United States Accused of Planting Avian Flu in Recent H7N9 Outbreak Janet C. PhelanActivist Post Amidst allegations by a highly placed Colonel in the Chinese army that the U.S. has released a bioweapon in Mainland China, concerns are ramping up that this year's version of the avian flu, H7N9, may turn into a major pandemic. The last few years have seen several false alarms on the pandemic front. Neither the bird flu of 2004 nor the swine flu of 2009-2010 ended up being of much concern, although agencies from the WHO on down certainly created quite a flurry around both of these flu bugs. H7N9 has already shown itself to have a high mortality rate, higher in fact than the Spanish flu of 1918, which caused 50 million deaths worldwide. According to Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general for health, security and the environment, "This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far." Already, there are questions as to whether H7N9 has mutated and is now transmissible from human to human.
Are You Ready Series: Pandemic Preparedness Let’s cut to the chase, it is very difficult to prepare for epidemics and pandemics especially for those living in close proximity to others. These natural reoccurring disasters tend to occur suddenly and without warning. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), serious, deadly contagious disease outbreaks can and do happen. CDC investigates new contagious diseases—averaging one new contagion per year. These new contagious diseases can emerge right here or only a plane-ride away from here. Looking back at the Black Plague, those living in high populated areas were hit hardest by this pandemic. Many believe the misuse of antibiotics in the past has led to the dangers of super bugs such as the spread of MRSA — or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Before we get into the meat and potatoes of pandemic preparedness, let’s look at the changes that will likely occur in your community if this disaster were to occur: Community Preparedness Will Play a Large Role Source Google+
Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization of medical instruments and supplies in survival situations In survival situations, medical emergencies will arise. One of the main concerns with any medical procedures is clean, sterilized equipment so as to not pass on infection and compound or completely compromise any medical procedures that must be done.. Here is a basic primer on disinfection and sterilization in survival situations Q. A. Sterility is only a temporary state – once sterile packaging is open or the product has been removed from an autoclave colonization begins almost immediately just from exposure to air and bacteria present in the environment. Q. A. Infection rates are no greater if a superficial wound has been irrigated and cleaned with tap water vs. being cleaned and irrigated with sterile saline. Expendable vs. Expendable supplies are used once and discarded. Sterilisation of specific items: Syringes: There are two types of syringes: disposable and reusable. The best method to sterilise syringes is to use a rack to suspend the barrel and plunger. Surgical instruments:
Pandemic Watch: Another insider announces that a global pandemic is imminent Janet C. Phelan Dr. Quoted in an article in US News onDecember 24, Dr. Through his declaration of the imminent nature of a pandemic, Kim adds his name to a growing list of insiders who are stating that we are shortly facing a disease event of a global magnitude. At the very time that our attention is focused on the possibility of losing our rights to defend ourselves via our potential loss of our second amendment rights, the insidious possibility of a global pandemic is lurking....well, right under our pavement. The possibility for utilization of the water system as a delivery system for a pandemic-type agent remains salient. Truthfully, I prefer the word “genocide” to “population reduction.” Dr. Merck has been under scrutiny for a number of years for problems with its products, including drugs such as Temodar, PegIntron, and Intron A. Inovio continues to partner with Merck, according to the Inovio website. Dr. Dr. Read other articles by Janet Phelan Here
10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient & 10 Ways to Get There By Michael Edwards and Jeffrey Green Activist Post We are now three to five generations removed from the rural backbone that strengthened America. The world at large has undergone a similar transformation as the promise of easier work has created a migration to big cities. The economic crisis we are living through has been the final straw for many people, as promises of a better, easier, and more creative life seem to have been sold to us by carnival-style tricksters who are laughing all the way to (their) bank. Here are the top reasons for becoming self-sufficient; these are based on fundamental, systemic concerns for why undertaking this life change will not be a fly-by-night fad, but rather a long-lasting means for personal independence. Click the below picture for a Wake Up World Only Exclusive Special Offer 10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient As the cliche goes: Freedom is never free. 10 Ways to Get to Self-Sufficiency Join Wake Up World's Ever Evolving Social Communities
Abandoned Places How to Build an Outdoor Mud Oven for Use Now and When the SHTF As part of a recent giveaway, one of the questions I asked was “What DIY project would you like to see featured on Backdoor Survival?” There were some amazing responses and over time, I hope to work through the list. Interestingly enough, two readers requested a similar topic and when more than one reader makes a request, I sit up and pay attention. The DIY projects were: 1. As luck would have it, this is a familiar topic since awhile back, I featured an article on DIY mud ovens. For those of you that are new to the concept, outdoor Mud Ovens are common in third world countries where indoor cooking facilities are nominal and where cooking fuel consists of wood and biomass. here is the full article: How to Build an Outdoor Mud Oven Rocket stoves and outdoor grills are great for cooking in a pot or skillet when the power is down or non-existent following a disaster or a worst case SHTF situation where fuel is either flat-out unavailable or intolerably expensive. The Quest for A Mud Oven
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Maslow wanted to understand what motivates people. He believed that individuals possess a set of motivation systems unrelated to rewards or unconscious desires. Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fullfil the next one, and so on. The earliest and most widespread version of Maslow's (1943, 1954) hierarchy of needs includes five motivational needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. This five stage model can be divided into basic (or deficiency) needs (e.g. physiological, safety, love, and esteem) and growth needs (self-actualization). The deficiency, or basic needs are said to motivate people when they are unmet. One must satisfy lower level basic needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. Every person is capable and has the desire to move up the hierarchy toward a level of self-actualization. The original hierarchy of needs five-stage model includes: 1. 1. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Survival Manual - Learn How To Make Homemade Candles This is how you can make your own candles. Take the hard fat from a deer and rendered it down to make tallow. Tallow is hard like wax. Rendering is a process which takes fat which would otherwise go rancid and removes impurities, this keeps it from going rancid. Fat from deer, sheep, beef and bison is considered tallow while fat from pigs is considered lard. Now cut into small peices completely devoid of any red flesh. The amount of hard fat on a deer is variable and depends on the size of the deer and how far north you live as well as what part of the season it was killed. Now boil the fat in water because it is safer and prevents overheating. Bring water/fat to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Now after boiling strain it through a fine a mesh strainer. The strainer bits can be fed to pets but for this process it is just scrap. Now set it aside and let it cool off. Break up the tallow into a small pan and place that pin in a large pot with some water.
This Is What Our Grocery Shelves Would Look Like Without Bees Last winter’s so-called Beepocalypse ravaged U.S. bee colonies like nothing that had come before. The country’s beekeepers reported that 31.1% of their colonies perished in the months spanning last fall through early 2013. The number of bee casualties in that period--twice that considered natural--is in keeping with rising honeybee mortality rates of the last six years. Scarier still, scientists aren’t exactly sure as to the cause for the degrading health of bee populations--something that should give you great cause for concern. After all, without bees, you can kiss your favorite fruits and nuts goodbye. Now, if you can manage it, imagine life without apples, mangoes, or almonds. Well, you don’t have to. In a press release, Whole Foods says the stunt was part of the “Share the Buzz” campaign, a joint project with The Xerces Society that seeks to “raise awareness” about the importance of bees (honeybees in particular) to the health and vibrancy of our food system.
Survival Friday: 50 Excuses For Not Prepping As smug as we may feel about our own prepping efforts, sometimes there is still a tendency to procrastinate a bit with one thing or another. I am not pointing any fingers, mind you, since I too fall victim of being overwhelmed by it all. The disorganized array of my food storage is just one case in point. I still don’t have a good inventory so what do I do? I just buy more. Stupid, I know. Still, for the most part, I keep plugging away, knowing that the economy is in shambles in spite of what our leaders say. Things, to me, are unsettling yet most people I know still see no need to start prepping at all. That brings me to the topic of today’s article: “50 Excuses for Not Prepping”. A while back, Michael Snyder came up with this list of excuses that people use when they say there is no need to prepare. 1. I know that is foolish and so do you. What can you do? Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation! Gaye Spotlight Item: The Beginning Of The End
How to Travel Full-Time for $17,000 a Year (or Less!) Wise Bread Picks For the last five years, I've been traveling the world full-time, and for less money than I've ever spent (and I'd wager less money than most people would spend) to live in one place. My worldly possessions fit into one bag (just larger than carry-on size) and a backpack containing my laptop and computer gear. This small entourage (weighing less than 45 pounds in total) comes with me as I wander around the world, sometimes quickly, but mostly slowly. In 2011 alone, I traversed 13 countries and over 45,360 miles. What if I told you it wasn't? Believe it. How to Keep Your Travel Costs Low Of course, I could travel for way more than $17,000/year. Here are a few of my secrets. Don't Pay for Accommodations In the entire year of 2011, I paid $173 for accommodation. Work-Trade/Volunteer There are lots of creative opportunities to work in trade for your accommodation (and sometimes food) and enjoy a more immersive travel experience. Hospitality Exchange House/Pet-Sitting Travel Slowly
800 Scientists Demand Global GMO “Experiment” End Did you hear about the 800 esteemed scientists who came together and demanded the production of genetically modified crops and products be stopped ? Scientists who called on world powers to re-evaluate the future of agriculture and seek sustainability rather than corporate profits ? Don’t be surprised if you haven’t, as the mainstream media won’t touch this one. Eight-hundred scientists did make such a demand. They made it first over a decade ago and they have updated it over the years, adding signatures and release dates. The Institute of Science in Society is a non-profit group of scientists from around the world, dedicated to bringing an end to what they refer to as the “dangerous GMO “experiment. The Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments calls for “the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products , both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years.” The populous has to dig for information like this. Source:
The Myth of Self Reliance A mass emailing went out a while back from a prominent permaculturist looking for “projects where people are fully self sufficient in providing for their own food, clothing, shelter, energy and community needs. . .” There it was, the myth of “fully self sufficient,” coming from one of the best-known permaculturists in the world. In most US permaculture circles, the idea that anyone could be self sufficient at anything past a very primitive level was abandoned a while ago, and the softer term “self reliant” replaced it. I took a Googling cruise around the internet and found that “self sufficient” shows up as a desirable goal on several top permaculture websites. I hear people say they are growing 30%, 50%, even 70% of their own food. But even if you grow all your own food, can you claim you are self sufficient if you don’t grow all your own seeds? Let’s take a quick pass at clothing, shelter and energy. If you love being a farmer, then yes, grow all your own food.