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Drivers and homeowners scrambled to secure fuel for their cars and generators in the U.S. Northeast on Wednesday as storm-hit gasoline stations started to run dry. More than half of all gasoline service stations in the New York City area and New Jersey were shut because of depleted fuel supplies and power outages, frustrating attempts to restore normal life, industry officials said. Reports of long lines, dark stations and empty tanks circulated across the region. Some station owners were unable to pump fuel due to a lack of power, while others quickly ran their tanks dry because of increased demand...

After his eponymously-named lab discovered Flame, "the most sophisticated cyber weapon yet unleashed," Eugene Kaspersky believes that the evolving threat of “cyber terrorism” could spell the end of life on Earth as we know it. ­Doomsday scenarios are a common occurrence in 2012, but coming from a steely-eyed realist like Eugene Kaspersky, his calls for a global effort to halt emerging cyber threats should raise alarm bells. A global Internet blackout and crippling attacks against key infrastructure are among two possible cyber-pandemics he outlined."It's not cyber war, it's cyber terrorism, and I'm afraid the game is just beginning. Very soon,...

I had lunch yesterday with one of the sharpest financial minds I’ve met in a long time at a rather picturesque setting overlooking Evergreen Lake, west of Denver. The restaurant patrons were all well-to-do residents of this wealthy community… in fact, the whole area is like a bubble, largely shielded from any negative effect of the economic fallout thus far. Most of these folks have gone about their lives over the last few years completely oblivious to the global financial crisis. My friend agreed; he told me, “Most of the people sitting in this restaurant haven’t felt a thing. Their...

In what I believe is an historically strong field -- don't let the media convince you otherwise -- Romney has performed most ably so far, even under fire. That is not to say that he is the best candidate, but rather that he is best prepared debater. If someone is to beat him -- and at least four others are still capable -- that someone will have to work harder and smarter. Romney is not likely to beat himself.

National Security: The Sept. 11 commission stated that our biggest failure was one of imagination. Imagine an Iranian nuclear device detonating high over the American heartland. They're working on it. On the same day the 9/11 Commission issued its report, another commission issued a report on a threat that could change our world and way of life in ways we can scarcely imagine. It is a real and credible threat, and it is largely being ignored. The threat is a phenomenon known as electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, and demonstrates why the issue of homeland security extends beyond the need for...

During those few weeks, I saw an incredible demand for fuel (mainly for generators), alcohol and 12v pumps of various types; those that could pump fuel from gas station reserves or those that could pump water. Along those lines, five gallon gas cans were a hot commodity, as well. In the downtown area (near the bars), I discovered that several bags of ice could be traded for alcohol, which could then be traded for just about anything, especially food. I was amazed at how many National Guard soldiers would offer four or five cases of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)...

Here are 6 irrefutable reasons 1. Unemployment 2. Economic Armageddon 3. Natural Disasters 4. For your loved ones and those who depend on you 5. You’re not sixteen anymore 6. Don’t worry. You won’t look stupid

On a seperate discussion the topic of bug-out bags came up and I thought it might be a good general topic for discussion. What everyone has in theirs, what is recommended, weights, why those items, more than one, differences for different family members, etc.

The terse announcement came just after 9:45 p.m. Sunday from Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director. “POTUS to address the nation tonight at 10:30 PM Eastern Time,” he wrote on Twitter, sharing the same message that had just been transmitted to the White House press corps. According to Brian Williams, the “NBC Nightly News” anchor, some journalists received a three-word e-mail that simply read, “Get to work.” *snip* That speculation was not aired out on television immediately, but it did erupt on Twitter and other social networking sites. Wishful thinking about bin Laden’s death ricocheted across the Web —...

Like a hand to glove, the Great Depression touched on timeless characteristics. Sacrifice. Economy. Generosity within community. Booyah has not necessarily stood this test of time. The hobo-stewish mix of beef shank, chicken, oxtails, rutabaga and more will be served for lunch April 30 at the Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance’s “Midwest Eats! Foodways of the Great Depression.” The program runs through May 1 at Kendall College, 900 N. North Branch (west of Halsted). At 5 p.m. April 29, the Alliance will re-create the “Eight Cent Menu” served on May 7, 1938 at a “relief banquet” in the Gold Room of...

News of a serious radiation leak at the Fukushima nuclear plant has sparked panic buying in Tokyo, as some residents started to leave the capital to escape potential contamination.... People in the capital, home to 12 million, snapped up radios, torches, candles, fuel containers and sleeping bags, while for the fourth day there was a run on bread, canned goods, instant noodles, bottled water and other foodstuffs at supermarkets...... Fears are rising that if the hoarding frenzy continues it will affect the ability to deliver emergency supplies to the disaster zone. "The situation is hysterical," said Tomonao Matsuo, a spokesman...

QUIX: SHORT EXCERPTS ARE OFFERED IN A SORT OF EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FIRST--THEN THE ENTIRE NARRATIVE AS AVAILABLE AT SPIRITLESSONS.COM I found this to be another anointed, Biblical narrative about a very convincing Heavenly visitation--actually, as usual, to hell, too. There's an item or 3 in this one to potentially trouble the RC's and Maryolators, . . . as well as some potentially troubling things for some Calvinists, however. Read at your own risk. Those exposed to The Truth are responsible before God for what they do about and with The Truth.On the other hand, ignorance affords no eternal protection....

Most of this gear is off-the-shelf and relatively cheap. Check out Cabela’s, CheaperThanDirt.com or SportsMansGuide.com for the best deals.Assumptions: 1. Civil unrest ensues. 2. Communications go down. 3. You may have to fight your way out of wherever you are. or on the way to your destination. 4 You may have to abandon your vehicle 5. You may have to walk to a prearranged safe place or rendezvous/rally point. 6. You will move quickly and not ‘camp out’. Rest, yes. Camp, no. 7. The weather may suck - majorly. Hot, cold, wet, snowy. Strategy assumes that you may lose your...

Here in Indiana, near Grissom ARB, we just felt what we think was an earthquake. Can anyone confirm?

Things are still shaking in Arkansas. More than 500 measurable earthquakes have been reported in central Arkansas since September 20, ranging in magnitude from a barely noticeable 1.8 to a very noticeable 4.0 (recorded on October 11), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Geologists can't say whether they'll stop anytime soon.

Thought I would ask some freepers, since we are all over the nation and beyond. Particularly interested in hearing from those who live near the regions specified. What is happening in your neck of the woods?

The New Madrid fault system does not behave as earthquake hazard models assume and may be in the process of shutting down, a new study shows. A team from Purdue and Northwestern universities analyzed the fault motion for eight years using global positioning system measurements and found that it is much less than expected given the 500- to 1,000-year repeat cycle for major earthquakes on that fault. The last large earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone were magnitude 7-7.5 events in 1811 and 1812. Estimating an accurate earthquake threat for the area, which includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee,...

Region: ARKANSAS Geographic coordinates: 35.322N, 92.332W Magnitude: 3.0 M Depth: 4 km Universal Time (UTC): 10 Oct 2010 12:48:23

... "Republicans, however, later agreed to pass it by unanimous consent."

If the proverbial you-know-what hit the global fan, would you be prepared? The answer to that question is most likely a big, fat no. After all, it's hard to develop life skills (e.g., growing/storing your own food, filtering water) while playing myriad video games or scrounging the Internet for funny videos to post on Facebook. Turns out, though, that while youmay not be concerned about mass chaos and world destruction, a growing number of people are.

Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15) Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years. To us, Suelo probably sounds...

Stocks fell sharply Thursday after an unexpected spike in jobless claims and as global jitters pushed the dollar higher. -snip- The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down nearly 300 points, or almost 3 percent, and the CBOE volatility index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, spiked more than 20 percent to above 43, its highest level in over a year.

In honour of “Earth Day” we Conservatives should create our own kind of 'Recycling' Program to save and disperse any metal we throw out. Considering that once the DNC – the Democratic National Communists – gets through with trashing the Constitution with regards to the First Amendment, you can bet dollars to donuts that the next step will be to try and disarm the law-abiding. Towards that end, we should all be considering How we can at least safeguard some of our firearms. Step one would of course be building or obtaining a waterproof container that can be hidden away....

Okay, now since everyone has stocked up on their favorite ammo & guns (You can tell this by the fact that ammo actually stays on store shelfs for more than 10 minutes) And now that everyone has hopefully stocked on food, water and other essentials (Non-hybrid seeds, etc) The next step is acquiring some precious metal assets, the purpose of this vanity is to ask everyone the best ways to do this. Where are the better places to buy these assets? With a Large National firm or a local retail outlet? How much should I buy of Gold and Silver?...

Are you truly independent? Do you have the skills? Can you hunt, grow a garden, can food, sew-knit, live off the land? Are you ready? Do you possess the "lost" skills? Our family is ready. In obama's words, "bring it on". Once the economy collapses, I'll be here longer than the liberals and their pampered lives.

from some good friends: GET READY, GET READY, GET READY!! An Urgent Letter of Warning, Preparation and Promises Dear Friends and Family, (This letter recently came to us from people we trust.. Please read prayerfully and be warned. Be ready! For in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh. Matt 24:44 The only thing the NWO people don't know is that the 4 angels of Rev 7 are still holding back the winds...till God's servants are sealed...Nonetheless, it behooves us to be ready. Europe is talking about the imminent US economic collapse which will spread...

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies. At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in...

MEXICO CITY — Can a pill a day help prevent infection from H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS? No one knows. But researchers in a number of countries are conducting trials and planning others to test the unproven strategy that a daily pill, or a combination of drugs, can prevent H.I.V. By mid-2009, more people will be enrolled in such trials than in all of those for H.I.V. vaccines and microbicides, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition said in a report issued here on Sunday at the start of the 17th International AIDS Conference. Initial findings of the safety and effectiveness...

BUSKIRK — A few years ago, Kathleen Breault was just another suburban grandma, driving countless hours every week, stopping for lunch at McDonald's, buying clothes at the mall, watching TV in the evenings. That was before Breault heard an author talk about the bleak future of the world's oil supply. Now, she's preparing for the world as we know it to disappear. Breault cut her driving time in half. She switched to a diet of locally grown foods near her upstate New York home and lost 70 pounds. She sliced up her credit cards, banished her television and swore...

1.) Tragically, horrifyingly, but quite predictably, it’s going to happen. The only question being which American city or cities? In a recent conversation with a former high level intelligence operative of our government, I raised the possibility of terrorists successfully detonating a nuclear weapon within the United States. His response was sobering in its hopelessness. First, he stressed how grateful he was that he did not work in Washington, DC, and that his family lived far enough out to survive the coming nuclear blast. When I pressed him as to why he was so sure that Islamic terrorists – with...

Sydney residents 'must carry survival bags' By Mark Chipperfield in Sydney Last Updated: 2:12am BST 18/07/2007 The easy-going residents of Australia's biggest city are being urged to carry personal "survival bags" to help them cope with a future terrorist attack or natural disaster. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, says citizens should pack a "Go Bag" containing such essentials as toilet paper, running shoes, spare keys, a torch, disposable gloves, adhesive tape, a transistor radio and sun cream before they leave home each day. Miss Moore, who has yet to pack her own Go Bag, says it is her...

Will someone answer some questions?

What You Should Do to Prepare for an EpidemicStock Up on Essentials and Have an 'Outbreak Plan'How To Protect Yourself Bird Flu How Would You Know If You Had Avian Flu?A Bit of Context on the Bird Flu Threat How To Protect Yourself By LARA SETRAKIAN March 12, 2006 — Will there be an outbreak of avian flu that threatens humans? Many experts disagree on when or if a human pandemic will occur, but do say there is a chance that the virus could mutate, leading to widespread infection. In that case, the best thing you and your family can...

 The following is my usual slap-dash collection of quotes and links from other posts I have run across, with information about preparing for, coping with, and generally surviving hurricanes. Tossed in is some general disaster information. Credit given when I can find or remember it. The Survivalist & Y2K hounds weren't so wrong, after all...   Fast Facts: How to Prepare     Survival starts at the household level -Here is one Survivalist site which I've found fascinatingly useful...(Simple Survival) Emergency Preparedness (year's supply of food, 72 hour kit)( Our own UtahGirl- hattip! )  To: All To: RoseyT; All I hope everyone reading your...

Three million body bags may be stockpiled in disaster plans Last Updated: 1:17am GMT 06/11/2006 Secret plans to stockpile millions of body bags to be used in the event of a flu pandemic, terrorist attack or other disaster are being considered by the Government and health experts, according to a senior minister. The proposals reflect mounting concern at the lack of space to store bodies in morgues and bury them in the event of mass deaths. A senior member of the Government involved in policy planning for a flu pandemic told The Daily Telegraph that "various scenarios" involving hundreds of...

Dear [sl’s Mom], now that the situation here is slowly returning to normal, though never again like it was, I thought I would drop you a line and tell you a little of what has been going on here. You are, of course, aware of our horrible "October Surprise". You remember that hereabouts September and October are usually the most beautiful months of the year, and that the fine fall weather often extends way into November. Not this year. After a lovely spring and unbelievably gorgeous summer, everything seemed to fall off the planet the third week of August, and...

Overview A pandemic occurs in many localities - perhaps even worldwide - almost simultaneously. Because of this, much of the planning for a pandemic must be the responsibility of state and local governments. All 50 states, 7 territories, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, will receive a minimum of $500,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to accelerate and intensify current planning efforts for pandemic flu.

FOB WARRIOR, Iraq (Army News Service, Sept. 27, 2005) — Iraqi security and coalition force leaders met Sept. 21 at the Iraqi Army’s K1 training facility near Kirkuk to rehearse security plans for the Oct. 15 constitutional referendum election. Organizations represented at the security plan walk-through included the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police Services, Independent Election Commission—Iraq, Iraqi emergency services and coalition forces. The rehearsal included a military-style “rock drill” where each participant was allowed to rehearse the plan using a large graphical representation of the area laid out on an auditorium floor. “We are helping them set up their rock...

The John Roberts I remember Douglas Newcombe August 4, 2005 When President Bush announced his nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, I felt an overwhelming surge of pride. I spent four years with John in a small college prep school called La Lumiere, a very special place that formed the character and drive we would retain for the rest of our lives. It was at La Lumiere that John and I grew from boys to men. I knew him well. You can't get up every morning and brush your teeth next to someone for four years without getting...

<p>Some officials say the long overdue big earthquake in California is due any time.(1)(2) Sure, it’s all guesstimation -- Nobody knows for sure what is exactly going on beneath our feet -- and our houses and trees. But as knowledge from modern research is assembled, better forecasts can be given. This discussion is primarily for the San Francisco Bay Area.</p>

City's going to pot: Convention prep skips holes in neighborhoods By Elisabeth J. Beardsley Sunday, July 18, 2004 The pothole plague has been lifted like a miracle from the areas around the Democratic National Convention site, but outlying neighborhoods are complaining that Boston's DNC beautification is passing them by. With indignation growing over the haves and have-nots of a sudden spurt of street repairs, more than 1,200 Boston residents have signed petitions in the last two months, demanding the release of pent-up roadwork money. The petitions have been flying off their stack on the front counter at Jamaica Plain's Classic...