October 2007 Archives
October 31, 2007 8:34 AM
October 29, 2007 2:05 AM
The Aftermath of Devastating Fires
The Very Air We Breathe
Polluted air, no electricity and a lack of drinking water compound the devastating emotional and economic impact the fires are having in southern
I won't even attempt to get into the trauma of it all, and what people may have been able to do differently so they could be better prepared, if at all. But one of the things that stood out for me is the very air we breathe-what happens when it becomes so polluted? From fires, volcanic eruptions........? I realized I hadn't thought much about this and have since done some research on the kinds of respirators that are available for different situations.
Click here Respirator Fact Sheet for excellent information on what a respirator is and the many types available. Of importance when purchasing a respirator is to know what its specific use is. Selection of specific types of protective equipment depends on the hazard and the amount of filtering necessary . The Respirator Fact Sheet has a question and answer section on children, fitting, maintenance, how long they last, etc. There's also an important list of questions to ask when you are considering purchasing one.
Where to purchase? There are many sites out there. I can't say that I've found the "best one" but here are a few for you to check out.
Respirator Gas Masks for Air Purifying Applications
ApprovedGasMasks.com - a huge selection
DO YOUR RESEARCH!
October 27, 2007 6:37 PM
October 25, 2007 2:13 PM
Out into the dark early morning I walked, eyes a bit sleepy.
The night was still present, the sky black and spattered with stars.
I love this time of morning, when silence reaches far distances
and one's humanity is put in proper perspective.
Humbled and inspired at the magnificence of it all
I walk tall and strong, sprinkling glitter along my path with each step.
A sparkling day it shall be!
October 22, 2007
October 23, 2007 10:38 AM
Who Will Bail You Out When A Disaster Happens?
Another valuable bit of knowledge from John Vollmer of
Dear Reservists:
The following comes from a series of training newsletters I sent out a year or so ago. This is the first one. With our first major windstorm possibly on the horizon, I felt now would be a good time to revisit some key points relative to disasters.
Understanding Government's Role in Disasters
When disaster strikes no matter how big or how small the public immediately wants to know what government is going to do to bail them out. The fact is most disasters are so minor that government assistance is not available.
So what is a disaster anyway? The term disaster means different things to different people. If your house has damage and you do not have insurance to cover it, you would say you have a disaster. However, federal law defines disaster much more broadly. To get federal assistance the damage must be very serious and widespread affecting a number of people. A foot of water in your home is serious to you, but it does not meet the criteria for a federal disaster. A disaster as defined by the federal government occurs when hundreds of homes, or more, are destroyed or have sustained major damage.
When disaster strikes the state cannot help because Washington State's Constitution says: " The credit of the state shall not, in any manner be given or loaned to, or in aid of, any individual, association, company, or corporation." Essentially this means that state taxpayer dollars cannot be spent to help an individual with disaster related losses. That means the only help for individuals must come from the federal government.
Many people think that the federal government, namely FEMA, responds automatically to disaster, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Governor is the only person who can initiate federal assistance by submitting a formal request to the applicable federal agency. But first, the Governor's request must include damage reports from counties affected by the disaster that clearly show there has been "significant damages." Generally speaking, the number of uninsured homes that have been destroyed or with major damage must be in the hundreds for the disaster to be considered "significant."
October 14, 2007 10:48 AM
Dear Louise;
I just wanted to Thank You for doing this Blog. I truly enjoyed reading it. And I got a great belly laugh at the Dr. Phil story. This is my 1st year in RSE even though I heard Ramtha in 85-87. So far it's been quite a journey. I feel I have a lot of catching up to do, and preparing for the "changes" sometimes becomes OVERWHELMING.
I get stressed sometimes trying to figure out how I'm going to get to Yelm and be self-sufficient. Then I listen to the Ram on one of my many CD's and hear him tell me I don't need to know how, just focus on what I want to create and not to worry about the how. It will come. Then I find my center again, but it's been quite a ride so far.
Thanks Again for ALL you do. We who can not be in Yelm yet. it really makes us feel a part of Yelm.
Blessings and Peace
S.Crosby from
Louise Responds:
Dear S. Crosby;
I am so glad you took the time to write. My deep appreciation. Although there are great challenges regardless of geography or how long one has been studying the teachings of the Ram, there is a community, a "field of understanding" if you will, that can inspire, and keep one from being pulled by the undertow that seems to always be tugging at one's feet.
This blog, the MastersConnection website, Kleiners Korner, and other wonderful streams of information and connections, (which I'll have listed in my blog soon), do help. I remember how important these were for me before I moved to Yelm. It was almost like a life line, a life preserver tossed out to me in the great big ocean of uncertainty and change. And yes, it can seem overwhelming because we tend to spend more time looking at what we think we're not, or we don't have yet, instead of using that same time knowing our dream already is.
One of my intentions in this blog is to provide information and experiences that will serve one's journey in preparedness of mind and body, whether it's for people taking the first step, or are well on their way. While it's been slow in it's birthing, I want this to be a dynamic, interactive site. One of the things I'll be introducing shortly is a feature called: The Weekly Wisdom Forum: What Say You? There will be "experts" - people who have lived and breathed different aspects of preparedness and self-sufficiency, who will answer questions from readers. Keep an eye out for that.
We are beings of transforming destiny. How wonderful!
Blessings to you.
Louise
October 8, 2007 9:20 AM
Sauerkraut and Kim Chee
I wrote about my first canning experience with cabbage last week. My sauerkraut is brewing nicely. It takes about six weeks to ferment.
Thanks to my friend Diane who suggested including the simple recipe for sauerkraut in this blog; and a recipe for kim chee, a fermented cabbage dish made with chile peppers that is served at every meal in
October 2, 2007 12:18 PM
A READER FROM NEW ZEALAND responded to my review of the film The 11th Hour.
I replied, and then asked if she'd give us her input on what she was doing to prepare,
what her concerns were, etc. Here's a perspective from another part of the world.
Hi Louise - just heard something on TV about the new film The 11th Hour - so we will get it here in New Zealand soon.
Re Earth changes - We were fortunate to get a report from Ed Wiltsie, especially for New Zealand, from a brief visit to our country. Very interesting, and together with Ramtha's lecture we know things could be pretty "shaky" - which is the title of the report - New Zealand Islands in Motion.
Most of the masters here are already living in rural areas and are familiar with "self sufficiency". For myself, I am choosing to move to another part of New Zealand (currently I live in the north of the North Island). This is for two reasons, one is my current relationship has "fallen apart" where we were sharing the property, and the other is the weather patterns, which have been producing increasing storms, high winds etc. Our home on this land is very exposed to the wind, so I'm planning on an area in New Zealand that I know is more sheltered.
We have had three quite bad storms this winter and were without power and phone for several days. This is an interesting situation which was a reminder of things to come, and we got a bit of a worry with a freezer full of home kill meat and no power - so we straight away looked at purchasing a generator, which until now hasn't been an issue.
Food and cooking was not a problem as we grow and can our own produce and can cook on a woodstove. Didn't realize at the time the cell phones would be affected as they (the cell phone towers) had to run on battery power, making it a very short-term service if faced with a long power outage.
The other interesting thing that has happened is that since your e-mail arrived we have had a volcanic eruption and a series of earthquakes in another part of the country! Neither of these events are "out of character" as they are prone to this activity anyway, but it seems quite synchronistic. More like a friendly reminder!!!
I guess the bottom line is to keep in touch with the God within and follow what is best for you - create surviving the earth changes and moving through the chaos.
Regards,
Christine, from New Zealand
Thank you for letting me put your thoughts in the Blog, Christine.
READERS! YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT, WHEREVER YOU ARE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL PLANET! YOU CAN SEND ME AN EMAIL OR CLICK THE COMMENT BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM OF A POSTING TO MAKE A DIRECT COMMENT.
