Category: 4 Patriots

Injuries, Loss of Independence or Death Could Await Seniors Who Fall

Every second of every day an older adult (65+) suffers a fall in the United States. That’s according to the CDC. Not surprisingly, falls are the leading cause of injury and injury death in this age group.

According to a Penn State University study, deaths from falls by seniors has doubled in the past 20 years. In addition to wishing to avoid injury, seniors know a fall could lead to a long-term disability. And that means the loss of independence… something they prize as much as anything.

The coming crisis is going to be a huge challenge for even the most able-bodied person. For those who don’t get around as well as they used to, it will be even more of a struggle. And regardless of your age, if you are disabled when it happens, you’re going to need some help.

Today I want to talk about how serious this issue is. And then I’ll provide a dozen tips on how to avoid painful and debilitating falls.

Startling statistics

First of all, it’s imperative that we keep ourselves in the best possible physical condition.  Exercise and a healthy diet are important. Another essential strategy is avoiding injuries. Including those occurring through falls at home. 

For older adults, falls are the number one cause of fractures and hospital admissions for trauma. Plus the loss of independence and injury deaths. 

One of three seniors will fall during this calendar year. But fewer than one-half will tell their doctors about it unless they’re seriously injured.

Here are more statistics from the CDC:

• About 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year. They result in more than 32,000 deaths. 

• Each year, about 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for a fall injury. 

• More than 800,000 people are hospitalized due to a fall injury annually. Most often due to a head injury or hip fracture.

• More than 95 percent of hip fractures are caused by falling. Usually by falling sideways.

• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries.

• The direct medical costs for fall injuries, adjusted for inflation, are $34 billion annually. Hospital costs account for two-thirds of that total.

• One out of five falls for a person 65 or older causes a serious injury. Such as broken bones or a head injury. 

• Each year, 2.5 million older people are treated in emergency departments for injuries sustained in a fall. 

• At least 250,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures every year.

Regardless of your age, you should establish a home environment where falls are less likely to occur.    

Common causes for falls

How and why do falls occur for seniors? Most often, fall-related injuries affect the hip, pelvis, spine, arm, hand or ankle. 

Although seniors can recover from most falls, many older adults who suffer hip injuries from falls end up requiring long-term care.

Many seniors feel dizzy after standing from a sitting position. Especially if they’ve been sitting for a while. This could mean a drop in blood pressure. Which makes individuals feel as if they are going to pass out.

It could also be due to the onset of diabetes. Or an issue with a medication or eyesight. That’s why it’s important that seniors report their falls – and near falls – to a doctor. Even if they are not injured.

More reasons for falls 

Sometimes a fall happens due to a loss of balance while walking. Or slipping on something they don’t see. 

Lower body weakness and a Vitamin D deficiency can also be contributing factors in a fall. Of course, home hazards are often to blame. Including uneven steps and clutter.  

Many seniors who have seen older friends and relatives fall develop a fear of falling. Despite having never fallen themselves.

It’s important to be cautious. But this fear can lead to avoiding the activities that help make seniors less prone to falling. Such as walking and engaging in other social interactions. This fear can be debilitating for them. 

12 ways to reduce the risk of falls

Many seniors are injured by falls. But it’s not an inevitable result of aging. Most falls suffered by seniors every year didn’t have to happen. 

Here are 12 ways you or your loved ones can decrease the odds of experiencing a fall in the home:

• Do exercises to improve balance and strengthen muscles. Tai chi is a great method for accomplishing this. But ask your doctor for additional suggestions. 

• Get rid of the clutter. An organized home free of boxes, stacks of magazines, and other items is a much safer environment for a senior. Especially in narrow hallways and on staircases.

• Remove loose carpeting and slippery throw rugs. Especially if they are near staircases, as they are easy to trip on. Flatten any raised floorboards. 

• Add handrails to stairs and hallways. As well as grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower. And next to the toilet. A local handyman should be able to handle this so that you don’t run into a big expense.

• In addition to those grips, make sure mats in bathtubs and showers are non-slip. You can also place non-slip mats in other rooms and on porches. 

• Make sure there is proper lighting in every room. Use higher-watt bulbs during waking hours. And keep a nightlight in any room a senior may frequent after waking up. Including bathrooms.

• Keep an inexpensive, portable light at the far end of each stair on a staircase.

• Have your eyes checked at least once a year. Ask your eye doctor if you should have different eyeglasses for walking outdoors than for indoor activities including reading.

• Baggy clothes may be comfortable. But they can also catch on items when turning a corner. Or drag on the ground and be stepped on. Properly hemmed clothing is safer for seniors.

• Many people take their shoes off in the comfort of their home. But it’s easier to slip when one is wearing only socks. You’re better off with bare feet than socks. But the first choice is shoes. They also help prevent stubbing injuries.

• Keep a small emergency survival kit in each room. Including non-perishable snacks, a full water bottle, and a first-aid kit. This could hold you over if you do fall until help arrives. 

• Take it easy. Seniors should remind themselves that they don’t need to rush anymore. After standing from a sitting position, take a moment to get adjusted. Then move slowly from one room to another. 

Many seniors are never the same again after they’ve experienced a fall resulting in injury. You owe it to yourself and older family members to do everything in your power to make sure that fall doesn’t happen. 

A Birthday Party in the Red Sea?

With today being the 108th birthday of the U.S. Navy Reserves, it’s time to take a look at what the Navy is up to these days.

And it’s very serious. According to DefenseNews, the Navy is preparing for a wider-scale war in the Mideast. Especially as it patrols the dangerous Red Sea.

Recently the Navy added more destroyers into the Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean regions. They just extended the deployment for its ships.

Among their activities is intercepting missiles and drones. They’re being launched by Houthi militants in Yemen. And they’re aimed toward naval and merchant ships.

Navy Responds to Houthi Terrorists

As I told you a couple weeks ago, Houthi is a Shia Islamist political and military organization.

Backed by Iran, Houthi terrorists recently fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen. They were aimed at the U.S.-flagged and owned M/V Maersk Detroit Commercial Container ship. As well as another vessel.

Houthi has carried out dozens of attacks on international and commercial vessels since November. Their goal is to disrupt shipping. Which is resulting in supply chain problems and higher prices around the world.

The U.S. Navy has contributed to retaliatory strikes in Yemen that have removed “significant” Houthi capabilities.

Global Maritime Response Plan

A more long-range strategy for the U.S. Navy is the establishment of the “Global Maritime Response Plan.”

Admiral Daryl Caudle said his goal is to have the plan completed by the end of this year.

Among tactics incorporated in the plan is speeding up the training process. And determining which ports could be used for repairs.

As well as which personnel could be reassigned to combat-focused positions. And which maintenance requirements might be safely bypassed. To speed delivery of ships to the region.

You Make It Happen!

While the Navy is doing everything it can to protect us, here at 4Patriots we like to give back to our heroes who fight for our freedoms. This has been a big part of 4Patriots’ DNA since day one.

Since our founding, we’ve donated over $1 million in cash to U.S. military groups and organizations supporting them. Plus life-saving products. And countless hours of volunteer service by our employees.

We support high-impact nonprofits coast to coast. Including Operation Homefront, Team Rubicon, A Soldier’s Child Foundation, and Fisher House Foundation.

And we owe it all to you. Without your purchases of our products, we’d be unable to make these types of donations. Thank you for your support!

Camp Stove vs. Campfire – Which Do You Prefer?

Whether you’re camping or going off-grid in a crisis, when you’re setting up camp in the woods, you need fire. 

Regardless, you need a fire. To heat water, cook food, and stay warm. Your choices are a camp stove or campfire. Which do you choose?

There are pros and cons to both. And the decision may depend on a variety of factors. Including how many people are in your party. How much water you wish to heat or food you want to cook. Or how many hands there are to warm.

Your choice may also depend on what materials you have at your disposal. And whether you are concerned about attracting attention to yourself.

Compact & easy to use

Today I want to discuss those pros and cons. You may end up deciding you prefer one method over the other. But it never hurts to have both options available.

First off, what is a camp stove? It’s a portable cooking device used mainly by outdoor enthusiasts. But it’s also ideal for those who only occasionally – or unexpectantly – find themselves in the middle of nature.

Camp stoves are very compact, making them easy to transport. They come in many different sizes and shapes. And they use a variety of “fuels” to function.

Some require a fuel such as propane or butane, or a blend of them, contained in a canister. Others can provide a fire simply with sticks, leaves, and grasses.

Safety first with stoves

Why use a camp stove rather than building a fire? There are numerous reasons. And the smaller your party, the more it makes sense to choose a camp stove.

Many parks prohibit the use of campfires during the summer. And during dry spells in other seasons. They are too much of a risk for a damaging and possibly deadly forest fire.

A self-contained camp stove provides a much safer alternative. Sparks won’t go flying in different directions.

You’d pretty much have to throw your ignited camp stove into a pile of leaves to start a forest fire.

You don’t need fuel

Another advantage to a camp stove that doesn’t require fuel is the effort to use one, compared to building a campfire. Finding a small amount of sticks, twigs, leaves, and grass will generally be much easier than finding logs.

And if there has been rain recently, it’s likely those logs will be wet and difficult to maintain a fire. Sticks and leaves will dry much faster.

Direct heat is another factor that favors a camp stove over a campfire. A campfire’s heat will drift wherever the breeze takes it. A camp stove’s heat is channeled right where you want it.

You can place your pots and pans directly onto or over your camp stove so they will receive the stove’s direct heat. 

Camp stoves are fast & reliable

Do campfires have any advantages over camp stoves? For groups of people who need or want a larger fire, yes.

Sitting around a campfire, cooking food, roasting marshmallows, and chatting with friends or family members can be a very enjoyable experience.

Some of my best memories are centered around campfires. Bonding with childhood friends at camp and with family members on camping trips is etched into my mind.

But when it comes to convenience, ease of use, safety, and discreet fire-making, camp stoves have some distinct advantages. Especially when you’re by yourself or with a small group.

And when it comes time to survive in a crisis, nothing beats a camp stove for a fast and reliable way to heat your water, cook your food, or generate warmth.

Can You Tell a Brownout From a Blackout?

Most of us are painfully aware that power outages are becoming more frequent in the U.S. The No. 1 cause is extreme weather (more on that later), but there are a variety of other causes.

What some of us may not be aware of is that the length of these blackouts is increasing. Dramatically so.

The length of power outages in America has increased from approximately 3.5 hours to more than 7 hours. That’s over a recent eight-year period. According to the Energy Information Administration.

That’s a significant increase. Especially when you consider it’s not safe to eat food kept in a refrigerator without power for four or more hours.

When blackouts become likely, government officials tell people to reduce electricity consumption. Turn down the heat when it’s freezing cold? That’s easy for them to say.  

Blackouts Usually Come Without Warning

What about brownouts? Are they any easier to deal with than blackouts? And what’s the difference between the two? Let’s take a look.

A blackout is a complete interruption of electrical power in a certain service area. Sometimes they are confined to small areas. But often they are much more widespread.

They almost always come without warning. And it’s difficult or impossible to know how long they will last. Power utilities sometimes provide estimates regarding how long they will last. But that’s all they are – estimates.

As mentioned, blackouts are caused by a large number of factors. Including severe weather and peak power demands.

Brownouts Are Normally Planned

A brownout is very different from a blackout, but can still cause plenty of problems. Brownouts are partial, temporary reductions in system voltage or total system capacity.

The word “brownout” refers to lights dimming when the voltage sags. Rather than turning off altogether.

Brownouts can be unintentional. But often they are an intentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system.

In an emergency, power utilities will use a brownout to reduce the load in order to avoid a blackout. Or even a total collapse of the system. Brownouts usually last only minutes to an hour or so.

Different Electrical Devices React Differently

Now, we can tell ourselves that brownouts are better than blackouts. After all, we’d rather have dim light than no light at all.

But the fact that brownouts occur at all? That’s another example of how our aging and vulnerable electrical grids are failing us.

A typical brownout will reduce the system voltage by approximately 10 to 25%. And usually for a short period of time. Different electrical devices will react differently to this type of sag in power.

Take heat and lighting systems, for example. They can function well on suboptimal voltage for short periods of time. But sensitive electrical equipment requiring more precise voltages could malfunction. Including computer disk drives.

What About Rolling Blackouts

Earlier I mentioned that blackouts “almost always” come without warning. An exception is rolling blackouts.

These are full outages, planned for a specific and usually short period of time. They’re designed to prevent the system from overloading. Which would cause a much longer blackout.

Utility officials will generally issue warnings prior to implementing a rolling blackout. This allows customers to use electrical appliances prior to the rolling blackout.

And so that customers can ensure they have fully charged backup power banks. Which will  assist with whatever electrical needs they have during a rolling blackout.  

Weather & Vehicles Can Cause Outages

What are the most common causes of power outages in the U.S.? You can guess most of them.

Not surprisingly, severe weather represents the No. 1 cause. Such as rainstorms, blizzards, ice, and wind. Lightning figures into the mix as well.

Another cause is trees coming into contact with power lines. High winds can break off branches. But sometimes older trees collapse, resulting in the same problem.

Vehicles involved in accidents can also cause power outages. Generally when they collide with a utility pole or power station.

Animals, Excavation, & Earthquakes Also Contribute

Sometimes our small, furry friends get too curious about electrical wires. And where they lead. This can cause short circuits. It doesn’t end well for the animals either.

On occasion, excavation digging disturbs underground cables. Check with city officials before doing any digging on your property.

Here’s another one related to weather. Both extreme cold and heat result in high power demand. And that can prove to be too much for electric cables. As well as transformers and other electric equipment.

Finally, even though they are rare, let’s not forget earthquakes. Even “small” quakes can damage electrical facilities and power lines.

Outages Are Inevitable; Peace of Mind Is Possible

Unintentional blackouts and brownouts. Intentional blackouts and brownouts. At the end of the day, they mean basically the same thing.

It’s an interruption in our lives that we would like to live without. It means little or no light. Little or no heat or air conditioning. Food spoiling. Computers failing. Phones going dead.

And for some people, essential medicines going bad. Or medical equipment failing to operate.

Sorry for the doom and gloom here, but it’s reality. Fortunately, there’s another reality: backup electrical power is available. Prepare for the inevitable and gain the peace of mind you deserve.

Is Leap Year Really Necessary?

Can you imagine what life would be like on Earth if someone had failed to figure out we need a Leap Year every four years?

Well, right now we’d have winter conditions, but the calendar would say June 2025. That’s because it does not take exactly 365 days for the Earth to revolve around the sun.

That annual journey requires approximately 365.25 days. For those of you keeping score at home, it’s actually 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds.

Unless we account for that extra one-quarter of a day each year – or one day every four years – everything gets discombobulated.

New Year’s Day in the summer?

We wouldn’t notice the lack of Leap Years for a while. But eventually, our calendar year would get out of sync with our solar year.

For example, New Year’s Day would start to come earlier in winter than it does now. Then it would occur in the fall. And after about 780 years, it would match up with the summer solstice.

Because this is not an exact science, adjustments have been made through the centuries. In 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar figured out we needed a Leap Year after many years without one, he added 80 days to the calendar.

Then around 1575 A.D., Pope Gregory XIII took 10 days off the calendar and declared that three out of every four Leap Years ending in 00 should be skipped.

The way things are currently set up, we will not have a Leap Day in the years 2100, 2200, and 2300. We did have a Leap Day in 2000 and we will again in 2400.

Stock market doesn’t like Leap Years

Most people are in agreement that a Leap Year is needed nearly every four years. But some folks consider Leap Years to be bad luck.

They point to stock market downturns and crashes in 1992, 2000, and 2008. In the 10 Leap Years since 1984, the average annual stock market returns have been less than 8%. In non-Leap Years since then, they’ve been 23%.

Others look at the explosion of Covid-19 in 2020 as another Leap Year harbinger of bad news. U.S. presidential elections occur in Leap Years, and we all know the upheaval they’ve caused the last couple of decades.

There is also a superstition that getting married during a Leap Year is bad luck. And it’s even worse to get hitched on a Leap Day.

Earth’s orbit is slowing. Which may mean no more Leap Year

Now, I don’t expect any of us to be around 4 million years from now. In fact, it seems difficult to believe human beings will still exist on Earth.

But if we were, we wouldn’t need Leap Years, according to scientists. That’s because the Earth’s orbit is slowing, ever so slightly, due to tides.

In fact, eventually we would need to delete one day from the calendar every few years – rather than adding one – to keep the passing of seasons and the calendar aligned.  

But I don’t think we need to worry about that yet. For now, the lesson seems to be don’t mess with solar. And that goes for solar power as well as keeping our calendar straight.

With our vulnerable electric grids, we need solar-powered devices to function properly. Solar is the key to emergency preparedness. Blackouts are on the increase, both in number and in length of time.   

This year you have an extra 1,440 minutes

Depending on solar power rather than electrical power is a serious subject. And I hope you’ll take it seriously. But I want to end with a few Leap Year fun facts. Maybe you can impress family and friends with your knowledge of this special day.

• During a leap year, you have an extra 1,440 minutes to use.
• Famous people whose birthday is February 29 include motivational speaker Tony Robbins, jazz musician Jimmy Dorsey, and actors Dennis Farina and Antonio Sabato, Jr.
• There are approximately 10,000 members of the Honor Society of Leap Year Babies.
• People born on a Leap Day are sometimes called “leaplings.”
• The twin cities of Anthony, Texas and Anthony, New Mexico claim the title of “Leap Year Capital” of the U.S.

Do you know what is just about as rare as February 29? A deal that gives you a free mini solar generator with the purchase of a larger one. And this deal expires, fittingly enough, today, on Leap Day.

TEOTWAWKI: More Americans See Uncertainty in Our Future

We’re seeing more uncertainty in our world than ever before. What’s going to happen in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars? And how will that affect the supply chain and prices for goods and services?

What about all the terrorist attacks on ships in the Red Sea? Which the U.S. has called “one of the world’s most critical waterways?” Again, the availability of products we need and the costs for them could be greatly affected. 

Of course, our weather continues to be a huge uncertainty. And it’s becoming even more so with increasingly frequent and violent storms.

The results of these extreme weather events include deaths, injuries, and property destruction. Plus power outages, supply chain problems, and higher costs for food and other essentials.

Another Trump-Biden Showdown? 

And talk about uncertainty. Americans need look no farther than the presidential election. It will happen in less than nine months.

The U.S. has never been more politically divided than it is today. The election is sure to be hotly contested. Both during the campaign months and very possibly after results come in. 

President Joe Biden is expected to be the Democrats’ choice as the party’s candidate when their convention is held in Chicago, Illinois in August. 

Former President Donald Trump has a significant lead in the polls over runner-up Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination. Their convention will be held in mid-July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But there could be a monkey wrench in Trump’s plans. 

How Will U.S. Supreme Court Rule on Colorado? 

Recently Colorado’s Supreme Court decided to remove Trump from its primary election ballot due to what they saw as him participating in an insurrection on January 6, 2021. 

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take on the case, and the Justices have begun deliberating on the issue. If they rule in favor of Colorado, a number of other states are certain to follow suit. 

Many political pundits believe it would be inappropriate for any state to use the claim of insurrection against an individual who has not been formally charged with that crime. Let alone convicted of it. 

How it will all shake out is another in a series of uncertainties filling many Americans with anxiety these days.

Gen Z & Millennials Getting Prepared

Many of us who have been around for a while assume that younger generations are unconcerned about the uncertain future that lies ahead. 

Perhaps we recall that in our younger years, preparing for an uncertain future was not top of mind for us either. 

But we may be surprised to learn this: According to a recent Fox News story, more young Americans are prepping leading up to the November election. 

In fact, 40% of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and 39% of Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are making emergency preparedness purchases. They’re saying the system is “not as stable as we assumed.”

Those numbers compare to the surprisingly low 29% of Americans in general who are spending money on emergency preparedness. 

Pandemic Opened the Preparedness Floodgates

Now, not all of those Gen Z and Millennial Americans are solely focused on the upcoming election.

They’re also concerned about the potential for another disaster… Like the pandemic. They’ve witnessed how wars thousands of miles away can affect the price of food, gasoline, etc. They’ve seen how dangerous weather can cause a variety of long-lasting and costly problems.

Brekke Wagoner is a Millennial who runs a YouTube channel devoted to preparedness. Here’s what he told Fox News. 

“I think for the first time, a lot of Millennials and Gen Zers are realizing how fragile our systems are. We’ve grown up in a time in which technology has meant we’ve had grocery stores that were always stocked and you can get anything from Amazon in 24 hours. 

“Then all of a sudden the pandemic and some uncertainties in our national and international politics has made us rethink how all of these systems are not as stable as we assumed.”

‘Fallible and Fragile’ Supply Chains

Chad Huddleston is a Southern Illinois University professor of anthropology. He told Fox News, “In my work, I see younger people worried about a repeat of a COVID-type event and the types of disruption it can bring to daily life.”

He said he does not believe that most people who are now preparedness focused are getting ready for an “end-of-the-world“ scenario.

But rather, they just want to be able to have their basic needs taken care of when emergencies occur.

“The impulse to gather supplies comes more from the lack of goods on store shelves during the pandemic and the realization that supply chains are fallible and fragile. Rather than any idea that society is going to come to some chaotic, collapse point.”

Preparedness Is Uncertainty’s Enemy

American statesman Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying that death and taxes are the only things in life that are certain. I would add “uncertainty” to that list. 

As long as we live, and no matter what world events occur, we will never be able to avoid uncertainty in our lives and in our outlook.

But just because we can’t avoid something does not mean we can’t be better prepared for it. Some of us need to take a tip from Generation Z and Millennials and get prepared.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather face an uncertain future with peace of mind than with anxiety.

Who Are the Houthis and Why Are They Attacking Merchant Ships?

Who is Houthi? Why are they firing missiles at American ships? And what is the U.S. doing about it? Let’s dive right in. 

The Houthi movement, pronounced “Hoot-tee,” is known officially as Ansar Allah. They’re a Shia Islamist political and military organization that came out of Yemen in the 1990s. 

They’ve made no secret of the fact that they hate Israel and the United States. And recently they’ve become emboldened to strike at U.S. interests.

Protecting U.S. Vessels in the Red Sea 

Houthi terrorists, backed by Iran, recently fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen. They were aimed at the U.S. flagged and owned M/V Maersk Detroit Commercial Container ship. As well as another vessel. 

The container ship, located in the Gulf of Aden in the Southern Red Sea, was protected by the USS Gravely. It’s an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.

The USS Gravely intercepted two of the three missiles. The third missile fell into the sea. Approximately 125 miles from its target. 

The U.S. container ship suffered no damage and there were no reported injuries. This marked the second and third U.S. ships targeted by Houthis in recent weeks. In January, two U.S.-owned merchant vessels were struck by Houthi ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial system attacks. 

Counterattacks Target Houthis’ Weapons 

Due to repeated attacks from Houthi terrorists, U.S. and U.K. ships and war planes have carried out numerous strikes against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 

They’ve been targeting the Al Dailami Air Base and missile launching sites. As well as weapon storage facilities where Houthis keep ballistic missiles and drones. 

The U.S. is using Tomahawk missiles fired from warships. Plus F-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.            

According to American officials, missiles fired by the U.S. and its allies have removed “significant” Houthi capabilities. With more than a dozen sites targeted. 

Disrupting and Degrading Houthi Efforts 

Here’s a joint statement from the U.S., U.K., and other countries following the retaliatory strikes: 

“Today, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, at the direction of their respective governments with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.” 

The purpose of these “precision strikes” was to “disrupt and degrade” Houthi efforts to threaten global trade. And the lives of mariners. 

‘An International Challenge’ 

The joint statement continued with the message that the strikes targeted a Houthi underground storage site. As well as locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities.

It also called the Houthis’ 30-plus attacks on international and commercial vessels since November “an international challenge.”

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea,” the statement continued. 

“But let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership. We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.” 

Iran’s Fingerprints All Over Attacks

How does the U.S. know the Houthis are backed by Iran? We’re not privy to that information, of course.

But it’s notable that the Navy’s top Mideast commander, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, said that Iran is “very directly involved” in ship attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. 

Cooper said the attacks associated with Iran have been expanding beyond the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. These attacks are being called the most significant seen in two generations. And are said to be causing an international threat. 

The U.S. has also blamed Iran for recent drone attacks on shipping. Cooper said, “What I’ll say is Iran is clearly funding, they’re resourcing. They are supplying and they’re providing training. They’re obviously very directly involved. There’s no secret there.”

Will Supply Chain Issues Result?

During January, U.S. forces stopped a ship bound for Yemen in a raid in which two Navy SEALS were killed. The raid seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry.

The Navy is aided by drones watching over some 10,000 miles of Mideast waters that normally would not be visible. Most are on the lookout for drug and weapons shipments. 

Houthis have claimed their attacks are in response to the Israel-Hamas war. But they’ve targeted vessels that have little or nothing to do with Israel.

Although Egypt has not been a target, it is suffering financially due to the Houthis’ attacks. Some ships are taking a longer route around Africa’s southern tip to avoid Houthi missiles. That means less revenue for Egypt, which charges vessels to go through the Suez Canal.

Obviously, the Houthis are no match for U.S. military power. But with weapons aid from Iran, they may continue to disrupt shipping. And that means supply chain problems and higher prices of goods for the world. Including America.

62 Years Later, Government’s Survival Crackers Still Taste… Awful

Many of our readers recall the 50s and 60s very well. It was a tumultuous time in our country’s history. The Vietnam War and college campus protests. Racial tensions and political assassinations. They all dominated the news.   

But the thing that really had Americans living on edge was the Cold War. Threats of a nuclear attack by the U.S.S.R. resulted in school children practicing duck and cover drills -– anyone else remember Bert the Turtle? — And families building fallout shelters. And storing non-perishable food and water.

In response, one of the foods the U.S. government came up with was the all-purpose survival cracker. Due to its long shelf life, it was considered a nutritional solution for life after a nuclear blast.

More on those crackers in a moment. Including how they tasted 62 years later. 

Grandma’s pantry survival stockpile 

In 1955, President Dwight Eisenhower’s Federal Civil Defense Administration launched a propaganda campaign. It was called “Grandma’s Pantry.” 

Every household was encouraged to have a seven-day supply of food and water available. Just in case an attack occurred. 

Sears, Roebuck and Company displayed government-produced Grandma’s Pantry exhibits in 500 stores. They encouraged people to stock up on Campbell’s Soup and boxes of cornflakes. Plus Hawaiian Punch, Tang, candy bars, and other items. 

Women’s magazines published articles with headlines such as, “Take these steps now to save your family.”

Doomsday food mass produced 

But the government realized these efforts would fall far short of protecting most Americans after a nuclear attack. So, they decided to come up with shelters. 

And a “Doomsday food” that could feed millions… at least for a while. 

This food needed to be nutritious and inexpensive. Also, it is easy to eat and shelf stable. As well as reproducible at a mass scale.

Forget about taste, visual appeal, and attractive packaging. The unspoken mantra was, “Keep it simple, stupid.”

Bulgur chosen for long shelf life

A 1958 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare resulted in the recommendation of a single food item. 

Known as “bulgur,” it was selected because it is processed from whole grain wheat. Which is plentiful in the U.S. 

Bulgur is nutty, nutritious, high in fiber, and safe. It’s also low in cost and very palatable.

A government report at the time stated this. “A long shelf life may well be the single most important criterion for choosing bulgur in a stockpiling program.” 

Survival on 37 cents a day 

The Department of Agriculture eventually decided on crackers as the best medium for bulgur-wheat rations in a bunker scenario. 

New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller said a day’s worth of these crackers cost 37 cents per person. 

The government called its creation the “All-Purpose Survival Cracker.”

They tested these crackers 52 months later. That’s four years and four months. According to a report, there was a “discernible but inconsequential decrease” in flavor.

Taking one for the team 

Fast forward 62 years. We decided to try a box of these survival crackers here at 4Patriots. Just to see how the quality and taste would stand up.

When the box arrived, we knew we had received the real deal. On the side was the wording: “Survival Supplies Furnished by Office of Civil Defense, Department of Defense.”  Also, “Civil Defense, Survival Ration Cracker… Date of Pack: 1962.”  

A couple of our people volunteered to be the guinea pigs. 

Check out the video to see their reactions when they open up the container and bite into this Cold War survival food. Update: they are still alive.

One of them described the taste as “wood-like” with a “paint smell.” Yum! 

The other said the taste reminded him of what a Ritz cracker would taste like if it sat in the back of a hot car for about eight years. Gross. 

All that to say, there are better options than “survival” crackers from the 60’s. 

When it comes to survival, you’ll need hearty, real meals designed to sustain you through a crisis. And made to be just as tasty decades later. 

That’s why stocking up is so important – that way you don’t get stuck eating 62-year-old crisis crackers. 

Add Variety to Your Food Stockpile… Just Like Our Presidents Did

In the past, we’ve discussed the importance of eating a variety of foods on a regular basis. 

Food variety helps us avoid food fatigue. But it also helps keep us healthier. Especially as we consume different vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. 

A variety of healthy foods is good for us now. But just think how crucial that variety will be when we enter survival mode. We’ll need to be at the top of our game, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and food variety will be a big help with that. 

Today I want to talk about how essential it is to have plenty of variety packed into our survival stockpile. And today is Presidents’ Day. So, I’ll add some fun facts about the unusual food preferences of five of our presidents. 

Navy SEAL recommends preparation

Former Navy SEAL Cade Courtley says caloric intake is important in a survival situation.

“If you’re in this situation, it will not be easy,” he said. “And the daily physical demands will be very taxing. To maintain the energy required, you are going to need to ‘feed the furnace.’

“That means not only consuming the appropriate number of calories. But also sufficient variety.” He added that, generally speaking, this is the ideal combination:

• 30% protein
• 20-30% fat
• 40-50% carbohydrates 

He strongly suggests spending time now to consider the type of food variety you might need later. Both for nutrition and morale.

Time to upgrade your supplies

Cade and others recommend adding foods with a variety of nutrients to your stockpile. Upgrade your survival supplies now to increase variety, taste, and nutrients. 

For example, a cache of freeze-dried berries adds welcome nutrition, and a versatile way to “change it up” if access to fresh fruit is impossible. 

Oatmeal and pancakes are filling. But a punch of berry nutrition adds flavor and much-needed variety. Cade added that “preparation is 90% of surviving any situation.”

He suggests taking the time now, from the comfort of your home, to prepare. “Take stock of your supplies on hand. Add to those to give yourself more than a fighting chance. And to support your health, add welcome variety, and reduce your discomfort.”

Let’s get specific  

Among the foods recommended for stockpiling to provide necessary variety are:

• Freeze-dried & dehydrated foods — think fruits, veggies, and meat.
• Grains & legumes — like rice, pasta, and beans.
• Protein sources — peanut butter, nuts and seeds, canned tuna, and beef jerky.

Of course, always keep all stored food in a dry, cool, and dark place to extend its shelf life. 

And make sure containers are airtight and waterproof. Use foods when they are approaching expiration dates and rotate new food in. 

5 presidential food quirks 

These days, U.S. presidents are fed well by top-notch cooks and serving staff in the White House. But some of them had some “out-there” palates.

As promised, here are some of the unusual foods that five of our presidents enjoyed. As well as some of their eccentric eating habits. 

• 40th President Ronald Wilson Reagan was a big fan of jelly beans. He found them an enjoyable (if not healthier) substitute for the pipe smoking he was trying to quit. He received large, monthly shipments of jelly beans to stay well stocked. Reagan handed them out to guests during government meetings. And even provided some to astronauts on the Challenger space shuttle in 1983. Artist Peter Rocha used about 10,000 jelly beans to create a Reagan portrait.

• 34th President Dwight David Eisenhower’s favorite dessert was prune whip. He considered it a good palate cleanser. Ingredients included prunes, prune juice, and gelatin. Plus lemons, sugar, egg whites, whipped cream and nuts. Prunes provide plenty of fiber and antioxidants. Some folks today might prefer Eisenhower’s prune whip over plain prunes.      

• 28th President Thomas Woodrow Wilson liked to put raw eggs in his juice. Maybe that’s where the boxer Rocky got the idea of downing raw eggs while preparing for a fight. Wilson used this strategy to help put on weight, per his doctor’s suggestion. Today, nutritionists tell us that cooked eggs are much healthier (and safer) for us than raw eggs.

• 27th President William Howard Taft couldn’t get enough of turtle soup. It’s rumored his decision on which White House chef to hire was based on an ability to make a tasty turtle soup. The snapping turtle was the reptile of choice in most cases. Turtle soup is not as popular today as it once was. But some Louisiana restaurants still serve snapping turtle soup. 

• 20th President James Abram Garfield was known for consumption of squirrel stew. It’s likely he hunted squirrels on the farm where he grew up. And learned to love the taste of squirrel stew early in life. It’s said he developed his own recipe. It involved simmering squirrel meat with vegetables. Then removing the bones and adding butter and herbs.

Perhaps your food-eating habits are not as quirky as those of former U.S. presidents. But I’m sure you have your favorites. Just make sure your stockpile contains those favorites. As well as a nice variety of other healthy foods.

Back-to-Back Atmospheric Rivers Deluge Californians

Californians have been the victims of multiple atmospheric rivers recently. This week’s violent storm fueled by an atmospheric river caused flooding over a wide area in various portions of the state.

Hillsides were transformed into rivers of mud and rocks. And more than a half-million people were left without electricity statewide as of Monday.

What exactly is an atmospheric river? It’s a long and relatively narrow corridor of water vapor that forms over the Pacific Ocean. As it moves over land, it can produce enormous amounts of rain or snow. And California got it all this weekend…  

Torrential Downpours Produce Flooding, Mudslides

A flash flood warning was in effect for approximately 1.4 million people in the Los Angeles area. Including Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills.

Officials declared evacuation orders in some areas as nearly a foot of rain fell in a short amount of time… With more anticipated. On Sunday, 4.1 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles. It nearly doubled the previous record of 2.55 inches in one day, which occurred 96 years ago.

The National Weather Service called the flash flooding and threat of mudslides “a particularly dangerous situation.” Evacuations occurred in mountain and canyon areas of Monterey, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties.

Northern California was also hit hard. Streets were flooded, and trees and electrical wires were downed. The area saw wind gusts of over 80 miles per hour. 

Winds. Floods. Snow… ‘We’ve Had the Whole Gamut Here’

Residents had to be pulled from their vehicles by rescuers. Another rescue involved a homeless encampment near a rising river. 

One man in Yuba City was killed when a large redwood tree fell in his backyard Sunday night. This was 100 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Todd Hall is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He said, “We’ve had flooding. We’ve had gusty winds. We’ve had the whole gamut here. 

“I’ve been doing damage reports all night, so I’ve seen a fair amount of damage and of people being evacuated from homes due to mudslides.” 

‘Pineapple Express’ Not as Sweet as It Sounds

At higher elevations, the storm produced heavy snow. Two feet of the white stuff was expected through the Sierra Nevada. People were warned to avoid mountain roads.

This was the second storm powered by an atmospheric river in less than a week. This one was called a “Pineapple Express.” That’s due to its moisture stretching all the way back to Hawaii. 

As the latest atmospheric river moved in, those living on the central coast of California were warned of “hurricane-force wind” by the weather service. Including gusts of more than 90 mph.

State of Emergency Declared in 8 Counties

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in eight counties. They are Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino. As well as San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. 

Moderate to heavy rainfall was expected to continue falling on Southern California through Tuesday. Mainly because the system stalled over the area on Monday.   

Some coastal and valley areas, as well as foothills and mountain areas, were expected to receive eight to 14 inches of rain. 

A number of school districts in the state closed schools on Monday. Shelters were opened for those ordered to evacuate.

More – and More Powerful – Storms Ahead 

Atmospheric rivers are not new. Actually, they’re not even rare. 

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes says 46 of them made landfall on the U.S. West Coast last year. Nine of them were categorized as “strong,” two as “extreme,” and one as “exceptional.”

In fact, California is dependent upon atmospheric rivers to provide between 30 and 50% of their annual precipitation. For a state that has seen more than its share of drought, they can be a welcome visitor…

But when they are powerful and slow moving, they bring torrential downpours that result in flooding and mudslides. Atmospheric rivers are typically between 250 and 375 miles in width. They are greatly influenced by other weather patterns.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an atmospheric river can carry between seven and 15 times the average amount of water that is discharged daily by the Mississippi River. 

Weather experts predict more frequent, larger, and wetter atmospheric rivers in the future. Californians can’t stop atmospheric rivers, or the damage and power outages caused by them. All they can do is prepare.