Practical H1N1 Prevention

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By Kellene Bishop

I’m getting a lot of e-mails lately asking me for more details on the H1N1 risks. Frankly, I have a whole lot to say about the H1N1 flu, but that would probably take an entire day. So today I want to share some very basic aspects to help you begin to cut through some of the myths and misunderstandings about H1N1.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #1: First of all, don’t waste all of your money on the N95 respirator masks. Yes, they are a great quality. So are my expensive clogging shoes. But they will not do much to prevent me from getting sick. The N95 respirator masks are constructed to filter 95% of particulate that are 0.3µ, but the primary size of the H1N1 virus is 0.1µ, so they will pass through. The masks are good for other viruses that may result as a complication of the H1N1. But they will do very little to prevent you from getting H1N1 in the first place.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #2: H1N1 is transferred from one person to another via the nose and the mouth. It is only able to compound and grow (proliferate) in the upper respiratory system. So if you are going to take some preventative measures now (which I recommend you do), take actions that help the upper respiratory system such as a nasal saline rinse (they work wonders, I’m telling you!), or warm liquids, and the diffusing of some great essential oils such as Thieves. These are ideal preventative measures.

Upper Respiratory System photo c/o health.com

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #3: It’s virtually impossible for you NOT to come in contact with the H1N1. Contact with the virus won’t hurt you. But allowing the virus to proliferate in your upper respiratory system is what can be dangerous. Keeping your upper respiratory system clean and healthy so as not to provide an ideal environment for the proliferation of the flu virus is your best bet. The virus will only last in your system for about 2 weeks according to its natural cycle. So be diligent in your preventative measures so that you never give the virus a 2 week span in which it can grow to aggravate symptoms, get others ill, etc.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #4: Tamiflu does NOT kill the H1N1 virus. It is merely distributed to subdue the proliferation of the virus in the body. (Kind of like smothering a fire which doesn’t always work, depending on how the smothering agent is applied.) If Tamiflu is effective in the body for the 2 week duration, then you’ll notice very little illness and symptoms. Considering you are nearly guaranteed that you will have contact with the virus and that it’s not likely that you will “kill” it, it’s very important that you do everything you can not to encourage the virus’ growth. In addition to the aforementioned preventative measures, there are some other, relatively simple ways to defend yourself against the impact of this virus—without taking chances on chemical solutions.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #5: While it may sound a bit too simplistic, be sure to wash your hands a LOT! I wash mine nearly 3 times more daily than I used to in an essential oil base, such as Thieves. I also carry a little spray bottle of Thieves essential oil with me and spray down questionable surfaces as well as my hands when I’m out and about.

Gargle Salt Water. Photo c/o Photographic Advertising Limited

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #6: While most people only associate gargling salt water as what they do when they are sick, I suggest that you do it twice a day now. If you don’t care for salt water, then spray some Thieves oil in your mouth twice a day as a preventative measure. Bacteria and viruses simply cannot multiply in a salty environment. Don’t underestimate this. I’ve felt like I’ve been fighting something for a couple of weeks. So I’ve been faithful about taking more immune system builders, drinking my green drink, and spraying my throat twice daily.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #7: PLEASE keep your hands off of your face. When you touch your face, just picture you giving a “helping hand” to those little mongrel viruses right to your nose and mouth. Before applying makeup, be sure you’ve cleaned your hands. Moms, whatever you do, don’t do that licking of the finger to get a smudge or an errant hair under control. When you handle the drool of a little one, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #8: If you’re eating out, don’t TRUST that the table has been cleaned properly. Bring a sani-wipe with you and use it on the table. Be sure that you sanitize your hands before bringing food to your mouth either by utensils or by hand.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #9: When you use a tissue, be sure to use it once and then throw it away. If you reuse it (out of a need to conserve—I get it) you could be giving the virus a lift to your mouth and nose again.

Avoid people who have been vaccinated within the last 2 weeks. Photo c/o ehow.com

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #10: OK. Here’s another bit you should know. Try to avoid contact with those who have had the vaccination in the last 2 weeks as much as you would avoid someone who has the flu. The vaccination does carry a smidge of the actual virus in it. Whether or not it’s able to proliferate within its host body doesn’t mean that it can’t do so in your body.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #11: Also get as much Vitamin D3 as you can. Conscientiously make yourself walk outside in the sun to absorb as much of it as possible. Have your kids do the same. Supplementing 5,000 IUs per day per adult and 2,000 IUs per day for children is a sound preventative measure. Vitamin D3 is a known immune regulator. (Isn’t that great how God has provided us with something like this for FREE?!) Remember, D3, not the common stuff you find stale on the pharmacy shelves. If you take a calcium supplement as well, you’ll dramatically improve the absorption of the Vitamin D3, as does zinc. Other health professionals have recommend taking 1,000 IUs of Vitamin C daily as well as a good source for multi-vitamin, including selenium. (Selenium is an anti-viral and an anti-inflammatory.)

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #12: Last but not least, try to avoid sugar, which suppresses the full functions of your immune system. Also avoid the less healthy oils such as corn, safflower, peanut, and soybean as they too suppress the immune system. Instead use grapeseed (which has a VERY long shelf-life) sesame, and cold pressed coconut oil if possible.

I’m currently working on an in-depth piece about what to do when you’re threatened or forced to take the vaccination against your will.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Germ Warfare—Part II

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By Kellene Bishop

Germ Warfare. Photo c/o positivepsychologynews.com

Yes, you do have a right to be a fanatic. When it comes to war, any war, the winner is always the one who never assumes they are safe. These same tactics must be applied to germ warfare as well.

There just had to be a Part II to my previous article on Germ Warfare. After writing the first article, I kept being mentally nagged by other danger zones I had left out. In some instances, I believe these germ danger zones may be more nefarious than some of those listed in my original article. So read on, and prepare to change some more of your life’s habits.

Soda pop and other canned goods—The other night while I was teaching a class on quarantine/pandemic ironically, a free can of soda pop was offered to everyone in the room. As I watched everyone happily opened their can of pop and drank from it. I on the other hand washed mine at the sink, wiped it off with a sani-wipe and then drank from it—simply because I couldn’t find any straws. Remember, you have absolutely NO idea what rodents the cans were exposed to at their original warehouse, as they were transported, or as they were housed at the retailer you purchased them from. Hanta virus is still a viable concern even if you have no rodents in your own home.

According to a new study, steering wheels have twice as many germs as toilet seats. Photo c/o autoexpress.co.uk

Steering wheel—Even if I avoid the fact that many people have questionable hygiene habits when they are in their own little world in their car, the fact of the matter is, you don’t exactly turn your head away from your steering wheel when you sneeze, cough, etc. Your steering wheel gets the brunt of all that nature expels from your mouth and nose. PLEASE be sure to clean it off regularly with sani-wipes. (If you haven’t picked up on it yet, manufacturers of sani-wipes may be a hot stock pick right about now. :))

Get your drinks WITHOUT ice—I know that’s unfathomable to most of you. But here’s an eye opening statistic. You have a 70% chance of having MORE e-coli (which comes from feces) in your ice than is in the toilet from the same restaurant, airline, hotel, etc. Yes! Not just a 70% chance of finding e-coli there. But a 70% chance that your ice will be MORE contaminated than the toilet water! Studies showed that the number of stars a restaurant or hotel had made no difference in the quality of water in most cases. E-coli is introduced into the water by the water source used to make the ice, bare hands used to load the ice (instead of the scoop) and the fact that the lines to the ice machines are virtually NEVER cleaned out. 

Lemon wedges—avoid them in your drinks. I loathe the taste of tap water but I simply mask the taste by requesting a lemon wedge. Alas, I won’t be doing that any more. Lemon wedges have a 77% chance of being contaminated with e-coli, staph infection, or a myriad of other infectious bacteria. The only good thing you’ve got going for you is the fact that lemon juice is a natural anti-bacterial and disinfectant agent. *whew* Lemons are usually put into your drinks by bare hands despite the fact that they’re supposed to be handled with gloves. However, most restaurants leave it up to the servers to put them in your drinks. Having them placed on your dinner plates should be safe though as that’s usually done by a food handler in the kitchen.

Beware of gas pumps! Photo c/o blog.foreignpolicy.com

Gas pumps—If I had to give an award for the LEAST amount of cleaning on a public item ever, gas pumps would win hands down. Think about it. When have you EVER seen someone clean those? When you pump your gas, use a paper towel that the station usually has on hand or at least sanitize the heck out of your hands before you touch ANYTHING else—including your keys.

Last but not least is a stern word of warning about playgrounds. Those bouncy houses that your kids play in NEVER get sanitized. They get vacuumed sometimes, but never fully cleaned. The ones containing the bouncy balls are a cesspool of germs of the grossest kinds. When have you ever seen a school janitor clean the chains on the swings or the bars on the monkey bars or the handles on the teeter totters? How about the playground equipment such as balls, jump ropes, etc? It’s imperative that you teach your kids to SANITIZE their hands after recess or after using such equipment on any occasion.

Bottom line, you have EVERY right to be fanatical about your health care. This is your life we’re talking about here. You MUST be in a heightened state of awareness in order to prevent you and your family from getting unnecessarily ill. One touch is all it takes folks, so be mindful. You wouldn’t take your kid down a dark alley in the middle of the city at 3:00 a.m. Making contact with e-coli or the Hanta virus or the H1N1 virus isn’t any less of a gamble. So start putting the odds in your favor. This is called germ warfare for a reason. Position yourself to win every battle.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Update on Swine Flu Vaccinations

Photo c/o mommylife.net

This blog has moved. Please visit us at www.preparednesspro.com.

Some claim that the forced vaccinations may just be a lot of media hype. That may be accurate, however forced vaccinations made the news in MD only 2 years ago. Read the article here for more info.

Also, I keep getting asked what to do IF you are forced to vaccinate. A doctor has actually written some very sound words of advice on this subject.  http://rense.com/general87/vaccin.htm

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Pandemic or Not, It Doesn’t Matter

By Kellene Bishop

Pandemic or not, the time to prepare is now. Photo c/o ehow.com/

A lot of folks are e-mailing me or commenting that they don’t buy into all of this “hoopla” about the Swine Flu. My response is that it doesn’t matter whether or not the Swine flu amounts to anything at this moment, you STILL need to prepare for it. The point is that you should be preparing for the Swine Flu, Avian Flu, or Alien flu (yes, I made that up) the same way that you prepare for any other “disaster.” The only significance of the Swine Flu is the matter of timing. Due to the flu season and school starting back up, we MAY be looking at an imminent pandemic threat very soon. The fact of the matter is, you all still have a lot to do to get prepared to survive without all of your niceties that you’re used to. Just because the Swine Flu flurry may be perpetuated unnecessarily doesn’t make it any less of a circumstance to reckon ourselves with. I think that the issue with the Swine Flu being so pervasive in our minds is simply that it’s something that’s a bit more real to us. The timing of it is more visible. No one (who’s willing to admit it anyway) saw 9/11 coming. No one saw the damage that the tsunami was going to bring with it, and no one saw the complete disaster and horrible aftermath that Hurricane Katrina let loose on Louisiana either. Ask yourself, if you had a major earthquake tomorrow, would you be prepared? If your children all came down with some nasty flu and you were quarantined, would you be prepared?

Whether or not the Swine Flu ends up being equivalent to the Spanish Flu of 1918 is irrelevant. Yes, the Spanish Flu killed hundreds of millions of people. Yes, it affected virtually every part of the earth, even the Arctic and remote islands of the Pacific. But its biggest danger was that it came to people who were unaware, unlearned, and unprepared for such an instance. Thus what’s truly important is that you prepare for a pandemic situation like it right now while you can.

Here is a list of items for you that I recommend you have on hand in case you do end up having a patient who’s ill with a highly contagious flu virus. You will want to cordon off a room in your home for the care of such a person in order to avoid the unnecessary spreading of the virus. This list takes into consideration that you may or may not have electricity. (Obviously, this list is not all inclusive)

Items to Cordon Off a Sick Room

• Air filter                     
• Fan                                         
• Plastic sheeting
• Shower Curtain        
• Sheets/pillow cases               
• Heavy blankets          
• Cot/bed                      
• Bleach                                    
• Rubber gloves            
• Air masks                   
• Hair ties                                 
• Shower caps              
• Thermometers           
• Multiple sets of sheets                       
• Ways to keep sick room dark           
• Washcloths                
• Portable water bins               
• Capacity to heat water w/o electricity
• Towels (paper and cloth)

 Items Necessary for the Comfort of Patient

• Fabric for bandages (sanitize) 
• Baby wipes
• Anti-diarrhea meds
• Anbesol                                      
• Listerine
• Chloraseptic
• Whiskey
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Water, water, water
• Salt
• Multi-vitamins
• Herbal teas
• Essential oils
• Lotions
• Washcloths
•  Towels
• Multiple sets of sheets
  

  Thieves Oil photo c/o aromatherapyliving.com

• Air flow
• Visine
• Hot packs
• Cold packs 
• Lavender
• Garlic/garlic oil
• Thieves Oil/products
• Lanacane
• Pain/fever relievers*
• Vaporizers (battery operated)
• Oversized T-shirts 
• Gowns
• Vicks Vaporub
• Icy Hot
• SOFT facial tissues
• SOFT toilet paper
• Gauze            
• Medical tape
• Neosporin                           
• Hot water bottle
• Straws
• Allergy meds                          
• Ensure               
• Band-aids
• Q-tips                         
• Cotton balls 
• Meal-in-bed tray
• Eye dropper               
• Mouth dropper
• Books
• Juice                        
• Baby monitor
• Pen/notebook for records
• Anti-bacterial soap    
• Olive leaf extract
• Yarrow root
• Goldenseal                 
• 

  Hot Toddy

  Red sage

• Raspberry leaves
• Catnip                                  
• Oregano oil
• Sage oil
• Bragg’s Amino acids                         
• Scar therapy pads      
• Hemorrhoid ointment
• Baby bottle                                        
• Rubbing alcohol        
• Bed pans
• Deodorizer                                         
• Walker                                   
• Sleep aids          
• Crackers                     
• Cough medicine* (or makings for a hot toddy: 1 T of whiskey, 1 T honey, 1 T lemon, 1 C. of hot water)
• Pain relievers (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen)*                     
• Simple proteins (peanut butter, canned chicken)
• Pedialyte ( Recipe: 1 liter H2O, 2 T sugar or honey, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t baking soda)
• Hot cereals (cream of wheat and oatmeal are best on the stomach)
• Anti-Nausea treatment (crystallized ginger, chamomile, mint tea, crackers)

*Remember infant versions too

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination

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By Kellene Bishop

Swine Flu Vaccination photo c/o swineflutips.com

I’m sure I won’t earn any popularity points with this post today. But I do get asked my opinion on this issue regularly. So I’m going to post my OPINION on it today. Mind you, I will share with you why I have such an opinion, but obviously this is a decision that you’ll need to make for yourself.

1)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #1: Dangerous Side Effects. In a study in Britain, over half of all children who have had Tamiflu have had side effects to it.  (The current vaccination that’s being developed is based in part on Tamiflu.) Additionally, doctors STILL do not know why the vaccinations given in 1976 caused paralysis. Also, since the flu of 1918, the vaccination has killed more people than the disease itself. Um…I’m thinking I don’t like those odds. 

2)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #2: Improper Testing. Since the 1980’s, vaccine manufacturers have been made legally immune to lawsuits in the event that their vaccine harms children. However, recently our U.S. administration has given blanket legal immunity to the manufacturers for the H1N1 vaccine. In other words, the manufacturers will simply make a whole lot of money with no motivation to actually test and make sure that their vaccine is safe. Given the history of the side effects of vaccines in the past, I’m also not liking those odds, folks.

3)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #3: Illegal and Immoral. There have been rumors that the vaccination may become mandatory. When WHO made their Pandemic Declaration in June, they stated that all children under the age of 6 were to be immunized. Um, not only NO, but &%$# NO. Our laws prevent such actions. Additionally a government even conceiving of such a plan, is completely immoral. If women can decide whether or not to abort a baby, I sure as heck can decide for myself whether to put a foreign substance in me that is created by individuals who have no legal compunction to ensure its safety.

Photo c/o nworeport.com

4)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #4: Known Dangerous Components. The base of the H1N1 vaccination is Thimerosal. This is a mercury base and is known to be a neurotoxin. It also contains Aluminum adjuvant: an aluminum-containing compound. This releases the antigen causing strong, enhanced antibody response. However, this component has specifically been linked to Gulf War Syndrome that has caused tremendous permanent damage to thousands of military. Aluminum is a known cause of cognitive dysfunction. It also contains Disodium phosphate: a white powder, water-soluble salt. It is used as an anti-caking additive in powdered products. This inorganic chemical is also used as a fungicide and microbiocide. Let’s also add a little bit of Formaldehyde—you know, that substance that you’re embalmed with when you’re dead. It’s also a known carcinogen and reproductive or developmental toxicant. According to PANNA, in 2007, California used 30,328 pounds of this carcinogen, as a microbiocide (a drug or other agent that can kill microbes) on the top 50 crops grown in the state.  And let’s also add a dash of Octoxynol 10: (Also known as Triton X-100) a detergent, emulsifier, wetting and defoaming agent. (Octoxynol-9 is a spermatocide.) It can alter metabolic activity, damage membranes, and cause a rapid decline in cell function.

Lastly, let’s sprinkle in a little Polysorbate 80, also known as “Tween 80.” It is used as an emulsifier in cosmetics, and is one of the ingredients in Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine that is being mandated/promoted for teenage girls. This ingredient is known to cause infertility, grand mal convulsions, spontaneous abortions, and life-threatening anaphylactic shock. So far, 28 Gardasil deaths have been reported.

 Thanks, but no thanks. I like my medical cocktails a little more refreshing. 

A good read on this topic is the following medical report: http://www.rense.com/general86/dngers.htm

5)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #5: Too Much Speculation Involved—Not Science. Let’s face it. You can’t predict the future, folks. The planned H1N1 vaccination has not even been finished yet, let alone tested. I’m not about to be a guinea pig. I’ll do what I am already comfortable and knowledgeable about in order to ensure my health. This H1N1 strain has shown that it’s still evolving and resistant to vaccinations. We’re not even in the peak flu season as of yet. So who knows what the flu strain will evolve to by mid-October when the vaccination is expected to be available? Presently they are creating the vaccination based on the “1918 Spanish flu.” As you know, vaccinations have a portion of the flu strain in them in hopes that your body builds up an immunity to it. Ummm…I’m sorry. But I’m not interested in putting even a small portion of the most deadly flu outbreak ever into my body—especially one that has been festering in laboratories for over a hundred years.

Photo c/o magickdragonfly.com

6)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #6: Suspicious. There have been a lot of rumors circulating about whether or not this virus was purposely released, etc.—after all, we’ve stored samples of all of the known outbreaks, and a whole lot of our own making. I’m not going to give any of that credence at this juncture. However, I do find it suspicious that the drug companies have been indemnified by the government for any potential physical harm the vaccines may cause—why would they do that if they were safe? And it’s very suspicious that one of the largest drug companies, Baxter, filed a patent for the H1N1 an entire year BEFORE the virus manifested itself. They also admitted sending contaminated flu viruses to subcontractors. And let’s not forget that it was Baxter that distributed tainted vaccine for the avian flu!  Hmmm…setting a stage? I’m thinking that they can make their bazillions on someone else’s body, not mine. And what’s with this “requirement” to the media to no longer calling it “the swine flu?” Instead we are going to call it the “H1N1 virus.” That’s like putting lipstick on a pig, in my opinion. (Excuse the pun)

7)     Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccination Reason #7: Mathematics. On a lighter note, I figure that if the vaccine does work as well as it was supposed to, then all I really have to do is encourage people around me who I don’t like to get vaccinated. And that should be sufficient. 🙂 Just kidding 

So, there is obviously a decision to be made here. But I think I’ve clearly shared with you the main reasons why I will NOT be getting the H1N1 vaccine. I trust alternative health methods and my faith a heck of a lot more than what my current medical options are out there. Perhaps you should make it a matter of a prayerful decision for yourself and your family—or at least a well researched one.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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The Looming Financial Crisis

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By Kellene Bishop

Paying attention can get you some great laughs, memorable moments, or vital warnings. Yesterday I was driving behind a police car and noticed that he had a license plate border that said, “Actually, I prefer bagels.” I got a much needed laugh off of that one. Glad I was paying attention.

Photo c/o globalcrisisnews.com/

Most Americans are unaware at just how tenable the financial culture is in our nation right now. But seriously, to not know it is simply a matter of not paying attention. It’s not like we have to trust in some kind of a prophet to see for ourselves. There is a bounty of evidence right now that begs for our attention so that we can be prepared for an inevitable challenge. This evidence spells out the critical need for us to get our own homes in order so that we can survive through the looming financial crisis.

In 1962, the “Cuban crisis” suddenly left the grocery shelves of stores nationwide empty overnight. Yet there was plenty of warning ahead of time to those who were paying attention. These persons had the ability to be independent of panic and price gouging. Yet did anyone pay attention to a looming financial crisis a year in advance of the triggering incident?

Didn’t Americans wake up to what they thought was a routine day on December 7, 1941? Unfortunately there’s some evidence military didn’t pay attention to and we were tragically caught unaware. 

While the “great depression” erupted in a matter of hours, its effects reached millions of Americans for years, in spite of numerous warning signs. Unfortunately, the indicators of today’s looming financial collapse are more rampant and indicate a much more severe collapse than that of 1929. Here are the reasons why I state as such.

1)     Financial Crisis Clue #1: A new batch of over $12 billion (yes, that’s a “B”) of pay option arm mortgages are coming due this fall. We’ve seen how those due dates have affected the market thus far. With unemployment rising, finance restrictions getting tighter, and the mortgage market being so stale, this is NOT going to be a pleasant ride, folks.

Australian Lacrosse Team Quarantined in South Korea Because of Swine Flu. Photo c/o theage.com.au

2)     Financial Crisis Clue #2: Flu outbreak. You do realize that one simple interruption in our nation’s transportation industry will cause a serious financial domino effect, right? There are over 250,000 trucking companies in the U.S. alone. The majority of them are “small businesses.” Just as you live hand to mouth, so do business owners. The trucking industry is no exception. We are due for quite the outbreak of this Swine flu this fall. I’ve never seen a more real potential for a quarantine in the last several decades as I do now. We’ve been warned of a possible quarantine as recent as the first of this month. I’m certain that the delays are being extended as long as possible holding out hope that it won’t be necessary due to the financial domino effect it will have. Other countries have begun some quarantine procedures, costing them over 5 billion dollars a day in lost commerce. I don’t think our economy is healthy enough to endure such a financial hit. The transportation industry is just the tip of the iceberg. Look at the effect a quarantine would have on everything else that doesn’t get paid as a result of consumers not being permitted to go to work. Then look at the businesses that could fail as a result of employees not being able to go to work. Look at the travel industry, hospitality, gasoline, groceries, utilities, credit, entertainment, etc. The cost of a quarantine on our nation would be immense and just by itself bring about a huge depression that would take us 7 years to recover from.

3)     Financial Crisis Clue #3: Hyper inflation. This year the U.S. needs to sell the equivalent of 1.5 times its national deficit amount in the form of foreign investments in order to survive the present financial set back. Unfortunately, we’re almost into August and we haven’t succeeded at that yet. This year our deficit is “only” $1 trillion. However, next year it is $3 trillion. If we aren’t able to raise enough foreign investors for the $1 trillion this year, how are we to expect to raise 1.5 times our projected deficit for 2010—a process which USUALLY begins the quarter preceding the year the investments are needed? When hyperinflation occurs, the only solution is to raise taxes, print more money, or sell foreign bonds. They’ve already raised taxes. We aren’t being successful in selling the bonds. So, what happens if we print more money?

4)     Financial Crisis Clue #4: Currency value is highly questionable. As I’ve attempted to explain previously, national currency only has value in a fully functional economy.  It only has value when there is a healthy balance between supply and demand. As we see in our news on a regular basis, we’ve long surpassed the criteria for a functional economy. I firmly believe our economy is as dysfunctional as Jon and Kate Gosselin’s marriage. Since the Federal Reserve refuses to publish the M3 report anymore which tells the American people just how much currency is in circulation at one time, we are seriously in store for an “emperor’s new clothes” scenario.  The fact that we don’t know how much money is in circulation does not change the fact that we’re seeing significantly higher amounts of currency being exchanged than ever before. The reason why our government has been staking claim to so much land (in spite of the fact that it’s unconstitutional) is so that there is more “collateral” for our foreign bonds. Fort Knox is empty, folks. Even food commodities which we have had in store in abundance in decades past have been exported in desperation to bring cash flow into our country’s government. The clouds are getting awfully dark in this warning, folks.

5)     Financial Crisis Clue #5: Credit crisis. Why in the world would credit card companies—who know full well that the economy is in serious trouble—start increasing minimum payment requirements to more than double the amount they’ve been in the past? What kind of financial sense does that make? Surely they will lose customers in doing so, or cause bankruptcies due to the irresponsible pool of consumers they cater to, right? So why would they make such a seemingly desperate move? It has to do with the fact that their money isn’t as valuable on the international trade markets any longer. As a result, the credit companies themselves have over extended themselves and thus have to cannibalize their source of income in order to bail themselves out. In addition, if you were to go to a grocery store consistently and find them out of milk each time, wouldn’t that start affecting your confidence in the availability of milk? You might start hoarding it when you did find it, or suspect there was a problem with it. The same is happening with money. Consumers are finding the “money shelves” bare at banks, credit companies, and lending companies. This directly affects consumer confidence so they are not parting with their “milk” quite so easily. Consumer confidence has a HUGE effect on currency value.

Utility Bills Could Bankrupt You. Photo c/o co.fort-bend.tx.us

6)     Financial Crisis Clue #6: Credit crisis affects power companies. Most power companies purchase their power in bulk. They are able to do so based on their credit ratings through contracts known as power purchase agreements (PPAs). However, as the credit crunch in our nation becomes more obvious, even power companies are losing their stellar credit ratings and thus have difficulty renewing power purchase agreements, or at the very least, negotiating the best prices. This means, of course, that the power costs are going to go up this fall when many of these agreements are up for renewal. Couple that with the Cap & Trade “TAX” and you have a recipe for yet another financial disaster. It could come to the point where an employee literally cannot afford to drive to work. Your utility costs could bankrupt you. If this type of domino effect occurs, not only would there be a financial collapse, but several utility companies could go bankrupt with no one and nothing to rescue them. Imagine a power company sitting there looking like a ghost town.

Well, I think that suffices for now, folks. My purpose in sharing this with you is to give you yet one more reason why those of you who are preparing for “something” AREN’T crazy, and why the rest of you need to wake up and take advantage of the good times to get ready now. It sure would be a shame if the times of plenty lulled us into a sense of numbness to common sense, wouldn’t it? My friends, I beg you to please wake up and pay attention to the looming financial crisis and prepare accordingly. When this occurs, currency will be useless. Items which have an inherent value to them such as food, medical supplies, fuel, etc. are the only thing that will be worthwhile. Right now you can still obtain such items with our questionable currency. But how long will that last? Is that really a gamble you’re willing to make on your family’s life?

Wake up and smell the currency folks. The financial collapse is indeed looming.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Swine Flu Update – Argentina

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We’ve composed an update for you relative to the effects of Swine Flu in Argentina.  It’s worth paying attention to…which is why I’m posting it for you all.

President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner with Health Minister Dr. Juan Manzur, right. Photo c/o Enrique Marcarian/Reuters

July 8, 2009 from All Headline News 

• More than 60 confirmed deaths in Argentina from swine flu
• Government officials decided to shut down banks Friday (July 3) in an effort to contain the virus
• Travel has nearly fallen in half in the past few days, would cost the hospitality industry $150 million/week, should the pace continue.
• Economic analysts’ estimate economic impact at $1.6 billion if the epidemic last a month.
• 2,485 officially confirmed cases in Argentina

 July 7, 2009 from Republican American  

• Outbreak of swine flu in Argentina may cut output by 0.6 percent said Orlando Ferreres of Buenos Aires research company Orlando Ferreres & Asociados
• Health Minister Juan Luis Manzur said yesterday about 90 percent of the country’s influenza cases involve the H1N1 virus, displacing other types of flu that have affected Argentina in the past.
• The city of Buenos Aires and several provinces have declared a health emergency, moving up winter vacations for schools and universities, and canceling some public events
• The national government granted pregnant women 15 days paid leave.
• The Argentine Association of Theater Owners yesterday announced the suspension of functions for 10 days after demand for tickets fell 80%, said Carlos Rottemberg, head of group.

July 7, 2009 from Screenhead.com  

• Film distributors in Argentina have delayed the movie premieres as an outbreak of swine flu reaches attendance
• Admissions declined 34% from July 3-5 compared with the previous week despite releases of Ice Age and The Proposal, says box office tracker Ultracine

 July 3, 2009 from NY Times  

• Swine flu has killed more people in Argentina than in any other country in South America
• The death rate of 1.6 percent is more than three times the world average, Claudio Zin, the health minister of Buenos Aires Province, said Friday.
• Argentina passed Canada this week as the country with the third-highest death toll from the flu…remains behind Mexico and the US
• Officials suspect that there are 100,000 cases of swine flu in the country, compared with 320,000 cases of other types of flu.
• Some private health officials have said that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s government should have declared a state of emergency before national congressional elections last Sunday.
• That would have likely delaye the elections, which Mrs. Kirchner had moved up by four months to increase the chances that her husband, former President Néstor Kirchner, could prevail in his race for Congress.
• Several doctors have said former health minister Graciela Ocaña had recommended calling a national state of emergency and delaying the elections, but was overruled.
• The outbreak is expected to cost the economy up to $2.9 billion this year

Swine Flu in Argentina photo c/o AP

July 1, 2009 from BBC UK

• Local officials said school in the capital and three other regions are cancelled from Monday (July 6), bringing forward winter holidays due to start on 20 July.
• “Families … should see it as a time for the children to stay at home as much as possible and avoid places where people are crowded together,” said Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri.
• Officials said that restaurants, cinemas and other public buildings would remain open.
• Many cases in the region have been reported in working class and poorer areas, says BBC’s Candace Piette in Buenos Aires.

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The Silence of the Swine Flu

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By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

Why are we hearing the silence of Swine Flu news so loudly?  Why did the fact that the deaths doubled in Utah due to Swine flu not make all of the front page news?  Why is the word quarantine used so sparingly in what little news there is available?  WHO classifies the Swine flu at “Pandemic” status and yet our border officials don’t ask a single health related question still.

I’ll tell you why.  But I warn you, it may actually be a bit disturbing.  At the risk of sounding like a “conspiracist” let me boil it down to two words for you.  Money and power.

Let’s look at all of this logically.

Yes, it will get worse: Yesterday I shared with you an article that warned of a possible quarantine of one week “if” the Swine flu became worse in the colder weather.  Folks, logically speaking we KNOW it’s going to get worse in the colder weather, because we can see what it’s doing now even in the midst of the warm weather.  HEAT stifles a virus wave.  And yet we’re still seeing fatalities.

 

Grocery Store Empty photo c/o underunder.com

Grocery Stores Will Stop Their Deliveries: If there is a quarantine issued, then that means that folks will NOT be able to permitted to purchase goods at the grocery store.  So what does that mean to the store?  They certainly won’t want any additional non-perishable good delivered during that week, right? (Although they will likely be cleaned out within 30 minutes of the quarantine being announced)  And then employees of the store will not be able to staff their locations, right?  So this means that no incoming deliveries will be able to come in.  Now apply this to hospitals, pharmacies, gas stations, etc.  That leads us to our next domino.

Businesses will LOSE millions of dollars. Criminals don’t typically strike where they are under watchful eyes, a.k.a. a lot of people.  Now you have all of these businesses laying isolated without the benefit of the coming and going traffic.  They are now ripe for vandalism and looting by individuals who would not have any respect for a quarantine mandate in the first place.  Millions of dollars of damage is anticipated from this very source even in the event of a “short” quarantine was required, let alone a 90 day one. Then you also have the sudden halt of tax generation, not only from sales tax in businesses, but also in employment taxes that will not be paid due to all of the employees who are forced to stay at home.  In a volatile economy, just one day of this kind of a halt in revenue could cripple even the strongest of states or counties.  I’m sure you’ve all read the e-mail which encourages people to not buy gasoline for one day in order to cost the oil companies millions of dollars in protest of their high prices.  Well, a one week quarantine will accomplish the very thing, except on a much larger scale!  Next domino.

Trucking Industry photo c/o AP Photo

The trucking industry: If a quarantine was ordered, even if it was only for 1 week, think about how much affect this would have on the trucking industry.  This industry is already barely surviving financially due to the gas price increases, the fewer crops to ship, etc.  Even if a quarantine was issued for only week, it could literally result in the closure of several trucking companies.  What many Americans may not realize, is that the crazy drivers who don’t signal when changing lanes, drive in the HOV lane when they aren’t supposed to, and who drive dangerously without sleep are actually critical to our way of life.  Without trucking our lives will dramatically change.  If there are only a few trucking companies left as a result of the financial damage of a quarantine, then the price of goods will skyrocket that much more.

Foreclosures: So many Americans are just barely living on the edge right now financially.  More than 80% of us live paycheck to paycheck.  Many of us cannot afford to miss a paycheck for a week, let alone 90 days.  But if that’s the case, how many of us would still be able to pay our mortgage payment or our electric bill, etc?  While those who operate such companies may not have a full staff due to a quarantine, you can bet that the computers will still be ticking your late payment days away.  Your late fees will build up, or your services could be automatically turned off.  This financial threat can compound into even more foreclosures.

The Panic Button photo c/o fastspring.com

The Panic Factor: Let’s not forget HOW a quarantine is enforced—by martial law.  Just the mention of this can cause an understandable panic on Wall Street and on Main Street everywhere.  I think even our Federal Reserve printing press couldn’t run fast enough to fix that kind of a mess.

These are just a few examples of the financial backlash that would occur as the result of a quarantine.  This is EXACTLY why you aren’t hearing more about the Swine flu and why officials aren’t taking more precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.  I can assure you there’s not a politician out there that wants a quarantine to happen “on their watch.”  Because if that were to occur, a quarantine and all of its consequences would indeed be what they were remembered for.

As I’ve said before, our economy is extremely volatile right now.  A quarantine could  cause a financial ripple effect that would truly send us back to the late 20’s.  And that, my friends, is exactly why what little warning you do get about preparing for a quarantine, is buried in a very non-descript manner in a local news broadcast.

The silence of the Swine Flu should be ringing very loudly for all of us.  While this may sound extreme to many of you, in my opinion it’s time to reconsider eating out at restaurants and going to the movie theaters for a while until this all blows over.  I’m thinking that the public pools this summer are not a smart place to go either.  Keep your kids involved in family-only activities vs. large group ones.  And use this time of relative comfort to get ready for the potential chaos that may ensue.

Click here for more from Preparedness Pro on the Swine flu.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

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A Swine Flu Wake-Up Call?

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By Kellene Bishop

Whether or not this article serves as a wake-up call regarding the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) is up to you.

I hope that no one who reads this feels that I’m motivated by “fear mongering.”  I do not share this information for any other reason than to reinforce the reality that you cannot continue to ignore or put off your emergency preparedness efforts.

Photo c/o kcsg.com

Today Utah announced two more deaths as a result of the swine flu.  One of which occurred in the county I live in, and another significantly further north in another county.  Our death toll has nearly tripled in less than a month, and this isn’t even the flu season.  I have two sisters-in-law who work as nurses for a hospital in Salt Lake City.  They claim that the majority of their patients right now are H1N1 virus patients.

So, here’s the alarming part of all of this.  In a very non-descript way, lacking any bells and whistles, the news article which reported the most recent two deaths today shared a warning from the local health officials here.

“Should the virus become more virulent in the fall, public health officials may ask Utahns to take additional steps in order to limit its spread.  Families should begin preparing for what they would need if they are asked to spend a week away from school, work or other activities.  Now is the time to update, or create, your emergency stockpile.  Items like food, water, tissue, sanitizers, over-the-counter medications and prescription medications are all useful items to have on hand in the event you become ill and are confined to your home.”

See http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Utah-swine-flu-death-toll-rises-to-10/mc4dtcKIu0Gtvh1E1-sd7g.cspx for the entire article/news report.

Did you get that, folks?  They are trying to prepare us for the possibility of being quarantined.  This means that we will not be able to go to work, activities, or even school.  No Transformers movie, no dining out, and no scrapbooking parties.  🙂  While they attempt to make light of the warning by only using a “week” as a threshold for the quarantine, you and I both know that a quarantine would not be such a short period of time.

Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization photo c/o news.bbc.co.uk

Let’s recap the reality here, folks.  The WHO has officially declared a pandemic status due to the H1N1 virus.  The death toll continues to rise in states all over the U.S., and certainly the number of confirmed cases continues to rise in spite of the fact that we are NOT in the peak flu season.  In fact, we’re supposed to be in the “non” flu season right now.  Time and time again the virus is misdiagnosed and missed altogether only to have the individual die later.  Lastly, the virus continues to develop and yet we are working on an anti-biotic/immunization treatment for what we have before us right now, not what we may have before us this fall.

Do what you will with this information.  But remember, in the event of a quarantine, what you have in your home, and ONLY what you have in your home, will be all of your resources for you and your family to survive on.  Are you ready?

To keep posted on the H1N1 virus results for the U.S. you can go to www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU

Click here for more from Preparedness Pro on the Swine flu.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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The Real Face of the Swine Flu

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By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd

Yes, The WHO has moved the swine flu alert level to level 6, the highest level available.  While some may speculate that this is merely a political move to free up funds for willy-nilly spending, understand that this is also a very historical move.  There are viable concerns about the swine flu.  This article intends to show you the real face of the H1N1 virus.  Here are a handful of facts that you truly do need to know.

1. It’s resilient: Typically a flu virus disappears in warmer weather.  This particular strain is still rampant even in some of the hottest areas of our country and the world (ie: California, Texas, Philippines, among others).  The southern hemisphere is actually moving into their cold season, so the number of swine flu cases could increase substantially there.  Be mindful of this and its impact on your travel arrangements.
2. It’s affecting YOUNG and old: Typically a flu virus is off balance in its claims to victims, with elderly and infants being most susceptible.  However, in the case of the swine flu, over half of those who have contracted the virus were “young and healthy.”  Thus no one particular demographic is immune at present.
3. It’s “unstoppable”: WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan stated this fact bluntly.  In other words, the H1N1 virus has already spread sufficiently that it cannot be contained to a particular border.  This is due in large part to our open borders and easy travel afforded to us today.  The virus has already affected over 74 countries and there have been a reported 28,774 WORLDWIDE cases of swine flu.  Over 13,000 of those cases have been in the U.S. alone.

4. 

   Photo c/o Polaris

   No immunization is planned against the swine flu until late September:

   This gives the virus a great deal of time to mutate and affect countless individuals.  In doing so, it is possible that the immunization treatments planned for the fall may become obsolete.  What this means is you need to take precautionary measures NOW so as not to allow the virus to run rampant in your system.  Build up your immune system by eating nutritious foods, take quality vitamin and mineral supplements, and be cautious in exposing yourself to other individuals who have the flu.  If at all possible, don’t venture into a doctors office or a hospital unless it’s necessary.  Lighten up on the junk food and sugar.  Those items tax your immune system dramatically.  Lighten up on the size of your breakfasts.  Your body uses the most energy prior to noon, thus the energy that it does not have to expend digesting your breakfast is better served to build your body’s strengths.

5. This is NOT cause for panic: It’s cause for vigilant, passionate caution.  Be careful.  Be mindful.  Wash you hands ALL the time, especially after handling money!  Don’t touch the bathroom door after you’ve washed your hands when leaving the bathroom.  Perhaps it’s better to treat yourself to movies at home instead of in packed theatres.  Take this summer break to build up your children’s immune system while they aren’t exposed to crowded classrooms and other children.  Use the sanitary wipes on the handles of the grocery carts in the stores.  Wash your produce.  Eat out less.  In other words, minimize your exposure to the swine flu unnecessarily.
6. Sorry, but new cases are NOT declining in the U.S.: Contrary to some news reports I’ve heard, U.S. cases are still increasing.  In fact just recently a college, scout camp and a couple other large facilities were closed down here in Utah because of new cases confirmed.  We’ve even had another fatality in the last week.  I know that Utah is not the exception to this increase given that we do not house a major international airport such as Chicago O’Hare airport or JFK airport in our state.  (Note that Illinois, even though it does not border a foreign country or a large body of water has the THIRD highest number of confirmed cases of the swine flu in the U.S.—even more than California and New York.  Shockingly, Wisconsin has the MOST confirmed cases of swine flu, with Texas the second highest.)  In fact, the WHO admonishes countries which believe they’ve had their wave of swine flu already, to actually prepare for a second wave.
7. A declaration of a pandemic does not mean the virus has become more deadly: It simply means it’s become more prominent.  However, because of such, there is still a significant risk of mutation.  Once the H1N1 virus mutates with the avian flu virus, then it will EASILY be transferred from person to person and it will indeed become more deadly.  This caution has been confirmed by John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart’s and Royal London Hospital.

All in all, what this means is that we still need to be on guard and in a preparatory mindset against the swine flu.  Keep your eyes open for gloves and dust masks to purchase.  If we WERE to be quarantined for 90 days, which is possible if swine flu cases continue to rise, then you may actually want at least one mask per person per probable day of a quarantine.  Also, look into stocking up on essential oils that have historically proven to battle the spread of such a virus as well as aid in the cure.

Click here for more from Preparedness Pro on the Swine flu.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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