Natural Disaster Preparedness - Make a Disaster Checklist to Help Protect Your Family

At best, you've got ample warning to get out of your house and out of town. At worst, you have minutes. What do you take? Where do you go? Your ability to make sound, safe decisions in this situation may be impaired. That's why you should prepare for disasters ahead of time. Create a disaster preparedness plan for your family to help you make it to safety. Use this disaster checklist as a guide.

1. Monitor the situation.

Advanced warning systems make it possible to prepare before a natural disaster strikes, so stay informed. The National Weather Service issues alerts across television stations, radio channels and even text message and email alerts. They also produce continuous Weather Radio broadcasts on a nationwide network that can only be picked up on special radios from the National Oceanic & Atmosphere Administration (NOAA). If you live in an area prone to severe weather, consider purchasing one of their receivers to hear these broadcasts.

2. Know where to go.

If you need to evacuate the house due to fire, gas leak or other home-based emergency, pick a spot down the street for all family members to meet. Discuss this often as part of your disaster planning so everyone is prepared. In the event of a regional disaster resulting from a tornado, flood or hurricane, make plans to travel at least an hour away. Major roads could be jammed with traffic or blocked by debris, so plan alternate routes. Also, remember not to drive into water on the road or get out of the vehicle amidst downed power lines.

3. Locate shut-off controls for gas, electric and water in your home.

As part of your disaster checklist, make sure adults and teens in your family know where the shut-off valves are located and how to operate them. Leave the necessary wrenches and tools in an easily accessible spot so this can be done quickly.

4. Take inventory of your belongings.

It may seem time-consuming, but it's a good idea to take an annual inventory of your valuable possessions. Create a written list or record the items with a photo or video camera. Take note of particularly expensive items like furniture and electronics, including serial numbers if possible. If your belongings are damaged or destroyed, you'll have a recent record to give to your insurance company.

5. Create emergency preparedness kits that include the basics.

There are entire websites dedicated to building comprehensive emergency kits, but start by including the basics:

Three-day supply of water for each person (one gallon per person per day)
Three-day supply of nonperishable food and a can opener
Radio, flashlight and batteries
First aid kit
Map
Cell phones and chargers
Prescription medications
Matches
Important documents like birth certificates, insurance and bank account information
Sleeping bags
Change of clothes6. Create a communication plan.

Have critical phone numbers stored in your cell phone, purse, briefcase, vehicle or other accessible location. While cell phone service may be unavailable, you can still access the phone book feature. Another good idea is to arrange for a family member or friend who lives out of town to act as a liaison in the event of disaster. It may be easier to reach them on a long-distance call rather than trying to place local calls on jammed signals. Everyone in your family, including children, should know how to reach this person so you can all relay messages and plans through him or her.

7. Include your pets in your disaster preparedness plan.

Animals, with the exception of service dogs, are not permitted in public shelters or places where food is served. Call kennels and shelters to see if they provide emergency care for pets. You can also contact the hotels where you plan to stay in the event of a disaster to see if they accept pets. Be sure to have identification and vaccination records easily accessible.

Another critical component of natural disaster preparedness is carrying the appropriate natural disaster insurance. Consult a company like Nationwide to get quotes and coverage information. In the event of disaster, it's important to know that you and your property are protected.

Kristin Armstrong is a Senior SEO Associate at Rosetta, the largest interactive agency in the U.S. Armstrong received an M.A. in Communication from The University of Dayton and has five years of experience in marketing.

Natural and Organic Product Makers Must Be Very Careful When Developing Formulaes and Recipes

The consumer product world is undergoing a green revolution. Marketers are racing to be the most green, most natural, most organic. Trade groups and organizations are marketing seals of approval, ala good housekeeping, to bedazzled innovators. There is a "gold rush" aura to this stampede.

When a large, multi-national firm like p&g, or general mills touts their green bona fides, the consumer can trust that these brands have been properly vetted. Teams of lawyers review every label statement and product performance claim. Publicly traded companies such as these cannot afford any risk of lazily policing their quality and standards. Huge quality control groups and research and development departments oversee every step of new product development, ingredient and product testing. All of this is accomplished long before a concept is turned over to the sales, marketing and branding pros to prepare market launch and consumer consumption.

The rapid growth of social media and the internet has greatly enhanced and accelerated the opportunity for entrepreneurs to launch artesian and micro-brands. My consumer product development and marketing consulting firm reviews many of these projects. These innovators are passionate about the hand crafted soap, skin care moisturizer, barbecue sauce, energy drink or gourmet candy they produce and proudly tout as "all natural" or "organic".

Many of these entrepreneur's are self-taught. There was a time when this was considered a positive business trait. No longer! The risks associated with legal and insurance issues must be paramount for every small green business. Too often it is given short shrift.

There are literally an endless number of cosmetic brands, topical skin care brands, food and baked goods, weight loss, drinks and other consumable product sellers that can be easily searched on the internet. LinkedIn is bloated with these types of brands, many making outlandish performance claims. I read some of the branding statements and marketing claims and gasp at the audacity.

Food, cosmetic, vitamin and other topical or consumable product manufacturers are very sensitive to the desire for contemporary small business innovators to appear 100% green. However, they are even more sensitive to the risk that most all-natural products pose. The FDAalways lurks and regularly rears its grizzly head to enforce rules that approach the Bible, Torah and Koran combined in length and complexity.

Bakeries and food product manufacturers are extremely sensitive to providing preservative systems that protect products from bacteria growth and extend shelf life. I love my neighbor Mary Jean's cupcakes and look forward to eating them. But i would not buy one that has been shipped, handled, stored in extreme climatic conditions, etc. Unless i knew it was made under tight industrial standards.

Many artisan cosmetic producers make their products at home. The "all natural, organic" tag they attach to their products is accurate, and they state this openly and proudly. They should be very careful. It is almost impossible to get product liability insurance for these products without proper production controls. Bacteria growth will occur unless a preservative is added and virtually all such systems that efficiently protect users include chemicals.

another issue with all truly "all natural" products is the problem of obtaining nature identical ingredients. Natural ingredients are flora or fauna that are grown and harvested. Every major producer of these products faces the issue of product quality control and stability from season to season and year to year. Essences that are essential for the production of perfumes can be of differing color and strength owing to different climate, moisture and exposure cycles. Mother nature really does control natural life. Taste, smell, color, product performance and quality can be seriously affected by biological changes that regularly happen each growing season. Sophisticated manufacturers have developed technology to minimize this risk. I have rarely seen an artisan producer that knows the problem exists, much less how to cope with it.

This is not a screed against small artesian craft brand marketers. It is just a nod to difficulties that are real and should be addressed. The ability to germinate new consumer product brands is an essential part of the American character. Some of these innovations grow and become the next great new thing. Just protect yourself at every stage of the product development, sales, marketing and branding cycle.

by: Geoff Ficke

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. ( http://www.duquesamarketing.com ) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

One of the Greatest Natural Wonders in the World

The United States is home to some of the planet's greatest natural wonders, and some of the most scenic vistas anywhere in the world. Near the top of this list is, of course, Arizona's Grand Canyon. A breathtaking slice in the middle of our country's colorful desert landscape, looking at the Grand Canyon is taking in over 3 billion years of geological history, not to mention one of the country's most successful tourist sites. Here's an introduction to the geography, history and business of the Canyon.

When you see the Grand Canyon, you cannot see it in its entirety. It is more than 270 miles long and at some points it is nearly 20 miles wide. It is well known to be over a mile deep in some parts-its rugged terrain defines the landscape for hundreds of miles around. It took six million years for it to form-the winding erosion of the Colorado River slowly cut into the face of the desert, producing the mighty absence with its persistence. The magnitude of the erosion has enabled scientists to see levels of rock laid down billions of years before humans ever lived. The study of the Canyon has dramatically advanced the science of geology.

This natural wonder has been studied for centuries. Humans first lived in the Canyon more than 10,000 years ago, moving on after some time-the last 4,000 years have seen steady habitation of the area by a number of tribes of America's First Peoples. The Hopi mythology says it's where souls go after death, and it has figured prominently in all the mythologies of the diverse people who have made the Canyon their home. European explorers first saw the Grand Canyon in the Sixteenth century, though no other White men saw the scenery until two hundred years later. Since then it has been surveyed, studied and loved by many Americans. It was made a National Park in 1919, after an 11 year battle with the region's mining interests, and the park expanded until reaching its current borders in 1975.

Mining hasn't been the big business here for nearly a century, with tourism pumping millions a year into the towns near the Grand Canyon. Almost nowhere else in the world is there a feature of nature so visited-tourists come from every continent to see it and wonder at its beauty. Five million people total see the Canyon each year, with thousands of them camping, hiking, riding mules into its depths and otherwise getting a full Grand Canyon experience. Others take advantage of fly over tours and easy to access viewpoints which allow them to see its majesty without so much work.

The Grand Canyon reminds us all of the beauty of the wide world around us and the weight of our history. Three billion years worth of Earth exposed for our sight over six million years, people have recognized how special a place it really is for 10,000 years. Check out the Canyon and its National Park today, and take it all in!

For more information on the Grand Canyon, visit [http://grandcanyon.tv].

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park - The World Natural Heritage Site

The complex of Phong Nha - Ke is situated in western Bo Trach district, near by the international border with Laos. The national park is located in one of the largest areas of contiguous limestone karst in Indochina, which also includes Hin Namno National Protected Area in Laos. It also is a part of the area of the oldest limestone mountains in Asia, which were taken about 400 million years ago. In addition, it contains special values of the formation and development of the earth. 94% of the area of the entire forest is covered by primitive forest, so its biodiversity is richest among forests in Vietnam. The forest boasts 568 floras and 876 faunas, many of which are listed in Vietnam's Red Book. For this great value, UNESCO has recognized Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park as the World Natural Heritage Site in 2003

Phong Nha Groto

The beautiful grotto of Phong Nha has a depth of 13000m with 14 large caves which are from 10 to 40m high. At the entrances are stalactites that look like huge tooth. Deep inside the caves are stalactites and stanlagmites in various unusual shapes.

A group of English geologists, together with Vietnamese geologists, investigated Phong Nhat Grotto and a number of other caves. The group boated deep inside the grotto and discovered that this is the longest underground river in Vietnam. It is attractive to geologists, hydro geologists and explorers.

An investigation of Vietnamese and foreign geologists shows that Phong Nha has "seven best" in Vietnam: deepest cave, highest and widest entrance, the most beautiful sand and rock banks, the most magnificent and fanciful stalactites and stalagmites, the longest underground river, the widest and the most beautiful dry cave.

Tien Son Grotto

400m from the entrance of Phong Nha Grotto and 130m above sea level is Tien Son Grotto. It is also known as Dry Grotto or Upper Phong Nha. Climbing to steps, visitors reach the entrance of Tien Son Grotto. Deep 1000m inside the mountain, the grotto is look like a stone castle. Its vault is high and well-ventilated, and has white veins that seem to be gilded with silver and gold. Particularly, visitors to the grotto can enjoy acoustic resonance from slabs of stones and stone columns. When you knock at stones, they produce unusual sounds that seem to resound from the earth's womb. Tien Son Grotto is 980m long. Approximately 400m from the entrance is a 10m deep abyss, and that is also the distance visitors and allowed to go in.

According to the studies of explorers from the British Royal Geographic Association, Tien Son Grotto was formed millions of years ago. It is even older than Phong Nha Grotto.

Phong Nha and Tien Son create a beautiful picture in the complex of caves and grottoes in Phong Nha - Ke Bang Natural Heritage Site

Threeland Travel is a travel agency which is offering special packages of Vietnam Travel tours to the tourists and Vietnam hotel services at competitive prices. Travel to Vietnam is the way to see its natural beauty of the various caves and rivers.mountains...

Chromium, Are Nations Hoarding Natural Resources?

Chromium is a topic that you rarely hear about, but in today´s environment of uncertainty and the, ¨Great Worldwide Resource Grab¨, chromium gets more attention. Recently we have the EU and USA going into Libya (oil, lithium), Iraq (oil), Afghanistan (oil pipeline, rare earths), West Africa (cobalt, tungsten, oil, gold, timber and many more). Let us not forget China and the contracts that they are signing all over the world for their natural resource needs. This all makes for some very interesting times for nations and investors alike. Rare industrial metals are no different. Chromium has been in the news so it is time to explain its uses and background.

Chromium was discovered by Louis Vauqelin in 1797. Chromium is a blue-white metal with great corrosion resistance. It has the symbol Cr with an atomic number of 24. Chromium can be polished to form a very shiny surface and is used to plate other metals to form a protective layer.

The main use of chromium is in the production of steel where it is used as a hardener, corrosion resister and helps fight decolorization. Iron and chromium form Stainless Steel which is strong and has a high resistance to heat and decomposition. The two form one of the most versatile and durable metals known in the world. Stainless steel contains approximately 10% chromium. Chromium is also used in paints, coloring in glass, and as a plating agent.

According to the USGS the top producers are South Africa, Kazakhstan and India. South Africa produces almost 50% of all chrome ore. The three countries account for 80% of all chrome ore mined. Approximately 95% of all known reserves are located in Kazakhstan and the southern tip of Africa to include Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The background of chromium is interesting, but today we have a hot topic. India is thinking about a ban on exportation of chrome ore. This is after news out of South Africa that the, ¨National Union of Mineworkers¨, called for restrictions of chrome ore exports to China. It has been speculated that China has been stockpiling chrome ore in order to control future prices. Does this sound familiar? We currently have to deal with the manipulation of the rare earths and rare industrial metals by China. As of October 2011 India and South Africa have not followed through with the plans. The next few weeks and months will be quite interesting, we are seeing an increase in the need for chromium, with a possible decrease in available supply.

Today our world is full of uncertainty. Every day brings us news of something amazing. Governments are under pressure, people are suffering, companies are folding, wonderful inventions, worldwide internet connectivity, and resources are becoming scarce. I have learned that in times like this you can either complain or build a grand future. Many fortunes were made during the US Great Depression. We are living through a worldwide recession, when we come out on the other side natural resources will be needed like never before. Where are you putting your money and future?

Randy Hilarski - The Rare Metals
Rare Earth and Rare Industrial Metals Specialist
Web: http://www.swissmetalassets.com