Economic Anarchy: Be Prepared For a Massive Meltdown

by | Feb 13, 2010 | Emergency Preparedness | 72 comments

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    An economic calamity is brewing, and as Brian at Survive Right points out, “ the articles are becoming more urgent, more prevalent and from more mainstream sources.” The collective consciousness senses that something is not as it’s supposed to be.

    Paul Farrell at the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch describes the coming global-debt-bomb explosion:

    The Big One is coming soon, bigger than the 2000 dot-com crash and the 2008 subprime credit meltdown combined. A huge market blowout. And as Bloomberg-BusinessWeek predicts: “The results won’t be pretty for investors or elected officials.”

    After the global-debt bomb explodes don’t expect a typical bear correction followed by a new bull. Wall Street’s toxic pseudo-capitalism is imploding. Be prepared for a massive meltdown. Yes, already the third major bubble-bust of the 21st century, triggered once again by Wall Street’s out-of-control Fat Cat Bankers. And it’s dead ahead.

    We’re glad that more mainstream media outlets are warning investors of the destruction to come. While most will continue to believe the fairy tales spouted on CNN, CNBC and ABC News, at least some will survive the financial destruction to come with their retirements intact – or at least not completely wiped out.

    Mr. Farrell asks if your family will survive the anarchy that follows:

    This is no joke, folks. Are you prepared? Or preparing? Will your family survive in a post-apocalyptic world, when anarchy is rampant in America? Look at Washington, Wall Street and Corporate America today. You know it’s already begun.

    You are witnessing a fundamental breakdown of the American dream, a systemic breakdown of our democracy and our capitalism, a breakdown driven by the blind insatiable greed of Wall Street: Dysfunctional government, insane markets, economy on the brink. Multiply that many times over and see a world in total disarray. Ignore it now, tomorrow will be too late.

    The politicians will continue to play games up until the very minute the system falls apart. Whether that happens this Summer, or in 2012, or in 2015, it will happen. The system as we know it is unsustainable. We have overdrawn our ChinaCard Visa and eventually there will be no one left to lend.

    In the near future we won’t be able to service our debt anymore.

    The the US Dollar collapses.

    Foreign nations will no longer be able to trade with the US, because our currency will be worthless.

    Production, transportation and consumption of goods, essential and luxury, will cease.

    The economic, political, and social systems in America will descend into chaos.

    Only the prepared will have a fighting chance.

    Not to worry, though, because Mr. Farrell does provide a bit of advice similar to what we have suggested to readers since SHTF Plan came into existence:

    So what can the average Joe and Jane, the other 299 million Americans do? Warning: In anarchy, nobody knows. Period. The only possible strategy: “Think Swiss Family Robinson.” Stockpile like a “Happy Conspiracy Insider.”

    The engine is running out of motor oil. Are you prepared for what happens when it seizes up?

    URGENT ON GOLD… as in URGENT

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      72 Comments

      1. The writing is on the Wall… A financial earthquake is about to hit ..
        If you haven’t started yet … You better start “prepping” now …
        The 3 G’s … God, Gold & Guns … Silver too …
        Long term storage foods, dried & canned goods, gravity water filter,
        medications of all kinds, Guns & plenty of ammo, Body armor,
        whatever supplies or things that you think that you will need when
        grocery store shelves are emptied and will not get restocked anytime soon ………. Think long and hard when you & your children are hungry

        Start “NOW” … Before the melt down happens … Be prepared …

        May God Bless you and keep you ….

      2. Personally, I think we need to learn a harsh lesson, and if this is how it’s going to be, then so be it.

        Most of us are living pathetic lives, with dysfunctional families, each living in our own world, entertaining ourselves til death. Work, play, and sleep is all most of us are spending our time on with no concern at all on the purpose of our existence, on why God put us on this planet. So when this massive meltdown does come, God willing, there will be much chaos and devastation, which is unfortunate, but it will be similar to being hospitalized or imprisoned, in that it will set the hearts of many free from the illusions of everyday life.

        Sorry for the rant, it’s just that I’m sick of all the zombies I see everyday, no humanity left…

      3. Mac, have you written an article in the past on this blog about your personal survival plan that you have/are implemented?  I’d love to hear what you are doing to prepare for these collapses that we all agree are very real risks ahead.

      4. 20, I can’t say that I have written any one article describing an all out plan… There are so many different aspects to cover and so many different things we are working on.

        I am currently in the suburbs of Houston, though we have several rural destinations in our emergency network. So we’re not just planning here at home, but caching supplies there as well.

        From short-term and long-term food reserves (MRE, Freeze Dried, rotating rice, flour, wheat, etc) to self sustaining food production (seeds, fertilizer, water supply for irrigation, etc.).

        We have emergency evacuation routes (multiple) to get out of  the Houston area NOT using major highways — routes we have driven and mapped for other family members. For this we also have a reserve shelter + gas supply about 70 miles from home in case we decide to go to another location… We’ve got bug out bags that originally started as 72 hour bags, but have now progressed to 10-14 day survival packs with food, water, tools and shelter considerations.

        Because we have kids, we also have essential clothing/shoes staggered by age going 6 years out for our oldest (underwear, socks, shoes, shirts, etc.)… We figure we’ll use this stuff anyway if nothing happens. Additionally, my wife has put together books and study guides for the kids on a host of topics so they can continue some sort of education in the event the worst happens.

        There’s personal and perimeter defense, alternative energy sources, manual water pump for the electric well at our current primary reserve location, food storage and refrigeration considerations, essential medicines for some family members (blood pressure, heart pills,etc), .

        In addition to planning for worst case collapse scenarios, we also work on the “3 minute” emergencies (primarily for the kids), as recommended by Tom of the North in this article. Fire drills, avoiding “strangers”, falling in water (i.e. survival floating), etc.

        When one really gets into disaster planning, you realize there are lots of things you can do .

        One thing we have found useful is creating checklists. Especially an emergency bug out checklist. We figure if the SHTF, then regardless of how much we have planned, if we need to get out of Dodge we are going to be stressed and panicked, so we need a clearly outlined plan of egress. We have not yet run our Evac Drill, but it will involve the whole fam, including the 3 year old… I figure a full-out evac will take us anywhere from 2 – 3 hours, even with a checklist.. My personal view is that if it ever comes to evacuation, then being on the road while others are still rushing the grocery stores and gas stations could literally be a life saver…When panic sets in city-wide, you can go from mild emergency to full out riots in a matter of a few hours.

        We’ve also got manuals printed on topics ranging from emergency medical procedures to companion planting guides.

        My main approach is to find the “problem,” and then identify a Plan A and Plan B to deal with it. In the case of food, water and self defense, we have Plan C’s and D’s…

        Other “prepping” we are doing includes skills development — Since we are a couple years ‘in’ it’s not feasible to learn everything… So we split skills dev up.. My wife and mother, for example, are the micro-farming experts and combined have a broad range of growing skills… My wife will be taking EMT classes this summer, and I will be following up with EMT classes hopefully no later than Summer 2011.  In the meantime, I will be learning HAM radio, shortwave, CB, and communications, since I have a background in this already …

        We are actually enrolling the whole family in martial arts classes in the next month or so (if finances allow), so that will not only be fun for the whole fam, but educational from a prepping standpoint.

        Personally, I enjoy doing this stuff as a hobby… tinkering with ideas, planning, etc…. And I really enjoy maintaining this web site and getting whatever info I can to the readers so they can draw on those ideas and personalize and apply to their own life.

        We are working on a new update for the SHTF Plan web site, and we will be putting much more focus on Emergency Preparedness topics and will eventually cover everything I mentioned above and then some.

        Sorry for the long comment — I went on a rant….. It’s fun to talk about.

        🙂

      5. Yassar: You must be hanging with the wrong crowd. Find a new group. Life is about expressing what is inside, outside. What is great about America is that it teaches the fundemental rights and responsibilities of the individual under God; personal liberty, responsiblity, self reliance, self determination,  and self direction. These attributes of rugged individualism cannot be practiced effectively without self awareness and a close, personal relationship with our Creator.

      6. I am  a school teacher who has been studying this situation for sometime now. Things are going to get very bad. Things are going to get out of control.  You are right to prepare yourself for the inevitable. The Government isnt going to be able to keep this balloon inflated forever. Eventually they will run out of helium. Longterm food / water storage is a good way to start off protecting your family. Blankets etc.
        This is going to be of a Biblical proportion.

      7. This is definitely it folks. I am a school teacher and have been studying this situation for some time now. Its inevitable. Its of Biblical proportion. First and most importantly is to protect your family by stocking up on some long-term food /water storage. The next thing would be blankets etc.

        Buckle down, be strong, and make yourself right with Jesus.

        God bless every American

      8. Good advice and great plan Mac. May I only suggest that each person think about helping his/her neighbor when the time comes. There will be plenty of people in desperate need. I don’t mean give everything away you’ve worked hard for or take everyone in, but rather find a sensible way to help those who need it (while still keeping a low profile) and at the same time turn them into allies, as I’m sure we’ll need each other to get through whatever is coming.

      9. Chris, you make an excellent point, and we have adopted James Rawles’ recommendation on this:  Store your supplies for yourself, for bartering and for charity.

        Unless you are in a remote location with 40+ acres between you and your neighbor, then you should certainly consider working together. A community of people working together is going to be your best bet if the SHTF.

        Example: You have a house with all the prepper fixins on about 4 or 5 acres of land. There are 4 – 8 of you on that piece of land. As conditions in the cities deteriorate, bands of gangs, which have already stripped suburbia and the inner city bare of all food and gas, now head into the rural areas. What chance of survival do 4 – 8 people have, even if they are well armed and defended, against a band of 20 – 30 people (or more) that are equally as well armed, and have nothing to lose because if they don’t get onto your property they die of starvation? Banding together to build defense perimeters, rotating watch, growing food, etc. will come in very handy.

        Very few will be able to go it alone if the SHTF.

        This is certainly another consideration to make when prepping. The difficulty is do you discuss with your neighbors now? We have opted on not discussing with any neighbors here in suburbia or in our rural locations. We figure we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. When your neighbors are running out of food and you show up with some rice or beans, they will be much obliged and likely more than willing to work with you because hopefully they’ll figure you saw this coming and that’s why you’ve got the stuff they don’t.

        So, that being said, plan on giving away some of your food and stock accordingly.

      10. GREAT comments here guys , Those of you who who have not done so also consider a well stocked First Aid Kit as well .  As a side note go to the following web site : http://www.johngaltfla.com  on it is a fictional story callecd : “the day the dollar died “.  right now its up to 15 chapters and growing .

      11. Agreed Mac , safety in numbers , so do your utmost to communicate with those around you and band togather for mutual protection.  You will have somthing somone else needs and thay will have somthing you will need , so bartering will become a way of life . two way radios will be worth there weight in gold . As will re-chargable batterys .

      12. AB, I read chapter 1 last night! That is good stuff. I’d recommend that story to anyone interested in how a dollar collapse could play out.

        Also, I checked out the first two episodes of Jericho on iTunes last night… Wow, great show for SHTFers! (so far)

        Two way radios: definitely a good recommendation. We have a couple now and will be purchasing another set of the same radios. Comms will be critical, especially during evacuation if you are using multiple cars to get out and when you are away from your primary secured perimeter if the SHTF. Ours have about a 20 mile range (though I have not yet confirmed this personally), can be charged by plugging in, or using rechargable batteries/regular batteries.

      13. we are entering a debt storm Obama knows it and you can see it on his face. he knows whats coming so he is signing executive orders left and right to set up the new “system” what ever that is. they know and i guarantee they are meeting right now of what system to implement.When, not if, the system collapses, I fully expect the vast majority of American and European cities over 500,000 population to burn. I expect vast destruction of infrastructure, purely out of rage and malice. I expect a complete collapse of the JIT food distribution system, meaning those supermarkets that have just 5 days or so of food on the shelves will rapidly be empty, just like before a hurricane or a blizzard. But this time when they empty, they will remain empty for months or years.
        The United States stopped storing grain years ago. The United States does not possess the food stores today to withstand even a single year’s crop failures. What do you think is going to happen when the economy comes to a complete standstill and the dollar and every other fiat currency is worthless? During Katrina, firemen and policemen abandoned their stations to protect their own families. Do you expect civil order to be maintained by people who are being paid in worthless scrip while their families remain in harm’s way? I certainly don’t expect that. I’m 18 and live in brooklyn,ny and i understand whats coming.Imagine Somalia on global scale, at least for several months, if not for a few years. They know it and are trying ways to hold onto their power before things get out of hand. Why do you think Obama has a council of 10 govenors. 10 fema regions. we are entering interesting times. our current path is unsustainable and its going to end in tears.

      14. So, when the SHTF and everyone bugs out…. then it’s a MAD MAX scenario?  For how long?

        Evidently an extended period to most folks on this blog. The problem with this scenario is that we have a complex society that DEPENDS on our interwoven just-in-time delivery system.  Masses of people in the crowded urban areas will flat out die if there is a sustained disruption in commercial activity.

        Thinks of it … 10’s, perhaps 100’s of millions in the USA alone could perish from starvation, disease, violence within a year or two if there was a significant disruption in the structure of modern society.  And for all those thinking they will survive in a rural town, with their garden and stored foods ….yeah right. When people become truly desperate they will become violent. Think GANGS too.  Are you all prepared to withstand an armed, hungry,desperate gang?

        It seems mobility and staying well out of sight would be the winning formula if the SHTF. 

        And will it even work out that way?
        After all, the USA has armed forces. The military could conceivably take control and keep some semblance of peace.
        The now broken monetary systems of the world would likely be revamped to a new mutually agree upon unit of commerce.

        At least to me, it seems that instead of an extended period of MAD MAX there would be a 6 month or so period of martial law followed by a new currency. Unfortunately for Americans, it would likely be a currency of value far below the previous US Dollar.

        Yep, if there’s a  “reset”  it seems likely the US would be brought down to the level of other countries.  For one thing, the world sure would be pissed off at having to eat so much outstanding US debt, and it’s not like we are the locomotive of the industrial world anymore.  So not much leverage available to negotiate a good deal.

        Nevertheless, I have little doubt that the folks of Wall St will emerge in fine shape should a reset occur. All all, cockroaches have a real knack for survival.

      15. The collapse could happen tomorrow or 5 years from now.  Regardless, it will happen.  This is what happens when a free society becomes complacent.  There is no need for nation or state if you cant live free and independent.  We have reached that point.  Take care of your families and neighbors.  See you on the other side.

      16. In my opinion the Obama administration and a certain contingent in congress and the sentate are engaging in project NationScrew. This is a project of treason whereby the US Federal Government initiates the destruction of both the financial system and the civil order. This gives them surfacial, legal reason to put us under martial law or some other “system” they screw us with.

        They think they can do this and then shred the constitution thereby removing those inconvienient rights that God gave us. The first evidence of this will the martial law (they’ll call it something else), the second, gun confiscation “for our own safety”. Basically, its a way to move toward the Orwellian society outlined in the book 1984. This is why they have been so frantic to remove the guns from our hands. They have given that up, from a legal standpoint, realizing that we know what they are up to. Its “grabbing” time, they think.

        The purpose of all those “executive orders” is to reform America into an Orwellian state. Take a look at them. Not a one of them enhances our freedom. No. Every law, every order, every writ takes *AWAY* our freedoms. Every congressional session, every senatorial meeting is a meeting to try and take more rights away. They want us more controlable. Their biggest enemy is our love of freedom and their second is The Constitution, the third, The American Patriots that know and worship the other two enemies. Those gun toting, freedom loving rednecks in the end, they’ll be our heroes.

        This process has never been tried on a population that has been both armed and where revolution is so highly valued. The God and Gun clingers are already awake. They’ve got a Bible in their pocket and ammo in the magazine and the are just waiting for an excuse to rack one in. The minute any move to declare martial law is made or to restrict free speech, religion or gun rights is made, the dictionary definition of “all hell broke loose” will look like picnic on a warm spring afternoon. They’re going to put high velocity holes in anything that they percieve as a threat to their freedom.

        The treasoners have known from the beginning what the game plan was. So have the patriots. I just hope too many people in the middle don’t get hurt.

        One thing they are not taking into consideration: The USA is a Union of countries. They’ve tried for years to educate it out of the populace, but, the USA is not a country, no, its a union of countries with a common administration. Each state can function on its own, though, not as easily as together, hence the reason for the “Union”. Not only will the US Government have to battle the people, they’ll have to battle the states. Some will cave right in and support the feds, most will not.

        There won’t be a slavery issue to use as propaganda and we’ll just bottle the freedom hating bastards up where they belong: The already totalitarian North East quadrant of the USA. (Sorry New Hampshire, you’re about to be overrun by freedom HATERS!) Kalifornia, too, may have a similar distinction.

        When it happens, its going to be tough for a while. You’ll need the three Fs for a while. Food/Fuel/Firearms. Don’t forget, a few bags of food, a few extra cans of gas and a few extra guns and ammo for your neighbors is prudent. Remember: If you help them, they’ll want to help you.

        The only thing I wish to ensure is that the treasonous freedom haters in this country get a good and proper ass whipping. If we can stab the freedom vampire in the heart we might be able to last another 200 years.

        This is America Dammit! You can’t just take away our luxuries and expect us to cave in to your dishonest bastard-thief desires! We took this land from your ancestors by the actions of our frozen, bloody feet, the fire from then end of our rifles, and as The God Of Nature is our witness, we’ll do it again if we have to.

      17. Comments…..I wholeheartedly agree with the above posters.  I have been prepping for quite a while.  I did move from crowded New England to a desert paradise at a great financial cost.  I am amassing a stockpile of guns, ammo, food, fuel, and water.   I also feel the desperation will start in the cities, but I hope it will dissipate somewhat by the time it reaches recluses like me.  All I can do for now is practice my long distance sniping, and wait.

      18. I’m a 28 year old single guy and I’ve been following this economic situation for the last 14 months. At this point, I don’t think that we can avoid this meltdown. I’m just glad that I don’t have any kids to look after. Having kids to take care of in a time like this would be terrifying.

      19. I’m getting tired of you,”Get it right with jesus” Morons. YES there will be a nasty collapse but to say GOD, gold and guns… Shouldn’t FOOD and Purified WATER be on there. 

        Well, whatever gods you worship on all fours, take your invisible friends and FUCK OFF to another planet,  It’s not like you need oxygen for your alleged “Brains”.

      20. Tiger, that’s pretty harsh, and the message won’t be taken to heart.  You’ve got to realize the prepper mentality fits with generally 2 types, the original type were the “God & guns” folks.  For someone not of that camp, “getting right with God” sounds just as bizarre as telling them to “get right with Zeus” … or Buddha or Allah even … I think I’ve surrendered to the fact you’ll not get rid of the mentality, they’ll be the majority of preppers, and truce with them will be your best  best of survival if the SHTF.  Probably a lot more will convert to the camp, there are no athiests in a foxhole sort of thing … when circumstances are so horrible and out of your control, it’s natural for humans to offload to “God”  

      21. Stan:    I think you have the scenario right, but six months is not alot of time for “civilization” to “reset”. Yes millions will die in the interval, probably tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions, and the idea of “prepping” is to ensure that you and your family are not one of them.

        In any event, when the SHTF, it will be ugly because it will take a long time for the government to respond, if they can respond at all, or respond adequately. Again HAITI TIMES FIVE or ten depending upon the trigger.

        The Mormans (LDS) for example, have been telling their constituants to prep for three years , for quite some time.

        The  New World Order that emerges will, I believe, be more like China, in that there will be one group that makes the rules for the others to follow.

        But in the meantime, yes, I think there will be GANGS of people who have not prepared and once the looting stops and they are still hungry, cold, hot, and thirsty …. they will begin looking to meet those needs any way they can. Only the strongest and most ruthless of them will survive; which doesn’t bode well for the rest of us and that is when the conflict will begin in earnest.

        I think mobility IS important because fuel will be rationed if it is available at all, so after the initial rush to relocate, people are going to be stuck where they are at.  I think it is important for preppers in large cities to move to a secondary location that can sustain them over a long period of time.  My own scenario will work indefinitely away from the maddening crowds and I add to it little by little, week by week.

      22. Zukadu , I am with you Brother 100% , Stan with one exception I agree , the exception is once Martial Law is in effect the Goverment will not call it off unless thay can come up with somthing even more restrictive for us Like the UN taking over! ! NETRANGER :  I will stand beside you any day of the week anywhere . With my Bible  guns and ammo !!

      23. What we are seeing today is not a economic probem, a market problem, a credit problem or a governmental problem at all. What we are witnessing in these days is a SIN problem here in the USA. 911 was a wake-up call to all of us living in this nation. It was God that brought this evil upon us. When a nation sins against its Maker there are severe consequences and 911 was a just a sign of things to come.  Do we not as rational persons want a convicted felon to pay for their crime against society? Yes, most of us do.  Do we all protest that every judge and jury reverse their court decision and let all criminals go free? Most of us do not. So what makes us wonder why we are being punished this very moment by our Creator? We should not wonder at all. We should look at ourselves and ask are we guilty of sin against Him? Yes we are. God loves all yes. But God also judges the guilty too. Just read the bible just once and see what happened to those that sinned against Him. Then there should be no doubt ever in your mind why all the evil that this nation is going through since 911 is happening and getting worse as the days go by. What is the remedy for all of this? Repentance that’s what. Each of us should look at our own hearts and see if how we live each day is really pleasing to God or not. If not then we ought to turn to Him and ask Him to save us from all evil. He will. But until then God will continue to judge this nation until He finishes His dealing with us. It is not too late to turn to God and trust in Christ as our Saviour. And if you should please stay away from the state-run churches and find underground believers as myself and others who will come to help you grow and stand in the dark days that lie ahead. I don’t say God bless America, but I do pray God have mercy on America!
        brother Andrew  

      24. Tiger: I don’t preach much but I do know what I need to know. When all else fails, God is all you have. …and may times, its more than enough. From your reaction I can’t tell if are you afraid of God or just disgusted.

        Regardless of how disgusted you are (or whatever), if it weren’t for God, this country would not be where it is today. We would not be here and if we were we would not be in as good of a shape as we are. Love it or hate it, God is a big motivator in the world and even more so in this country. You better come to grips with it because the first time you’re in big trouble and you cop that attitude, you’ll be getting doors slammed in your face.

        Its your life and I can’t live it for you but I would suggest that you at least be tolerant of religion. Some of my brothers out there, when faced with a TEOTWAWKI situation, your “Fuck Off” attitude will get you shot. Even Christians, faced with desperation, have charity beyond what most people would consider sanity. But, most, faced with that attitude will turn you away.

        You have the luxury of that attitude now, however, you may be “getting religion” once you see a full on collapse like we’re talking about. Instead of your whining, it might be a good idea to educate yourself and understand why *WE* Christians will take you in and split our resources with you even though we’re starving or thirsting ourselves. We believe that every soul is a blessing, even the ones that scream “FUCK YOU!” to God and his people. We also believe that if there is one thin slice of a chance that you’ll change your mind and we turn you away, well, thats bad. In fact, you might feel different about this in the morning after I pray for your soul. …and no, we won’t fuck off to another planet. The Father created this one for us. You are the foreigner. Just sayin’…

      25. NetRanger, where did you buy those lovely rose-colored glasses?  People are people; Christians as a whole are certainly no more charitable and kind than any other group (even though they ought to be), nor are they the most open-minded or accepting.  You’re correct about one thing though: Christians will be shooting people, and that’s just the best-case scenario.  If history is any indication, we’re likely to see “Christian” lynch mobs going after gays, blacks, immigrants and anyone else they feel is responsible for the collapse of society.

        Now, I can see why you’d be offended by Tiger’s post, but yours is just as rife with condescension and self-righteousness.  You reference God and “getting religion”, but I can’t help but think that those are empty words coming from you, if your casual allusions to murder are any indication of how much respect you hold for human life.  Your “God and guns” mindset certainly isn’t helping your case.  Crack open your dusty bible to Matthew 25:35-40 to see how a true Christian should act.  To turn away one of God’s children in his or her hour of need is to turn your back on God Himself.

        I will keep you in my prayers, NetRanger.  Be well.

      26. Mac, I’m with you. I’ve elected NOT to share this info with my neighbors just yet, though I think they may take my advice seriously. It’s kind of convoluted since I’ve recently been appointed to a local town post and my neighbor also works for the town, so if I rustle too many feathers now… well you get the point. Still have to live within the system for now unfortunately.

        I’ve thought about keeping a low profile and I think it could be tantamount to success when the SHTF. My reasoning is that if enough people see you with either know-how or equipment or food (especially food) then they will seek you out. This is problematic for myself since I live in a very small town in upstate New York, where basically almost everyone knows everyone or knows someone who knows everyone. I may therefore have to rely on a ski mask I have simply for anonymity, at least until some semblance of order comes to our area. The worst thing I would want to do when the SHTF is to “be seen” in downtown area giving someone a MRE bar, for instance, and then have someone see me who knows me and tells a bunch of people and before you know it there are 200+ plus people banging on the front door. I know this might be cruel to some people who read this, but that’s my feelings on it.

        I guess we’ll find out eventually when everything breaks down. Anonymity will be key for many preppers I’m afraid.

      27. -Am wondering why everyone thinks the collapse will happen overnight. After 911 is when the S HTF. 

        Since them,  anyone willing to pay attention stands around with drop jaw syndrome, wondering WtH. 

        No doubt, Feds will scapegoat China, Iran and South America for the collapse. And goad someone into starting WW3.

        China, Russia, South America and the Middle East, will end up calling the shots with regard to OIL  Pak, India and Isreal, wild cards. Reserve currency will turn into global economic warfare.

        I see people that are considered ‘liabilities” to government (elderly and disabled) already dying in droves. I do not think millions and ka zillions of average americans will die of starvation anytime soon. Maybe living out of their rigs, or moving to warmer climates.

        Multinational corporations would not let to let ALL of  their consumers drop dead.
        Just my thoughts

        (yet, I do hedge my own bets…gold,  gas, guns, closed network of friends. food and water…
        heh. heh. better safe than sorry : )

      28. I see a trend here. It is we need to prepare physically and get our guns, ammo, food and water and other supplies ready for when the SHTF. But may I reason with all of you that take this stance. It is this. What makes you think this is really what you need? Is is fear? Is is knowing that the government will close down all food markets for weeks and months? Is it because civil rioting will be the norm? Well let me insert some food for thought. Do you think you will really be able to defend yourself against 100 or more people that come to your house wanting these supplies? Do you think that you can defend yourself alone against highly-trained SWAT teams and Navy Seals and Special Forces too? Do you think you can survive very lond when the authorities  shut off your electricity, water and all communication lines to the outside world? Do you think that you can just shut yourself in from the outside world that is around you 24/7? My answer would be, no I could not. 
        So then where does that really leave us then? Well we really don’t have a chance as mere men against the elite and their armies and cruel hitmen that will soon take over this country within 2 years they are now saying. 
        May I propose to you all that the only way we can be spared is if God spares us. Now how would that look like? Well may I point you all to the bible and the stories of men that God spared for His own purpose from calamity and also their enemies. Remember Lot he was spared from the raining fire and brimstone that came down on the wicked cities of Sodom and Gommorrah. Also remember that Abraham was told to get out of his country so that God could bless him and make of him a great nation of people called the Israelites. And then remember the prophet Elijah who was life was sought for by the wicked wife of the king of Israel, Jezebel. He then ran for his life to Beersheba. There God met him and an angel came to give him food to eat and water to drink twice and was supernaturally given strength to go without food for forty whole days! So what I strongly suggest we do is trust in God to save us and not ourselves. This is what God has taught me thus far and I do hope that some of you will do the same. May God be our only hope and salvation from all evil.
        brother Andrew

      29. Brother Andrew: God IS our only hope and salvation from all evil. In Him I live and move and have my being; in Him I hope and trust and love; but I am not so stupid that I not going to do my part. Do all that you know how to do, and that includes ‘prepping”, and leave the rest to God.

         Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and pray that His will be done because as David knew and understood: He is a loving and merciful God and it is better to fall into His hands than into the hands of your enemy. 

        We have all been called to pray “without ceasing”. That is to be ever mindful of the prescence and power of the Holy Spirit that abides with each of us. If  He be with us, who can stand against us? If He guides us, how can we be lost? Find yourself and you will find Him.

        As you think so it is. As you do so you become. “Brick” by “brick”, day by day, here alittle, there a little, and pretty soon you are who you intended yourself to be, and more importantly, who the Lord intended you to be. But don’t surrender your responsibility to whatever “fate” may bring. If you do nothing it will bring you nothing. Lot was only spared because Abraham was a prepper. Abraham was a prepper because he had a close personal relationship with his Creator; listened to the still small voice within and acted upon that guidance.

        Whether we realize it or not. Or whether we will admit to it or not, I suspect all preppers are following that still small voice within and acting upon that guidance. Amen

      30. I don’t often refer directly to Godly things. I find that it tends to drive people away. Unlike some, I will stand on my merits and my actions not trumpeting fragments of Bible verses to appear like some that outwardly radiate shallow goodness to hide darkened hearts.

        I taught Mat. 25:35-40 to my pre-teen class yesterday. My knowledge of God and my responsibilities go beyond some simplistic, closed ended application of the principals outlined in Mat. 25:35-40. There is much more to charity and the responsibility to it than the 5 verses you mention. Some of it may include turning people away that could severely threaten the survival of your group. Charity is more than just giving. Sometimes its giving whats not comfortable and what appears less chartable. When you mentor kids as I have, you understand this. Sometimes helping makes things worse. Those that can’t descern these matters and simply dispense raw charity will be tapped, emptied and tossed aside to perish.

        Some have referenced “Christians” going after gays and blacks. This is disturbing. True Christians don’t see skin color. They do, however, see sin. In a TEOTWAWKI situation “going after” groups of people that are unsavory to one’s warped world view will be considered frivolous. It will be about survival, not if your skin is black or you have chosen to deny natures basic laws. There will be no time to worry about such things. Black doesn’t matter. We can address the sin of gays after we worry about their survival.

        Killing is never casual. Not all killing is murder.

        Thank you for your prayers.

      31. In hindsight, MS IVY, 911 MAY have been the beginning of the end and China MAY yet be the trigger for the economic collapse as there is a 50% vacancy rate in commercial office buildings in Bejing. And they are still building high rise towers! Talk  about betting on the come ….. there’s a bubble if ever there was one.

        The GREED of multinational corporations has blinded them to the fact that they have killed the goose that laid the golden eggs, i.e. the American consumer, by moving their jobs offshore to increase profits. So they have been and ARE part of the problem not part of the solution. If they go broke ….they deserve it. God speed.

      32. zaduko-good observation 

      33. Would Canada be in a better position then the USA? maybe that would be the place to flee to.

      34. What really hacks me off, is that so many feel they are pre ordained or blessed by their belief in a after the crash Christian order. Not so fast…who in hell do you think you are? Who in the hell elected you Judge and Jury? Going after gays? WtF? People living in sin or against nature? What a bunch of bullshit!  I am a Theosophist…and we don’t judge. Everyone is responsible for their own karma, and what it learns in life cycles. Are you going to come after me too, because I think differently than you?  Yes…well I have a .308 cal answer for that!   If this is how you think, then your no better than the Taliban.

        This same garbage was promulgated back in the 1980’s survival movement. GOLD, SILVER, GUNS, AMMO, FOOD, B.O.B.’s GAS…and yes GOD! The NWO then equated to the NEW WHITE [ straight] ORDER…
        They pushed establishing “same religious views” and same race compounds, keeping out all others who didn’t fit into their warped views of who belongs and who does not! Nothing has changed.
        In the old format Survivalist Magazine, ads were placed by groups looking for members to join them. The list of qualifications nearly eliminated most.  You had to be white, young, good looking, single, mobile, have financial backing, skills, and willing to basically join into a commune of survivalist cultists. If you were a young hot female, with nothing to offer but yourself, then you got a pass. It became a joke.
        I wonder what happened to those people who thought they alone deserved to survive TEOTWAWKI, and SHTF end of times? I think their kids today are the ones who are claiming they are the new survivalists, with a new agenda…which is the same as the old one revisited. Only the young today feel they are entitled to have it all…at somebody else’s expense.

        Where I worked at the time in 1982, was owned by a wealthy family who thought they were Gods gift to mankind. They got the survival fever. They bought enormous amounts of guns & ammo, and freeze dried foods. They bought three hundred acres of wooded land. They had messages on the bulletin board they were interviewing applicants for their survival compound. They were also Christian Reformed Church members of high standing. Deacons…and church group leaders…

        I have a strong military back ground. I have many skill sets. I am a honest decent human being. I was smugly told, I could not join their group…because I was a divorced person then.  Really!  I was so offended, I told them to screw themselves and quit!  I had worked for that company for a year and a half.  Still, I wasn’t worthy!  This is what was going on back in 1982…

        What makes you think it is going to be any different now? Elitists are more prevalent now, and they are meaner. The same old ” GOD will be our hammer ” mentality prevails.  Anyone ever study the Inquisition or the Crusades? 
        I have been a prepper since 1979. I am a lone wolf, who has a she wolf mate.  We will go it alone.  Our kids live in different states and are married with kids. They are on their own, because they don’t believe anything bad will happen to them or their cushy lifestyle. I have talked to them long and hard about it, but they think we’re just crazy. So, they have made their beds…
        We love them, and feel sorry for them that they are such ardent B.O. and Democrat supporters…
        We are libertarians…

        Anyone who spews religious and bigoted hatred of others, especially gays, other races, other religious views, or anyone who has different ideas…do not have the answers, they are part of the problem.
        This is why, I do not trust groups.
        Birds of a feather flock together!  Some are a murder of crows.

        Stay low, stay quiet, cover your tracks and prepare. Draw blood only when it is necessary. When you do, make it dreadfully ferocious.

      35. Walnutport: Canada IS a good place to be. In another financial meltdown it is primarily the dollar and the Euro that will suffer, as it was this time. The Canadian and Australian dollars are solid currencies and like the Swiss Franc, they are good places for some of your cash to be parked. It is the major commercial banks of the US and Europe that have been gambling in derivatives. Canadian banks didn’t get crazy with their depositors money. Canadian banks are some of the safest ….. for now ….. but it is hard to predict what will trigger the next crisis, meltdown, or CHANGE.

        Physically speaking, Cayce predicted  Earth Changes for this time frame and we can see some of them already. Specifically, he suggested the province of Quebec and /or northeast Canada is one of the “safe” areas, probably because that land is rising now and will likely continue to do so as the Greenland ice cap melts, and at an accelerated pace. As the ice melts the weight of the ice cap diminishes, and the land rises ever so slightly. The interior of Canada, that is the middle of Canada is not so good as the Arctic Ocean  will fill in the low-lying areas, and the land in the western portion will be “broken up” according to Cayce.

        Generally speaking, Cayce’s prediction of global earth changes follow a process that is already in motion geologically, and can be identified on an Atlas at your local library. However the changes he predicted are quite severe and the current changes accelerate dramatically with the Pole Shift. Get his book Earth Changes from the A.R.E .

        The Bible Code predicts the Pole shift for 2015 and not 2012 as many have come to believe, and that is something to consider if 2012 comes and goes without the “flip”. Please note that the magnetic pole has already shifted dramatically towards Russia in recent years and changes in mass and gravity globally have been noted by experts at Livermore Labs, the University of Arizona, and the USGS among others. 

        After the “Flip” and with the new “tilt”, Nome Alaska will be at the top of the world, oceans will move from the southwest to the northeast, new mountains will appear in the Southern Rockies, and the sea level in Palm Springs will be between 5,000 and 6,000 feet above the desert floor. In Phoenix get above 1500 feet, and around Tucson,  above 1800 feet. I say, “around Tucson” because Tucson is at 2200 feet above sea level now. Phoenix, sadly, is about 900 feet to 1200 feet above sea level. Finally, residents of Jerusalem will go to sleep under the Southern Cross.

      36. A lot of you folks, its sad to say will not survive. I am not sure that I will either. I have 350 acres of land several springs and a 20 head cow herd and 5 horses a year round running creek with fish and all the garden tool to make a garden and i plant only non-hybird seed. I live 100 miles from the nearest city. I have been planning for a national disaster fo many years. My Grand-dad told me many years ago to always have a few acres, some chickens, hogs and a milk cow and i could make it thru another depression. Well I am as ready as I can be. I can hunt and fish and raise food. I plan to organize my neibors when the time is right to protect our rual area. Strangers will have a very hard time coming into this area. its going to be very hard for city people to migrate into the countryside. You had better prepared to make it where you live unles you have made conections outside your home turf. And also do not try to go more than a tank of gas from your home. The highways will be very dangerous. I may add other thoughts later.
        this is my first time to say anything on the internet.
        God bless

      37. I always have a good laugh whenever I stumble upon these websites by accident. I don’t normally respond to such nonsense but I’m feeling gracious today.
        I have to comment first off here and say that evidently the author of the article as well as the people commenting haven’t studied history at all. I’m not about to go into a history lesson here but suffice it to say that one can study the history of ancient Rome and be able to tell the future of the USA without too many errors provided they have any critical thinking skills at all.
        One of the other commenters had it right when they remarked that the country is in a slow downhill slide and yes, it is and has been for many decades. The owners of the USA (certainly not her citizens)appear to be done wrecking the place and now are moving on to greener pastures. Looks like China.
        Are they going to allow the investment that they have made here to totally crash? Of course not. There’s still money to be made here, just not as much now that her cash cows have had their jobs taken and their currency destroyed. But I’m sure the province, oops, I mean USA, will still be a nice place to visit as soon as the mess is cleaned up.  Yes, that is their attitude. What can we mere chattel do about it? That’s right, not alot.
        This country is in the process of being looted worse than the old Soviet Union. Were her people able to protect themselves? No. And contrary to what most folks believe, we have not been able to protect ourselves either.  Otherwise, our economy wouldn’t be in the shape it’s in.
        So the long downhill slide continues, people continue to scream, “gold, guns, god, grub” and for what.  So you can prop up the gold market? So you can prop up the big agri-farmer? So you can go mindlessly to your death chanting “I accept jesus as my savior”?
        And that brings me to the biggest fantasy of all.  Religion. I only have one comment to make on that. The sooner we put all the myths and legends of ancient goatherders to rest, the sooner we will as a people evolve into the next stage of our development. And I do not mean that in a physical manner. I mean it in a psychological manner. The power of our minds is infinite and religion only stagnates that power.  Dark ages anyone?
        Do I think it’s a bad idea to store food? No, my family grew and canned their own food for decades and I still do also. Is it because I think there’s not going to be food in the stores? No. I do it because I like to eat healthy food which is becoming harder to find. I also like the exercise. Do I have freeze dried food? Nope. Do I think I’ll need it? Again, Nope. And I suspect that neither will you.

      38. This comment is directed toward Persephone. You posit that it is foolish to store freeze dried foods because the people who control this country will not let it get that bad since they still have to eek out every last dollar they can. That may be true, but if there’s anything I’ve learned in the past few years it’s that with increased complexity in a system comes an increased likelihood of system failure. Look at our just-in-time food distribution system, our staggering world financial derivatives system, or the very way our credit and money systems function. All it takes is one small push by some external event in the wrong direction and we end up with a dysfunctional system at best, and possibly system wide failure at the extreme. When systems become too complex, they lose their robustness and ability to cope with small perturbations. We are seeing more and more of this every day in this country and across the world. More people are losing jobs, their health insurance, more people are going hungry, more people are being poisoned by the food they eat or the air they breathe. These are all signs of growing dysfunction. Having 6-12 months of freeze dried food on hand is simply an insurance policy against this dysfunction. Advocating that people will not need that demonstrates an inability to understand the precariousness of the system we are operating in. Yes, the Roman empire crumbled due to a number of reasons, but all stemmed from the fact that they grew too large and too complex to maintain themselves for their time period. I believe the United States and most of the world are on that same precipice now in 2010. The only difference is we have a global fiat money/credit system and global health/food organizations designed not to help people but extract as much money as possible from the unwitting 99.9%, and a global governance unseen (and unknown) by most who by all accounts appear to be pushing the world into one-world governance for the sole purpose of population reduction through attrition.  Having a few months of food on hand just kind of seems to make sense in light of that.

      39. Persephone:   If you have a problem with religion  ….. you should probably tell GOD about it.  🙂

      40. Chris, very well said. I think you need to go Pro. I’ve been trying to get Rick Blaine to go pro for some time. Think about registering ChrisC.com or something 🙂

        Actually, there are a bunch of contributors here on SHTFplan that should go pro and many of you posted comments on this article. Don’t be scared. America needs you.

        (But don’t stop visiting SHTFplan, even if you get really really busy with your own web sites — we like smart people here )

        Thanks for all the great comments on this one folks!

        Mac

      41. I’m Jewish.  Where do we fit in if we don’t get with Jesus? 

      42. Chris, I never said ” that it is foolish to store freeze dried foods because the people who control this country will not let it get that bad since they still have to eek out every last dollar they can.
        As a matter of fact, I believe I said that it was foolish to store freeze dried food because of its support of agri-biz.  You know, those big corporate farms that employ illegals for labor and have forced all the small holdings out of business. Yeah, those guys. I’m not ignorant of all the other ramblings you did in your post either. What you appear to be ignorant of is that all these things have existed for decades.They just weren’t as public as they are now in this age of the internet.  Again, we have a lack of knowledge of history. People were losing their minds back in the 70’s also only that time is was over global cooling. There’s always some kind of threat,crisis, war, terrorism…..share a secret….it’s only the elites engaging in the scaremongering tactics of old. I hope  one day to get back on this website just to post a one word comment.    SUCKERS!
        Mac Slavo  it’s obvious you’re an amateur if you’re impressed by someone parroting everything they’ve read on other websites. Or were you just blowing smoke?

      43. Persephone, guess I misinterpreted your last paragraph – it wasn’t exactly clear. But I stand by my other “ramblings”. You seem to have an heir that everyone here is a bunch of easily scared gun-waving, fear-mongering misplaced patriots with nothing better to do than rebuke the New World Order. And we’re not all ignorant of history. Yes I am aware of the countless scares that have come and gone the past few decades, with nothing to show for them so to speak Y2K was the last big one and I had no part of it, though there are some people who still insist it could have been disastrous if we had not taken it as seriously as we did (that is still debatable I guess).

        I work for an information technology company and can appreciate overly sensitive complex systems. I did not just come to this understanding fly-by-night style simply because it’s catch-phrasy to say “End the Fed” and “Stop the NWO”. I have studied the financial system in-depth for at least 2 years now and have learned 100x more than I ever learned in school or in College.

        The point is, BECAUSE of what I have learned through independent research, I have good reason to be alarmed for all our safety. These are not parroted talking points.

        There’s nothing wrong with being a cynic about all this doom and gloom. I just think if you researched it enough you’d come to the same or similar conclusion as the rest of us.

        Good luck with the SUCKERS endeavor. I hope for our sake you are able to follow through with that one day.

      44. Please forgive my “heirs”. I, too have been studying the financial system for many years. While I agree that there are many problems, the biggest problem is political will which will not change anytime in the future.
        All this scaremongering and manipulating of the public does nothing but cloud the issue and prevent any solution to any of our major problems as it,of course, is designed to do. Websites like these only contribute to the problem by perpetuating the aforementioned scaremongering and manipulating.
        All it takes is a little critical thinking to see the evidence. For example. “Buy freeze dried food because the stores will soon run out of food!”
        In the meantime we forget that most freeze dried food is produced and packaged by corporations that are owned by elites. The same group of elites that are raping this country right now. So in effect you are helping the hand of your oppressor.
        Here’s some real advice to help the average person survive whatever may come:
        GET OUT OF DEBT
        STAY OUT OF DEBT
        LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
        GROW AND RAISE SOME OF YOUR OWN FOOD
        AVOID STRESS
        BE HAPPY WITH YOUR LOT IN LIFE

      45. Whoops, I meant “air” not heirs.

        I think you give some good advice about staying out of debt and not living beyond your means. That is the base of the pyramid for which we should be building our lives upon. I don’t think anyone here is advocating running up your credit card just to buy freeze dried foods or guns or whatever and end up going deep into debt as a result. Just doesn’t make sense.

        However, what I think some of us are saying is once you’re out of debt and live within your means and have general fulfillment, then why not do some of the extra things to ensure peace of mind down the road? That’s what this is all about. I certainly agree whole-heartedly that growing your own food makes sense on multiple levels as  I am doing that now (albeit with a short growing season in the northeast).

        Not buying freeze dried foods because they line the pockets of the elite is kind of meaningless for me because unless you buy everything local you are always sending your dollar to some corporation somewhere, so pick your poison. I also use Federal Reserve Notes so I guess that makes me guilty of aiding and abetting the Federal Reserve, World Bank, global bankers, and everyone in between. But it’s not like I can get away without using them can I.

        As for avoiding stress and being happy with my lot in life, I try my best but can’t say life is all peaches and cream. I dream of a better future for my children and have a natural instinct to both provide and protect them. This site offers advice on multiple levels. Luckily this country is still mostly free when it comes to speech so you’re free to call us all idiots and move on. If you’re right, you can come back and to that. Fortunately for you (and unfortunately for us), if we are right, then we probably won’t be able to tell you so.

      46. Well, well, well. This article certainly has drawn some different comments, tiffs, arguments and discussions. I just wish I could get local people to comment and discuss stuff like this. Unlike some of you, I believe we’ll have a full on collapse within a few years. I believe many will survive.

        Based on the multiple, heated discussions, I’ve already figured out who needs to be the Teotwawki Mayor, the police chief, the minister, the security/military advisor, the farmer, the psychologist, the rancher, the horticulturist, etc. I’ll appoint myself Moral Booster In Chief.

        In my mind, you all are creating templates that, in the future if the fecal matter does contact the electron motivated rotational air displacement system, I’ll be looking for people to lay those template over to partner with for survival. I’ve always been kind of a profiler. …and most of you have a good profile.

        I think, under constructive criticism, we all grow. As we do, our chances of survival, be it SHTF, tornado hits the powerlines or Katrina hits the coast, grows as well. 

        Most of all, I just want to repeat what I’ve said before:

        GIANTS POST HERE!

        If the commenter here are a cross section of the USA, then I should stop worrying. (…and all you Canadians are welcome too!) Even if we’re a minority, I think we can keep things together enough to survive. 


        “Don’t do anything to survive Y2K that isn’t a good idea anyway. If it doesn’t improve your life anyway and make you more secure anyway, doing it for Y2K is probably unwise.” -NetRanger in a public speech to the Women’s Business Club, August 1999

      47. PC:   Congratulations, you’re Jewish!

        PC, you don’t have to be a Christian to be a “prepper” or someone who believes that the SMHTF in our lifetime, or that TEOTWAWKI is not far off.

        You do not have to have a close personal relationship with Jesus, to listen to the still small voice within you and prepare for a crash, crisis, emergency, natural disaster, or war: to provide for yourself and your family; maybe even your neighbor.

        Droughts come. Famines come. Infectous disease comes. Natural disasters come. And wars come. It would be better for everybody if the government would prepare for these eventualities to protect its citizens ( Like that JEWISH guy ….. whats-his-name? Oh, yeah!  That’s right! Joseph! Remember him?).

        Unfortunately we don’t have Joseph. All we have is FEMA, contaminated trailers, refugee camps, no grain supplies, fresh water that is contaminated by PCB’s and radioactive waste, and emergency rations of saltines and cheddar cheese stored at the height of the cold war (60’s) for the elite.

        So, we must be our own Joseph, first. Then a voice “crying in the wilderness” to alert our family, friends, neighbors, and community to the pending challenges. Finally, we can be a small beacon of hope and encouragement to those around us when the chips are down because we know that this too will pass; the sun will come up in the morning ….. it may come up in the West after the “FLIP”  ……  but it will still come up. 🙂

        We can be confident, courageous, and wise. We can be prudent, faithful, and prepared. And IF or WHEN the SHTF we can persevere. We can survive the challenge peacefully and patiently away from the madding crowd. Patiently, because patience is faith in action, and that faith will give us the strength to endure the night, the heat, or the cold. The thirst, or the wet. Violence or loneliness. Whatever the particular challenge for each particular person, “prepping” will help us prevail when the changes come. And they will come.

        And we will survive.

      48. A generation or two ago, it was COMMON for us to have a root cellar (or basement) where we canned our own foods.  TODAY, we depend on supermarkets that have–at most–3 day’s food supply.

        It only makes sense to have some food set back for emergencies. (The recent snowstorms illustrate this.)

        Bush/Obama’s wreckless spending and money-printing will soon cause us to go into hyper-inflation and we’ll be taking a whelbarrow of dollars to buy a week’s worth of food.

        So, NOW *IS* the time to stock up … and dehydrated foods (much cheaper than freeze-dried) take up less space.  It’s also imperative to get a quality water filter:

        http://www.internet-grocer.net/aqua.htm

        We *might* have 10 months before our economy collapses, but collapse it will.   (Research the Cloward-Pivens Strategy, which is what is being done to us.  Our collapse, to “fundamentally change” our way-of-life–capitalism–is exactly what’s going on.)

        Get prepared NOW, regardless of what the “progressive” detractors say.

      49. Bruce, I had to look that one up, as the Cloward-Piven strategy is news to me. It is an interesting theory, and I can see how it could be used to describe what is taking place right now in our country. However, I have my doubts that this is the only thing at play here. If we were just talking about the United States, I may be more inclined to believe in it. But this collapse/redistribution of wealth, whatever you want to call it, is global. It has been going on for decades and is only accelerating. I sincerely doubt that the Democratic leadership is controlling the entire world on this.

        The other thing about the theory that sticks out is that it almost seems to describe a noble intent for redistribution of wealth, which is basically to eliminate poverty. Though I agree that is a noble goal, I don’t see that being the final destination for all of us with the way things are going. Perhaps the answer lies in the very definition of poor and/or poverty. If everyone is equally poor, is there such a thing as poor? Maybe it’s all relative.

        Then again, maybe it’s the elites’ maniacal sadistic plan all along. They can say they ended poverty and take the credit, and the reality is that we’re all slaves and essentially poor anyway.

      50. Eliminate hunger. That is a noble goal, but if “poverty” is eliminated by redistributing wealth, then the catalyst for the creation of a “Lincoln” is gone.

        Life is about expressing what is “inside” ….. outside.

        Neither poverty nor wealth define character, but both wealth and poverty magnify it.  In the end, we take neither wealth nor poverty beyond the grave.  Only character.

      51. It is certainly wise to be prepared, but freaking out is as bad as investing in real estate five years ago.  It is vitally important to eliminate both “fear” and “greed” going forward, and build a preparedness plan that includes not only security but also opportunity and hope.   For me, that includes deleveraging (and regaining freedom), investing in tangible inventory, and learning marketable skills that have a chance of generating income in the economic future that probably awaits us.

        John
        http://www.financialpreparedness.com

      52. Hey kiddies,

        It’s been an interest couple of days. I came across this yesterday:

        http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6217403.shtml

        How much longer before half the states start calling for a repudiation of FRNs?

        Then I learn that Japan has overtaken China as the #1 holder of US Treasury debt, but the interesting thing is both holdings DECLINED.

        Today I read that Walmart records its first sales decline in I don’t know how long, and producer prices rose much higher than expected in January.

        Then, as I’m doing the dishes, I hear of the plane accident in Austin Texas where the pilot flew his plane into an IRS building on purpose.

        But to cap it all off, Tiger is going to come clean tomorrow!! I can’t miss that.

      53. Chris, thanks for the link. Am a little behind today and dropped the ball on the important news!

        I was actually in Austin earlier today and heard about the plane incident!

        What will Tiger say, though… that’s what I want to know!

      54. I realize what I will say here will go against what most here think they should do when the SHTF. But the truth shall prevail despite man’s best efforts. It does not matter if one is a follower of Christ or not; the truth can not be changed but it is forver settled in heaven. Here is what I want to say to spare you that think that you can preserve and protect yourself when the SHTF. The elite, the Illuminati, the New World Order shall prevail against you and all m which resist the powers that be that shall take over soon; no matter how much food, water and guns and ammunition you might have. That is the truth. We cannot defend ourselves against our own U.S. soldiers which will turn against their own countrymen as they have already been massively mind-controlled and chipped and ready for deployment here in the states. They have already received their expert tactical and military training in Operation Desert Storm (1991), the war in Afghanistan (2002) and Iraq (2003) and soon to be Iran and Syria (2010?). We as civilians or ex-military simply can’t defeat them. They are more powerful than we are. Those are the plain facts. Please wake up. Waco was a trial run against freedom of speech and religion. Free speech and religion lost. 911 was a trial run against the freedom of the American people as a whole. And freedom lost again and we now have less freedoms here in this nation. We can only turn to God at this time. That means we don’t do anything to preserve or protect ourselves for the future (Take no thought for the morrow Jesus said) Show me one case in the bible where God’s true people did anything like that. You wont find it. Elijah ran for his life from Jezebel and God fed him and preserved his life for Elijah trusted in God. It’s like this folks. Do any of you have your own children? What would you think if they came to you one day and say they were going to go out on their own and pick fruit, hunt game and can their own food? All the while you were tbeir provider of daily food? How would you feel? That is how our Creator feels when you tell Him I am going to prepare for myself God, move aside and let me do this. When all along He said He would give us our DAILY BREAD, not future bread. When God all along said to look at the ravens for they do not gather nor store in barns but YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM. Think folks. Think about what you are really doing. God is the only One that can and will spare those that trust in Him alone in the dark days ahead. I made only $5,500 all last year for my wife and 3 sons and we are still alive and have an apt and I have a car and food and clothes to wear. Why is this? God.
        brother Andrew

      55. Brother Andrew, your posts are always food for thought, and I , as much as anyone, appreciate your perspective.  
        Unfortunately you seem to be spending way too much time in the Monastary and not enough time in the Fields, which are ripe for harvest. If you were your preaching would garner more than $5,500 a year from the flock.

        If you haven’t noticed by the posts on this site, you are preaching to the choir. But even the choir must sing for their supper. Wasn’t it the Apostle Paul who said: ” …. if they will not work, they shall not eat” ….

        Now you may be content with providing for your family on $5,500 a year and letting the Lord and the kindness of strangers supply the rest. Thats your business. 

        Personally, I am not content, nor have I ever been content to be less than all that I can be; all that God has intended that I be, and applying myself to the opportunities that the Good Lord provides.  If God is sending you manna from Heaven and turning your water into wine, then you are a better man than I, to be so blessed.

        But if you see Ravens circling overhead, look twice; they may be turkey vultures instead    ……..

      56. Zukado,
        This is not an e-mail to defend myself in anyway for I have no righteousness that is my own but the Lord is my righteousness. But one thing I will do here is to inform y0u on some points you made in your e-mail. First I can’t preach nor teach in the state-sponsored 501c churches here in the states for they are just as wicked as the Jewish temple and synagougues were in Jesus’ day. When Jesus went before the corrupt religious leaders it was only to challenge them, expose them and then to reprove them and not to teach them at all, for their wicked hearts were already hardened beyond remedy. Then as time passed on He went to the common people and He spent time with them daily teaching them the things concerning the kingdom and the gospel. I too have followed in my Master’s footsteps. I too was in the 501c churches for over 14 years! I spoke to the pastors but they would not listen to the counsel of God but rather they kept the corrupt precepts of men. Then in 1992 the Lord spoke and told me to “come out” of her (Babylon) which I did. The carnal churches today all collect an already outdated and illegal tithe and offering. Study the bible diligently and you too will find that the tithe and offering (for the temple) was always in the form of livestock and produce and not in money at all.  And today the corrupt pastors suck corrupt mammon out of the flock just like the corrupt high priests did in the Old Testament and just as much as our own government does through its burdening taxation. The tithe became a monetary trick to play upon the unsuspecting and ignorant people when certain high priests began to take money from the people and store it in the temple for safekeeping and then a certificate was given to the giver until a future time of redemption. This was the first case of corrupt banking from olden times! The same people that run every economy in every country all over this world are from the same lineage and are direct decendants from these corrupt Jews as they now run the entire international banking system all over the world! The Jews are the real ones that rule and run the world. Nothing has changed since the days of Solomon on through the days of Jesus. There is nothing new under the sun Solomon wrote. So is it wrong to take that which is outdated and illegal? To the one that knows it is sin, yes it is. But to the one that knows not, then let the filthy be filthy still. But take for an example the greatest prophet born of a women, John. The forefunner of Jesus left his father and mother, just as Jesus taught us in His teachings. But beyond this John also left his father’s profession who was a priest in the then corrupt temple of Herod. He left a living that would have given him whatever he wanted and he left a profession that carried religious standing and authority too. Why? Because John saw through the hypocrisy of it all and he knew that he was called by God from his mother’s womb to fulfill a holy task. He leaped in his ‘s womb when he heard that the holy th that was in his aunt’s womb, Mary, was none other than His own Saviour, Jesus.  What joy came to his heart as he leaped as an unborn child! So John left his family and prestigious position in the temple and he left the world to go out in the wilderness and trust in the living God to feed him locusts and wild honey. John truly was a man of God. He knew that the world back then was an allusion and had no eternal rewards but that it was just a system of lies, deceit, lust an corruption. John loved God till the end as he had his head severed for His master Jesus. This is true religion, to “die to self” and then to “live for Christ”.
        brother Andrew

      57. “I always have a good laugh whenever I stumble upon these websites by accident. I don’t normally respond to such nonsense but I’m feeling gracious today.”

        I always like making contact with ignorant, arrogant bitches like persephone.  We’ll see how smart you think you are when you’re being raped to death by some biker gang.

        But it’ll be too for you.  And the world will be a better place without you.

      58. blzzz,

        Verbally assaulting someone you don’t even know and wishing they would be raped to death is a sign of a warped psychopathic mind. It seems to me that in the off chance your ridiculous fantasy of societal collapse in the near future does come to pass, YOU will be one of the ones everyone else has to worry about.
        *BEWARE SURVIVALIST CROWD OF WHAT YOU HARBOR IN YOUR MIDST*

      59. Blzzz, where did that comment come from?  Are you off your meds at the moment?  Her advice was perfect, because lets be honest the SHTF scenario may not happen, and i’d say it’s more likely that it wont then it will.  But, living with no CC debt living within your means etc. etc. these are all lessons that We as Americans are re-learning and if everything works out for the best it will be a great way to maintain a happy life. 

        Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

      60. good one blzzzz….
        The future of the anti-collapsers  is always self-prophezied  in their attacking diatribes.  Those who think they know better than everyone else and yell the loudest and nastiest to “prove” their point, will be the first ones killing somebody over a crust of bread, and will reap what they sow.

      61. Comments….. Remember folks that in what is to come…….

        “If you don’t hold it, you don’t own it”… Ponce

      62.  

        Was Credit defunded because of a worldwide overpopulation scare among the elite in the world ??????????

        Is congress just trying fund itself with all these legislative bills that appropriate more Printing of Paper Money because they don’t want to recapitalize the private sector because of the worry of Overpopulation and this finite issue they feel is destroying earth ???????

        Will Congress Print and hold Health Care funds Immediately after the Bill is signed into Law , even though health care funding will be pushed out too 2018 ???????
        Is congress just finding ways to fund itself right now with all these bills that they keep trying to pass and have passed , Tarp , Stimulus 1 , Omnibus , healthcare , Cap and Trade , Stimulus 2 , and no clear plan to restart private sector growth , because Oh theses no more room on Planet Earth to sustain private sector growth in the grand scheme of things ????? In this link its all about quotes from world leaders UN and all saying population controls are Key to cap and Trade and Health care .
        Jacques Cousteau and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh quotes here in this link were extremely hard to grasp because I grew up thinking of Mr. Cousteau as a Great humanitarian . 

        http://www.green-agenda.com/

        these 2 links are promotions of Marxism , which the Green Revolution is based around as is laid out here ;
        http://www.archive.org/stream/TheFirstGlobalRevolution

        http://www.clubofrome.org/eng/cor_news_bank/19

        http://www.warsocialism.com/America.htm

        http://www.population-security.org/11-CH3.html
        NSSM200 Kissinger said in 2004 it was still a active policy , see this link ;
        http://www.mathaba.net/0_index.shtml?x=90207

        fits into the  plan of the  population reduction http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6350303.ece

        Population control called key to deal , I think this is why we saw the health care bill target elderly folks with restrictions on treatment with Medicare cuts .

        http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-12/10/content_9151129.htm

      63.  
        I had one more thing to point out to you about the think tank Club of Rome and the other one called War Socialism and this Norman Borlaug , Norman was our most successful cereal grains breeder over the past 60 years , being crowned with saving over 2 billion people during this time from famine with his hybrid grains that increased yields . But in the Wiki link below you will read where they have not been able to increase yields over the past 10 years , and so a time line he wrote about how famine and the birth rate will meet in the next 30 or so years . I started pushing this link about a year and a half ago when Bush started subsidizing Corn for ethanol saying hey you guys you need to pay attention to what our science is telling us , pretty soon grain prices at the COMEX more than doubled  with red wheat going to 21 dollars a bushel , maybe you remember reading about the food riots breaking out in areas around the world , but thats when everything went nuts gold included , and I kept repeating my bloviating about what was being said in this Wiki link off and on for the past year and a half connecting this to why we needed to do alternative energy that would not use food based raw material sources , and about 2 or 3 months ago , the Wiki link changed what Norman said saying he had changed his mind in the last little time before his death last November 2009 .  But hes still on a list of 1500 scientists that War Socialism and Al Gore and the Club of Rome tout as leading the charge on this global warming crusade , so I thought that was interesting and you might want to see these links about this , because this is the reason why these global warming Elite freaks are freaking out so bad , they think they are running out of everything food fuel all their little creature comforts ……..

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug
        The future of global farming and food supply .
         
        http://dieoff.org/page8.htm In this list Norman Borlaug is 36th down in the list saying we need less people in the world , and he is our top agronomist  in the USA .  when you get done on this page , click the home button at the top left and you can go to the home page of War Socialism , these guys are a dog leg think tank of the Club of Rome and all the contributors in this organization are associates of Al Gore and some are Czars and advisers to the Obama administration , the biggest one being   this guy Paul Ehrlich , hes a co author to Our Science Czar John Holdren and is advising our President Obama too . How to Control the AMERICAN Population by Paul Ehrlich , this guy says American First has to be brought under control to then be a Model for the rest of the world in terms of population control , but we are already a Good Model , and we should NOT have to give up our Liberty , but they see Freedom as the enemy to not be a Hypocrite with such measures     ;

      64. Google this guy Paul Ehrlich , hes a co author to Our Science Czar John Holdren and is advising our President Obama too . How to Control the AMERICAN Population by Paul Ehrlich , this guy says American First has to be brought under control to then be a Model for the rest of the world in terms of population control , but we are already a Good Model , and we should NOT have to give up our Liberty , but they see Freedom as the enemy to not be a Hypocrite with such measures     ;
        link

      65. the one single issue behind economic collapse is the creation of the federal reserve in 1914.  that’s it.  it’s a system DESIGNED to fail – it must fail according to how it’s set-up.  it needs perpetual growth to keep up the interest payments that must be made on money created from nothing.  the private banker cartel has it designed to syphon money out of the system in interest until it reaches a point where the exponential wall of interest becomes impposible, then it collapses.  it’s as simple as that.  god, christianity, guns, sin, etc…. it’s a bit irrelevant if i may humbly suggest.  just follow the banking system of a fiat currency and it’s built-in to systematically fail – it’s just a matter of when.  check out http://www.ChrisMartenson.com‘s “Crash Course” for a quick tutorial in all this.  good luck amigos!

      66. Comments…..Yes indeed God plays a part but God helps those who help themselves.  If and when TSHTF I would like to be ready with the basics.  Food, water, shelter and a means of protection.  What else is there?

      67. I just discovered this site today, I will visit regularly in the future.  I am amazed at how many people think that everyone else is wrong, and only they have the right idea.

        So let me join the crowd. 
        Shadow, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.  You say your grown children and grandchildren are on their own, you love them, but too bad for them.  What a crock of bs!  What is the purpose of you and your she wolf companion at your age, surviving shtf, other than to bring misery and death to others trying to survive?  Just trying to survive for a few more weeks, months, or maybe years in absolute misery until you’re too old and sickly to defend youself.   Seriously, think about it, what is the point?  

        I have a worthless son in law that wastes his meager money, he and my daughter and 2 grandbabies depend on wellfare from family and government for most of their needs.  What is the purpose of my wife and me trying to survive the coming hell at our ages if it’s not to insure the survival of our two beautiful grandchildren?  To try and give them some kind of a future other than a miserable, painful death?  Is it their fault who their father is?   Do they deserve to suffer because of him?

        Do your grandchildren deserve to die a miserable death because their parents are naive, while you and she wolf prepare for your make believe adventure?   

        No you can’t be in different states at the same time, but you can pick the kids in the best chance of survival location, and use your expertise and knowledge to try to help them survive.  Maybe the others could find a way to join you. 

      68. @Brother Andrew:
        I think saying things like, “you cannot win against he US military, that they have chips implanted, etc.” does a more harm then good to the prepper cause.  You make us seem like nut jobs.  The US Military makes up less then 1% of the total population.  And only 25% of them are at best combat trained (25% is the Army ration, AirForce, Navy, etc is less, Marines is higher 100%).  So 0.25% of the population is combat effective military.  Yup.  Scary.  Unsermountable odds even (sarcasim).  Sorry, unlike you I do not give up.  I’m not a quitter.  If I die trying, its better then sitting there waiting to take it.  If you believe in god, it says he helps those that help themselves.  If he does exist he put into us the will to live.  To deny that or to just give up is likely to upset him.

        I’m not religious but I am prepared and have plenty of extra.  It doesn’t take a bible or koran to know what is right nor to do what is right.  But I have copies of several religious texts I plan to give to anyone who does not have theirs.

        I believe the elites have sold us down a river of our own making.  We were given a great country and we got lazy, greedy (though wanting and working for more is NOT a bad thing) and fat.  We started watching sports (like Orwell said we would) and forgot about politics.  We gave our rights away willingly (well the majority did).

        Best of luck to you all.  Prepare for the worst, prosper if we’re wrong.

        @hungry4food:
        Believing anything read on a wiki page is like taking financial advise from the homeless guy on the bus.  The last place you should acquire information is on wiki, anyone and their dog can modify the info and put in anything.

      69. Michael,   I don’t harbor resentment towards you and your views. That is what this country is all about is it not? But think for a minute. If the ATF, national police and military come to your house at night, what can you possibly do to them that will make you win? We already have about 1 police officer per tens of thousands of people in large US cities and we still have some semblance of order with those odds.  Since June of last year anyone that watches the govt’s DTV has been programmed via the AARP mind control technology. This is how people will comply glady with the gov’t. and its mandates to comply with the New Order to come soon. And the other few that will not, will make it a lot easier for the law and the military to do night sweeps of people on their list. What I am saying is to trust in God Almighty to deliver us. Did He not do this for Abraham, Moses and the rest of the patriarchs. I would rather have the hand of God work on my behalf; than my own hands which are no match for the national police force ready to deploy in this nation. Trusting God to do what He said He would do to those that believe in Him and see His salvation work on their behalf.

      70. The ATF is a national police force.  And if by “national police” you mean any of the other Federal agencies and coming knocking on my door then no.  But they do not have the man power to knock on every ones door at once either.  But by the second day a lot of us could be prepared/moving.

        Now I can see the logical issues with 9/11.  Building 7.  No footage at the Pentagon.   The termite traces found at ground zero, the main vertical support beams which look like they were cut with shaped charges.

        I also see sodium fluoride in the water, since Nazi Germany used it in WWII to pacify certain populations in levels just a bit higher then we currently “consume” here in the USA in our drinking water.  One reason I enjoy my well water and still purify it.

        But I tend to dismiss people completely when they make statements like “AARP mind control technology”.  Is that the, American Association of Retired Persons or Appletalk Address Resolution Protocol (which sucks just fyi) or Animal Accident Recovery Patrol technology that is brain washing us?

        If you want to be taken a bit more seriously, you should purchase a DTV capture card for your PC, set it to record random shows.  Then go through frame by frame (since a still image will not brainwash you, you can fee safe) looking for these images or patterns.  Then post the date/time/frame/image of the show(s) you find them in for public/peer review.  Thus making it a scientific proof rather then a “nut job” sounding statement.

        ————

        I think a more likely event to happen in the US to disarm the majority of the people is to greatly increase the taxes paid on ammunition thereby limiting it’s purchase.  People frusterated with the costs will sell guns they don’t fire often and a large purchaser could be the federal government of these “surplus” weapons.

        I’ve limited all my weapon systems to using a few select sized rounds that my family and friends also use.  In most cases magazines are interchangable also as we purchased the same weapon systems.  The rounds we use are (no order) 5.56×45 (AR15s), 7.62×39 (AK47s), 7.62×51 (M1A & hunting/sniping systems), s&w .40 (pistols, glock or sig p229s) besides 12 guage shotguns.  My plan is to purchase a Bushmaster ACR in 5.56 this summer/early fall and then acquire the 6.8SPC barrel around christmas.  We like the ballistics of the 6.8 over the 5.56 so this will be a trial weapon.  Since it takes at best 2 minutes to change from 5.56 to 6.8 in the same weapon system this will be an inexpensive way to test it.

        This way the group can buy ammo for the group at either discounted prices (5000 rounds at a time is cheaper then 500 rounds).  Or we can just pool money if the prices skyrocket.

        Also we have conversion kits for most semi-autos to .22lr for practice shooting as its dirt cheap, 800 rounds locally for about $45 with tax.

        Just some general ideas.  Using more standard rounds means you’re more likely to run into others with the same ammo if it gets bad.

      71. Michael,
        The national police force will be a conglomeration of the National Guard, military and law enforcement agencies. You do know that “the powers that be” have in recent years been nationalizing everything they can get their hands on.  So that is what I meant by national police. Really the new police force will take their orders from FEMA once a national emergency is declared and signed by the president and then the New World Order police will be dispatched throughout this nation. I do agree with you about the 911 facts and drinking water too. But what can we do when our own enemies hide behind everything they do? All we can do is trust in the Almighty to save us from our enemies. And He will if we trust in Him and not in the sword. For he which lives by the sword shall die by the sword the bible teaches.  The mind control technology that is currently being used in DTV nationwide is based in the same EMF’s that we used in 1991 Desert Operation Storm when Sr. Bush was president. That is why we took over the army of Hussein in such a short time. They basically came out with their hands held up because they could not take the radio frequency that we used to jam and control their communications. That is a true fact and the same technology used by the Pentagon against Iraq in 1991 is being used on Americans that watch DTV in 2009- ?. It basically take over a person’s left-side of their brain which is where we can reason and understand information and procees it; and it then controls their thinking and cognitive  abilities. That is why I don’t have gov’t fed DTV in my house and I don’t have Broadband line into my house and I don’t use a cell phone like everyone else does for constant socializing and general calling.
        The cells towers are up, the satellites in space are running at full speed, the GPS monitoring stations are in full swing, the tens of millions of cell phones are all across America, the DTV is in full operation, the surveillance cameras are up at major intersections, city walkways, stores, malls,  markets, banks, gov’t buildings, private businesses and freeways, the Broadband internet is in peoples homes, businesses, gov’t agencies, people’s e-mail, phone lines, cell phone conversations,  are all subject to being monitored and recorded by NSA, our televisions screens, computer screens, telephone speakers and even our basic electric wiring system in our houses are all subject to gov’t encroachment and surveillance and tapping without a court warrant and last by not least is the nano-technology which are invisible to the human eye robots that can follow us and take photos of us and record oour conversations and track us and record all of our movements is also in effect too. Now you see why the enemy has done their homework and we are no match for them but God is more than able to deliver us from our enemies. Hope this helps you understand where I am coming from. God bless you and keep you in the evil days to come to this nation.

        brother Andrew

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