Blog Changes

If you have been to this blog before then you may be wondering what happened to the “pages”?  Well, quite simply we’re streamlining our process.  We’ll still continue to bring you relevant preparedness information, but you’ll have to either check back often and read through the posts or you could “subscribe” to this blog using the “subscribe” link to the right, then you’ll receive an email every time a new post is made (which isn’t so often that it would be annoying), or just look around and browse at your leisure using the links to the right.

PLEASE do NOT leave comments asking questions about Home Storage Centers, you MUST call the centers directly for the answers to your questions, you can find the Home Storage Center nearest you by clicking HERE.

Thank you so much.

Not For Fun Only—The evolution of Girl’s Camp

By Laraine L. Thompson

By the time this article goes to print Portland Oregon East Stake Girl’s Camp will be a memory. The church’s Girl’s Camp Program has been around for numerous years.

Camp has always been a place for girls to learn to love the outdoors and to build friendships. For a very long time the girls responsibility was to do just that. Somewhere along the way, the church began to see the need for our young women to go beyond merely enjoying themselves in nature. Just as the legacy of Boy Scouts of America was to teach our young men wilderness survival/self reliance skills along with vital leadership skills, the Girl’s Camp program saw fit to require similar skills from the girls participating in a yearly Girl’s Camp.

The Young Women Camp Manual, published in 1992 by the church cites these goals for each young women attending camp:

• Draw closer to God
• Appreciate and feel reverence for nature
• Become more self-reliant
• Develop leadership skills
• Respect and protect the environment
• Serve others
• Build friendships
• Enjoy camping and have fun

Now, each of the first four years that a girl attends Girl’s Camp, she learns basic survival skills—camp sanitation, water purification, campfire building and cooking, wilderness orientation, compass reading, first aid. In addition the girls learn about the environment and the ways in which man must care for its protection.

Beginning in a girl’s fifth year of camp, she assumes the duty, as a junior counselor of helping to teach the younger girls the skills she has already mastered. As a junior counselor she hones her leadership skills and learns to be responsible for the care and keeping of those younger than herself. She helps teach the survival skills that she has already learned and in which she has become certified. She guides the younger girls in her group as she develops spiritual devotional material for each night of camp. She helps these girls plan and perform camp fire skits.  Above all else she serves as an example of self reliant competence and devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

For many young women, Girl’s Camp is the highlight of their year. If properly approached, Girl’s Camp can be the greatest survival and leadership training that a young woman can experience in her young life. The friendships made, the fun along the way, in addition to the superb spiritual experiences to be had are further exclamation marks to a wonderful wilderness week.

Amateur Radio Exam Help (Ham)

For those interested in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator (Ham Radio), the Cascade Amateur Radio Society (CARS) has added their training slides to the CARS website in the form of PDF files.  These files can help you either review the information before taking the exams, or perhaps even help you enough that you can skip the class and just show up and take the exam.  You can find the files here.

The Word of Wisdom

By Stan Brewer

 

An essential part of healthy living is diet.  The benefits of healthy eating have been established over and over.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have been blessed with the Word of Wisdom revealed to Joseph Smith in 1833 as a guide to a healthy diet.  The benefits of not smoking or drinking alcohol have been thoroughly established through extensive scientific research.  However, there is more to the Word of Wisdom that are also being validated by current research and recommendations. 

 

One of the first recommendations is to eat “every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof” (Doctrine and Covenant 89:11).  The new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid places added emphasis on eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that eating the right amounts of fruits and vegetables can deacrease the risk of cancer and other chronic illness.  It is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help fight disease.  If you want to see how much you should be eating each day try this tool http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/.  For example I should be eating 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables. 

 

Another recommendation regards grains – “All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life” (Doctrine and Covenant 89:16). Grains are a staple that provide carbohydrates, one of our main sources of energy.  Currently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and USDA recommend increasing our whole grains consumption (to at least half of the grains we eat).  Whole grains include brown or wild rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, triticale, cracked wheat, and popcorn in addition to whole-grain wheat, barley, corn, rye, and oats.  Whole grains provide “good carbs” which are more complex and nutricious sources of carbohydrates.  They also have fiber and other essential nutrients. 

 

Finally, the Word of Wisdom encourages us to eat meat “sparingly”.  Studies have shown too much meat (especially red meats or meats with lots of fat) can be detrimental to our health.  Diets with lots of red and fatty meats have been associated with various cancers, high cholesterol, and obestiy.  However, there are also important nutrients in animal products.  Eating meat sparingly will provide these nutrients without the detrimental effects of excess meat.  Diets that use meat sparingly and focus on white meat or fish (such as the Mediterranean diet) have repeatedly been shown to have significant health benefit.  One food pyramid that I really like from the Universty of Michigan suggests eating meat only a few times a week (http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/index.htm), as well as eating losts of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. 

 

In summary, the scientific research in nutrition validates the diet encouraged in the Word of Wisdom - eat lots of fruits and vegetables, eat whole grains, and minimize our meat consumption.  It is also important to remember to drink plenty of water, eat healthy fats, and get regular exercise.  Doing these things will help us to reap the health benefits outlined in the Word of Wisdom and established by modern science. 

Breaching that Brick Wall

By Laraine L. Thompson 

For many years I, as my father before me, have worked to find the parents of my second great grandfather. He was born in 1813 in Kentucky, probably in one of the many forts erected along the Cumberland Gap trail and beyond. In 1820 he and his family migrated through SW Indiana to SE Illinois. They met or left off many relatives along the way. In Illinois, a will from 1837 lists his mother’s name. He, along with three other, supposed, brothers appear as signers of the will. Their X’s are clearly visible. A history of the county tells of my grandfather’s arrival, along with that of another family. Tracing the genealogy of the accompanying family has produced nothing to tell me more about my great grandfather’s parents.

We, my father and I, had stood at the bottom of that proverbial brick wall for far too long. My father died in 1984, long before DNA testing was available to the masses. Dreaming of finally being able to breach that wall, I was thrilled when DNA testing became a realization. I urged my brother, the only known living male relative on my father’s side to submit his DNA. Testing the Y chromosome is the most accurate way to trace one’s lineage. At first, we paid for the 12 marker test, then the 24 marker and ended, some years later, paying for the 67 marker test. The results arrived and I was excitedly anticipating seeing other men with the same last sir name. My anticipation was not rewarded. I received, and so far, continue to receive periodic updates with the names of matched men who, it turns out, share with me a common ancestor—a long, long, long time ago. We know our haplogroup which identifies us with a very common group of ancestors who migrated from the upper mid east through Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, to America. We are like countless others with the same haplogroup identification. I knew that we were very ordinary people, but reality is still difficult to accept sometimes.

I have this dream that my great, great grandfather will one day stand over my shoulder and dictate to me the details of his life and that of his parents and hopefully, his grandparents. Until then, I will have to content myself with mining and re-mining the depths of the records that are already here. And one day, just one day, someone with the same sir name will appear on that DNA list and my research will begin to make more sense. I have and will continue to join sir name projects associated with the DNA testing sites. Notice the plural use of the word, sites. It pays, pun intended, to submit DNA to more than one site, to join the sir name groups of each site. I have also learned that it is of value to submit my own mitochondrial DNA to better insure a more detailed outcome.

There are a number of genetic testing websites:

• www.familytreedna.com
• www.genetree.com
• www.nationalgeographic.com
• www.ancestry.com
• www.oxfordancestors.com
• www.23andme.com
• www.decodeme.com

 

Several cautions:

• Testing is not particularly cheap
• There are privacy issues (there are ways to insure privacy, but what would be the point?)
• You may find skeletons in the closet (an illegitimate child from some unknown father has DNA totally different from what one would expect)
• Take care not to overreach when interpreting results, particularly Mitochondrial DNA results

Would I do this again? Absolutely! While there have been no results yet to connect me with that elusive 3rd great grandfather, I know that our DNA is recorded. The technology is increasing in its effectiveness to trace our genealogies. As more people submit their DNA, the data banks increase, thus increasing our chances of a match with the same sir name. Twenty years ago a DNA test was only a dream. Twenty years from now, who knows what might be possible? Knowing that the last male member of my father’s family will be dead, I want his DNA, our family data to already be there. Just as I would prepare for any eventuality by storing water, food, fuel, I want my brother’s stored DNA to one day link us to loved ones who, for now, are only a dream.

Voice of the Spirit

In a world full of noise and many voices, President James E. Faust invites us to listen to and follow the voice of the Spirit, which is calm and quiet and leads to eternal life. Mormon Messages

Earthquake Safety “Triangle of Life”

In the horrific and unbelievable aftermath of major earthquakes, such as the 9.0 that recently struck Japan, public interest in earthquake preparedness understandably increases.  While there are several reliable sources to turn to for accurate earthquake preparedness information (FEMA.gov and American Red Cross), there are also plenty of sources with inaccurate information as well.

One such source of inaccurate information is an email which circulates after every major earthquake.  The email is entitled the “Triangle of Life” by Doug Copp.  Mr. Copp presents a very convincing argument as to why we should revamp our earthquake survival techniques; unfortunately, Mr. Copp’s theories have been refuted by several major earthquake research organizations, including the American Red Cross.

Here’s the response from the American Red Cross to Doug Copp’s “Triangle of Life” theory:

American Red Cross response to “Triangle of Life” by Doug Copp
9/11/2004

Sent from
Rocky Lopes, PhD Manager, Community Disaster Education American Red Cross National Headquarters

Recently it has been brought to my attention that an email from Doug Copp, titled “Triangle of Life,” is making its rounds again on the Internet. “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for Earthquake safety. Mr. Copp’s assertions in his message that everyone is always crushed if they get under something is incorrect.

Recently, the American Red Cross became aware of a challenge to the earthquake safety advice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” This is according to information from Mr. Doug Copp, the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of American Rescue Team International (a private company not affiliated with the U.S. Government or other agency.)

He says that going underneath objects during an earthquake [as in children being told to get under their desks at school] is very dangerous, and fatal should the building collapse in a strong earthquake. He also states that “everyone who gets under a doorway when a building collapses is killed.”

He further states that “if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, to roll out of bed next to it,” and he also says that “If an earthquake happens while you are watching television and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.”

These recommendations are inaccurate for application in the United States and inconsistent with information developed through earthquake research. Mr. Copp based his statements on observations of damage to buildings after an earthquake in Turkey.

It is like “apples and oranges” to compare building construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials between Turkey and the United States.

We at the American Red Cross have studied the research on the topic of earthquake safety for many years. We have benefited from extensive research done by the California Office of Emergency Services, California Seismic Safety Commission, professional and academic research organizations, and emergency management agencies, who have also studied the recommendation to “drop, cover, and hold on!” during the shaking of an earthquake. Personally, I have also benefited from those who preceded me in doing earthquake education in California since the Field Act was passed in 1933.

What the claims made by Mr. Copp of ARTI, Inc., does not seem to distinguish is that the recommendation to “drop, cover, and hold on!” is a U.S.-based recommendation based on U.S. Building Codes and construction standards. Much research in the United States has confirmed that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” has saved lives in the United States. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or “pancake” in the U.S. as they might do in other countries. Using a web site to show one picture of one U.S. building that had a partial collapse after a major quake in an area with thousands of buildings that did not collapse during the same quake is inappropriate and misleading.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects data on injuries and deaths from all reportable causes in the U.S., as well as data from three University-based studies performed after the Loma Prieta (September, 1989) and Northridge (January, 1994) earthquakes in California, the following data are indicated: Loma Prieta: 63 deaths, approximately 3,700 people were injured. Most injuries happened as a result of the collapse of the Cypress Street section of I-880 in Oakland. Northridge: 57 deaths, 1,500 serious injuries.

Most injuries were from falls caused by people trying to get out of their homes, or serious cuts and broken bones when people ran, barefooted, over broken glass (the earthquake happened in the early morning on a federal holiday when many people were still in bed.) There were millions of people in each of these earthquake-affected areas, and of those millions, many of them reported to have “dropped, covered, and held on” during the shaking of the earthquake.

We contend that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” indeed SAVED lives, not killed people. Because the research continues to demonstrate that, in the U.S., “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” works, the American Red Cross remains behind that recommendation. It is the simplest, reliable, and easiest method to teach people, including children.

The American Red Cross has not recommended use of a doorway for earthquake protection for more than a decade. The problem is that many doorways are not built into the structural integrity of a building, and may not offer protection. Also, simply put, doorways are not suitable for more than one person at a time.

The Red Cross, remaining consistent with the information published in “Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages,” (visit http://www.disastereducation.org/guide.html) states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed. If you have done a good job of earthquake mitigation (that is, removing pictures or mirrors that could fall on a bed; anchoring tall bedroom furniture to wall studs, and the like), then you are safer to stay in bed rather than roll out of it during the shaking of an earthquake.

Also, the Red Cross strongly advises not try to move (that is, escape) during the shaking of an earthquake. The more and the longer distance that someone tries to move, the more likely they are to become injured by falling or flying debris, or by tripping, falling, or getting cut by damaged floors, walls, and items in the path of escape. Identifying potential “void areas” and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles.

The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” is NOT wrong — in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S.-based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the “void identification method” or the “Triangle of Life” may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.

Source: Letter from American Red Cross

More information can be found at: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/triangle.asp