Bush tucker nutrition guide released

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bogong-moths-beat-burgers-in-the-fat-stakes/2007/02/09/1170524303991.html

This looks novel! A guide has been written outlining the nutritional content of traditional bush tucker foods such as kangaroo, crocodile and water buffalo by dialysis nurse Lesley Salem. Salem says she see a lot of patients with kidney, heart disease and diabetes who ask her which bush tucker foods are healthy to eat.
Obviously this guide would be a bonus to any Australian kit, helping to supplement diets in hard times.

Walkabout with Ray Mears

Survival guru Ray Mears, author of the classic Essential Bushcraft, is a man to be respected, so it's pleasing to see he's turned his attentions to surviving on one of the world's most challenging continents - our own Aussie backyard.
Ray Mears Goes Walkabout is the fruit of a lifelong interest in Australia. His handsomest book yet, it is illustrated with his own excellent photography and tells the stories of the unsung heroes, white and black, of Outback survival, who feature in his new four-part BBC2 TV series (from May 25, 8pm). No word yet on when it will air here, but hopefully the ABC or SBS will pick up the rights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Mears

Tamiflu - time to ditch the script?

Bird flu fears had Australians raiding the chemists (with the help of understanding GPs) for personal stocks of Tamiflu in the event of a pandemic.
Now general influenza concerns have prompted a call to ditch the paperwork and give greater access to the drug.
I'm sure the drug company manufacturing Tamiflu, Roche, would be thrilled...but last I heard they were struggling to pump out enough for government stockpiles in the event of a fully-fledged H5N1 outbreak. A case of money talks?

"A submission received by the National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee has called for change in the classification of Tamiflu so it can be bought over the counter in pharmacies.
Currently, the antiviral drug is scheduled S4. Many specialists argue its prescription-only status prevents sick people from getting the drug quickly enough to be effective."
http://news.smh.com.au/call-for-scriptfree-tamiflu-drug-sales/20080428-2917.html

Global food shortage?

ABC Radio had an interesting piece on rice shortages...

"So far the threat of a global food crisis has not affected Australia, but there are worrying signs appearing in the United States where some worried locals are beginning to hoard supplies."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2228908.htm?section=world

It seems things that were once the provence of 'nutty survivalists' are finally going 'mainstream'. Should we be worried?