Posted on 07/31/2017 5:01:46 PM PDT by Mozilla
We all like to scoff at that crazy little dictator, Kim Jong Un, who is a walking caricature, putting himself on the cover of a magazine as the sexiest man alive and talking smack like a WWF champ. But, in all seriousness, is North Korea actually a threat?
Unfortunately, it looks like the answer to that question is yes…and they’re turning into a bigger one each year.
Despite the buffoonery of their Dear Leader, the threat of North Korea is growing rapidly, according to the US Intelligence community. When prepping for a nuclear strike becomes the officially recommended course of action, it is time to pay attention.
(What you do in the minutes after a detonation could save your life. Learn what to do in the event of a nuclear strike here.)
The US military Defense Intelligence Agency says that by sometime in 2018, North Korea could have an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the ability to transport a nuclear warhead.
They’re basing this on a recent successful test of such an ICBM.
“This test, and its impact on our assessments, highlight the threat that North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs pose to the United States, to our allies in the region, and to the whole world,” the DNI’s National Intelligence Manager for East Asia, Scott Bray, told CBS News on Tuesday, adding that the U.S. intelligence community was “closely monitoring the expanding threat from North Korea.” (source)
Right now, experts don’t believe that North Korea could transport a nuclear warhead to the US mainland, however, Alaska and Hawaii are at risk. Hawaii would be a particularly valuable target, as it is the home of the US Pacific Command.
This image shows the current reach of different missiles that we know they possess.
However, they’re making rapid progress, and experts believe that by sometime in 2018, they’ll have the capability of striking the West Coast, with its large population centers in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, and San Francisco.
UPDATE: Two days after the publication of this article, North Korea successfully tested a missile that could reach as far as LA, Denver, and Chicago. This has changed the situation drastically, as now, half of the US mainland is in the nuclear range of North Korea. Get the details here.
In the immortal words of my daughters in their pre-teen years, “Duh.”
Although I personally can’t understand why anyone would want to travel to North Korea, especially after what happened to that poor young man, Otto Warmbier, it appears that thousands of people vacation there every year. 95% of the visitors are from China and about 75% of the visitors are male. About 800 Americans per year make the trip.
Recently, the State Department issued a travel warning:
The Department of State strongly warns U.S. citizens not to travel to North Korea/the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The Department of State strongly warns U.S. citizens not to travel to North Korea/the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). U.S. citizens in the DPRK are at serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea’s system of law enforcement. This system imposes unduly harsh sentences for actions that would not be considered crimes in the United States and threatens U.S. citizen detainees with being treated in accordance with “wartime law of the DPRK.” Since the United States does not maintain diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea, the U.S. government has no means to provide normal consular services to U.S. citizens in North Korea. This notice updates the number of U.S. citizens who have been detained in North Korea and replaces the Travel Warning dated February 7, 2017. (source)
Being part of an official tour won’t help Americans if they are found with anything in their possession that is critical of North Korea, and there is no consulate there to rescue you. Some of the things that are illegal in North Korea and punishable by labor camps or death are:
(source)
Personally, I’d rather go just about anywhere on the planet than North Korea, but that’s just me.
When prepping becomes official, it’s time to pay attention.
First, the US recently tested defense technology and successfully shot down a simulated, incoming intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) similar to the ones used by North Korea. The simulation took place over the Pacific Ocean in July:
The test was the first-ever of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system against an incoming IRBM, which experts say is a faster and more difficult target to hit than shorter-range missiles.
The US Missile Defense Agency said the IRBM was designed to behave similarly to the kinds of missiles that could threaten the US.
“The successful demonstration of THAAD against an IRBM-range missile threat bolsters the country’s defensive capability against developing missile threats in North Korea and other countries,” the Missile Defense Agency said in a statement. (source)
Finding themselves particularly in the crosshairs of North Korea, Hawaii has been openly working to prepare citizens for the potential of an attack. They’ll be testing an attack warning system in November.
A “guidance summary” from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency says residents will be alerted of nuclear detonation through siren alarms and flashing white lights. An Emergency Alert System will broadcast over television and radio frequencies as well. (source)
The state has released official guidelines on surviving a potential nuclear attack. (This is useful information no matter where you live.)
Matthew LoPresti, a legislator in Hawaii has been a strong advocate of the preparations.
“People think everybody would perish, but that is not the case. It would be a mass casualty event, but most people would survive. If you don’t take steps, more people will lose their lives.” (source)
A dear friend of mine living in Hawaii recently attended a public meeting informing citizens about getting prepared for the potential of an attack. Citizens were told that an official response could take a while, and to plan to be completely on their own for up to a month. (Gosh, sounds familiar, right?) These meetings have been taking place all over the state as the local government urges residents to be prepared for a disaster, a shut-down of services, and a complete halt to any merchandise of food being shipped into the islands.
They aren’t the only ones preparing. Los Angeles California is also making preparations for the potential of an attack, even though the technology is not expected to be advanced enough to reach them right now.
Fleets of big black trucks, harbor boats and aircraft, equipped with radiation sensors and operated by specially trained law enforcement teams, are ready to swing into action in Los Angeles for a catastrophe that nobody even wants to think about: a North Korean nuclear attack…
“We monitor events all over the world and assess whether there is something that could impact us here,” said Capt. Leonard McCray, commander of the emergency operations bureau at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “North Korea is clearly one of them.”
As tension rises, the inevitable question is: How well prepared are Los Angeles and other U.S. cities for a nuclear strike? The answer is somewhat unexpected. After two decades of fighting terrorism, law enforcement agencies and the federal government today are better equipped and trained to handle the aftermath of a limited nuclear attack than they ever were during the Cold War. Yet generations of Americans have grown up without learning how to protect themselves in the aftermath of a detonation. (source)
There are several reasons that some squeaky wheels object to these wise preparations.
David Wright, a weapons expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says that civil defense preparations are sending the wrong message to Kim Jong Un. And Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons analyst with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif., thinks that the Venture County Sheriff’s Department may be overreacting.
“He’s ruthless, but he’s not crazy. There’s reason to be cautious. But it’s not a reason to start digging bomb shelters.” (source)
Hawaii’s Tourism Authority is likewise unimpressed. Charlene Chan, their spokeswoman, said in a statement:
“Everyone’s safety in Hawaii is always our top priority. However, we also know from speaking to our tourism industry partners that if reports are misinterpreted about the state’s need to prepare for an attack, this could lead to travelers and groups staying away from Hawaii. The effect of such a downturn would ultimately be felt by residents who rely on tourism’s success for their livelihood.” (source)
According to Chan, they shouldn’t be worried because an attack by North Korea “is a very remote possibility at this time.”
I applaud the preparations being made. While the reason behind it is terrible, it’s always a positive sign when people realize that they can’t always depend on the government to save them.
This article explains what to do in the event of a nuclear strike. As stressed above, if you aren’t at Ground Zero, it’s entirely survivable and it isn’t going to turn into some nuclear winter in which your surviving neighbors decide which family to cook for dinner, ala The Road.
We can scoff at North Korea as much as we want, but the fact remains that their technology is advancing extremely rapidly. Their tests are becoming more successful. And this article doesn’t even touch on the potential of an EMP, which, if detonated over the middle of the US would have a potentially devastating effect for a long period of time.
While North Korea has to know that they’ll lose in the event of a war, the vibe I get from Kim Jong Un is that he would be delighted to cause as much damage as possible on his way out.
Think about the psychology of someone who knows he is going to die anyway. When they’ve got nothing left to lose, people become dangerous indeed.
The threat is real.
Article posted with permission from Daisy Luther
Can diabetics have beans or rice? Those make a complete protein. If rice is out, then I don’t know how to make a complete protein out of beans without the wheat or rice. So canned meat would be the thing then.
What is the typical diet of a diabetic? Lots of foods come freeze dried these days, although that route is pricey.
Exactly true, my FReeper friend !
I have spent almost three hours looking for a prepper diet for diabetes, type 2; I have found none that directly address the issue.
Most prepper sites advocate storage surplus of diabetic supplies, even offering insulin and supplies where it can be purchased at reduced prices,
but almost all recommend saving seed or developing artisan craft skills, and some encourage indoor gardening to maintain a fresh food supply.
Canned goods are forbidden due to the excess salt added for the retort process of canning foods; perhaps practical for the general population, but not for diabetics.
Perhaps the secret may be in "freeze dried foods" in which foods are flash-frozen; the foods just need to be re-hydrated,
They retain their original shape and nutrition and vitamins, but due to their size and bulk, they are not conducive for travel, or "bug-out".
I will send you what I have found today, thus far.
“Canned goods are forbidden due to the excess salt added for the retort process of canning foods; perhaps practical for the general population, but not for diabetics.”
If you can them yourself, you can leave out the salt. Or should I say “jar” them. I never have understood by putting things in Mason jars is called canning.
Anyway, I just put up 7 quarts of beets. Without salt. The only thing I ever add salt to is green beans, because they just taste better than when salted at the table.
Of course a lot of glass jars is hard to bug out with :-) But they are perfect to bug-in with. I did bring about 120 of them from California to Tennessee, without one breaking! That was a miracle. And due to my neurotic packing techniques.
Sure you can. It would be boring, but life sustaining.
You have captured the enigma of a diabetic diet !
Rice is a nutritious starch, and starches are to be restricted in a diabetic type2, diet (also: corn, potatoes).
I think you have the right idea with the freeze dried lean meat for protein, supplemented with nutritious and vitamin and anti-oxident vegetables.
So it would be pretty difficult for a diabetic to be a vegan then? I suppose if they were vegetarian they could get their protein from milk-based items. Or is lactose bad for diabetics also?
Well now its in the news that the Norks can strike the East coast. Which is it? I really need to know if the East coast is doable. I've plenty to do and if only the West coast is at threat, I can procrastinate a little.
speaking as a san diegan, I find your post hilarious.
In one of Clinton SOTU speeches he bragged, after a Russian stand down, that no nukes were posted at the US. He let China buy missile Guidance and super computers after taking bribes from the Chinese military. When he left office, there were 200 Chinese missiles which could reach the west coast. i never laughed so hard.
no nukes POINTED at
Three hours. Thanks! A relative was just put on insulin. First thing I thought of was “One Second After.”
This is the most tender meat and great flavor to eat straight from the jar, and you control whatever you want to put in it. I put just about 1/4 the salt of a typical recipe, and no other seasoning except for homemade bone broth or use a tsp. of bullion if I don't have it.
It's so simple as I use the raw pack. Just chop up the meat, and put it in the jars add the salt and broth. Put on the lids and rings and process. It's cheaper than any prepper food or supper market crap and no worries about what may be leaching into it from the can.
Veggies are also easy, and you could even make up your own mixed veggies-go easy on the taters and starchy stuff, and put in extra onions celery etc. Again, I just add a small amount of salt and boiling water.
Throw a jar of meat and another jar of veggies in a pot, and add spices - Mexican, Moroccan, Asian, American - it all tastes different depending on how you spice it up for variety.
I bought bulk amounts of spices and vacuum sealed them with desiccant - all the ones that I use the most anyway. Also you can dehydrate a lot of stuff or freeze it.
The biggest problem for a diabetic, I would think is the insulin - I don't think you can stock that in sufficient quantities can you?
If this is type 2 diabetes, then there are some spices that are used in other countries. The two that have had actual research that showed some effectiveness were Caraway - used by Moroccan Drs. and Cinnamon.
The cinnamon had several studies - 1-6 grams (1/4 - 1/2 tsp) was effective by 29% lowering of blood sugars and helped to stabilize levels effective at every level and persisted for 20 days after the study-so maybe wouldn't have to take it every day after a while.
They also tested supplements of 250 mg and 500 mg which were also effective. Sprinkling cinnamon over rice pudding prevented spikes in blood sugar level.
The Moroccan remedy is 1g of Caraway to 1/2 cup of distilled water - simmered for 10 minutes, after reaches boiling. Then consumed throughout the day. Therapeutic study on this was effective, but was done on rats - no humans.
Additional spices/food thought to be helpful-but I don't have the research handy: Almonds, Basil, Bay leaf, Chile, Cocoa, Coriander, Cumin, Curry leaf, Garlic, Mustard seed, Onion, parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Turmeric.
Now it is also important to have adequate healthy fats - these will slow down the starches to help prevent insulin spikes.
If the person has their insulin, and happens to have taken too much, a little honey and OJ under the tongue will help restore to normal.
Hope that helps. Since I stopped eating grains, and my dairy is mostly cheese, butter, eggs, and whole milk or yogurt (limited on the milk and yogurt), I no longer have issues with insulin spikes and that starving sensation or craving for carbs that I used to have.
I should have mentioned also, that I buy canned shrimp, tuna, salmon, and clams. I have a great recipe for seafood chowder that I use with the shrimp or clams. There are dozens of recipes for salmon and tuna.
I figured fish once a week - so each week during the month is a different fish/seafood. Made it easy to calculate and then I just ordered them by the case.
All of my preps are used regularly, so when I open a can or jar, then I put it on the grocery list to replace it. Some exceptions are the long term storage items like canned powdered milk, beans, etc. That stuff is good for 20 years - it’ll probably be here long after I kick he bucket. LOL
Thanks for the ping. I think it is pretty crappy that the Federal Government has built all those underground shelters for continuity of government, but totally quit any civil defense for the taxpayers.
Russia and China both recently had drills involving millions of their people. Seems like they care more for their citizens and have a “prepper” mindset than the USA government does.
Do a web search, though - there are a lot of older civil defense pamphlets to be found on how to construct make shift shelters in the basement.
Excellent and informative post ... thanks greeneyes.
No biggie thanks for the appreciation.
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