WASHINGTON — The threat of what the White House calls a “significant cyber incident” against the power grid is so great that the Obama administration has unveiled a major new strategy, complete with a six-level schema that acknowledges the most severe attack could cause widespread blackouts, deaths, and even impact the stability of the federal government.
The Presidential Policy Directive on “United States Cyber Incident Coordination” was released July 26 and intended to “provide clarity and guidance about the Federal government’s roles and responsibilities” during a cyberattack.
“Cyber incidents are a fact of contemporary life, and significant cyber incidents are occurring with increasing frequency, impacting public and private infrastructure located in the United States and abroad,” the directive states.
Modern technology has made life easier and is essential, the directive states, but “the same infrastructure that enables these benefits is vulnerable to malicious activity, malfunction, human error, and acts of nature, placing the Nation and its people at risk.”
Much like the now-defunct Homeland Security Advisory System, the directive unveiled a color-coded system to help the public understand the significance of a specific cyberattack. Dubbed the “Cyber Incident Severity Schema,” it includes six levels:
Level 5 (Emergency or Black) – “Poses an imminent threat to the provision of wide-scale critical infrastructure services, national government stability, or to the lives of U.S. persons.” The critical infrastructure services includes the power grid.
Level 4 (Severe or Red) – “Likely to result in a significant impact to public health or safety, national security, economic security, foreign relations, or civil liberties.”
Level 3 (High or Orange) – “Likely to result in a demonstrable impact to public health or safety, national security, economic security, foreign relations, civil liberties, or public confidence.”
Level 2 (Medium or Yellow) – “May impact public health or safety, national security, economic security, foreign relations, civil liberties, or public confidence.”
Level 1 (Low or Green) – “Unlikely to impact public health or safety, national security, economic security, foreign relations, civil liberties, or public confidence.”
Level O (Baseline or White) – A nuisance attack that causes no damage.
In addition to creating a cyber incident schema, the directive also:
Defines a significant cyber incident as: “A cyber incident that is … likely to result in demonstrable harm to the national security interests, foreign relations, or economy of the United States or to the public confidence, civil liberties, or public health and safety of the American people.
Establishes the US Department of Justice, acting through the FBI and the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force (NCIJTF), as the federal lead agency for investigating cyberattacks.
Creates a Unified Coordination Group (UCG) that will organize the response to a major cyberattack. The cyber UCG will coordinate response with local, state, regional, tribal and foreign governments.
The US will use sanctions against foreign governments that launch cyberattacks against America, Americans or American allies, White House counterterrorism advisor Lisa Monaco told the media. Monaco did not say what the sanctions would be, but named Russia and China as possible targets.
Obama himself mentioned the possibility of sanctions against China over cyberattacks in September 2015. The president later backed down after a discussion with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
“We are preparing a number of measures that will indicate to the Chinese that this is not just a matter of us being mildly upset; but is something that will put significant strains on the bilateral relationship if not resolved,” Mr. Obama said in a question-and-answer session with business leaders on economic issues. “We are prepared to take some countervailing actions in order to get their attention.”
The directive came during the same week when authorities confirmed that the Democratic National Committee’s computer system had been hacked. Many observers blamed Russia for that attack.
Do you believe a cyberattack is inevitable? Share your opinion in the section below:
Visiting Utah for the first time is almost like traveling to another planet. The red rocks stretching toward the sky in strange and beautiful formations give the landscape a sense of other-worldliness, and you know you are in a place unlike any other on Earth.
Campers who choose to visit this state will not be left disappointed. Utah offers plenty to explore, and enough opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping and kayaking to please any outdoorsman.
Utah is a beautiful place to visit any time of year, but campers should know that winters can be bitter cold and snowy, and summers can be very hot and dry. Spring and fall are both relatively mild and a perfect time to visit Utah. Otherwise, make sure you are prepared with the appropriate gear to withstand the elements.
Here are our picks for the best campgrounds in Utah.
Double O Arch in Arches National Park. (Image via)
This national park is the pride of Utah. With over 2,000 rock formations spread out over almost 120 square miles, Arches is sure to amaze. Those wishing to see the entire park should plan to stay there for several days. Fortunately, the park offers 50 campsites close to the park entrance for the comfort and convenience of its visitors. Click here to learn more.
Canyonlands National Park viewed from underneath Mesa Arch. (Image via)
In the same area of the state as Arches lies another popular destination, Canyonlands National Park. The park is divided into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and the river district. Each section of the par offers its own unique sights and topography, all created by the Colorado River and its tributaries carving their way through the wilderness. All campgrounds in this park are primitive, and campers should bring their own water. For more information about the park and camping, click here.
Red rock formations like these are common throughout Snow Canyon State Park. (Image via)
Lava flows and sandstone cliffs give this peaceful, serene park its breathtaking natural beauty. Enjoy horseback riding, boating, fishing and hiking as you take in the scenery of the surrounding canyons. At the end of the day, you can retire to your site in one of the park’s 31 campsites. Learn more here.
A downriver view of the Green River in Utah. (Image via)
Boaters and fisherman will love this state park, where the Green River begins to wind its way through Labyrinth and Stillwater Canyons. While much of southeastern Utah consists of desert landscapes, this park stands out with its tall cottonwood trees providing plenty of greenery and shade. The park is also unique in that it offers an 18-hole golf course. Campers are sure to find what they’re looking for in one of the park’s 40 campsites. Click here to learn more.
World-famous hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park. (Image via)
Bryce Canyon is known for its world-famous hoodoos (oddly-shaped pillars of rock formed by erosion, like the ones shown above.) The desert landscape mixed with forest and plenty of hiking trails make this national park a treat. Campers will love the wide, open spaces of the plateaus, which are perfect for stargazing at night. Learn more about camping at Bryce Canyon.
Looking down on Canyonlands National Park from Dead Horse Point. (Image via)
Dead Horse Point offers some of the most breathtaking views of the southeastern Utah landscape. The area is especially beautiful at sunset, where the fading light casts long shadows on the canyons below, changing it from minute to minute as the sun fades. Given the desert environment, this park is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced campers, but those adventurous enough to camp at Dead Horse State Park will not be disappointed. Learn more here.
Capitol Reef National Park is located in south-central Utah. (Image via)
Tucked away in the red rock country of south-central Utah, this lesser-known national park is truly a hidden gem. Campers will find a variety of campgrounds to fit their needs, including developed, primitive, backcountry and group camping. Click here to learn more about camping at Capitol Reef.
Desert rock formations in Goblin Valley State Park. (Image via)
This fascinating state park is known for bizarre sandstone rock formations, known as goblins (pictured above.) Summer temperatures can rise quickly in the area, making spring and fall the perfect time to visit Goblin Valley. For more information on camping in this one-of-a-kind state park, click here.
True to its name, Zion National Park leaves visitors feeling as though they’ve ascended to the heavens. The contrast of the pink-orange sandstone cliffs against the brilliant blue sky is sure to leave you breathless and wanting to return. Camping is popular in this national park, so get there early to secure a spot. Learn more here.
Jordanelle Reservoir located in Jordanelle State Park. (Image via)
For those who prefer more developed camping, Jordanelle State Park is a great choice as it offers more accommodations for RV campers and boaters than the other parks listed here. If you’re a fisherman or enjoy any type of water sport, this stunning state park is the perfect camping destination for you. Learn more about the park here.
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best Utah campgrounds! Did we forget one? Let us know in the comments!
Planning a trip to Utah’s #1 camping destination? Click here to learn everything you need to know about visiting Arches National Park.
Want to make a cute doll for your cute but don’t know how to sew? Well, the next DIY project doesn’t need you to! Turning one piece of fleece into a cute doll doesn’t involve much. All you need are these next few additional items: ribbons, googly eyes, a Styrofoam ball, glue and a bandana. The steps required to fashion a doll like the one you see on this webpage are easy! Just wrap the fleece around the foam then tie the ribbons as shown. Stick the eyes onto it and top with the bandana. It looks so cute! Give as a gift to your kid or some friend’s child to see the joy such a simple DIY doll can give.
St. John’s wort is a flowering plant that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Some ancient cultures believed the plant — which got its name because it blooms around June 24, the supposed birthday of John the Baptist, and from “wort,” the old English word for “plant” – had mystical healing properties.
Ancient Greek physicians recommended St. John’s wort as an anti-inflammatory medicine and as an antidepressant. Today, the perennial plant is used to treat a variety of conditions, ranging from seasonal affective disorder to hyperactivity.
St. John’s wort is native to Europe, but today it is commonly found in the United States, Canada and Australia growing in meadows, woods and along roadsides. Although Australia once classified St. John’s wort as a weed, today the country grows it as a crop, producing one-fifth of the world’s supply.
The plant has multiple biologically active substances, including hypericin, rutin, hyperforin, quercetin and kaempferol. It is available in a number of formats, including as a dried herb, tea, tablet and as an essential oil. As always, check with your doctor first before taking any alternative medicine.
Let’s look at nine amazing ways St. John’s wort can heal — nine reasons you should keep it in your first-aid stockpile.
1. Antidepressant. Through the centuries, the most common use for St. John’s wort has been as an agent to combat mild and moderate depression and anxiety. Research studies, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, indicate that St. John’s wort works as well as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that are in Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa.
Scientists have theorized that St. John’s wort works in a similar way as SSRIs because it helps boost the levels of mood-improving serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
St. John’s wort also helps people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition that is linked to lack of sunlight. Studies show that symptoms often are reduced or relieved with a combination of St. John’s wort and phototherapy.
2. Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
Many women have found that St. John’s wort helps reduce PMS symptoms, such as depression, fatigue and anxiety.
Researchers at the Institute of Psychological Studies found that PMS sufferers ages 18 to 45 who took St. John’s wort experienced physical and behavioral improvement over women who took a placebo.
3. Menopause symptoms
Image source: Pixabay.com
St. John’s wort also eases the symptoms of menopause. A Berlin study published in the journal Advance in Therapy of women found that St. John’s wort reduced the number and severity of hot flashes in perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women ages 43 to 65.
Another study published in the journal Menopause found that St. John’s wort eased psychological and psychosomatic symptoms of menopause.
4. Wound healing
Ancient healers used St. John’s wort flowers to make an oil to apply to wounds as a way of promoting natural healing of wounds, burns, boils, bruises and insect bites. The oil, which has antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral properties, also works as a natural treatment for eczema and hemorrhoids.
5. Migraines
St. John’s wort may be useful in treating recurring headaches. The journal Phytomedicine reported that St. John’s wort might block pain receptors that cause migraine headaches.
6. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
St. John’s wort may help people who suffer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a mental condition where people perform certain routines repeatedly.
Data from a study by the Dean Foundation for Health Research and Education rated patients who had St. John’s wort as “much” or “very much improved” when compared with participants who took a placebo.
7. Cancer
St. John’s wort may be useful in treating non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer cells. Data from a Spanish study conducted in 2003 showed that hyperforin, a compound found in St. John’s wort, interferes the formation and growth of cancerous skin cells.
8. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
A Swiss study published in the journal Brain Pathology demonstrated that St. John’s wort may protect against beta-amyloid plaques that have been linked with Alzheimer’s disease and with dementia.
9. Insomnia
Since it can affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, St. John’s wort can help promote better sleep. St. John’s wort contains compounds that relax the blood vessels and thereby improve blood flow to the brain. The plant will not necessarily help you sleep for longer periods, but it can help you sleep more deeply.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or cure any particular health condition. Please consult with a qualified health professional to determine which treatments are right for you and any individual health condition(s) that you may have.
What advice would you add? Share it in the section below:
If you like to take your dog with you every time you go on a car ride, then we have a cool project for you. It is a dog hammock that can be placed on the backseat of your car and it will keep the seat clean and your doggy happy. You won’t have to spend a lot of money on materials, as you can make the hammock out of an old bed sheet or any other large piece of fabric that you already have at home. You can even add some stuffing, so the hammock will be extra comfortable for your dog and add some seat anchors too, so you can fix the hammock securely to the backseat. For more info and details about this DIY project visit the link below. Also, if you don’t have time for a DIY project, a Pet Hammock is available in the link below…
WASHINGTON – A solar geomagnetic storm capable of producing “power grid fluctuations” is expected to hit earth Tuesday, Aug. 2 in what the government’s NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center is calling a moderate storm.
The storm was sparked by a coronal mass ejection that can be visually seen in a NASA space video.
“Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms,” the NOAA alert read.
The primary impact is expected to be north of 55 degrees latitude, NOAA reported.
Northern lights may be seen as low as New York, Wisconsin and Washington state, according to NOAA.
On NOAA’s 5-number scale, this one is a G2, which if it is a “long-duration storm” could “cause transformer damage.” A G5 storm, the most severe type, can cause “complete collapse or blackouts,” NOAA says.
The 1859 Carrington Event, which occurred prior to the modern-day electrical grid, was a G5. It rendered telegraph machines – the most advance electronics of the day – unworkable.
Do you believe our power grid is ready for a major solar storm? Share your thoughts in the section below:
Since 2009, Lisa at The Survival Mom has been one of the most read and respected voices in the prepping community. We are excited to be sharing some of her most popular articles right here on Survival Life. Check back every Monday for her latest article so you never miss any of Lisa’s expert knowledge!
Hi! I’m Sheila.
For the last several years, our family, my husband Dan, our son Jesse and I, have been living what some may call the “survivalist” lifestyle.
Actually, we live the off-grid (so far off the grid that there is no land line and no cell phone service available), self-sufficient life.
We’re not here to get away from the world for a few days while chaos happens and calms down. We don’t think that’s what will happen, anyway. We’re here because we have chosen to separate ourselves from the rat race, the system, and not be swept away in the tide of what we see as society running amok. This is not a temporary lifestyle to us. It’s a wonderfully peaceful, sometimes difficult and always rewarding life. Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen, “out there,” this is how we choose to live.
We were basically city folk all our lives, but over the past 20-plus years, we formulated, clarified and then realized our vision to make the transformation to our current lifestyle. We understand the fear and panic many are now feeling in contemplating making a lifestyle change within a short time because they are observing events around them that require such a drastic move.
Once we moved to our current location in New Mexico, we chose to lease parts of our land to form a small community of like-minded, people (I would rather call it, “like-spirited”) to help each other make it through what we believe is coming down the pike soon.
In that search for the right people (who we eventually did find) we met many types of self-proclaimed “survivalists,” most of whom were in reality, “survival tourists.” Our son coined this phrase to describe those who only wanted to investigate survivalism just deeply enough to find reasons they couldn’t/shouldn’t do it. (“Phew, I almost had to wash my dishes by hand!”).
We met people who spent lots of money on land, a shelter and storage foods, only to forget to prepare the most important thing, their minds!
It’s going to take so much more than a gross of toilet paper to save your rear. You’re going to have to put on your “big girl pants,” and deal with things like going out in the cold to get firewood, learning to make pancakes using only flour you’ve ground, an egg and water, and wearing the same clothes for years without falling apart, neither the clothes nor you!
The things you might think are important now will seem silly once you’re more concerned with chores that simply keep you alive through a cold winter. We met people who didn’t think they could live without their 62” plasma screen TV. We’ve been watching the same 1200 piece library of DVDs on our laptop for our evening’s entertainment for several years. We know the scripts backwards and forwards, but it takes our minds off the day’s work when we need it.
Before we were able to have our well drilled, we were depending on a local water delivery service, 2500 gallons at a time, not a 5 gallon visit from the “Culligan Man”, who one day decided that he didn’t want to make the rough trip to our ranch any longer. We had to make our last 500 gallons last throughout a brutally cold winter, washing dishes with 2 gallons a day, washing our hair about once very 2 weeks. But you discover that you make it through.
Myths About Survivalism
If you’re considering living the survivalist lifestyle, you should know the truth about these myths?
1. It’s just like camping.
It’s nothing like camping.
When you go camping, if you can’t take a shower for a couple of days — no problem, you’ll take one when you get home.
This will be your home, and you’ll have to figure out how to keep your body (and clothing) clean all year long, in the cold, snow or wind.
On a camping trip, you can live without anything for a couple of days, even weeks, and you can always jump back in the car and go to the nearest grocery store to pick up what you need. What if there were no grocery store available? How will you feel when your daily habits are interrupted, not just for a few days trip, but for the foreseeable future?
2. You can buy enough food and supplies for forever.
No, someday what you have will run out. You’ll have to learn to grow and/or gather new food supplies and learn to use what you have, even if that means pancakes without baking powder.
Someday you will have to wipe your butt with a washable rag instead of disposable toilet paper. Someday there could be no gas to get to the store, and the store won’t have anything on the shelves anyway.
3. Your neighbors will gather around and help each other.
Think about your neighbors who haven’t got a clue, or can’t bear the thought, of their comfy suburban lives changing when the reality of where society is going hits them, “upside the head”. What if your neighbors can’t get their daily supply of cigarettes, beer, Prozac, soda pop, etc., etc., etc.? Are they going to be the kind of people you can depend on? For how long?
4. If I buy enough gadgets (mini washing machine, generator, solar tracker) I’ll be OK.
If you truly believe that society is in for a big shake up, you’ll realize that this is not a time to spend money unnecessarily, but to put every penny you can into what is practical.
Gadgets are going to break down and then you will have to learn to live without them anyway. Why not learn now?
5. I can get to my survival location when TSHTF.
This is the most flawed and perhaps the most popular plan, thinking that when all hell breaks loose, you will know far enough in advance to travel the hundreds of miles to your survival location.
When the door slams shut, the highways will be blocked, the urban and suburban streets will be blocked and patrolled and no one will be going anywhere!
Even if your survival location is only a few miles away, you probably won’t be able to get there. If you truly understand the need for being “survival-minded”, why not begin living the self-sufficient lifestyle NOW? Learn what it really means to live off-the-grid NOW, not when there is chaos all around you. You may find that it’s a much better lifestyle than the one you are living currently.
6. I can convince my “significant other” that this is the right move.
No, you can’t, and you shouldn’t. All you can do is give them information and allow them to do with it what they do.
People either get this or they don’t. It’s not for everyone. This goes for all family members.
I’m not saying go or don’t go without them. That’s an individual, circumstantial decision and action. If all members of your family are not on the same page, you’ll have to determine what to do. Staying where you are may be your choice. Just do it as an informed decision.
7. I don’t need to prepare a place. I’ll just grab my Bug-Out-Bag and find a cave somewhere.
How many others do you think have that same plan? Especially those who live near caves, already know where they are and already expect to be occupying them? And can your bug out bag hold what you really need for an extended period of time?
8. My kids will be bored.
Your kids will be learning so many new ways of living, so many daily activities and chores, connecting with nature in so many new ways, they won’t have time to be bored. Allow them the freedom to discover things like what bugs are in the grass around your home, what plants grow, what wildlife is still abundant on this beautiful land. If your attitude is one of wonder and not worry, so will theirs be. Help them look at this as an adventure, not a burden.
A final comment to anyone who does not yet understand why it might be time to make a move from your comfy, familiar, suburban lifestyle: you’re not watching the news. Or maybe you are only watching mainstream news, who tell you, “everything is as it should be.” It’s not. Sources of news on the internet are reporting events that, somehow, never make it to the nightly news or newspapers.
Friedrich Nietzsche was right. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” It’s amazing to see just what we are capable of living through, of accomplishing when we depend only on ourselves. When there is no safety net, sometimes you just learn to fly.
Guest post by Shieila, who lives the survivalist lifestyle in New Mexico with her husband and son.
Do you have any off-the-grid living tips of your own? Share them with us in the comments!
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