a really timely opinion by Andrew Roberts in today's edition of the Christian Science Monitor.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0712/p09s01-coop.html

Excerpt:

The English-speaking peoples of the world need to unite around their common heritage of values. And they need to sacrifice their naiveté about the true nature of war – and the losses that inevitably go with it. Otherwise, they will lose a titanic struggle with radical, totalitarian Islam.

Excerpt:

Those who still view this struggle as a mere police action against uncoordinated criminal elements, rather than as an existential war for the survival of their way of life, are blinding themselves to reality.

Sending signs of surrender

But recent news suggests the blindness is growing. Antiwar sentiment in America is swelling. As key Republicans desert the president, senators are pushing amendments to force the withdrawal of US troops. All this before US Gen. David Petraeus reports on the surge.
Are the English-speaking peoples really about to quit before Islamic totalitarianism has been defeated in Iraq? Are they seriously contemplating handing the terrorists the biggest victory since the Marines' withdrawal from Beirut? It was that surrender in 1984 that emboldened Osama bin Laden to believe that his organization could defeat a superpower. Surrender in Iraq would prove him right.

Click the link and read the whole editorial, please.

In my own opinion, unwavering national leadership during the many crises of war is critical, as is the ongoing effective selling of the need for personal sacrifice by the population. In the U.S. and other English-speaking nations today, the unprecedented power of the commercial media--traditional and new--have made these challenges a long-term improbability.

Certainly in the U.S., if there aren't enough folks in Congress to hold the line and contribute to that requisite leadership to fight our enemies through all the pain and difficulty, then we are doomed to have to feel far greater pain before we will regroup. We need a few strong leaders to stick to an admittedly costly strategy long-term to defeat an enemy that is not about to throw in the towel themselves in the near future.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Eight Al Qaeda Fanatics Working for the Police (But They Don't Dare Sack Them)

This portends a very long and intense war down the road ... (click on title above to view article)

In a nutshell, as many as eight police officers and civilian staff are believed to be linked to extremist terrorist groups, to include Al Qaeda. Thing is, they cannot be fired due to political correctness run amok; not to mention the fact that classified material on individuals is not admissible as grounds for dismissal.

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

"Expert: Britain is Jihad Central"

http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/7/1/133440.shtml?s=br

Sunday, July 1, 2007 1:29 p.m. EDT

"Britain is at War with the Jihadists, that's the bottom line" says Dr. Walid Phares. British officials "need to cope with the reality that they are the target of a Jihad war," Dr. Phares told Jack Riccardi on San Antonio's KTSA Saturday.

[snip]

... said Phares, the growth of Jihadism is not the result of socio-economic disparities, but of the expansion of Wahabism, Salafism and other forms of radical ideologies. British understanding of the whole picture cannot complete itself unless a clear cut absorption of the fact that what the U.K. (and many other democracies) are facing now and in the future is a "War," not dispersed acts of violence.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Legislation Introduced in Congress to Eliminate GI Bill Time Limit

A small minority of citizens today volunteer to serve our nation in the U.S. military, often putting their lives on the line. Where would any of us be today without these defenders of freedom throughout our history?

A very important and long-overdue piece of legislation has been introduced in Congress that seeks to eliminate the catch in the educational benefits afforded veterans in the GI Bill, the most important "thank you" provided to those who have served.

I encourage you to follow the link below to learn more and to take advantage of the easy online mechanism there to let your elected representatives know how you feel about this bill.

http://www.military.com/veterans-report/congress-seeks-to-eliminate-gi-bill-time-limit?ESRC=vr.nl


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

National Study on How People Make Sense of Info on the Internet

I was contacted today by a Ph.D candidate/researcher at Stony Brook University in New York. He asked that we make available to our readers this opportunity to particpate in a national study of how people make sense of the information they encounter on the internet.

The survey takes roughly 10 minutes or so to complete, and responses are completely anonymous. Participants will be eligible to enter a raffle for a $50 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com.

Link to the survey: http://www.sinc.stonybrook.edu/stu/thartman/survey/survey.htm
Note: This study has been approved by Stony Brook University's Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

"The Day After - Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City"

Remember this from last month? ...

Government Initializing Emergency Survival Program for Nuclear Terror--New Civil Defense Fallout Shelters?

It was an initial report about a high-level government plan to prevent chaos in the wake of a nuclear terror attack on a US city or cities.

Now, a thank you to Michael who forwarded the link to the actual pdf report coming out of that government/academic workshop entitled "The Day After, Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City"

It's well worth reading the report for the group's insights and recommendations, and a view into the future US position on nuclear preparedness for the population of the country.

One of the recomendations as summarized in the report follows:

SHORT-TERM SHELTERING VERSUS PROMPT EVACUATION. Fallout shelters deserve a comeback. Radioactivity, and in particular radioactive fallout, poses a problem peculiar to nuclear terrorism. For most people in the city struck, their best bet to avoid serious radiation exposure would be to shelter below ground for three or so days until radiation levels had subsided and only then to evacuate the area. The alternative – mass and chaotic evacuation during the time when radiation dose rates are greatest – would result in large and unnecessary additional loss of life over and above the fatalities due to immediate blast, fire, and close-in fallout. But while sheltering in place is the plan that would be optimal for most people, it would run counter to their strong impulse to flee the area. For a comparatively few people just downwind of the detonation, moreover, sheltering would not in fact offer enough protection, and their only chance would be to leave as soon as possible, as fallout takes a finite time to reach the ground .

Two distinct fallout regions can be expected. In the smaller, close-in “hot” fallout region the dose over time will be so high that most sheltering will not be effective and evacuation, dangerous as it is, should be attempted. That area is limited, however, to a few square miles in addition to the area affected by blast and fire. People in the hot zone should be advised to leave as soon as possible, preferably during the time before most of the fallout settles. But the great majority of the people will be outside the hot zone, and for them sheltering in place will be the safest course of action.

In view of these facts, a new type of fallout shelter program – very different and much more practical than the 1950s-style civil defense program – should be promoted by the federal government as a cheap and effective way to minimize the radiation exposure of most people downwind of a nuclear terrorist attack. The Cold War “civil defense” shelter program was mocked because it could not offer realistic protection against an attack of thousands of warheads from the Soviet Union. But against one or a few terrorist nuclear weapons, sheltering in place is the best way for most people to protect themselves. The rate at which people are exposed to radiation (the dose rate) subsides in inverse proportion to the time after the blast. People outside the immediate downwind hot zone will receive a smaller dose of radiation if they shelter themselves for a period of three days or so (the recommended sheltering period can be determined and communicated by federal authorities at the time). If they try to leave on the first day when the radiation is strongest, they will receive a larger dose because they will be exposed to intense radiation as they walk or wait in traffic on clogged roads to evacuate. Shelters that will only be occupied for a few days do not need to be equipped with large stocks of food, water, and other supplies.

The absence of the sheltering population from the highways will have another benefit: it will permit emergency workers and those who need to evacuate from the hot zone to move freely. A mass and confused exodus from the city will expose the fleeing population to unnecessarily high doses of radiation and impede the movement of emergency personnel. To avoid this, federal and state officials and first responders should work out ahead of time plans for determining which roads in the affected area should be closed to the public for three days and which should remain open and for how long.

One way to persuade people to stay in shelters and off the roads would be to ascertain the direction of the fallout “plume” from the blast so citizens can be informed whether they are truly in the hot zone or not. Models at the Department of Energy’s national laboratories and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, coupled with the daily weather forecast from the National Weather Service, can predict where the plume will drift and settle. A federal shelter in place program therefore should be accompanied by a rapid plume prediction capability. It should also be accompanied by a program of education for emergency workers and, to the extent possible the press, on the effects of radiation (for example, the fact that the dose rate subsides in proportion to the passage of time after the blast, see Recommendation 4 below). Even given better plans than now exist, putting those plans into practice will clearly be difficult and will require constantly updated communications to the public and all media as well as to first responders. Large-scale panic could lead to subsequent loss of life on a par with that in the detonation zone itself. Experience with previous wartime catastrophes shows that, with leadership and training, this unnecessary additional loss of life can be avoided.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com

Tehran and Damascus Certain US-Israeli Attack is in Store

Debka sometimes unearths intell nuggets that prove to be gems over time ...

http://debka.com/article.php?aid=1279

Syrian and Iranian Generals in Intensive War Consultations
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
June 9, 2007, 12:07 PM (GMT+02:00)

excerpt ...

The regime heads in Tehran are basing their common front with Damascus on intelligence reports whereby the US and Israel have drawn up plans for coordinated military action against Iran, Syria and Hizballah in the summer.

According to this hypothesis, Iranian leaders foresee the next UN Security Council in New York at the end of June or early July ending with an American announcement that the sanctions against Tehran are inadequate because Russia and China has toned them down. Therefore, the military option is the only one left on the table. The ayatollahs have concluded that US president George W. Bush is determined to bow out of office on the high note of a glittering military success against Iran to eclipse his failures in Iraq.

They believe he will not risk the lives of more Americans by mounting a ground operation, but rather unleash a broad missile assault that will wipe out Iran’s nuclear facilities and seriously cripple its economic infrastructure.

According to the Iranian scenario, the timeline for hostilities has already been fixed between Washington and Jerusalem - and so has the plan of action. The US will strike Iran first, after which Israel will use the opportunity to go for Syria, targeting its air force, missile bases and deployments, as well as Hizballah’s missile and weapons stocks which Iran replenished this year.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

The QUEST Mission Rig Being Test Marketed Now

Any mission is achievable when the QUEST is with you.

Safecastle Royal buyers club members save $100 using their standard coupon, and of course get free shipping. Existing club members also have been emailed a freebie offer in connection with this launch of the QUEST.

Check out the rig (your choice of colors): The QUEST Mission Rig

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Dwindling Public Concern Over Pandemic a Dangerous Trend

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/954693/pandemic_california_is_out_front_in_trying_to_prepare_for/index.html?source=r_health

Pandemic: California is Out Front in Trying to Prepare for Disaster
By Deb Kollars, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. , June 3

excerpt ...

History gives good reason for worry: In the past century, three flu pandemics have struck worldwide, and all came from avian strains. The most recent was the Hong Kong flu in 1968-69, which killed 34,000 Americans. In 1918-19, the Spanish flu killed 550,000 Americans.

"Pandemics are like hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes. They occur," said Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. "Even a mild or moderate pandemic would have tremendous implications."
Osterholm said the dwindling public concern is a dangerous trend. In a serious pandemic, a third of the population could become sick. It would overwhelm not just medical services, but could slow or shut down many corners of the economy if workers were too sick to do their jobs.

Yet, he noted, Congress passed an emergency spending bill last month that was stripped of $650 million for pandemic preparedness.

"People just don't believe it is going to happen," he said.

California's top health officials are taking the threat seriously.

excerpt ...

The state also spent $20 million to buy 51 million face masks, known as respirators, to protect medical staff working with sick patients. The disposable N95 filtering masks, manufactured by 3M of St. Paul, Minn., must be changed many times daily. State officials estimated as many as 100 million could be needed.

According to Grant Barrick, product marketer within 3M's occupational health and environmental safety division, global demand for the respirators has been huge. Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared 3M's respirators for general public use in a health emergency.

"We've been working almost 24-7 since the onset of this strain of avian flu to make sure we can produce the volumes needed," Barrick said.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.net

Di Blasi Portable, Folding Motorbikes - Never Be Stranded Again!

Jim Rawles at www.survivalblog.com recently suggested that Safecastle get hooked up with the North American distributor of the famous Italian folding motorbike--the Di Blasi R7E.

I looked into it and found that the distributor and I could mutually agree the fit was perfect. Folding motorbikes that can be stowed in a car trunk, on an RV, boat, or plane, or under a desk ... talk about being prepared!

Fact is, we are now the only web-based Folding Motorbikes, Inc. dealer in North America!

Until or unless we move the DiBlasi to a separate website, which is what we are considering, buyers club discounts of 20% apply, not to mention FREE shipping to the continental United States.

So if this is of interest, the time to get your best price online is right now. See our Buyers Club listing.

By the way, we've still got a few more really cool developments in the pipeline, so stay tuned!

.

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Russia Says New ICBM Can Beat Any Defense System

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070529/ap_on_re_eu/russia_missile_test

Excerpt:

MOSCOW - Russia tested new missiles Tuesday that a Kremlin official boasted could penetrate any defense system, and President Vladimir Putin warned that U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield in Europe would turn the region into a "powder keg."

First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said Russia tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple independent warheads, and it also successfully conducted a "preliminary" test of a tactical cruise missile that he said could fly farther than existing, similar weapons.

"As of today, Russia has new tactical and strategic complexes that are capable of overcoming any existing or future missile defense systems," Ivanov said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency. "So in terms of defense and security, Russians can look calmly to the country's future."
Ivanov is a former defense minister seen as a potential Kremlin favorite to succeed Putin next year. Both he and Putin have said repeatedly that Russia would continue to improve its nuclear arsenals and respond to U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic — NATO nations that were in Moscow's front yard during the Cold War as Warsaw Pact members.

Russia has bristled at the plans, dismissing U.S. assertions that the system would be aimed at blocking possible attacks by Iran and saying it would destroy the strategic balance of forces in Europe.

"We consider it harmful and dangerous to turn Europe into a powder keg and to fill it with new kinds of weapons," Putin said at a news conference with visiting Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com

Veterans Encouraged to Wear Military Medals on Memorial Day

http://www1.va.gov/veteranspride/

Veterans Pride
A Message from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson

America's veterans are the face of America. They come from all walks of life, all ages, all ethnicities. They served our Nation honorably and well and we honor that service, but how do we honor the veteran – the individual who put on the uniform and gave his or her all for our country?

In the spring of 2006 I had the privilege of attending the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day ceremonies in Sydney, Australia. ANZAC Day is the most important national holiday in Australia, a combination of Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It was established to commemorate the more than 8,000 Australians killed in the battle of Gallipoli in World War I, and now honors all Australian and New Zealand veterans.

One of the things that stood out during the day-long ceremonies was how all of the veterans and surviving family members wore their medals and campaign ribbons. It focused public pride and attention on those veterans as individuals with personal histories of service and sacrifice for the common good.

That is why I am calling on America's veterans to wear their military medals on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Wearing their medals demonstrates the deep pride our veterans have in their military service and reminds all American citizens of the sacrifices our veterans have made.

Veterans, wear your pride on your left side on patriotic holidays! Let America know who you are and what you did for freedom.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

U.S. Fears over China Nuclear Weapons

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1e81fc48-0a24-11dc-93ae-000b5df10621.html

[snip]

The US is increasingly concerned about China’s deployment of mobile land and sea-based ballistic nuclear missiles that have the range to hit the US, according to people familiar with an imminent Pentagon report on China’s military.

The 2007 Pentagon China military power report will highlight the surprising pace of development of a new Jin-class submarine equipped to carry a nuclear ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 miles.

Washington is also concerned about the strategic implications of China’s preparations later this year to start deploying a new mobile, land-based DF-31A intercontinental ballistic missile that could target the whole US.

Robert Gates, US defence secretary, on Thursday said the report would not exaggerate the threat posed by China. “It paints a picture of a country that is devoting substantial resources to the military and developing...some very sophisticated capabilities.”

[snip]


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastle.com

Be a Hero

The age of celebrating heroes is past. However, acts of heroism remain part of the human condition.

The disconnect is, of course, in the telling of the story.

Monumental sacrifice and selfless concern for others remain real human phenomena. Soldiers, law enforcers, health professionals, rescue personnel, and everyday people thrust into critical situations regularly prove (often without recognition) to be made of the right stuff.

However, the rise and dominance of cynicism in the media is a tall obstacle to showcasing heroic behavior to the public ... in a fashion that adequately models the best that can presumably be found in each of us.

That carries a disturbing implication for the future. But with or without recognition of unusual acts of prowess, the elemental core of the make-up of humankind carries us forward. Heroic leaders and followers guide society through and past roadblocks that would otherwise turn us back.

Prepare for Heroism

Heroic callings are almost always unexpected. However, that is not to say that some level of preparatory foundation should not be put into place individually if there is any desire at all to stand tall in the face of disaster.

Heroism in the classical sense demands a strong moral platform. Bravery and honor emerge out of a sound training of the soul. Generosity beyond self regard is often necessary, but is today perhaps rarest of all the measures of the truly dauntless spirit.

The ingrained ability to resist fear is not a common trait. But it is my belief that there is a significant, quiet segment among those who physically prepare for disaster who are in position and who are ready to deliver with conspicuous courage when called upon.

I hope we all can do a bit more to encourage the development of lion-hearted preparedness across our great country. The need for heroes will never go away.

Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com

Food Locker Load-up Sale Open to the Public; Buyers Club Membership Free-for-All!!

Been working on some new things for our buyers club ... new products, suppliers, etc. Now we're up and running on the first new development in a couple of months--the introduction of several new top-quality, tasty emergency storage food products, as well as the next installment of our famous 3-case MH buy.

In celebration, for a short time, we're opening up sales of ALL our food listings to the public at 20-23% OFF listed prices plus FREE shipping on everything.

1. We've now listed:
Canned butter--requires no refrigeration, stores for 15+ years
Canned meats-turkey, beef, chicken, pork)--no refrigeration, stores for 10-12 years (can mix varieties within the case orders)
Canned cheese--no refrigeration, stores for 15+ years
Canned brown bread, with raisins or without--no refrigeration, 12-15 years
1-gallon and 5-gallon buckets of wildflower honey--do not refrigerate, stores virtually forever

These orders ship right away. Discounted prices = 20% off listed prices after using coupon (see below), with free shipping. See these new listings.

2. MH 3-case group buy now open:

We're also now offering our ever-popular Mountain House 3-case, 18-can/18 variety kit for the next few weeks. It is a group buy that we aim to close and do a bulk buy of all the foods for in early June. Deliveries should take place by the end of the month. See the 3-case listing.

Discounted price, after coupon (see below) = $387.31 (free shipping)

3. All other listed foods in the club are now open at club-discounted pricing for a very short time. Most all of it ships right away. Mountain House, Honeyville, MREs, and much more.

4. Lastly, on top of opening up our club prices to the public for the first time, we are also presenting lifetime club memberships to anyone making a food purchase of at least $100 during this sale. So if you are not a member yet, now's the time to get on board. If you are already a member, and you make a qualifying food purchase, you can award your complimentary membership to someone else as a gift.

So, how to do it--

Members, you can use your normal coupon codes. Non-members, use the following codes and you'll get not only the best overall deals and selection in storage foods out there, but you'll get a free Safecastle Royal Buyers Club membership with your food purchase too! ...

MHLOADUP23 - enter this code in the coupon space on the payment page of the checkout in the our online store when you are making any Mountain House purchase of at least $100. (Please do not combine any other non-Mountain House purchase in the same transaction.)

LOADUP20 - use this code in the coupon space on the payment page of the checkout in our online store when you are making any other (non-Mountain House) food purchase of at least $100.

Or call us toll-free with your order info at 1-877-673-2394.

Check us out: www.safecastleroyal.com

Questions are welcome.


Get Ready, Seriously ... www.safecastleroyal.com