NORTH KOREA FOOD SHORTAGES

WHAT WITH THE ELECTION AND ALL I HAVE SORT OF LOST DIRECTION WHEN TALKING A BOUT BEING PREPARED FOR BOTH LONG AND SHORT TERM EMERGENCIES.

THESE ARE BOTH  EVENTS WHICH WILL HAPPEN AT SOME TIME TO NEARLY EVERYONE, FROM THE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE PLAINS OF KANSAS, TO THOSE IN THE SWANK HIGH RISES OF MANHATTAN OR THE HAMPTONS, TO THE BARREN SUN BLEACHED DESERTS OF ARIZONA, THE MOUNTAINS OF MONTANA OR THE BEACHES AND PALM TREES OF CALIFORNIA ALL WILL FACE SIMILAR EVENTS.

MY FAMILY AND I HAVE HAD THREE SUCH EVENTS WHICH STICK IN MY MIND.

THE FIRST. WAS IN 1972 WHILE WE WERE LIVING ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION IN TUBA CITY ARIZONA.  WE HAD BEEN INTO FLAGSTAFF SHOPPING AND WHEN WE CAME HOME NOT ON LIGHT WAS SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.  POWER WAS OUT AND WAS NOT RESTORED FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS.  THIS WAS A MODERATE EVENT, NO DAMAGE, NO LOSS OF LIFE BUT DEFINITELY AN INCONVENIENCE.

THE SECOND WAS THE GREAT DUST STORM OF BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.  THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER ABOUT 1976 THE WIND PICKED UP AND HAD GUST 60 TO 70 MPH, THE DUST FROM THE MANY FARMS AND ANIMAL FEED LOTS WAS BLOWN UP AND CAUSED PAINT TO BE SCOURED FROM AUTOMOBILES, TELEPHONE POOLS BECAME SKINNY TOTEM POLES,  ROOFS WERE TORN FROM HOUSES, WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT AND FINE RED DUST COVERED FINE CHINA, SILVER AND EVERY COUCH AND PIECE OF FURNITURE ON THE HOMES.  POWER AS OUT FOR MANY UNTIL AFTER THE NEW YEAR.

THE THIRD WAS THE NORTH RIDGE, CALIFORNIA 6.9 EARTHQUAKE IN FEBRUARY OF 1994.

WE WERE LIVING IN SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 17 MILES FROM THE EPICENTER.   AT ABOUT 4:20 AM OUR HOUSE WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.  WE LOST POWER AND COMMUNICATION FOR ABOUT 15 HOURS.  MANY HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR A WEEK OR BETTER.

WITH MY SONS WE GOT A COUPLE OF GENERATORS SEVERAL GALLONS OF GAS, BATTERIES, LIGHTS, ETC. BY DRIVING ABOUT 180 MILES ROUND TRIP.

I HAD KEPT MY INTERNAL TV ANTENNA AND JUST DROPPED THE CABLE FROM ATTIC INTO THE FAMILY ROOM SO WE HAD TV, ELECTRICITY, LIGHTS, COOKING FACILITIES AND COULD RUN THE FRIDGE.  WE LOANED LANTERNS AND LIGHTS TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.  WE HAD PLENTY OF WATER STORED SO WE DID WELL.

NOW , NORTH KOREA IS FACING A NATIONAL FOOD CRISIS.  IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THIS GODLESS COUNTRY MUST IMPORT 550 MILLION TONS OF BASIC GRAINS JUST TO BARLEY SURVIVE.  BUT, THEY ARE A NUCLEAR POWER.

EVERY WESTERN COUNTRY SHOULD WITHHOLD GRAIN UNTIL THE NORTH KOREANS HAVE DISMANTLED ALL NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND HAVE HAD THE INSPECTED.  50 TONES OF RICE CAN BE MORE POWERFUL THAN A 50 MILLION MEGA-TON BOMB.