In these uncertain times it's hard to decide what might be the best strategy to keep your assets safe. With interest rates at historic lows, traditionally safe investments like certificates of deposit (CD's) and money market accounts fail to look attractive. Depending upon your lifestage, recent surges in equities may look exciting, but if you believe we are headed for more uncertainty, risk may appear to be excessive. With the Feds recent round of quantitative easing (QE2) and the associated flooding of markets with billions of dollars, many are anticipating increasing levels of inflation that will erode buying power of cash holdings. This article from the National Inflation Association is truly sobering. Commodity prices are soaring as institutional investors seek to hedge their equity exposure by moving massive sums of capital into this marketplace. Everywhere you turn someone is recommending gold purchases as a safe haven investment and hedge against whatever is ahead, but at $1,400 an ounce, such an investment is beyond the reach of most.

What is one to do? Many have decided it is prudent to lock in the value of their dollars by purchasing an asset that offers much more security and peace of mind than any of the aforementioned traditional investment vehicles. This asset has intrinsic value regardless of economic ups and downs. This asset is in demand worldwide and in short supply in many places. This asset is readily available for purchase and easily acquired without huge broker fees but most investment advisers aren't even recommending it as part of their clients investment portfolio. What is this miracle investment? It's literally right under your nose - more precisely, your mouth. The investment? Food.

While most people will put their money into electronic and paper investments like stocks and bonds without blinking an eye, an "investment" in food storage raises an eyebrow or two - but why? Let's face it, food storage suffers from an image problem. It is undeservedly associated with being the preserve of wild-eyed survivalists and conspiracy theorists yet it makes perfect sense on so many levels. After all, no matter what happens, you can always eat food. In fact, you will always need to!

The modern "preparedness" movement may seem a mite "bunker mentality" but is really no more than sound and sane planning. Money in a savings account for a "rainy day" is lauded, encouraged even, but food for a rainy day is considered laughable. It doesn't make sense!

Some of the derision is based upon images of 60's area bomb shelters stocked with saltines and other questionable stores, or images of beef jerky or other highly preserved or tasteless offerings. Today, nothing could be further from the truth! Those in the military are already familiar with MRE's (meals ready to eat). While campers, scouts and their ilk are likely familiar with many of the excellent lightweight freeze dried meals available on the market today, newer players in the field have taken the concept of food storage to the next level. Shelf Reliance of Lindon Utah, has developed a line of freeze dried and dehydrated foods intended to serve the dual uses of everyday meal preparation and long term storage.

Sold by independent consultants, in a "home party" style format akin to Tupperware, guests are encouraged to join in the preparation of sample dishes as well as tasting them. While the company does offer complete reconstitutable meals, one major difference of their "Thrive" line is the huge number of individual ingredients offered by the company allowing for an infinite number of menu options that can be prepared. With more than a dozen vegetable choices (from sweet potatoes to celery) and a similar number of fruits (raspberries to mangos) you'll find a myriad of uses for these foods every week whether you need to supplement meals for unexpected company or want to diversify a meal with otherwise "out of season" foods. Other products include meats (chicken, beef, ham, sausage), dairy (eggs,butter, cheeses, milk, sour cream), grains (flour, pasta oats, etc.) plus basics like sugar, butter powder and beef bullion.

As a bonus to the unusually fresh taste, particularly the freeze dried items most of which contain no added ingredients or preservatives, the foods have a shelf life far longer than anything you can buy at the grocery store - some an incredible 30 years! In addition to the wide variety of quality foodstuff, Shelf Reliance Consultants also offer a diverse line of other preparedness products from first aid to automobile safety kits - plus other emergency essentials many of us, regretably, wait too long to purchase.

So whether you are someone with a second home wanting to "leave a little something behind" for your next visit, a single tired of food going bad in the fridge before you get to eat it, a family with changing food quantity requirements or seniors tired of all the peeling, chopping and dicing necessary for meal preparation, investing in food storage that can be used everyday, any day (as well as in an emergency) just makes sense. Depending upon your age course, you could even be eating this great tasting food well into your retirement and there is no "required minimum distribution" or tax implication in spending your "food investment" proceeds. Wow, who knew, food storage is good to eat and a great tax planning strategy!

Lee Keil is an Independent Shelf Reliance Consultant serving the New York metropolitan tristate area with the websites PanBParty.com and PlanBPreparedness.com. She is also available to present programs on a variety of emergency preparedness issues and can be reached at 631-255-8135 and via email to ShelfReliance@ThirdMill.com

I'm certainly planning to diversify my portfolio and put myself on a food storage budget plan - Are you with me?

Dear Neighbor,

I like Steve Israel. In fact, I've voted for him in every election going back to his very first election as a Town Councilman in Huntington. Back then Steve really was a humble champion of the people, a moderate, a nice guy. But it sure looks like things have changed since then - Steve has changed and I find I can't vote for him any more - he's just too radical. On closer examination, you might even agree.

As a parent, I've grown increasing alarmed at what has been going on in the country and how it will affect my children. As a stay at home mom I've had the time to do some digging into Steve Israel's record to see if he was part of the solution, or the problem. I was shocked to learn the nice guy, who I thought was a moderate, is anything but!!!!!

Did you know that Steve Israel rubber stamped virtually every piece of legislation Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid proposed?

He voted YES to Obamacare - and the huge financial burden it will place on the country while taking $500 BILLION OUT OF MEDICARE FOR SENIORS!!

He voted YES on the Cap and Trade energy bill that will cause energy rates to skyrocket on top of the obscene rates we Long
Islanders already pay!(and line the pockets of the likes of Al Gore and Obama's buddies who are banking on running and making millions of $$$$ with a stock market-like "carbon credit exchange" they've already created!)

He voted YES to the Stimulus bill that was nothing more than payback to union public sector workers while putting us private sector workers in debt to the Chinese to the tune of $787 BILLION!!!!!

He voted YES to the TARP bill giving banks BILLIONS of taxpayer and BORROWED money without fixing the "Toxic Asset" problem it was supposed to.

He voted YES to additional financial regulations that clamped down on banks and sounded tough to us voters but GAVE A PASS to those who CAUSED THE FINANCIAL CRISES - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac!!!

He voted YES to the auto manufacturers bailout putting the" fox in charge of the hen house" by giving partial ownership to the unions while the TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK for the balance if the company doesn't make profits and throwing 10's of thousands of employees of privately owned dealerships out of work by forcibly closing them – “to spread the pain” (Obama's edict) of GM's failure to the private sector – Say WHAT??!?!

He voted YES to Cash for Clunkers throwing more money away with little discernable return except the trashing of some perfectly serviceable cars ahead of their time.

What is Steve thinking when he voted for almost $3 TRILLION dollars in increased federal spending the last two years? He's put us, our children, and our grandchildren on the hook for a national debt and loans to the Chinese that this country can't even think of paying unless we're taxed mush MORE not LESS as he claims. You call that MODERATE? I call that RADICAL. In
fact, Steve voted 98.7% of the time along strict Democratic
party lines - definitely NOT MODERATE.

As if that weren't enough, I was SOOOO disappointed to find out how he LIED or distorted tons of information in his commercials and campaign fliers. I really don't think I could ever trust him as my Congressman, or for ANY political office - ever again. I am sickened by Steve and his dishonorable actions.

Steve used FAKE Republicans to "speak out" against John Gomez in TV commercials essentially condoning lying to win the election.

Steve LIED on campaign material about John Gomez's plans for Social Security. Project Vote Smart (votesmart.org) publicly condemned Steve Israel for using information saying he "has attacked his opponant with
information he knows to be false".

In his TV commercials, Israel seems to be taking credit for “Tax Equity” Bill which Representative Nadler first introduced long before Steve was even in Congress.

Using scare tactics and intentionally misleading the voter, Steve said his opponant wants to eliminate the “mortgage deduction” exemption which John Gomez has never even said!

The list of manipulations, abuses and lies seems to have no end! Here are a few more things I uncovered while doing my research which gives me pause and pushed me firmly into the NO VOTE FOR ISRAEL column:

Steve cowardly left DC to campaign without addressing the Bush tax cuts until after the
election is over to avoid being held accountable for his decision.
He's worried about his career – not our pocketbooks.

Israel condemns Pro-Constitution, Pro-America free speech as "despicable" if you believe its NOT the government's role to control, regulate & manage the health care industry. youtube.com/watch?v=8jIpLdY5Kk4]

He supported giving miranda rights to "enemy combatants" (aka terrorists)

Israel supportedholding the trial for 9-11 terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed in New York City.

Steve keeps keeps taking campaign contributions from those big bad banks
while saying negative things about them to provide political cover.

He refuses to take a stand on the WTC mosque issue thereby hedging his bet by playing to mass sentiment while appearing to back the Constitution.

Add to all this the “you donate to me, I'll get you a nice government contract with out bidding” schemes, accepting money from shady donors and 27 earmarks totaling $24,915,550 in fiscal year 2008. NONE of that went to small business development on Long Island.

I actually feel dirty just knowing all of this about someone who I once respected and voted for. He is clearly more interested in advancing his political career by kowtowing to Pelosi/Reid, special interests and those with deep pockets than representing you and me in Washington – and what about the FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY????

All the hand outs, entitlements and freebies you may be getting aren't worth the price if it means we trash our Constitution, put us into servitude to foreign nations to repay debt and turn us into a third world debtor nation.

I've had ENOUGH!!!!!! I hope you have too. Vote for someone else
this time - anyone. I know I will. John Gomez gets my vote this time around.
I hope yours too!

Sincerely,

Your Neighbor

I found this letter on a website at: https://sites.google.com/site/whyicantvoteforsteveisrael/dear-neighbor-letter

There are .pdf files of a one and two page version of this letter you can download, print out, copy and hand out to your neighbors. I know I will.

Are you with me?

Our country needs to have a very serious discussion about the dangers we all face from Muslim terrorists and yes, by necessity, even those peace loving Muslims around us. Years ago I recall hearing a news commentator say that with very few exceptions, in a majority of the conflicts in countries throughout the world, the root cause or a contributing factor was the religion of Islam.

In light of the recent rhubarb about Bill O'Reilly's interview on "The View" I sought to find that original source information. While I was unsuccessful, I did run across an interesting posting on http://www.mashada.com "Africa's Online Community". While the following is one man's opinion, the underlying facts cannot be denied. We all must wake up and recognize our mutual enemy. If we had any other President, we might even consider curtailing legal immigration as a means to prevent the invasion on grounds of national security.

Posted by "burning spear" at http://www.mashada.com

The so called human rights are very allergic in the muslim world....the truth is that religious fanatics cannot be appeased by whatever means....That aside what about the invasion of europe by the muslims from turkish, palestinan, libyan, egyptian, morrocan, saudia, kuwaiti, iraqi, populace, there is a plague in waiting in europe.

As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the case in:
United States --Muslim 0..6%
Australia ------- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -------- Muslim 1.9%
China -----------Muslim 1.8%
Italy ------------Muslim 1.5%
Norway ---------Muslim 1.8%

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:
Denmark --------- Muslim 2%
Germany --------- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom-- Muslim 2.7%
Spain ------------- Muslim 4%
Thailand ---------- Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves -- along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:
France ------------- Muslim 8%
Philippines ----------Muslim 5%
Sweden ------------ Muslim 5%
Switzerland -------- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands --- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago - Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris, we are already seeing car-burnings. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in:
Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India ----- Muslim 13.4%
Israel ---- Muslim 16%
Kenya ---- Muslim 10%
Russia ---- Muslim 15%

After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:
Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:
Bosnia ---- Muslim 40%
Chad ------ Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

Adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book: Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat

Let's be perfectly clear and put political correctness aside. For now, all we can do is be aware and be vigilant. The terrorist "wolf" may well be wearing the moderate's "sheep's clothing." We must continually monitor the situation and speak up and shine the light of publicity whenever we find stealth Islamafication taking place in America.

Are You With Me?

Another in our series of emails I have received from others. I liked this one because it is really so simple to understand I think even liberals might be able to. I have omitted some superfluous content.

As the late Adrian Rogers said, "you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
This man is truly a genius!

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan". All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.

Remember, there is a test coming up. The mid-term election in 2010!
Pass along this lesson to your children, your friends and your colleagues. This message transcends party affiliation - it's just simple human nature.

Are You With Me?