Surviving Swine Flu

Over at The Conspiratologist I posted about the swine flu and power politics. (The Conspiratologist is an "invitation only" blog. If you'd like to be on the list, email me at gravelbelly@gmail.com.) Here, however, I'd like to address the swine flu in terms of preparedness.

First, in a pandemic situation, your stockpile of survival food & water may enable you to avoid contact with the contagion. John E. Peterson suggests,

When grocery shopping, try to do so on “off hours,” when fewer people are likely to be shopping. And while there, think long term and stock up on necessities that can get you by for a few weeks if need be. Remember, you may never need to actually use your “survival stock,” but if you do, you will need it desperately.

A physician I knew when I worked in a hospital once said that the great majority of contagious disease could be avoided by hand-washing. That's why Peterson's following comment stood out to me:

Practice good hygiene. Don’t go crazy on this, but at the same time take reasonable precautions. For example, keep a bottle of Purell or a similar hand sanitizer nearby and use it at logical times. What do I mean by that? For instance, if you go to a gas station, consider how many people in the last 24 hours have wiped their nose, etc. and then picked up the same gas pump handle that you just picked up. Don’t get me wrong. We all have to operate in the real world. But with the example I just gave, wouldn’t that be a good time to wash your hands with Purell if standard soap and water are not an option? I think so.

Michelle Cagan of the Health Sciences Institute put out a swine flu information letter several days ago. Some of the statistics are already out of date, but her conclusion is right on the money:

Your best defense – your only real defense in any flu season – is a bulletproof immune system.

Recent research has shown that Vitamin D is a vital key to resisting viral infection.

I am reproducing the body of Ms. Cagan's letter below:

With all the sensationalized news about the so-called swine flu flying around, I figured we'd better set all the facts straight.

1. So far, only 82 cases of so-called swine flu have been definitively identified worldwide, mostly in Mexico (26 confirmed, 7 deaths) and the U.S.(with 40 confirmed, no deaths). (Though about 1600 suspected cases, including 159 deaths, are reported in Mexico.) That does not add up to a pandemic swine flu outbreak.
2. This virus has nothing to do with swine. In fact, it hasn't been seen in a single animal. And you can't possibly get it from eating pork.
3. No existing vaccines can prevent this new flu strain. So no matter what you hear – even if it comes from your doctor – don't get a regular flu shot. They rarely work against seasonal flu…and certainly can't offer protection from a never-before- seen strain.
4. Speaking of this strain, it doesn't seem to have come on naturally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this particular strain has never before been seen in pigs or people. And according to Reuters, the strain is a 'genetic mix' of swine, avian and human flu. Was it created in a lab? We don't know yet.
5. The drug companies are getting excited…and that's never a good thing. According to the Associated Press at least one financial analyst estimates up to $388 million worth of Tamiflu sales in the near future – and that's without a pandemic outbreak.
6. Let's not forget that Tamiflu comes with its own problems, including side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, cough…the very symptoms you're trying to avoid. And let's not forget that Japan banned this drug for children back in 2007, after links to suicidal behavior.
7. Vaccines for this flu strain probably won't have to jump through all those annoying hurdles like clinical trials for safety and effectiveness. That won't, however, stop the government from mandating the vaccine for all of us – a very likely scenario. And if the vaccines are actually harmful…killing people, for example…the vaccine makers will be immune from lawsuits.

Your best defense – your only real defense in any flu season – is a bulletproof immune system. You can learn about the best ways to strengthen yourself in the HSI archives.

Are Food Riots Possible?

I thought this article posted over at rense.com might be of interest:

US Food Riots Much Closer Than You Think

(Note: Beware of some flaky ads at this site.)

We have some great looking tomato plants in, now, and we will soon have some beans in. My wife ordered cow pea seeds, because we can eat the beans & the vines are supposed to be as nutritious as grain for the goats. The Jerusalem Artichokes look good this year, and so do the fruit trees (should have a great crop of figs).

We have plenty of canning jars & are stocking up on lids. Also, there's the food dryer which provided us with dried apples through the winter. We plan to keep that going day & night, once the produce starts coming in.

Are you preparing?

Economic Survivalism

Here is a link to an article by Judy Keen:

Economic Survivalists Take Root

When Money Is Worthless

What happens in an economy where paper money is worthless? We, as a nation have not yet begun to reap the consequences of the inflationary policies of our leaders.

The video below shows what has happened in Zimbabwe, where merchants will no longer accept the worthless paper currency. Thanks to my cousin, Larry D. for calling my attention to this.

Carrying Cash = Suspicious Activity

The feds issue it; you can't pay your taxes without it; you must accept it in payment for goods and services. But if some law enforcement officer thinks the amount you're carrying is "excessive", he will detain you.

This reminds me of the time I was with my riding with my brother in his motorhome in Tennessee. He got pulled over for a burnt out tail-light, and the police said, "You won't mind if we search your vehicle."

My brother stood his ground and said no, because we were both involved in direct sales at trade shows and had several thousand $$ in cash between us. We knew that if they found it, this would qualify us for suspicion as drug dealers.

Of course, they suspected us anyway, and they told us that if we didn't let them search, we must be hiding something. They detained us until their drug-sniffing dog arrived. The dog showed interest in the sewage pipe, but gave no indication of drugs, so the police let us go.

The following video comes from Judge Napolitano's "Freedom Watch" program:

I'm afraid these violations of freedom will become more frequent and more severe in the months ahead.

Letter to General Motors

I received the following in an email, and I checked it out at snopes.com to verify its authenticity. It is for real. It seems that Gregory Knox of the Knox Machine Co. received the following from General Motors:

Dear Employees & Suppliers,

Congress and the current Administration will soon determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis.

As an employee or supplier, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.

Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.
Troy Clarke
President,
General Motors North America

Knox sent the following letter in reply (some editing for language):

Gregory Knox, Pres.
Knox Machinery Company
Franklin , Ohio

Gentlemen:

In response to your request to contact legislators and ask for a bailout for the Big Three automakers please consider the following, and please pass my thoughts on to Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America.

Politicians and Management of the Big 3 are both infected with the same entitlement mentality that has spread like cancerous germs in UAW halls for the last countless decades, and whose plague is now sweeping this nation, awaiting our new "messiah," Pres-elect Obama, to wave his magic wand and make all our problems go away, while at the same time allowing our once great nation to keep "living the dream." Believe me folks, The dream is over!

This dream where we can ignore the consumer for years while management myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at the same time that our factories have been filled with the worlds most overpaid, arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded "laborers" without paying the price for these atrocities. This dream where you still think the masses will line up to buy our products for ever and ever.

Don't even think about telling me I'm wrong. Don't accuse me of not knowing of what I speak. I have called on Ford, GM, Chrysler, TRW, Delphi, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle, and countless other automotive OEM's throughout the Midwest , during the past 30 years and what I've seen over those years in these union shops can only be described as disgusting.
Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America, states: "There is widespread sentiment throughout this country, and our government, and especially via the news media, that the current crisis is completely the result of bad management which it certainly is not."

You're right Mr. Clarke, it's not JUST management. How about the electricians who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times, making people wait on them for countless hours while they drag [kafafa] so they can come in on the weekend and make double and triple time for a job they easily could have done within their normal 40 hour work week. How about the line workers who threaten newbies with all kinds of scare tactics for putting out too many parts on a shift and for being too productive.
(We certainly must not expose those lazy bums who have been getting overpaid for decades for their horrific underproduction, must we?!?)

Do you folks really not know about this stuff?!? How about this great sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke's sad plea: "over the last few years we have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our competitors." What the [****] has Detroit been doing for the last 40 years?!? Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and efficiency between us and them? The K car vs. the Accord? The Pinto vs. the Civic?!? Do I need to go on? What a joke!

We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the United States auto industry for decades. It's time to pay for your sins, Detroit .

I attended an economic summit last week where brilliant economist, Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research , surprised the crowd when he said he would not have given the banks a penny of "bailout money."

"Yes, he said, this would cause short term problems," but despite what people like politicians and corporate magnates would have us believe, the sun would in fact rise the next day and the following very important thing would happen. Where there had been greedy and sloppy banks, new efficient ones would pop up. That is how a free market system works. It does work if we would only let it work."

But for some nondescript reason we are now deciding that the rest of the world is right and that capitalism doesn't work - that we need the government to step in and "save us". Save us my [kafafa], [****] - we're nationalizing and unfortunately too many of our once fine nation's citizens don't even have a clue that this is what is really happening.

But, they sure can tell you the stats on their favorite sports teams. Yeah - THAT'S really important, isn't it.

Does it ever occur to ANYONE that the "competition" has been producing vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades in this country? How can that be??? Let's see. Fuel efficient. Listening to customers. Investing in the proper tooling and automation for the long haul.

Not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr. W. Edwards Deming four decades ago when he taught that by adopting appropriate principles of management, organizations could increase quality and simultaneously reduce costs. Ever increased productivity through quality and intelligent planning. Treating vendors like strategic partners, rather than like "the enemy." Efficient front and back offices. Non union environment.

Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn't be telling anyone anything they really don't already know down deep in their hearts.

I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten yourself into - my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis, as I did when I was their age. I do for them what my parents did for me (one of their greatest gifts, by the way) - I make them stand on their own two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and work through it. Radical concept, huh. Am I there for them in the wings? Of course - but only until such time as they need to be fully on their own as adults.

I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there certainly are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of parenting and government. Detroit and the United States need to pay for their sins.

Bad news people - it's coming whether we like it or not. The newly elected Messiah really doesn't have a magic wand big enough to "make it all go away." I laughed as I heard Obama "reeling it back in" almost immediately after the final vote count was tallied. "We really might not do it in a year or in four." Where the [****] was that kind of talk when he was RUNNING for office.

Stop trying to put off the inevitable folks. That house in Florida really isn't worth $750,000. People who jump across a border really don't deserve free health care benefits. That job driving that forklift for the Big 3 really isn't worth $85,000 a year. We really shouldn't allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves with products acquired from a country that unfairly manipulates their currency and has the most atrocious human rights infractions on the face of the globe. That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really shouldn't be living in that $485,000 home.

Let the market correct itself folks - it will. Yes it will be painful, but it's gonna' be painful either way, and the bright side of my proposal is that on the other side of it all, is a nation that appreciates what it has and doesn't live beyond its means and gets back to basics and redevelops the patriotic work ethic that made it the greatest nation in the history of the world and probably turns back to God.

Sorry - don't cut my head off, I'm just the messenger sharing with you the "bad news". I hope you take it to heart.

Gregory J. Knox, President
Knox Machinery, Inc.
Franklin , Ohio 45005

Slow Practice

Three or four months ago, my wife returned to practicing her French horn after a hiatus of several years. She took a series of lessons from an excellent teacher to help her get back on track, and it has worked out very well.

In preparing her to play in church, he had her practice at a faster pace than she would actually have to play. That really helped, and she has improved measurably. I noticed, however, that she still misses a note here and there.

That got me to thinking about martial arts and self defense practice. When you want to improve a technique's precision, you practice it in slow motion.

I suggested to my wife that, since she seems to have adapted to the faster tempo, maybe once a day she should slow the piece way down and concentrate on hitting each note with precision. She said, "That's exactly what I need."

Here is a principle that I believe applies to more than martial arts and music. I think you could generalize it to include how you practice any or all of your vocational skills:

Increase the tempo for performance; decrease the tempo for precision.