When Will It Happen? What Will It Be?

by | Aug 30, 2012 | Emergency Preparedness | 268 comments

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    This article has been generously contributed by Survival Blog.

    There as many opinions and even more guesses than those who are guessing about what will cause the collapse of the world as we know it.  There may be unexpected triggers in nature or in society such as natural disasters of a sudden or a gradual nature, geopolitical events or developments, or environmental triggers that may be natural or man made.  With or without any of these events and processes about which there is an enormous volume of speculation, my previous skepticism about one in particular has been transformed to a personal certainty.

    Economic Collapse – Really?

    The expectation that the economy may or will deteriorate beyond a typical recession is gaining wider acceptance every week. Let me explain why I am confident that this situation will become unmistakable within the next six to eighteen months. I will also discuss how serious this problem is likely to become.

    Before we get too far into the discussion about what may happen in the economy, it is necessary to understand the nature of money and bartering.  Money is fundamentally a way to facilitate bartering among a large group of people.  When one person, lets call him George, needs something that a second person, lets call him Peter, can provide, George may try to offer something he owns in exchange for what he wants.  This may become difficult if the George does not have anything that the Peter wants.  George is then left wanting unless he can arrange a series of trades or exchanges with other people until the George finally obtains something that Peter wants.  Another advantage of money is if George has something that Peter finds desirable, but there is a wide disparity between the values of the two objects being considered for trade.  For example let’s suppose that George has one too many cows and would like to obtain a hand saw from Peter who has an extra saw.  The difference in value of the two tradable items makes it unlikely that an easy trade will occur.   By this point I am sure you can see the advantage of having a reserve of money or currency to facilitate the transactions between George and Peter.

    Now before we get too sold on the advantages of using money, we need to examine the major issues about using money.  The first issue is how to determine the “value measure of money”, and the second is how to assure that the “value measure” of the money does not change unfairly.  To put these questions in plain English we can ask, “What is a Dollar worth?”  The second question is, “How do we know that a Dollar today will still be worth a Dollar tomorrow?”   Some of you may remember the economic atmosphere in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s when the Dollar lost about half of its value in six years. (Many countries had far worse experiences before and during that time.)  Virtually every government, as well as a number of non-government groups, has grappled with those two questions throughout history.  The bottom line is that whatever methods have been devised for addressing these questions, it is the acceptance of and confidence of those using the currency that determines how effective the methods have been.  The biggest issue for those using the currency is, “If I hold on to or accumulate this currency for future transactions, can I be sure it will not lose value while I hold it?” When all is said and done, the value of any currency is measured by the level of confidence people have in that currency.

    Now that we have considered the role of confidence in a money system, let’s consider factors currently affecting confidence in the U.S. money system.  As of July, 2012, the average American family had an annual income of $43,000 and an average debt of $117,950. In this study U.S. households numbered about 115,000,000.  That comes to a total citizen indebtedness of about $13.5 Trillion.  The national debt, on money already spent by the U.S. government, is now around $16 Trillion.  That put a total debt burden on the average U.S. household of $256,521 compared to an average income of only $43,000. While the total U.S. household debt was reduced in 2010, it increased again in the past year. This means the average household is currently not paying down their debt, but rather adding to it.  This situation is worsened by the fact that and the federal government is currently spending money at about twice the rate that it is taking in revenue, which means it would need to cut its non-debt servicing spending by 50% to keep from increasing the national debt.  Next consider that as of June, 2012, the national savings rate, that is savings divided by total income, was 4.4%.  That means the average household has no more than $1,900 per year that could be applied to the total debt (both paying down the national debt through additional taxes and paying down their personal debt.)  So, if the federal government suddenly cut its total budget in half, and if every household completely stopped saving any money for any reason (e.g. retirement savings) it would take 135 years to pay off the current debt. Remember, however, there are several additional concerns not considered in that calculation.  These numbers do not include any of the state governments’ debts, which the citizens are also responsible for paying. Another very big consideration is that most economists agree that cutting the federal government’s spending in half would surely trigger a serious recession, resulting in more job losses (laying off government workers and reducing government contracts which also pay for non-government jobs), and thus less money would be available among the American households to pay down all the debts.  Conversely, economists also understand that if the government significantly increases taxes in order to increase the revenues, this would also slow down the economy, which is already on the verge of a recession.

    While the specific numbers are different, the same dynamics described above apply to most countries in Europe at this time.  When you read or hear in the news about the economic crisis in Greece and other European countries, the same issues of too much debt and too little revenue to pay the debts are at work there as they are here in the U.S. Many of these countries have already slipped into recessions as governments and central banks hold meeting after meeting to grapple with the problems that have “developed”.  When we consider how this may develop or play out and affect the United States it becomes clear that there are infinite possibilities as to events which may trigger various stages of deterioration in the economy.  Remember, that the key to a currency being valued or accepted at all depends on the confidence people have in that currency.  What follows is merely a simplified description of a possible sequence of events and the impact of that sequence on various economic activities.

    The European community will continue slipping deeper into widespread recession.  Europe , at least the majority of it, has gotten itself into a lose/lose situation.  Most European governments have accumulated a very high ratio of debt to revenue.  Furthermore, most of that debt (in the form of bonds), which is now considered risky because it is so high, is held by European banks and investors.  The economies in Europe , which have become highly enmeshed and this has been a factor in the spread of recession. With the slowing economies, as we discussed above, the revenues have decreased putting strains on government budgets as well as personal incomes. The final factor here is that a major portion of the gross “income” of the European people now comes from their governments. (If they raise taxes they cut personal incomes; if they cut government budgets, they also cut personal incomes.) As the banks and governments struggle to address the risks and economic issues the people continue to lose confidence in “the system”.  In order for the governments to try stimulating the economy, they must borrow to obtain funds to do so, because they were already spending more than they were receiving in revenue. As you can see this becomes a self aggravating cycle as the economies slow, the revenues drop, level of debt continues to rise, and the budgets are cut, etc.

    While there may be solutions to these problems in the long term, opposing political forces, in the U.S. as well as in many other countries, seem to be focused on opposing strategies; both of which will only deepen the problems (remember our discussion of raising taxes and reducing government spending). Furthermore, even if the solutions, which are apparently unrecognized by the vast majority, were miraculously endorsed by the governments it would take years to repair the damage of the last century.

    At this time it appears that the economic situation in Europe will deteriorate ahead of the situation in the U.S.   Since the early 1970s the U.S. dollar has become the World Reserve Currency. We will explain the reason for that status a little later.  The important thing to remember here is that this status has kept the U.S. Dollar artificially high in value compared to other currencies.  As the European recession deepens they will experience growing inflation relative to the Dollar.  This will weaken the demand for U.S. goods, because of the inflating prices, and in turn weaken their ties with the U.S. Dollar.  The slowing economies in Europe will push more investors to redeem their U.S. Treasury Bonds in order to meet expenses.  When the redemption rate rises the value will go down, and yields (effective interest rates) will begin to rise.  While this higher interest rate might normally make the treasury bonds more attractive to investors, this will be caused by too many sellers and not enough buyers.  If the United States government continues to outspend its revenue, borrowing to cover its debts will get more and more expensive. This will make it harder and harder for the U.S. government to balance its budget.  As investors around the world learn from what has happened in Europe, they will also see the parallels in the U.S.

    Gradually, at first, investors will be looking harder for other investments they believe are both safer and providing better returns (Actually, it is already beginning. China and Japan , the two largest non- U.S. holders of U.S. Treasury Bonds, have already started reducing their holdings in U.S. Bonds.).  As the confidence in the Dollar slips sellers of non-US products, such as oil or manufactured goods, will begin arranging to accept payment in non-US currency. (This has already started now, too.) This will further erode the perceived value of the Dollar.  During this time the market value of stocks may rise until investors begin to worry more about decreasing corporate revenues caused by the slowing economies… Concurrently the market pricing of gold and silver will continue to climb (as will the cost of other commodities like foods and fuel).  At some point it seems likely that the number of investors understanding the absurdity of the U.S. being able to pay off its debt will reach a critical level. This critical level will result in one of the periodic, blind auctions of U.S. Treasuries being a “failed auction”.  This means that there will be too few bidders interested in buying the number of bonds the treasury wants to sell (To put it another way – The U.S. Government states a need for it to borrow a specified amount of Dollars for continuing operations and auctions off what they consider to be enough bonds to pay for the governments cash needs. When they open the sealed binds, there are not enough large investors and small investors willing to buy all the bonds offered. That will result in the treasury not having enough money for the government to pay its bills and salaries.)

    If (when) this happens many investors around the world will “panic” because they will see other investors not willing to accept the risk of loaning money to the U.S. Government. These investors will see a need to sell their bonds before their value goes down. Gold and silver prices will begin to skyrocket as “safe investments” since the last, best safe haven, the U.S. Treasury, doesn’t seem quite so safe now. More and more investors will seek to sell their treasury bonds before the value drops even further, which will result in the value of those bonds dropping in value.

    I know that some will hear my projections and argue that the pricing or valuation of treasury bonds has fluctuated in the past without a panic in the markets. My response to them is, “THIS TIME IT’S VERY DIFFERENT!”   Normally when the market valuation on Bonds starts to fall, it is because the economy is accelerating faster, so investors are moving their money into stocks and business expansion. This time our economy is slowing rather than accelerating. This time , most economies in the world are decelerating or have already decelerated.  This time , our government has accumulated a far greater debt than ever before.  This time , Europeans have just recently become keenly aware of the dangers of a country carrying too much debt.  This time Europe will have already crossed over from primarily buying U.S. Bonds as a safe haven for their money to selling U.S. Bonds as a means of raising more cash.  When the pricing of U.S. Treasury Bonds starts to fall, all of their notions about them being a “safe haven” will quickly disappear.  This shift toward selling Treasury bonds will create accelerating inflation. This is another aspect in which “ this time it’s different .”  In the past when inflation heated up the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates to cool off or slow down the economy.  This time interest rates will have already risen as a byproduct of the decreasing value of our bonds.  So the economy will be slowing down faster of its own accord.  Also, in the past when the economy has slowed down too much, our government has increased stimulus spending to correct that.  This time the government has already been providing extraordinary amounts of stimulus money for years, with less and less benefit. So you see, some of what makes this time different is that all of the tools that had been used in the past to manage a troublesome economy, have already been stretched to the breaking point or beyond in literally dozens of the largest economies in the world.

    One more element that will make this time different is a little more complicated. When President Nixon took the U.S. off the Gold Standard in 1971, there was serious concern about the value of the dollar slipping since it was no longer backed in gold.  At that time Nixon also negotiated an agreement with Saudi Arabia for them to only accept U.S. Dollars in payment for their oil.  This resulted in the U.S. Dollar being kept artificially high in value relative to other currencies world wide, because everyone needed Dollars to buy oil. This is the primary reason the Dollar became the World Reserve Currency.  The petro-Dollar agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia crafted in the 1970s is still influencing the demand for U.S. Dollars throughout Europe.  Even though the demand for oil in Europe may slow as their economies slow, they will continue to need oil from Saudi Arabia (at least while Iran is a political pariah in Europe.)  The conditions created by that 1971 agreement are going to suddenly change this fall (2012). China, Iran, Japan, and Russia have reached a collection of agreements that will support international trade in oil and many other products in Chinese Yuan. This Fall a commodities exchange will be launched to facilitate transactions for oil and other materials in non-Dollar currencies. This will result in further downward pressure on the value of the Dollar.  As more people worldwide turn their attention to the economic developments, which they can no longer ignore, they will find out how the Dollar Printing Presses have been working far faster than could be justified by the increased production of the U.S. , which those Dollars were supposed to represent.

    If all of that were not enough, there are some extremely well known and highly respected economists stating their belief that the world is, without it being officially announced, already engaged in mega-currency warfare.  Furthermore, China appears determined to play by a different monetary strategy than the U.S. and Western Europe .  China has in the last five years suddenly become the world’s greatest producer of gold and the greatest buyer of gold. It has also revealed itself to be the world’s largest holder of gold reserves. (The numbers provided by the CIA on their web site estimate Chin ’s real gold reserves are about twice as large as what China publicly revealed.   China has also publicly stated that the U.S. Dollar must be replaced as the world’s reserve currency. In addition, China and one of its new “special” trading partners, Japan , are known to hold nearly 15% of the total debt of the U.S. government.  There are other ways in which our own government has made our financial system inexplicably and seriously vulnerable to China specifically.
    .
    At some point, people in the U.S. will grasp the seriousness of their situation, and the fear of rapid inflation will begin to influence merchants and ordinary people in the U.S, They will begin to scramble for immediate cash before the “value of the Dollar” falls too far.  There have been instances of serious inflation (ten percent or more per year) in the U.S. within the last fifty years.  More and more economists are considering the possibility of super-inflation (more in the range of 100% per year) for more than a full year. At this rate the Dollar might drop in value to only 50 cents in one year, 25 cents in two years, and around 12 cents within three years.  So called hyperinflation (like in Germany in the 1920s) has actually occurred in a few countries within the last 60 years as well.  In those cases the hyper inflation was limited to a lone country or a very few countries at a time.   This time the underlying causes of super or hyper-inflation appear to be present in a wide multitude of countries across Europe as well as the United States . It therefore seems likely that this time super or hyper-inflation will not be limited by national borders.

    Based on historical precedents, once this economic turmoil catches hold, for quite some time to follow (five to ten years, perhaps more), the prices on precious metals will continue to rise. As the effects of severe inflation take hold, steady flow and availability of things being produced (including clean water, food, fuel, electrical power, etc.) will become more erratic and unreliable. People will become desperate to acquire essentials when they are not readily available. The cost of many things will climb so quickly that people will eventually lose their ability to pay conventional currency for bare necessities.  The value of silver coins will rise along with the popularity of bartering. History has shown that when a paper currency looses its value rapidly, people will begin using either gold or silver coins instead.  If there are not enough of these coins to support continuing commerce people will develop a local consensus for another form of currency when barter is too inconvenient.  There will be even more bartering attempted while some people will try to differentiate between the value of paper money and coins, especially silver coins. There is an inherent issue with the continuing rise in the value of silver coins. Most silver coins have been removed from circulation over the last 50 years. Their lack of availability may or may not affect how widely they will be accepted as currency. Remember, the Value of any currency is primarily a function of perception.  The need for cash with which to buy essentials, and “real” items may eventually slow the gold buyers in many countries. At some point in time, due to both the international markets and the greatly lessened value of most currencies; the price of Gold may become too high to be a good, liquid currency asset.  It is very hard to predict how this issue will pan out during the difficult transition that follows.  Just remember that when people are starving, most will realize they cannot eat gold. At some point the value of gold will stop climbing and eventually (maybe in five years, maybe in fifty years) it too will decrease in value.

    Eventually some form of currency will replace the current money, whether is a newly issued, devalued U.S. currency or some other currency, but it not without serious economic trauma.  There are already localized community groups that are creating currencies accepted by merchants in their locale.  The state of Utah recently passed a law stating that gold and silver are considered legal tender. The practice of bartering will obviously continue.  As a new or newly valued currency becomes more widely available and more widely accepted, currency transactions will eventually replace most but not all bartering transactions. Continuation of barter will gradually fade into more and more use of an agreeable currency, but how fast or slow is impossible to predict.  The man point here is that you need to remain alert to major swings in the value and the usability of various items used for barter, for currency, and for stored value.

    How Bad Will It Get?

    The most serious question is, “How bad will it get?”  No one really knows, but there are many, many guesses.  Everyone has their own guesses. Some base their guesses on calculations. Most use their imagination. Some try to project based on what they have seen, or read.  I will not try to impress you with my credentials for analyzing or predicting.  Let’s just say this is one man’s opinion, and I am probably either under estimating or over estimating the severity of how things will really work.  My best guess is that economically it will get at least as bad as the Great Depression in most of the U.S. and most likely much worse.  Also the response of the government(s) to the collapse and the political, sociological, and economic responses of the people to the difficulties will affect the progress of the collapse. I am quite certain that many cities will have riots because of angry and desperate people.  I was fortunate to not be in any of the cities where they occurred, but in the 1960s there were serious riots in many of the large U.S. cities. These riots were fundamentally about accumulated anger over difficult and frustrating conditions in certain sub-sections of those cities.  At the same time there were some riots that were purely political in origin.  I believe the difficulties, frustrations, and anger created by the economic turmoil ahead will dwarf what was going on in the sixties, and I was there in the sixties.  Even in the absence of riots it is very likely that gang activities and gang formation will be significantly elevated in many cities.   This will not be uniform across the country, nor will the government’s response to these troubles be uniform across the country.  I have heard genuine concerns about what the government might do, and the reality is that most of this is rumor, speculation, and conjecture based on many people trying to interpret bits of information they find disturbing.

    What I do know (and this is not conjecture) is that the federal government does have documented plans for dealing with these kinds of anticipated problems.  A number of people claim to have found evidence of active preparations by government agencies that refuse to give reasonable explanations for those preparations.  It is a fact that these plans that are published designate responsibilities and authorizations for various government agencies and appointed positions that are new and / or altered from their legislated authority. It is also a fact that most of the details of those government Plans for responding to these potential problems are Classified and unknown even to the leaders in Congress responsible for oversight of those agencies that have been designated within the plans.  Some of the Plan documents do provide for such contingencies as troops being used for “law  enforcement”, and confiscation and control of any “important resources” including food, water, power, industrial resources, human resources, and more. There have been many questioning the legality of some of the measures described in the non-classified portions of those plans, but the Supreme Court by precedent will not hear a case until an attempt is made to enforce that law, and a suit regarding that enforcement has already been tried in a lower court.  I also know that ongoing polls being conducted indicate a significant and growing distrust of the people toward the U.S. government.  Whether you witnessed it or not, our government has in the past commandeered all of these resources and more.

    There are currently a number of organizations and groups that are very concerned about some measures that were taken in New Orleans after Katrina.  Some of these organizations, based on interpretation of those events in New Orleans , have declared and published in advance their intentions to disobey specified types of orders that might be given to them by authorities in a declared emergency.  (My descriptions here are intentionally obtuse, because my own interpretation of the facts as I know them, and my knowledge of the veracity of a significant body of statements which have been issued by government entities have convinced me to be careful of what I say.)  I also understand, both through training and considerable observation, a lot about human nature. When faced with being deprived of access to things that are required for their survival; some people will simply give up, some will mentally zone out and follow the crowd, other people will resort to taking desperate and dangerous actions, and only a few will be prudent and deliberate about taking sensible action.. This is true whether the person is an individual in the community or an individual in a position of leadership and authority within the government.  Put that all together, and, it seems to me, you have a formula for a lot of very serious unpleasantness ahead.

    I have tried to discuss here what I am expecting.  Could it be worse? Oh, yes. Could it be less sever than I described?  Well, that is possible.  I have observed over and over in nature and in history a phenomena sometimes called Tipping Points.  Some of you call this “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.  There are many factor that affect our ability to cope and recover from problems that come along.  When an event like I have described weakens a society, it becomes far more vulnerable to potential disasters, whether natural or man made.  As mentioned earlier, there are countless possibilities that can affect the scenario above by either accelerating or worsening the process.  For example, there is currently a severe drought in the “American Breadbasket”.  We are already being told that this will have a significant impact on both food prices and fuel prices.  What effect might that have on the stability of the economy?  If we have a major natural disaster, could that tip a whole series of dominoes?  There is continuing tension and turmoil in the Middle East . What about community frustration being worse in some regions than in others due to uneven availability of jobs?. What if  geo-political strife boils over somewhere and the effects are felt in multiple countries?  When you set aside ideological biases of historians, it becomes very clear that throughout history the primary cause of wars has been economic crises being exploited by ambitious leaders. How would any of that affect the anticipated economic collapse?  Only time will tell.  It is impossible to adequately prepare for every known possibility; much less for those events that you may not realize are possibilities.  We have a responsibility to ourselves, our families, and our friends and neighbors to prepare as well as we know how for what we can reasonably anticipate.

    As you plan your preparations, consider one more concept. History shows that the greater the fall is the longer it takes to recover.   The markets take longer to recover from a 40% fall than from a 20% fall.  The recovery from the Great depression was much longer and more painful than the recoveries from any of the lesser recessions.  Some of the prudent economists have calculated that before this is over, the value of the dollar will have dropped 90%. Do not expect things to return to normal in just a few years.  Expect a completely new level of normal. With wisdom and hard work we can make the new normal gradually improve, but life is not normally smooth for very long.  As both the collapse and recovery drag on your  own self reliance balanced with your cooperation with other self reliant people will be crucial to the life you make for yourself, you family, your friends, and your community. Do not let your short or intermediate term preparations prevent your from preparing for long term issues.

    Prepare well, keep your family safe, help your neighbors when you can, and help to assure that we get it right when the rebuilding begins.

    This article originally appeared at Survival Blog.

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      268 Comments

      1. Just had a 6.6 in the Jan Mayen region north of 70 degrees north. Anything this big north of 70 grees, LOOK OUT! This means something big is coming within 7 days. Will look in more detail and try to figure out where later.

        • Yes BI…I just sent you a message on that.

          Great Article.

          • @ Tina and you don’t need to know. Here it is, the locations to watch out for. 85-90% sure that by September 6 that one of the following areas should be hit with a 6.6-7.8 earthquake:

            India, Pakistan, Iran area, maybe Nepal.
            Santa Cruz Islands to Samoa, New Zealand
            Central Chile
            Seattle to Gulf of Alaska
            New Guinea

            These areas are in direct line with the energy being released. It is really interesting to see how the past earthquakes in the past two weeks are lining up perfectly along the curve of the planet. The 7.7 lines up with the recent western Indian Ridge south of Austrailia with the 6.6 in Jan Mayen and that 6.6 lines up flawlessly with the 7.4 in El Salvador along the Mid Atalntic Ridge. Again, you can only see this on a globe using a flat piece of string or a tape measurer.

            I still say the San Andreas has a chance of breaking within the 2 week period, only 60% sure from the swarm that started on Sunday. This earthquake in the Arctic does not affect the San Andreas or is it a symptom of it. The San Andreas though is being affected from other places and sources of plate movement.

            Have some more earthquake north of 70 degrees north, not aftershocks, or earthquakes south of 60 degrees south and that confidence percentage will get closer to 100%.

            This area has only had 2 earthquakes since 1900 that have been around this size. This one was a big one, and indicating something to come, as 85-90% of the time this is the case when you get quakes north of 70 degrees north or south of 60 degrees south. This one was at 71 and 1/2 degrees.

            • Not very deep. Not good.

            • I say…start making your scrapbooks and photo albums (if you haven’t already) so in the near future you can look back and reminisce about the life you ONCE HAD.

              Life as we know it is changing as we speak and it will NEVER be the same as it once was.

            • I just went back and looked at all the earthquakes by the Arctic and Antarctica, and the total is 13 above 5.0. Most I’ve ever seen, definitely the highest magnitude level (and that’s just TODAY).

              Thank you for plotting those locations, that’s above my intellegence level at this point! =)

              If it hits the New Zealand area, it’s going to stir those active volcanoes down there.

            • Still say that these other locations are danger points that I gave. I knew that a very big earthquake was coming. It has to do with the magnetic poles. Those in the government will try to dismiss this as luck, yet time and time again this works. Still having trouble getting the exact location down though. Sure did predict the very large earthquake though. Will let everone know what else I see as it presents itself.

            • Nice call!

            • Wow 7.9 in phillipines. Very impressive BI

          • I had a conversation with a friend who works in a Federal Job. He is living high on the hog these days. He dosent even see the problems around him. Just bought a new house and 2 new cars. Thinks there is a never ending supply of easy money.
            Unfortunatly it probably wont change much for him even in a collapse.

            • Capben:
              And just what “job” does this “friend” hold?Your description smells like a smear job for people who work in the Federal Sector.The “high on the hog”,”dosent(?)even see the problems”,”just bought a house and two cars”.Logic dictates that didn’t happen via ANY banker I know of these days.Most Federal Workers that I know(far more than one) are afraid of being outsourced and fired.Your “friend” must WELL connected and near the top to be able to do what you say he has done.
              GFG

            • Likely not a smear job. All Capben is describing is exactly what one would expect in this type of economy. This isn’t referring to postal workers. The GOOD government jobs cannot be outsourced and often require actual skill as well as TS/SCI security clearance. There are federal jobs out there that pay more than the President makes.

            • @Greyfoxgreen
              He works for the department of agriculture.
              He earns quite a lot and does not do much of anything as far as I can tell. I think he only works 4 days a week because he is always home on fridays.
              He is a nice guy. Just dosent see anything wrong at all with the economy. His economy is great and most of his friends are doing well too.
              But like you say im sure the ax will drop sooner or later for many but his job does seem pretty secure and he has no worries at all about losing it.

            • Isn’t this an excellent example of typical human nature. People think in the short-term in their own self-interest. My 22years as a trial lawyer convince me that the voters will elect more short-term fixes and the system will eventually collapse. Just a question of how long the government can tweak the band-aids.

        • OMG BI, I saw those 5 earthquakes with a 7.0 in the artic and came right to this site to see what you had to say…LOL. OMG is all I can say!!!!!!!!!!

          And there’ve been 6 now in that watchout area!!!!

          And a 4.1 in France. WOW

          EVERYTIME THERE HAS BEEN AN EARTHQUAKE IN THOSE REGIONS WE’VE HAD A 6+ EARTHQUAKE!!!!

        • I’ve been waiting 5 years for this collapse! The longer it takes to happen the worst it’s going to be!!!

          “My best guess is that economically it will get at least as bad as the Great Depression in most of the U.S. and most likely much worse.” –
          I CONCUR!!!!!

          • The writer is long winded.
            Basically what we have is the IOU game being played.
            The fed reserve (the middle man/broker for the US govt) writes IOUs to the banks to fund the govt’s spending spree. The govt writes IOUs to the fed res. with our names on it (US citizens) then taxes us to pay the interest on the IOUs to the banks that already have the tax payers money, as deposits. Banks use the tax payers money to lend to the govt via the middle man(the fed res.) and then makes a killing on the interest from the IOUs.
            Then we get the fed res. selling the IOUs to other nations which the tax payer is the co-signer(unbeknowingly). The banks shut down/fold or desolve with no recourse for the depositors. The tax payer has lost his/her deposits and then is in hock to the holder of the IOUs (enslaved/endebted).
            The banks, IOU holders, and the fed res. with the politicians are able to create the inflation/economic collapse upon the American people.
            We the people are broke, not through our spending, but through theft. The theft which couldn’t have happened without taxation. So when tptb talk about raising taxes, you know it is only to enslave the American people even more (encreasing the gap between the haves and have nots). The dollar right now is nothing more than an IOU which has lost its credibility to cover the debt.
            And you all want to talk earth quakes? The present economy is a quake like we’ve never seen before, topping 10.0 and above a catergory 5 hurrican.

            • You Are Absolutely Right DRD5508- The topics today are Earthquakes, Abortion, gay marriage and vote red or blue and have become the ONLY important issues to waste votes, while the economic future is being destroyed!

              Americans have become economic slaved and everything we produce or own is subject to the whims of the government pleasure.

              Where the fuck is everybody’s head at???

              respectfully M.I.

            • DRD..we all know the FRNs are basicly IOUs..I’m spending them on preps as fast as I can!!!

            • jay, me too.

            • DRD, it goes a step farther than that. The IOUs have a maritime lien attached and are property of a private foreign corporation. You have been hypothecated (pledged) to pay for the use of them.

              The result is that not only do you pay interest on them, but whatever you “buy” with them is attached to a maritime lien, held by the creditors, thus the Admiralty jurisdiction is imposed in any dispute involving their use to protect the owners of the IOUs.

              Why didn’t I think of that? What a scam, and 99% of the people are clueless and wouldn’t believe it if you showed them the proof. I know because I have tried.

            • “off topic”

              Great great article I was just reading, GC you’ll probably find this to your liking, as well as any other free minds. Just a wonderful piece!

              w.theamericanconservative.com/repository/anarchists-progress/

            • thats how it all started ,,,fed gave gov.a check book with unlimited writing,,,on a bank that didnt exist,,for money that didnt exist

            • @ DRD5508 amd M.I. If the New Madrid fault breaks it will cost trillions at least and thrust the economy right into the meat grinder. If the San Andreas breaks 8+ the economy is cooked and done trillions of dollars later. I truly believe that the economy will fall with a disaster such as a mega earthquake, a war in the Middle East, a widespread terrorist attack, or so many others. The economy is like a battleship that has been hammered waiting for the last torpedo to sink it. Losing california and or 7-10 states in the Midwest and the oil pipelines would do it from a mega earthquake(s). Natural disasters are that important to the economy if and when they do occur.

            • A Banksters defeatism nightmare, Being forced to Return to Real Money=United States Note=Lawful Money, remove the elastic money from the system, and pay off the national debt.. The real reason you pay an income tax, is for the privilege of using a private currency. Also known As A: Federal Reserve Note, Demand from your bank or brokerage, lawful money and the tax goes away, with a tax exemption on lawful money, all of your money is yours. Use the Remedy within the Federal Reserve Act. http://savingtosuitorsclub.net/ Stop being a Slave!!!!!! This is Tax Free Money!!!!!!!! For the short version see http://www.stormthunder.com

          • MI, I see it something like this. If the world has a combined debt of xx.xx then divide that by the 1 billion known ounces of gold and that will be the new price of gold. That is why the big boys are hording it now.

            Also, the N.W.O. will print new money totaling xx.xx. It will be let’s say one tenth of the money we have now in the world so when we exchange it we will only get one tenth of the number we exchange.

            The price of goods will probably remain high so in the end we are all dirt poor. Except for the holders of PM’s.

            What do you guys think, am I way off or kind of close?

            • @SF – I believe you are 100% correct sir! Hoard Away or be piss poor and have no choice but to rely on them, which is exactly what they want, and will get it with the few exceptions!!!

            • I don’t think prices will remain high. The biggest variable has to do with what your standard of living will be. Will we become subsistence farmers living in poverty without electricity or modern equipment? Or will we be forced to live in mega-cities as part of the UN’s Agenda 21? Either way, I see us being much poorer without the industrial base America used to have.

            • Gold hits $3000/oz by end of 2014 easy, and $5000/oz by 2015.

        • It’s a government conspiracy!!! They’re gonna fracture the Nazca, Andreas, Pacific plate lines and stuff and things RIGHT IN HALF. There’s gonna be a volcanic eruption that covers the globe in a mile of ice.

          AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! Nutter.

          • Big Perm, it won’t be ice it will be ash. And it won’t be a mile it will be about 3 inches. Have a drink, it’s on me.

            • That’s ok. I was totally making fun of these earthquake nutters.

          • @ Big Perm. It is always nice to see someone making totally asinine comments about something they don’t know jack about eating crow the next day.

            • I’m sorry, remind me about which crow I’m eating you nutbag.

            • @ Big Perm or malcolm or whatever you go by. You started it yesterday by putting down natural disasters that affect the economy and the whole world, this is what this site is about preparing and trying to figure out scenarioes. DUH! When someone has a theory about natural disasters or the finances of the world and is trying to warn people so they can get ready, this is positive. DUH! Mac puts on articles all the time to show what is going on, some of them pan out right away, some don’t, but this is to make people aware. DUH!

              Anyone that gets on and makes fun of a theory has more than a right to do this, but not having anything reason to counter or intelligently debate the article or comment and spouting off like an imbecile makes someone look like a mongoloid trying to make noise to gain attention. Then when they call everyone that is interesting in a subject a nutter, it shows what a loser they are actually. It shows that they probably have much difficulty in writing, speaking, functioning as someone that grunts an awful lot. It’s nothing to be ashmed of to be born an idiot, but there are classes to take to be able to understand the very basics, it is called the first grade.

              Big perm if that is whom you are said that they were making fun of the nutters. Obviously this is a total put down to the theory and those listening to it and totally denying and saying that it was bunk and full of crap. Anyone that says such is proven wrong and eats crow.

              I might personally disagree with people on certain issues, but I try to present a different point of view and then allow others to make their own judgement, this is what is called debate. By the way the government hides a lot, like the blackened out ammunition purchases in an earlier artile, again DUH!

              Long ago people use to think that forecasting hurricanes to where they land and how strong they were was impossible like they think earthquakes is now. Well since then people are now walking upright and not dragging their knuckles and now know the planet is not flat.

              You want to get into a name calling contest from which I said nothing to begin with, forget it. It is better to laugh and see how ridiculous and total fools the monkeys at the zoo make of themselves.

        • holy crap you guys called it 7.9 just hit
          Tsunami alert issued after major 7.9-magnitude earthquake near Philippines
          wow

        • Hey Chicken little. Relax.

        • Just had a 7.9 off the coast of Costa Rica (by Sept 6). What is next in the line up of events?

      2. It’s been said before: If you can’t hold it, you don’t own it. Get your preps, add to your preps, convert paper/electronic assets to tangible goods.

        • “It’s been said before: If you can’t hold it, you don’t own it.”

          Yes, that has been said before. Also said before is, “If it can be taxed, you don’t own it”. The proof of this can be had by not paying the tax and seeing what happens to the item in question.

        • I have waded through many comments. so far, your short comment makes as much sense as any. a simple, easy to understand plan. And this time, I really mean it, when I say I don’t think we have much time to spare. good advice Mr.Parker.

      3. On many fronts I would like it to happen because America needs it’s dependents thinned out. On the other hand, I know alot of us arn’t ready including myself. Preppers will NEVER be finished prepping because as the collapse happens we will discover our deficiencies(sp?). Until then we need to keep an eye on the police state that is advancing FAST, preps won’t do much good when you’re in a camp.

        • Wow….dependants pressing the thumbs down button. Get a job and quit living off my back.

          • For everyone else that hits the thumbs down button, remember, these are the people that will be soaking up most of your spent round as they come to get what you’ve worked hard for.

            • I really like this site but some of the responses I’ve read lead me to believe the bankers have already won.They have did a wonderful job of dividing the country and that won’t end after the collapse. You’ll still be fighting and killing eaoh other to even be taken seriously.

            • Ohcumgache I will assume you are ready to provide for all these children. The Herd must be thin and that includes all that do not have a way to survive. If a child has a useless parent the odds are they will be a useless person. So yes if they are in the horde that tries to take what I work for. Yes spent round will be all around.

            • I understood you but I stand with his statement. I know I am going to have issue with that very thing. But I have seen where the useless for a lack of a better term destroyed entire villages. Mostly because the “Producer” gave in to the I can work. The most successful communities in the world live by the strong survive. We have allow to many weak to be allowed. Many will say I could of been me that was weak. Well then I shouldn’t have been help If I can not do it. It doesn’t get done.

              And I will ask again post a plan that will get the “Less fortunate” working. I have never seen or heard of one that works. Except thinning the herd.

          • INFIDEL,

            I gave you a thumbs down and I am not a dependant, because what you said is deplorable, in my opinion. Your second post is even worse, in my opinion. A lot of these people that you so cavalierly refer to as dependants, are children, the elderly, unemployed, handicapped and mentally impaired. If you don’t like what I say then you know where the thumbs down button is. Your message seems to be, let them all die and then you won’t have to waste bullets killing them? If you weren’t an INFIDEL then you might have more compassion.

            • Odd, the wife and I were just discussing this very thing. We, ourselves are tired of the “useless eaters” living off of our hard work. I say cut off all welfare. Let them get jobs or stand in soup lines. As far as I’m concerned, they can starve.

            • Heretic, INFIDEL,

              Are you two related? Cut off all welfare? Sad to hear you say that. Some play and use the system, and they should be held accountable, but many are actually in need of assistance, especially since this administration has made certain that there are so few jobs. Good luck, hope you never need a hand out. Your names say it all. To each his own. I will live by my standards and code of ethics, you will live by yours.

            • Compassion is a function of abundance.

              You don’t get it.

              I assure you your local enforcement agencies shall have none.

            • For 40+ years ” feed the children ” in Africa has been going on. How has that been working out. Tribal war, aids, corruption. What the fuck does that place add to the world? Nothing. I can feel sorry for those people all day long and it is not small childrens fault but it’s like they (adults) NEVER advance. NEVER, in any way. Is feeding them going to change that? Now compare that to America. It’s only getting worse.

            • As I see it, the biggest welfare claimants of the lot have been the banks. Here in the UK, I’m still waiting to hear exactly when these too “big to fail” fraudsters intend on refunding the taxpayer (with interest).

              I suspect many in the US are asking the same question.

              As a Christian I can’t see I’ve seen any signs of penitence or remorse from the criminals that threaten an entire civilisation as yet.

              I’m also sick of seeing youngsters who SHOULD be starting out on life’s journey full of enthusiasm and eagerness, beaten back at every attempt to gain honest regular work/training. Hard working folks with families to raise, are losing their livelhoods with no hope of finding future business/jobs and old folk have been robbed blind of their lifesavings and pension funds.

              Despite this people STILL continue to blame the most vulnerable. There are many joining the welfare lines right now, that a decade ago would have never have imagined themselves in that position. Divide and conquer at it’s most effective – the daylight bank robbery continues unabated, and we all slip into the abyss.

            • Ohcumgache: Most of the folks here aren’t talking about the weak and infirm, the ones that can’t take care of themselves. Descent people have a duty to care for such people, and most of us will from our own supplies if necessary. They, we, are talkng about the multi-generational welfare “professionals” who game the system. And this means blacks, hispanics and, PWTT (poor white trailer trash). They only want more of what they can get for free and that includes taking things from people by force in any bad situation. They are the ones (useless eaters) that will come looking for our gold and silver but end up just getting lead from the business end of our guns. We won’t go looking for them but should they try and take what’s ours, they’ll end up face down in the street. I hope that clears it up for you some.

            • Welfare is not the federal government’s job. It is nowhere to be found among the enumerated powers assigned to the federal government by the constitution. If I kept more of my income, I would have more to give to those I know are in need. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a stingy Democrat. It has been shown that liberals give less to charity than conservatives. When Clinton was president and his tax returns were made public, I found that I had given much more to charity than he did, even though he is a millionaire. I may be eligible for Social Security in a few years, but I would vote to wind down the program.

            • Facebook,

              You missed my whole point. I never stated that I would not protect what is mine if need be, but to brag about wanting them to die off so he didn’t have to waste bullets, is absolutely uncalled for. Humanity is something that is in short supply in all walks of life. I am speaking about being human and decent, I never said anything that could be twisted the way you have done.

            • Read my reply above.

            • Facebook,

              Getting through to you is hopeless. Read what I said again, (IT WAS THE WAY HE SAID IT!!!) That is where his and obviously your humanity is non existant.

            • Ohcumgache, facebook, and infadel: I think you guys are talking about different people. There are people that work the system, then there are people that are down on their luck, in transition or what ever you want to call it.
              There are plenty of people in this country and probably on this site still working now who are a couple lost paychecks away from needing assistance. If times get worse the numbers will rise sharply. Are they worthless eaters as well?
              Everyone assumes that because someone does something to prepare for something to come, they will come out unscathed. Much of survival depends on mere luck. Has anyone ever packed for a 2 week camp and found out when they arrived that something was left at home? No problem just go to walmart and buy it. What happens when your life depends on having that item and there is no walmart. And it could be anything from medical things or knowledge to shelter in a snow storm or high ground in a flood. Everyone will depend on their neghbor at some point. We will all need charity at some point if things go bad.
              Whenever I think about thinning of the human herd I also have to be aware that nature doesn’t care who dies until she reaches her equalibrium. Disease, starvation, any kind of violent death, nature cares less.

            • Saddleup,

              I give you a thumbs up.

            • You don’t get it…do you? I’m not talking about those types of people. If that’s what you inferred then go read it again. You said “your message seems to be let them die”, get real idiot I did not infer that at all. Your emotions betray you, I think midol could help.

              I’m an INFIDEL because I will not sumbit to islam, and I have more compassion than you know, just not for the takers that will get violent at a hint of disruption.

          • I just gave you a thumbs down because you’re the type who needs to be thinned. We’re a nation, not a mob, idiot.

            • “If I were the Devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.”
              -Paul Harvey, 1964

            • ~~~We’re a nation, not a mob.~~~
              Oh, when the chit hits the fan, those here supporting moochers might get a first hand view of the mob mentality–it will be the moochers.
              I have a sister, her daughter, and her daughter receiving $100 dollars less than my dh with his disability, and his SS each month.
              Wanta know how much these walmart-addictive shoppers are prepped??
              DON’T EVEN GO THERE, COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE.

              I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion…Alexander the Great

            • Lowtolerance – I just gave YOU a thumbs down because your tolerance isn’t low enough.

            • Lowtolerance – A nation of oppurtunity, not welfare.

            • We are a nation, but people need to stand on their own feet. I know more people who genuinely need help but can’t get it from government, thankfully for them they have to give them a helping hand to get them back on their feet. However, I can look right down the street and behold a perfectly physically able man and woman, who has a pile of children living on food stamps. Then those children grew up to get on food stamps, never worked a day in their life, and have pile of children of their own. They need to shut their legs and get out and get a job instead of living off the back of taxpayers.

            • *they have family to help them, I meant.

            • Yes, you may get your wish. I worry alot about catching a round by one of your buddies and not being able to defend my wife and children. God is moving in my life and has been the past few years. I firmly believe he doesn’t want us to submit to tyranny. We’re a nation for now, the mob you defend will be at your door step and then you too will be thinned.

          • Infidel, you didn’t say anything wrong. OHCUM, give us your address so I can redirect the horde to your house for endless food, water and compassion. We all have compassion, but on the chronically lazy I have none. A lot of us have had to cut things out of our lives, why should I show any compassion to the chronically lazy when they show up and say “give me my free sh!t”? Infidel, the thumbs down is what it looks like when Obamas voters show up for work. The next step for them is looting. So yeah, you didn’t say anything wrong. When it comes time to open up on the lead dispenser, then that is the obvious sign that the times of “pretty please” and “mother may I” are long over.
            Here’s a good example of the useless eaters and human weeds that suck off of us. My ex works a bar, a lady from her complex shows up and orders a couple of drinks but mentions that she can’t order any more until her friends arrive because she “gets her paycheck tomorrow”. Funny thing, this lady doesn’t work, she’s on every .gov program she could find to give her “free money”. So how is it a paycheck? My ex is so sickened by this lady, the audacity to call it a paycheck, as if she worked for it. Then her friends show up and buy her drinks, and she treats my ex like she’s her personal slave because her friends are there to buy her drinks. This is what we see, daily, and for anyone to thumbs down, or piss and moan about the leeches, is retarded at best. It is a mentality, and that’s what we despise.
            In a disaster, we as Americans pull together as a community and make it work. As things devolve, we can no longer give charitably to our community, and look to the needs of ourselves. What is society, but a bunch of individual selves that makes up a greater body of people. If they aren’t taking care of themselves, then no one is. And then the charity goes away. And the chronically lazy go away with the charity. In certain circumstances, the “check of the month club” recipients turn violent, and we pull out our lead dispensers to defend what we have. And if you’re female, your preps aren’t the only thing they’re going to try to take by force.
            Infidel, spot on. Anyone who disagrees, feel free to give us your ammo, we’ll put it to good use.

            • Well Said

            • Ochumgache O si yo u do!

              Will say it in english instead of native american
              What do you expect from them? Remember our past. Remember what we did and in return what they did. It never will change. It is not their fault it is not our fault as a race we never will change.

            • Charity ceases to be charity when you’re forced to provide it with a boot on your throat.

              Charity is what people dispensed before welfare became the norm. It made you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

              Welfare is what you provide when the government puts a gun to your head. It fills you gut with bile and makes you grind your teeth.

              Charity actually -works- because those that “need” come with humility to those that -have- and then do their best to get back on their feet and reclaim their pride.

              Welfare fails because those who “need” come to believe they are -entitled- to what they receive and see no need to change.

              I don’t go to church but I pay respect to the churches of old (or moreover their patrons) who made damn sure that nobody starved to death on their watch.
              A church could get you clothes and work and put you back on the path to success.

              The welfare line on the other hand boasts a somewhat poorer track record.

              Real Americans do not let people starve or die of cold, but they also don’t cotton to being robbed so that bums can “take their due”.

              The End

        • “…preps won’t do much good when you’re in a camp.”

          Which is exactly why no sane person will be going to any damned camps. People need to grasp the concept that camps are not about helping us, they are about controlling and possibly eliminating us. The Jews went peacefully to “camps” in the 1940s. We know how well that worked out for them. Let’s not make that same mistake. If anyone tries to get me or my family to a camp, that will be the time to fight like Hell. No matter how that fight ends, it will be better than going to a camp and becoming a caged animal.

        • All this compassion for the “less fortunate” is making me feel like puke. Yea, there are persons that don’t deserve entitlements like welfare and food stamps(EBT); but, what is even worse is taxpayer dollars going to help the Palestinians and other muslims that will gladly take our taxpayer $$ in one hand while slipping a blade from under their robes in order to slit our throats.

          If you feel like bitchin’ about takers and users, please start with the foreigners.

          • TPTB use the word “Compassion” instead of “Bribe”. Been a lot of that going around the lately.

            • I believe true compassion would be the “nation” (actually individuals) donating to those in need, instead of having the money stolen from them at gun point by those who get paid (from the stolen money) to say “these people need help, and we’re going to take the money from you to pay us, so that we can give a little of it to them because you’re all to dumb to do it without our help”. There are also routes aside from supermarkets to produce food and the like. Even in an apartment you can still grow your own food, most of the people on welfare are definately too lazy to even have the thought or consider it “shameful” to do as it doesnt meet the status quo. Also, its ones own job to produce work for themselves. Please stop thinking its somebodys’ responsibility to provide for you or anyone else. People would be much more compassionate/generous in a free society where the government wasnt stealing from everyone just to provide a job for themselves. Sorry people, living on this earth is a privilege not a right, man up or get out.

            • peteropolis, affirmative on that.

            • Sorry Burt, should’ve been farther up @ Ochumgache

          • “If you feel like bitchin’ about takers and users, please start with the foreigners.”

            I started with the “crimmigrant” illegals right here at home. Let’s start here first.

            • You mean the folks that now have more right than the legal native born? The same thing happened in ancient Sparta. Shortly after there was a revolution.

          • What I’m referring to is a UN fund, that is essentially welfare, with checks disbursed to thousands of Palestinians every month because they are classified as refugees. The USA taxpayer is responsible for 25% of that fund. I wonder how many other UN based funds there are that US taxpayers are on the hook for? No, don’t tell me, I’m too pissed already.

          • I think you are confusing skin color with profession. It’s the bankers who are slipping you the blade brother. Those “Palestinians and other muslims” you refer to have been getting the short end of the deal for a long time. Racism is blinding you.

            • @ Newweh Gahnin,

              If hating anyone evil, that wants to kill me or mine because we are white, and Christian, and American, is racist; then by all means, I’m a racist American and proud of it!

              I don’t care if your skin color is yellow,blue,black or pink with polka dots; if you are washed in the blood of Christ, then you “are” a “brother” or “sister” of mine and you may call me brother. If not, just keep the brother stuff to yourself.

              As far as “Palestinians and other muslims”, “getting the short end of the deal”; Why should American citizens have to conform to “their” way of life here in America? Why haven’t their own country’s governments tried to help them with all their “petrol dollars” instead of spending it on weapons and militarys to use against their own people? I’ll tell you why. They will never have peace or compassion in their hearts while placing their faith in a false god.

            • Nehweh, It is simple; his gods better than your god. If you disagree, he may kill you. Case closed. His guns bigger than your gun. All some people live for is hate.

          • I don’t think we send as much in foreign aid by a long shot. That being said, I totally agree. All foreign aid should cease immediately.

        • I would like to have the collapse happen before the economy gets so bad that I have to eat all my stored food.

          The problem though is that the collapse will kill millions. Most likely in excess of 250 million. I can’t wish that on anybody. I also can’t fathom a disaster so immense that it kills virtually everyone alive that I know outside of my house.

      4. When? Soon.
        What? Tough Times.

        • Posted on Fox News…

          Why we are on the brink of the greatest Depression of all time

          …”none of the current commentaries mention the “why’s” of this slow motion economic collapse…beyond the obvious — mountains of deficit and debt. None of them mention the dysfunctional structure of the current U.S. economy and the massive changes in the work ethic and mindset of the average American.”

          “This time we are in such deep trouble, the only solution is a radical restructuring of the politicians, the economy, and the way we view personal responsibility versus government handouts.”

          (www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/23/why-are-on-brink-greatest-depression-all-time/?intcmp=trending)

            • Thanks for that FoxNews link KY Mom, that they even carry such news, is kinda ‘wow’ – should awaken a few more sheeple over in the US.

            • Rabid Cat,

              You are welcome! 🙂

              KY Mom

            • If we don’t die from the coming great depression, we will die from fright that its coming. Good Grief.

            • Thanks for sharing KY Mom!

          • Hey “MOM”,….Those cucumbers have been at the computer for three days now. Ya want me to put em in the fridge ?

            • Hey Ralph

              You are really an a$$hole! If you can’t say anything helpful or intelligent, then do us all a favor and STFU!

            • Hey “Ralph”, too late. They’ve already been put up. Too bad you didn’t have the brains to do it yourself, much less notice.

        • This has been a real focus of mine as I am intrigued on what will tip the first dominoe.

          http://www.thehomeforsurvival.com/2012/01/20/event-starts-shtf/

          I still think it’s $8-10 gas but an outside chance it could be a widespread grid outage. I was down south recently and was amazed at near $4 gas given the poverty I saw. I thought, how do these people survive?

          No signs of getting better.

          • Definitely a possibility. The price of certainly greased the track for the 2008 slide.

          • The Fed has been creating billions of new dollars every month since March of 2009. The dollar is living on borrowed time. At some point, panic selling of the dollar will begin. The process will accelerate, nobody will want to hold dollars, and the dollar will become worthless. Could happen in less than 10 days from the time it starts. Panic selling of the dollar could start at any time but most likely after another debt downgrade or QE3 is announced.

          • im not sure where you live so I cant judge what you mean when you say south however at the worst where i lived (CA)it was almost at $5.

        • How? Prep as if your life and the lives of your family members depend on it.

          Why? Because if you do not, you will experience what it is to be road kill on the failing economic super-highway.

          Where? Anyplace where you can build a sustainable place to live that has good water and soil that will allow you to grow your own food and fuel.

          • On this note by 41magman, I am reminded of the whiners that have nowhere to store food…I am not one.
            BUT, if I had to move my children in one room using bunkbeds, just to have have a room for wall to wall food, hey, I’d do it.
            That breakfast room?? sining room??? 12 X 14 is a lot of square footage to store all types of food and supplies.
            When this goes down, I have no sympathy for those that have their priorities wrong.
            There are none so blind as those who will not see.

            peace…jayjay

            • dining room..duh

            • You can store a lot of canned food under each 6’X 3′ bed…behind the couch and under chairs.

          • I live in town. There’s no good soil for a garden. I can’t afford to move so I’m bugging in. I’m like a lot of people who are betting that the collapse won’t last more than a year or however long we have food stored for.

      5. The only problem is the issuance of money and who controls it. The whole collapse could be eliminated simply by printing interest free, debt free, US Notes to replace all existing FRNs, including checking and savings accounts for individuals, and giving a 100% haircut to all other types of Fed paper, such as bonds, repatriating the stolen property, and turning the banksters over to those they have defrauded.

        Unfortunately, that will never happen.

        • “turning the banksters over to those they have defrauded” Sadly, you’re right. It won’t happen under current or future regimes that continue to ignore the rule of law. I can guarantee one thing, if pitch fork parties were allowed, when this type of fraud occurs, it wouldn’t be so prevalent.

          • Pitchfork parties are allowed, you just have to form one, then oppose whoever is in the way of you forking the fraudulent party. Tough job, but allowed if You let it be. Free country, free world, do as you please.

          • Navy Vet- What about torches? WHAT ABOUT THE TORCHES?? A pitchfork party without torches. Yeah right!

        • “… and giving a 100% haircut to all other types of Fed paper, such as bonds, repatriating the stolen property, and turning the banksters over to those they have defrauded.”

          Unfortunately, a lot of US Treasury bonds are not owned by the banksters but by older Americans and retirement plans. These bonds represent a good part of the life savings of our fellow citizens and should not cast aside so casually. The patient needs surgery, not being hacked with an ax.

          • Good point, but that can be addressed by printing enough notes to cover private domestic retirement funds, IRA’s, etc. Anything belonging to the People can easily be returned.

            In other words, print enough of them to pay off the People, but not foreign investors. Let the banksters pay them with their life, and whatever property they can get from them.

            Public pensions for bureaucrats that sold out would be another story.

        • No, the collapse can’t be prevented by printing new money. That’s totally impossible.

      6. There are too many tipping points to mention, and times will likely not return to the way they were for years or ever. This world is going to go through some major upheavals from nature and mankind. Even after the 2008 fall, the real price of the stock market is still down a lot from what it is when priced into REAL MONEY, precious metals. For the stock market to actually be valued where it was in 2008 at it highest of 14,100, if precious metals were priced in, it would have to be in the 25,000 range. 13,000 right now really is about 7000-8000 if 2008 precious metal prices are used.

        This is a big fat deception to FOOL everyone into thinking just because the stock market is near to where it was back in 2008, that the recovery is almost complete. What a pile of pig manure that is. Print and print and make it appear like everything is fine, all the while your dollar buys less and less. Companies then will keep the price of what they are selling and reduce considerably what is in the container. Then they will tell you they are reducing the size of the container because they are trying to save the environment from too much trash.

        This is one of the worst parts of what is going on right now, the utter lying and false show that is going on to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. What is pathetic is, it works for the majority of the masses because most people are too lazy to think and see what is actually going on.

        Often times some individuals will criticize articles like this, but people need this to show them all the deceit and illusions that are going on. Certain individuals will often point out that it has not happened yet, but if the price of true money is factored in, IT HAS happened. True that the collpase has not totally imploded, but like a terminal illness the signs are there that it will someday, probably sooner than later.

        • I agree, BI. Pricing the stock market in terms of a failing fiat currency is like using an ever shrinking yardstick to measure the size of our property. Look, it’s getting bigger! No, actually, it’s not! We just think that it is.

          One thing that can open people’s eyes is a chart of the Dow 30 Industrials as measured in gold vs. time. This chart looks FAR different than the one showing the Dow 30, as measured in US dollars, vs. time. Charts like this are easily found via a web search for “Dow 30” and “gold”. You will not find any reference to this on CNBC or Bloomberg, however.

          We see this same effect when looking at the gold and silver prices… as if the value of these depends upon the value of dying fiat currencies! In every measuring system, there is one thing that is held unchanged. It is the standard by which all else is measured and to which all else is compared. In monetary terms, this is gold. The “price” of gold is unchanging. What does change, of course, is the value of the fiat currencies. These changes make it appear as if the value of gold is changing but it isn’t. What a gram of gold can buy today, it can also buy tomorrow. Silver is similar. It too is a valuable metal that has been recognized and used as money for more than 4,000 years. In 1960 a gallon of gasoline cost $0.25. That same 90% US silver quarter is now worth almost $6 in fiat currency. It can buy well over a gallon of gasoline today. In terms of silver, gasoline is cheaper today than it was 50+ years ago.

          This is what we need to do to determine the real value of things. Compare their prices to something else that is both real and desirable. US fiat dollars are not real money. They are fake money that are zapped up out of thin air, borrowed into existence with interest due on them, lose value over time, and will eventually collapse… like ALL other fiat currencies before it.

          The entire floating currency model is nothing more than a plan to defraud people out of their life savings. This can be done with fiat currency via inflation, an effect that is virtually unique to fiat currency. Gold and silver cannot be created by governmental fiat. They are REAL money and they retain REAL value over time.

          Yes, the lies are many and gullible people do believe them. Unemployment at 8.x%? HA! Only if they manipulate the numbers to achieve that which is not true. REAL unemployment is in the area of 15%. This includes people who have would like to work but have given up looking. The government simply stops counting them when their unemployment benefits run out. There are another 7% of so of people who want full time jobs but can only find part time work or work that is considerably below their capabilities. They also are not counted because they do not fit the model. Reality is often like that with poorly or deviously constructed models.

          They do the very same thing with inflation. The Fed said that inflation was 3.5% in 2011. Of course, to reach that desirable number, we must not include the costs of food or fuel. This is OK because no one really needs to buy those, do they? Well, actually, they do! If they are included, real inflation rises to around 10%! So, here we have another broken or devious model that shows us to be in better shape than we think we are and the Fed and gov policies to be working better than they are. Sorry, but the reality is that they are not working and by a considerable margin. Calling cow pies chocolate pies does not make them chocolate. It also does not make them edible… unless you really are a Sheeple. In that case, you believe whatever drivel the gov and the Fed feel like spouting.

          • @ 41MagMan, I wish I could give you more than one thumbs up, that was an excellent explanation. You know they did a study with primates; chimps, gorillas, etc., and monkeys about learning the concept of getting less than someone else. This included all sorts of shapes and sizes and the monkeys and apes figured it out with no problem what was less even when deceived. In fact your basic street pigeon figured it out most of the time. Kind of amazing how most humans can’t figure out how the government and companies are rear ending them at all angles.

        • Hello everyone, I’ve been de-connected for the past 7days, a planned exercise at the WCS (worst case scenario) BOL. All I will say is it was a exremely humbling experience. I’m tryimg to get up to speed, I see much has taken place in a week. First I want to say a prayer for those in plaquemine (persimmon) parish and the gulfcoast region. Looks like Biden and Isaac took a detour. BI you briefly mentioned it in a article a couple of Weeks ago “what is it about 2012?” There is so much coming together at once, it really makes you wonder. The governor of Alaska prepping?? Sounds like hes been briefed as to whats really going on. I see more and more financial gurus are relieving themselves of what they know about the economic implosion. I wonder is it guilt or conscious?? People we are in for some rough waters. We have a lot of forces that have surrounded us on all sides, My week long experiment has shown me that even though I thought I might be ready, SMH (shaking my head) theres still much to be done. Oh, Hill hermit dont let a few thumbs down get to you….and N.O. you’re hard but truthful. With Goodspeed, prep hard, stay alert, stay invisible.

          • Gregory–I would be much interested in the areas you found yourself lacking.
            Thanks for a response.
            NOt solar, stuff like that, but provisions.

        • BI, ‘This is one of the worst parts of what is going on right now, the utter lying and false show..’, agree 100% with you. It is a shame not more people can see it. Just glad we can.
          Then to add to: ‘Certain individuals will often point out that it has not happened yet’. It has happened to over 23 mil.Americans and growing, it’s just that the nay sayers can’t accept it. It is only a matter of time before it hits everyone else.

          • Count me in that 23 million Americans that it has already happened to. Our house is in short sale, looking to rent, but you have to have good credit to rent (?) and trying to prep is taking it’s toll…….

      7. GC,,,”repatriating the stolen property and turning the banksters over to those they have defrauded. Unfortunately, that will never happen.” Oh yes it will! You can that to prayer or the bank, but it will happen.

        • Swift, sure just like the Reds did in Russia 1917, or again in Spain 1930’s. Oh, how about those rotten land owners in Cuba 1950’s. Maybe we can do a Pol Pot thing and just kill anyone with any sort of education, huh?

          Boy I sure do hate the Rich! Because they have been more successful than me, I guess.(sarcasm)

          ” You shall not steal” and “You shall not covet, your neighbor’s goods” Exodus Chapter 20

          • I for one hope that it would happen, but there needs to be a mass awakening first and most appear to content in their sleep, refusing to even acknowledge the problem.

            Gods Law will certainly overcome the problems of mans law, but not until the people accept Gods Law again.

          • The Reds killed more of the unwashed masses than they ever did Russian capitolist. Pol Pot was homicidal maniac. What does he have to do with anything, other than diverting attention away from the issue? I do not covet my neighbors goods. But , I do covet what’s mine and if you (anyone) steals it, I have no problem getting it back, regardless of the force necessary to pull it off. While I have read some on the Spanish civil war, mostly battles, I’m not informed enough to comment. Ditto Cuba.

          • “You may make slaves of foreigners” Exodus Chapter 18 (AS I recall)

            • You could buy slaves but you couldn’t enslave free people.

            • Nope. Not there. I would like to know what you’re talking about, in proper context. Typically, “slave” is referred to as a bond servant more than someone press gagged into slavery. However, something of note. For those familiar with the Soviet style of politics, things would be governed from the smaller body of politics, the ten.
              Then would graduate to a 20 or 50, then a hundred, then a thousand, up to the Soviet council. Exo 18:21 gives that exact prescription of governing from the top down, the thousand to the ten. Gee, I wonder where the CCCP got that idea from? Anyone?

            • By my recollection,You could only own a hebrew slave(servant) for 7 years, but if you gave him a wife(woman to rape) you could keep her and any children. You are correct in that you had to “buy” foreigners, but you could keep them forever(and keep or sell their offspring), and will them to your children.

      8. When exactly ‘it’ will happen is not nearly as important as grasping first that it will happen, and that when it does it’ll eventually get so bad then that most would give their right arm to turn back the clock to have better prepped and pre-positioned themselves & family.

        That alone should be enough motivation to prep, readily accepting small risk of being months or even years too early rather than total tragedy of being a day late.

        What exactly it’ll be would be great to know, if even possible, to then fine tune prep strategy, but it’s not necessarily crucial as whatever it is can safely be assumed will also likely cause a wide disruption of most, if not all, essential goods & services we’d need to have already pre set up alternatives for.

        Food, water, fuel, electric, comms, medical, banking, police, fire, etc., regardless what caused disruptions or kicked off cascade of them, we need to have established alternatives and work arounds to do, provide for or supply ourselves.

        I get a little frustrated when I see some who seem to spend an inordinate amount of precious remaining time & energy studying and dissecting cause & effects when there’s still basic prepping left to be done that’ll likely be needed and essential regardless the exact cause or timing of it.

        The deepest self-condemning regrets await those amongst us, who knew better, yet failed to prep as well as we could have while we still had time to do so.

        Got God, Grub, Guns & Gold?
        Panic Now, Beat the Rush!

        – Shane

        • I like the 5 B’s myself. Bibles,beans, bullets, Band Aids, and Booze, (for medical purposes of course)

          • Can we add a sixth? Breasts. Chicken that is. We have been canning the hound out of it lately. Nothing like a little chicken salad on wheat to break the monotony of beans,rice, and venison jerky for our protein.

            Don’t forget the wine! Mashing 10 gallons of berries and grapes today.

            • Hope you washed your feet first…………

            • No stink foot here sir. I go barefoot a lot and with my evening shower my feet get a good scrubbing with a stiff brush. I’m prepping my feet for hard times ahead an wearing moccasin footwear.

        • “Got God, Grub, Guns & Gold? Panic Now, Beat the Rush!”

          Exactly, Shane. We see this time after time with natural disasters. People sit on their hands right up to the very last minute and then do a mad rush to the stores to clean out the shelves. OMG! If they would just dedicate a measly 1% of their income to prepping, they could stay home during this mad rush time and do some things that would be FAR more useful than running around like head-lopped chickens. This is a simple lesson but it sure seems difficult for some folks to learn! It must be because we keep seeing it happen over and over.
          🙁

          • 41MagMan,
            I have just recently seen it again first hand. I am in South Louisiana. As soon as the storm appeared to look more West I went and filled up my gas cans. That is all I needed to do besides pick up some crap from the yard. Everyone else waited until the SOB was about to hit, then freaked out and cleared the store shelves and sat in lines at the gas stations.
            We were sitting at home ready for almost anything while everyone else was trying to find a bottle of water and gallon of gas. The really funny part is that after the storm is gone, most of these fools will return their generators and go back to sleep. We live in a hurricane prone zone and most dont even own a generator. WAIT UNTIL THE REAL SHTF.

            • My AAR from this storm includes:
              Clean out my gutters prior to the rain starting, 🙁 not after it starts.
              Other than that we did ok. 🙂

            • Bulldog, great AAR. Thanks, needed the smile.

            • That’s using the ole hatrack Bulldog!

              I told the little woman Sunday that there will be a shitpot full of sorry-ass idiots in Plaquemenes(spelling?) parrish that won’t heed the evac notice because the storm hasn’t been upgraded to Cat One status.

              Now look at the flooding and masses of people and pets(I hate the smell of wet dogs) having to be evacuated/saved because of their stupidity. The excuse for not evacuating beforehand, of; we have no money or nowhere to go, doesn’t hold water in my boat.

              God is great,Beer is good, and People are crazy.

            • dont tread,
              amen on the evacs. I feel sorry for the folks over in that section of the state, but that parish floods if someone spits on the levee. Get out and live to fight another day. People get too wrapped up in cat 1, 2, 3, etc. It was a big MFer. I dont care what cat they claim it was. Fortunately, we were on the slight west side. Wind and rain (lots of wind) All I have to say is Thank God I am a Prepper. Life is more relaxing when you can sit back, drink a cold beer and know that you are ready for what is coming. Let the sheep fight over cases of water at the grocery store.
              I am going to go clean up the yard now, see yall after while
              🙂

            • Bulldog,

              I don’t not see hurricanes in my area just tornados and big winter storms, I have to agree with you its nice to seat back and watch the fools running to the store. Hell I even have tornado parties, but I will not supply all the booze..LOL

              DPS

            • @ bulldog same here I live in nc and nobody ever worries her until it is ready to land, my neighbors did not even have water when irene hit cuz they did not think that their pump would go out. they did not hook up the generator to the pump but had the HUGE ( almost wall sixe) flat screen on go figure

          • Anyone that won’t prep, especially those who ridicule us that do, I tell them that they need to be very grateful for any that are. Because, those who have prepped will be one less family standing in the long line in front of them anxiously awaiting the hoped for rumored FEMA truck of food & water maybe coming around later to their neighborhood in the next disaster.

            BTW, had Houston news crew here for 3 hours a couple months ago interviewing need to prep and all, and when they were getting into their car to leave the head guy said; “Well, at least I know where I’m going to head to when TSHTF!” I promptly responded; “No, you won’t be allowed near here, not unless you know the password.” He asked what is it? I said, with my hands up to my mouth like I was yelling from afar; “I brought all my own food!”

            Got God, Grub, Guns & Gold?
            Panic Now, Beat the Rush!

            – Shane

        • rush now, beat the panic…

      9. Reiterate. Obama, Fed, powers that be, who ever, will keep the can on the raid till election day. After tha who knows.

        • If the economy collapses first then Obama declares martial law and cancels the elections. The worse it looks for him before the election the more likely his supporters will trigger something. All it would take would be for Ben Bernanke to announce that the Fed will print money for as long as it takes for the economy to recover. If he does that the dollar will collapse.

      10. great article !

        i’m on board with your prediction of the next 6-18 months.

        our local financial show in Houston says that Europe had about a year until they hit the wall and this was 3 months ago. So, I’m figuring that 2013 is going to look a lot like 2008; but there’s not going to be a recovery in 2014 like there was in 2009; things are just going to get worse.

        • and my prediction on what to expect are periods(days to weeks) of power outages, days of no food at the stores, not being able to get some medicines you have prescriptins for, bank holidays(i.e. no access to your money), gas lines, riots, looting and some areas of cities where cops just wont go at night.

          if i were really rich, i’d load up a sailboat and live off the coastline.

          • Yep, a coastline that may be about 200 miles inland from where it is now.

          • Take a loan out from a big bank, buy the sailboat/gear, dont pay em back! 😛

            • Why the thumbs down? Lena would only be retrieving her stolen property. Banks and government are the same team, taxes are theft, is it wrong to retrieve stolen property?

            • Peteropolis – The thumbs down are from the FLA. ( Future Looters of America ).

          • There will also be places where you can shop IF you have gold or silver but not if all you have is that green and gray toilet paper. Farmers markets will be a good example of this.

            As to the cops, there are places in Detroit where the cops will not go in broad daylight, unless they go in large heavily armed groups. Cops in N.O. left their jobs to be with their families, abandoning the public that they were sworn to protect. We will see more of this in the not too distant future as we enter The Greater Depression of 2014-20. Got guns and ammo?

            The bottom line, folks, is that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Most everyone on this web site does not fall into this category and is doing at least some prepping. Some will do more than others but ANY prepping will be FAR more useful than none when (not if) the SHTF.

            • I love this “Panic Now, Avoid the Rush!” It should be a bumper sticker.

            • “There will also be places where you can shop IF you have gold or silver but not if all you have is that green and gray toilet paper. Farmers markets will be a good example of this.”

              Some Charmin will do you better than the green and gray toilet paper at the farmers’ market – at least it’s softer and will go farther!

        • I’ll be majorly surprised if we make it past the 3rd week in October…..bad crud is coming and soon!

          • I’m with you on late October, but we’ve seen what Bernanke can do with his printing presses. We should have bought the farm in 2008, yet they printed their way out. Think how far we would have come re-building, if they had let it collapse in 2008. A hell of a lot of the heartache would be behind us. Now, it’s still out front.

            • Well bro Swift,I hope we got more time cause I’m prepping like a “madman” on all fronts and won’t really feel comfortable till 2015,but iffen it falls flat,I’ll go with what I got and WILL SURVIVE because I have faith in GOD,excellent running vehicles,some food,water,meds,and most important;can SHOOT STRAIGHT!!!!

      11. It’s been said that all politicians, from both parties have the same ultimate agenda. Maybe, maybe not. One thing for sure, the majority of Americans are in for a heap of hurt if the current administration is allowed to keep up it’s current crony style of corruption.

        My thoughts are this: If you want to get the collapse going into overdrive, vote for the current administration. If you want to have more time for prepping, vote for the Repubs.

        It may not matter either way if we are neck deep into WWIII by election time, or as B Informed has been suggesting, we have some major quakes throwing everything into upheaval. As of this posting, there is definitely some major “shaking” going on around the world.

        I’m not ready to bend over and hold on to my ankles; so I’ll “prep-up” a little more until things get beyond that point.

        • i agree with that.

          i hear mitt is promising 12 million jobs in 4 years and he’s a financial guy, so i’m thinking WTH ?

          i know he’s saying anything to get elected, but he knows what europe in a depression will do to the US; the US isnt about to grow anything like that.

          • Lets see bush was screw what the ppl want, obama took it even further screw the ppls consitution, romney….. trickle down has a new meaning.

          • “i hear mitt is promising 12 million jobs in 4 years”

            What he didn’t say was that those jobs will actually be in India.

      12. Great article Mac….thanks

      13. @bi. Interesting data re the earthquakes.

        We are in debt up to our eyeballs. We are morally, socially, and ethically bankrupt as well. Prepare expeditiously because the reset button is fixin to be pushed.

      14. Just read proof that the Japanese are going extinct. Apparently, the Japanese buy more diapers for adults than for children.

        • Results of radiation poisoning:

          Everything you eat,instantaneously turns to shit.

          • The Filia of the small intestine are destroyed by the radiation exposure. The violence & duration of the diarrhea depends on amount of exposure. Death is somewhere in the picture due to secondary infections & associated ailments with this condition.

      15. It will happen in the next six to eighteen months…or maybe two to six years….blah, blah, blah. Jesus Christ, I thought my head was going to explode before I finished reading this steaming pile of manure!

        Why do people insist on envoking timelines??

        NEWS FLASH FOLLOWS….Nobody can predict when IT will happen!!!

        Just be ready!!

        • slappy, everyone likes to have a goalpost or a finish line; it helps them to focus on their plans. If tptb won’t provide one, then people will guesstimate their own. No need to get exasperated by this..chill a little and keep on preppin’

      16. I been waiting for a ‘financial’ discourse this past week as I am fraught with angst concerning a friend on here saying he was going to invest in rental properties.

        My research says that in a hyperinflationary environment people have a hard enough time buying food and therefore only spend about 2% of their income on shelter. This 2% would mean if you had a renter today who makes $50,000 per year, you are only getting $1,000 from him for the year. That’s a burn. Add to that you will be thrown into the ‘landlord’ class and it will therefore be your fault.

        Research the Weimar super-inflation and see what you get before you buy houses.

        Peace and Good Luck!

      17. 6 to 18 months yeah right open your eyes folks it is happening right now. Look around your cities and tell me that everything is ok. Our country is falling apart at this very moment.

        DPS

        • Exactly right, DPS. What we are seeing is the slow motion train wreck of financial collapse. It is a process that takes decades to set up and to go through its various stages. The train cars have been rocking and rolling for some time now. Each year they lean a bit more off the tracks. A time will soon come, probably in 2014, then they won’t rock back onto the track. When they start coming off the tracks, that will be the time when everyone finally realizes that SHTF IS happening. We here understand that it is not an event. It is a process… and a slow one at that. In spite of its slowness, it is also inevitable. It is like a landslide or an avalanche… it starts slowly and kind of small but then picks up both mass and speed until it devastates all before it.

          • 41MagMan,

            Right on the head brother its begining to pick up steam or so it seems. I just don’t see it making to 2014. I’m sticking with the thought that sometime before the elections there will be a event that will cause Obammama to suspend the elections. This will come from a false flag or a act of war, and this will allow him to finish his dreams ( Wiping Out the USA)

            DPS

            • I really hope you’re wrong, but I don’t think you are.

        • If the people in ancient Greece and Rome had bulletin boards, just before both civilizations crashed; I wonder if the varying comments would resemble this forum? I wonder if some actually saw it all coming and tried to wake up others? Were there debates on: to feed,or not to feed, the sheep? Did they speculate on the season of the crash? Did they worry about their children’s future? Of course I’ll never know, but I do think about it.

      18. To everyone: Another excellent article. We all know all of the possible scenarios for SHTF. But none of us will know exactly how it really will happen until it hits; some parts of it we may not know until after the fact. But I think we can all agree that something deadly serious is still coming down the pike and i can’t emphasize enough: PREP, PREP, PREP! I’m stepping up my preps as best as my income allows me to. I’m still buying storable food, water purification items, medical supplies sensible and durable clothing camping supplies, ammo, gun cleaning supplies, etc. I doubt if any of us will be as prepared as we’d like to be when the balloon goes up, but I think we’ll definitely have a huge advantage over those who won’t wake up and refuse to prep. Regardless of which scenario takes place, it’s going to get very ugly very quickly. Everyone on the public dole will literally “lose it” when their alleged “entitlements” are suddenly cut off. The nonpreppers who still work will also “lose it” and join the freeloaders in all of the looting, rioting, etc. that I fully expect to happen. I’m stuck right in the middle of a major city so I’ll definitely be living in “interesting times” as the old Chinese proverb goes. I fully expect to be targeted by some of these people and i dread what I’ll have to do to protect myself, home, preps, etc. However, I take comfort in the fact that something good can come out of all this like going back to the type of government we had when this country first got started. I hope for the best, but still preparing for SHTF. God bless everyone and keep prepping.

      19. I agree with Shane – I think most of us who visit this site frequently are of the mindset it’s not a matter of if but when, and the longer it takes the better prepared we all are.

        I’ve been “aware” or however you want to label it for a couple of years now, and I feel very fortunate to have had my eyes opened when I did. And in that time I’ve gone through various stages of urgency. When it first happens you panic, and then you settle down, and it’s easy to get burned out on the questions of when, and why and in what form etc etc. And it’s easy to get drawn back to the “how bad can it really get” syndrome that plagues most everyone else.

        Now I’ve found my rhythm. I know we are more prepared than most, but not where I’d like to ultimately be. When things do come to a head, there will be some things I wish I had done, but that’s out of our hands. I’ll just keep at it for as long as I can until the time comes. That’s all we can do at this point.

        • Very well said and I agree completely. Not quite to the point I’d like to be, but I’ll take every extra day the good Lord gives me. A little here and there adds up on the days I don’t focus completely on my preps. If I run out of time so be it, at least I tried the best I could and I know where I’m going if I don’t make it.

        • @Z-Thanks for your post! This is something I have a hard time with. I have been reading this site for a few months now and usually agree with most. I like how you put it- “found my rhythm”. I need to find mine, and soon!
          Thanks!
          SH

          • @SH – the important thing is having the mindset because so many don’t, so you’re more ahead of the game then you might realize. And like I mentioned, in the beginning you panic, and you feel like there’s so much to do, and so little time and not nearly enough money available to prepare like you feel you need to – and that will all pass – the important thing is to look at your situation and not compare yourself to others (I mean, we all can’t completely stock a multi-acre ranch out in the middle of nowhere like Rawles does), write down your needs, make a list of what you already have, make a list of what you need, prioritize them and start checking things off.

            I started out completely disorganized and wasted a lot of time and some money, but the more organized you are, the more efficient you are in prepping and the more you accomplish in a short amount of time – you’ll find your rhythm – good luck!

      20. Federal Copurt Rejects Texas Voter ID Law…

        posted on Drudge Report

        (hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEXAS_VOTER_ID_?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-30-12-11-45)

        • “Federal Copurt Rejects Texas Voter ID Law…”

          Interesting, since other Federal Courts have upheld various other voter ID laws in other states.

          I do find it curious that we need to be registered or licensed to drive a car, buy booze, camp in state parks, etc. ad nauseum but when it comes to voting all manner of ignoring the law seems to be OK. I am sure that those interested in perpetrating voter fraud just hate the idea of actually having to be a qualified US citizen in order to vote. They would much prefer to steal elections than win them. This is typical of those whose ideas and ideals are unworthy of public office.

        • KY Mom – How are the voters able to prove there age? or if they are felons? or dare I say LEGAL? WTF? It was a federal court. Does that mean the court that Washington tells what to do?

          • their

          • Felons can vote unless they are incarcerated at the time of the vote, if all other requirements are met.

          • 64 Echo Mike,

            Good question. I don’t think the Dems want anyone to have to prove they are American…as long as they will vote for them.

            It makes no sense at all to me to block the Voter ID law. You have to show ID to pay with a check in a store, cash a check at the bank, to buy a bottle of wine, etc.

      21. “Get the Hell Out”

        http://www.beaconequity.com/marc-faber-agrees-get-the-hell-out-2012-08-30/#ixzz252VxijNH

        “Gerald Celente, Jim Willie, Ann Barnhardt and, now, Marc Faber warn the runs on Greek, Spanish, Italian and several Eastern European banks will eventually come to the U.S. And if investors and savers think they’re covered in the event of a failure, a media-downplayed ruling by United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit of Aug. 9, regarding the bankruptcy case of Sentinel Management Group, too many will come to know that their cash is most definitely exposed to what many say is legal theft.”

        • Satori,

          Head over to the zero hedge web site and read up on the bank runs in spain. You also might want to red this,
          http://occupycorporatism.com/morgan-stanley-is-insolvent-only-a-matter-of-time-before-total-financial-collapse/

          Just a few days back ppl warned of a major finance co going under. This could be it.

          Dark days are here right now.

          DPS

          PS Thinking about the RNC and the lack of protesters, well maybe they out smarted the ptb by not showing up they sure made them look likes fools.

        • I agree that bank runs and other financial disruptions will come to the US… but first, they will move from Europe to the UK. That will be our trip-wire. Pay attention to what is happening in the UK, people. Within weeks of this appearing there, it WILL appear here.

          • 41

            Anything I think is important I will pass on right away.

            Take care

      22. well so far the protests of the RNC have been a big bunch of nothing
        looks like 50 million tax payer dollars down the drain

        http://www.infowars.com/rnc-protesters-vastly-out-numbered-by-cops/

        and the .gov and corporate media may need to do a little backtracking on this hyped up “threat”

        “The federal government and the establishment media engaged in a coordinated propaganda campaign before the event. On August 23, we reported on a Department of Homeland Security and FBI bulletin issued to law enforcement warning that “anarchist extremists” would use IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices, at the Republican and Democrat national conventions.”

        • “On August 23, we reported on a Department of Homeland Security and FBI bulletin issued to law enforcement warning that “anarchist extremists” would use IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices, at the Republican and Democrat national conventions.””

          Oh, you mean like the radical lefto-communists now in charge of the Democrat party?

        • why bother if you can’t get ’em all at once?

      23. Article has a lot of words just to say: “SHTF is coming,don’t know how bad but it will be bad.”

        Current system is FUBAR. There will be impotent efforts that will either prolong the fall downward or hide the true casualty numbers. No single magic man is going to fix the tremendous damage that has been done. Look at how the current system addresses damage control: fudges numbers, changes rules of law to make the illegal now legal, demonize & criminalize those that make efforts to protect themselves & others from SHTF, heavy handed suppression of dissent. Using psyops to paint worthless delusions of grandeur. List goes on & on.

        As for me, I’ll help those that really need help. Helping those that REFUSE to get in out of the storm has proven to be a useless endeavor on my part. I’ll save my compassion for those that NEED it.

        Best to the Preps.

        • “As for me, I’ll help those that really need help. Helping those that REFUSE to get in out of the storm has proven to be a useless endeavor on my part. I’ll save my compassion for those that NEED it.”

          I would agree with that, Bert, but would also add “those who deserve my help” as opposed to those who need my help. Perpetuating a herd of sheeple will be of no use whatever during a SHTF scenario. Attempting to do that could well undo all of the good that you have done via prepping. We will definitely be in a time of “those who do not work, do not eat”. This applies to all who can work, of course, and does not include very young children and the elderly. If any of this sounds harsh, it’s because it is! But it will reflect the times in which we will be living. Family, of course, will be helped whether sheeple or not because they are family but even they will need to work to help support the family. The day of the “free ride” will be well and truly over.

          • What you post is true & agreeable. Just using the Bible as a guideline says just what you have posted when it comes to giving out help & compassion. Triage a is required discernment.

            Quoting you, “Perpetuating a herd of sheeple will be of no use whatever during a SHTF scenario” is only a benefit to those that have gotten us to this point of disaster. Dictators need sheeple (Slaves) to perpetuate their greed & power. By controlling the basic human needs (air, water, food, shelter) this has been easily accomplished without ever firing a shot. Those that refuse to succumb this are criminalized & hunted down to extinction (so they think).

      24. I gave up trying to predict mother nature screnarios. I gave up believing that the jackasses in Washington will change. I gave up the ideal the dollar will crash since every time out debt goes to the markets, countries just can’t get enough.. so, here what I think.

        Q. when will it happen ?
        A. When the people of this nation just can’t take another second of this crap.

        Q. What will happen?
        A. Civil disobedience like we’ve never witness before as a nation.

        Q. How to survive through it?
        A. Have faith, embrace family values, teach the young SOMETHING, and of course, prep,prep,and keep prepping until you mentality can sleep well each and every night.

        • “I gave up the ideal the dollar will crash since every time out debt goes to the markets, countries just can’t get enough…”

          You might want to reconsider this one. More and more countries are becoming net sellers of US debt paper, not buyers of it. Over 70% of the most recent US Treasury auction was purchased by the Federal Reserve. 70%? Holy crap! A few years ago, the Fed was not buying ANY US Treasury paper because the market WAS absorbing it all. No longer, though. It is being seen by many for what it really is… just more damned debt that it less and less likely to be repaid and the world truly is awash in that crap. Like anything else, the more of it there is, the less valuable it all becomes… and DC is printing a boatload of this junk paper.

          • Since I don’t follow the stock markets or the forex markets much anymore, your comment about countries selling to get out of the dollar was interesting. After searching here is what I found below.

            The most recent data from the US Treasury shows that China holds $1.16 trillion in U.S. treasury securties and the rest are as followed.

            Japan – 882 billion
            United kingdom – $272 billion
            Brazil – 186 billion
            Taiwan – $155 billion
            Russia $151 billion
            Hong Kong -$134 billion
            Switzerland -$107 billion

            Let’s not forget the oil exporting countries – $211 billion

            In short my friend, if the dollar was to truely crash to nothing, then 4 of the top world’s safest havens to park currency’s would lose more than 50% of their countries monentary reserves. Take also the fact that we are every countries #1 consumer. So with this said, if the dollar would die and be worth nothing, then teotwawki would be upon us.

            You ever wonder why China floats/pegs there currency to the dollar??? Because even the mighty dragon couldn’t just take over as the new reserves…

      25. You don’t get much better prepared than the Rawles family.I just want to comment on the Utah legal tender laws he mentioned. I believe gold and silver coins are legal tender everywhere. But what Utah did was eliminate the capital gains tax on using gold and silver.Generally you can use gold and silver coins at FACE value.Now, since you don’t have to pay the tax on the FRN value of the transaction you can price your gold or silver at market value and use it. Of course, the state will still not accept it for taxes so it would have to be a private transaction. When the corp state starts using it for payment of taxes at market value is when the law will have some teeth.However,it’s a start.

        • In a private transaction, virtually anything that can be legally possessed can be used as payment for goods and services as long as both parties agree to the terms and conditions of the transaction.

          I see the Utah law as a way to eliminate a tax on precious metals used as money but other than that not that great in actual impact.

          I live in a state wherein the buying and selling of gold and silver are not taxed, even though we do have a sales tax. Here, such a law as Utah recently passed would have minimal impact.

      26. The so called ” FEMA camps” are for those who cannot provide for themselves and sustain life on there own. These are the ones who depend o the government to wipe their butt every time the take a poop. Stay off the grid, out of the way, and don’t cause trouble within the police state and you should be fine. Go looking for trouble and a hand out when times are hard and ummmmmm yea u will get a nice slice of bread and a thimble of water everyday with asbestos being pumped into your lil room. The camps will not be hunky doary, there will be civil unrest in the prison also. Look at the Cuban exile if you want to see what the future hand out camps hold. They were just noel citizens but they killed each other. Gl to all and god bless bc what’s about to come makes my stomach turn upside down everytime I think about it.

      27. It’s like the frog in the pot scenario. Pieces of it’s skin starts falling off (PATRIOT ACT). The frog is too comfortable to jump out at this point. Then the muscles start falling off (NDAA and TSA). The frog still thinks it’s not time to jump, yet. The bones begin to flop off (NWO) yet the frog hasn’t the foggiest idea. Too comfortable. His innards become cooked and he is completely done. (DEPOPULATION)

        Maybe he should have jumped when he had the chance?

        How will we know when to jump, and when will it be too late?

        • I like this 3 letter designation

          DAO

          thumbs up if you know what it stands for

          • It means “dumb ass o’bummer” obviously. Now everyone knows. Even the idiot that gave you a thumbs down.

      28. Every day we have where it hasn’t collapsed gives us another day to buy whatever preps we need. We are running out of tomorrows. Get those #10 cans, or home-canning, whatever your fancy.

        Keep on a-preppin’.

      29. I’m still prep’n to the max, been prep’n sense ’98 so i got a lot put back. Own the farm no debt, not one cent to anybody. As for the election’s let the chips fall where they may. I for one will not vote for Rom or Big O can’t and I will not. Will vote for some other person. The day after this election(if any), we plan on falling off the face of the earth, going to ground totally, no electric,NG, cell phone, just a sw radio lots of batts, and my M1A, and sweetie with her AR and the prep’s. If they want this old vet, they need to pack a lunch. Be informed, heard from family and they said USGS is hooking up to those ground rods that they put in the gound, second time this week, I think something is up big time on NEW MADRID.

      30. Be informed: Around the place the bugs and dogs even the wild varments are acting very strange. Ants seem to be crazy, had 4 moles on top of the ground, dogs are like ticks to you like you say watch them. Things are getting SPOOKY.

      31. Evening All

        It’s coming very close to the time when the emergency credit card gets used…it’s palpable isn’t it? The feeling that something dangerous is coming around the corner.

        I have no credit or finance at all, and thought long and hard before getting a credit card, had it over a year now, put £20 of fuel on it, pay it off before getting interest, four times in a year and three months they have raised the limit, even though I only ever spend £20 at a time, then they wonder why people get into debt.

        Over the next dew days I will go through all my preps. Identify the holes and then use the card to plug the holes and buy extra food etc. If nothing happens, well. I can still pay it off in a few months, if something does I dare say paying off a credit card will be the least of my worries.

        God help us all.

        Take care

        • Upping the limit to get you to be a debt slave. Lots here in the States are on that merry-go-round. Incentives of upping limit has bankrupt many I know due to unforeseen expenditures and having to miss a payment. Interest ate them into the poorhouse. Seen many in my area using them to purchase food only to find out their card is maxed out.

          Best to the Preps.

        • @Burt:

          ….hey love……don’t forget the chocolate…

          …xoxoxoxoxoxoxxox..BA.

          • Bad American

            Sod the chocolate I am buying those last for ages wax coated cheeses……I love cheese lol.

            Mind you, suppose I’d better get some sweeties and chocolate for the young one.

            Take care

      32. Gold Bitchez!

      33. College Preppa: I can agree with you abou the FEMA camps, But let me get you up to speed about Cuban exiles. before the Mariel Boatlift, ALL Cuban refugees who came here from 1959 to 1980 went to work and did for themselves; they REFUSED to go on welfare or any other program. When my wife came here from Havana in 1967, she worked her way through nursing school and became a nurse; never got on one government program ever. What you’re referring to are the people that Castro kicked out of his prisons and mental hospitals in 1980 to cause us a lot of grief. True they ended up in camps and caused a lot of trouble, but eventually they were sent back to Cuba. They were the EXCEPTION rather than the RULE when it comes to refugees from Castro’s tropical gulag.

      34. I believe we’ll have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. The dollar will become worthless. Millions will starve. Government will go bankrupt at all levels. There will be no electricity, no public water, no police or fire protection. It’s going to be the biggest disaster in world history. I think at least 90% of the US population will die. The federal government will provide for key people and the military. I still think all this goes down sometime this fall.

      35. I SALUTE ALL OF YOU SHTFPLAN PREPPERS

        ATTEN – HUT !!! SALUTE !!! BOOOOOM !!! (off goes the canon)

        It is simply AWESOME reading everyones posts now … compared too two years ago !!!

        EVERYONE HERE is on the Ball and right on the Money now !!!

        I find it harder and harder every day here now to post new and fresh info you all are so knowledgeable now and up to date on current affairs .

        SHTFPLAN Peeple Preppers … I Salute You All !!! ;0P pssszzt

        I truly hope you all have the best kind of “karma” in the hard times ahead .

        ~N.O.

        • Nino,
          You crazy MF I thought about you the other day when I looked at some 45-70 brass. And yes wide awake and it seems like everybody here is very tunned in.Now if I could just find those damn guns. Keep prepping brother its going to be a long cold winter..

          DPS

          • DPS

            I am sure you mentioned they fell off the boat and into a very deep lake. Such a shame!

            Take care

          • @DPS ;0) … whaddaup HARLEY PREPPER … yep still packin her .45-70 on my back … though she’s now my ole’ reliable back up rifle .

            I’ve upgraded to something more suitable A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE for a TRAITOR ZOG FEDGOV DHS COMMIE Target Rich Combat Operation Theater Environment ! So I have longer range and more capacity , to Reach Out and Show my Love for the TRAITOR UN NWO ZOG FEDGOV DHS AmeriKaN COMMIE’S ! ;0)

            WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE LINE @DPS !

            WATCH YOUR SIX !

            ~N.O.

        • Nina

          I still have a lot to learn, so much but I think so little time.

          Good luck to you too mate.

          Take care

          • @CarolieUK … BIGHUGS to you @CarolieUK ;0)

            If ever in SHTF trouble in Bloody London …

            Head for the Scottish Highlands … ask for the Clan McClarren , tell em’ Clansman NinaO sent you !

            They’ll set you up with a Kilt , a Clan Homestead plot , ox and a scotts terrier for protection ! ;0)

            Toodles Cheerio and all that stiff brit Blunderpuss .

            ~N.O.

            • Nina

              Good on everything except the terrier, my mastiff would get it stuck in her throat.

              Take care

      36. DUGOUTS AND SOD HOUSES-HOW TO BUILD THEM.

        In light of the potential need to build a protective structure or home when forced to relocate, building from local materials seems to be the most expedient option. What better material is there than sod? Sod houses and dugout homes needn’t limited to the prairies, they can be built anywhere that sod can be found. And they can be built quickly and cheaply, as well. be It’s an interesting piece, and the knowledge you learn may come in handy, so enjoy this piece from a century ago and use it to survive the coming times…

        pls see below link …

        • @NinaO:

          OOOrahh Brother OOOOrah.

          ..check this out….

          Troops in Kalispell Montana and Columbia falls Under North Com Command (revolutionradio.org)

          • @BA

            FIRST – WTF ???

            SECOND – HOLY SHEEIT !!!

            THIRD – MUTHA PHOOKIN COMMIE FEDGOV DHS GESTAPO TYRANT TRAITORS HERE IN MONTANA ??? OOOOH HELL NO !!!

            FOURTH – LOCK-N-LOAD PREPPER PEOPLES … IT’S THAT TIME FREEMEN FREEWOMEN FREE-AMERICAN PATRIOTS !!!

            IT’S TIME TOO TAKE A ARMED STAND FOR YOUR NATURAL BORN INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES !!!

            ARM UP STOCK UP BE PREPARED – UN NWO ZOG MARTIAL LAW IS HERE !!!

            PREDATOR OR PREY OF THE UN NWO ZOG CIA ILLEGAL COMMIE FEDGOV THE CHOICE IS YOURS !!!

            ~N.O.

            P.S. EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THAT COLUMBIA FALLS MONTANA IS A “FREEMASON HALL” GOOD OLE LOCAL BOY MONTANA MAFIA OLIGARCHY INSIDER COMPANY CONTROLLED TOWN – I’M NOT SURPRISED AT ALL COLUMBIA FALLS MONTANA HAS SOLD OUT TO THE UN NWO ZOG FEDGOV HOSTING THE DHS GESTAPO OCCUPATION TROOPS THERE !!! NOT ONE BIT !!!

            • UPDATE – I JUST CHECKED FOR MYSELF VALIDATED “THE COMMIE FEDGOV DHS GESTAPO MARTIAL LAW INVASION” OF FLATHEAD VALLEY KALISPELL – COLUMBIA FALLS MONTANA REGION WITH PHONE CALLS AND WENT TO SEE FOR MYSELF IF TRUE … ITS TRUE !!!

              SON-OF-A-BWIATCHES THIS MEANS THE MONTANA GOVERNOR CONGRESS CRITTERS SENATORS ALL SOLD OUT MONTANA TO THE UN NWO ZOG AND UN AGENDA 21 !!!

              THEY’RE HERE IN FORCE !!! TRAITOR UN NWO ZOG FEDFGOV COMMIE BASTARDS !!!

              I ENCOURAGE ALL FREEMEN FREEWOMEN FREE-AMERICAN PATRIOTS TO SCOUT OUT ALL THE HOTELS MOTELS IN THEIR AREAS FOR FEDS AND MILITARY VEHICLES PERSONNEL TRACK THEM AS BEST YOU CAN AND POST IT ON THE INTERNET EVERY WHERE YOU CAN !!!

              SEND ALL INFO IN TOO HERE @SHTFPLAN . COM AND ALEX JONES @INFOWARS . COM AND MIKE RIVERO @WHATREALLYHAPPENED . COM !!!

              IT’S TIME TOO FIGHT BACK MONTANA !!!
              IT’S TIME TOO FIGHT BACK ONCE-FREE AMERICA !!!

              IF YOU WANT TOO STAY FREE AND NOT BECOME A SLAVE TO THE UN NWO ZOG FEDGOV , NOW IS THE TIME TOO TAKE A STAND AMERICA !!!

              NOW AS ONE !!!

              ~N.O.

            • KNOWN LOCATIONS WHERE THE TRAITOR FEDS GESTAPO DHS COMMIE TROOPS ARE STAYING IN FLATHEAD VALLEY MONTANA :

              1.) Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell
              1840 Highway 93 South, Kalispell, Montana, 59901, USA
              TEL: 1-406-756-4500

              2.) Red Lion Hotel Kalispell
              20 North Main St
              Kalispell, MT 59901
              Tel: 406-751-5050
              Fax: 406-751-5051

            • CFAC COLUMBIA FALLS ALUMINUM PLANT
              2000 Aluminum Drive Columbia Falls, MT 59912
              406-892-8400

      37. This question is for anyone, and I am not asking this to sound like a wise ass. What are the best food items that you can buy by the case that will last long time. Also just list some basic comodoties to get that people would not generaly think of. Thanks in advance

        • @patriot-f-t-p:

          check these out for info:

          tp://www.backdoorsurvival.com/index.php/2012/08/28/41-items-to-barter/

          tp://survivalsherpa.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/everyday-preps-dental-tp-salt-fire-pets/

          tp://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-preparedness/prepping-for-the-financially-challenged-a-one-month-survival-plan-for-under-300_03122012

          …hope this helps get you started….
          ..ask Mac for more info, he has a lot of stuff up his sleeves…

          …be safe….stay the course….BA.

        • pftp, Lentels and other assorted dry beans. Six to eight year shelf life. Canned fruit, string beans and other veggies. If you don’t can, learn to. You can can meats as well as vegetables and the shelf life is decent. I buy coffee whole bean and grind it as needed. If not a coffee drinker it is good barter material. I caught extra thick sliced, applewood smoked bacon on sale at the local market recently (1.99 lb.) and walked out with a 15 pound box. As soon as I get a break from work I will can all of it.

        • patriot it’s a fairly broad question but I’ll do what I can. The long term stuff that you can buy off the shelf so to speak in almost any city is beans and rice. Either when secured against insects and animal life will last a couple of years without a problem. If you go the extra mile and purchase mylar bags and oxygen absorbers and store them that way (just youtube it) you can push the rice to10 years and the beans to 25.

          There are plenty of stores online rainydayfoods, honeyville farms that frequently have pretty good sales and their normal prices are good as well where you can get dehydrated and freeze dried foods that will last 10 to 25 years at minimum.

          The biggest thing to long term storage is to remove the oxygen and keep it away from light.

          If you’re just looking for a more shorter term, a couple of years rather than 20 years then almost anything you buy in the grocery store will last that long, beans, canned foods, rice, powdered milk and of course things like sugar and honey will store forever if you can keep the crawlies out of it.

          If you’d like to figure out how much you need of the basic storage foods then you can find online calculators based on the Latter Day Saints (who have been prepping for a very very long time) recommendations and guidelines.

          If your’e fortunate enough to have a local LDS chapter then you may be able to purchase directly from them usually at a good savings, the same product they themselves set aside.

      38. FYI – DHS has marked vehicles patrolling the Columbia SC area, and is assisting the HP with accidents, stops, etc…
        God Bless everyone

      39. Greetings Everyone!
        Yep,things are getting closer to TEOTWAWKI each day.Personally I’m betting on the Biblical form of it(Judgement Day,God’s Kingdom,etc.).But having said that,even the Bible doesn’t set a certain year to what’s in store to happen.Only the “signs of the times”.I’ll bet a can of beans that we don’t see “THE END” in 2012.Having said that,I still hold to expecting sometime VERY soon that the banks will close,and our money “re-valued” to 5 cents on the dollar(I used to think it would be 10 cents,but things have gotten SO FUBAR that I revised that target).SSI,disability and the other programs will be reduced by 1/2 or more.The TPTB will make sure their wants and desires are taken care of no matter what FEMA camps they put everyone else in.My Grandfather was right back in 1929,and his wisdom STILL applies:”a small bag of gold coins to start completely over if need be,two bags of silver coins to buy bread for the times ahead.”.He also fed his family off a modest plot that he did old-fashioned intensive gardening with(and still left the front yard grass and flowers alone!)Bankers cheated him too back then.BUT he was prepared if that happened.”keeping something by” was his watchword.He fed the occasional “bum” that asked for a meal,but only after they worked for it.Times are different now,”the bums” feel “entitled” to their free “handouts”.And your stuff as well.Drones and cops and “the Army” won’t be able/willing to prevent what’s coming.So we PRAY,PLAN,PREP and PREPARE.I hope in a decade or two things improve.I really,really do.I ENJOY indoor plumbing,a hot shower,a working phone and TV.I’ll miss the indoor plumbing the most if SHTF.Do you have your towel yet?
        Best to ALL
        LTR,
        GFG

      40. Great piece, iI just wish it could have been longer.

        • @NinaO:

          ….range, windage, elevation…

          o.d.green beef…it’s whats for dinner…lol

          • @BA … I’m Pumped … an want to camo up , gear up and go on a night raid recon against them so bad I can taste the camo grease on my tongue . ;0)

            “Oh Wait I already am Wearing my Camo Grease !” ;0P

            “Game On @BA … Game On !!!”

            Stay Frosty … The Commie AmeriKan ZOG FREEMASON DHS Traitors are getting “Warmed Up” for Something !!!

            Thank You for the heads up @BA !!!

            ~N.O.

            • @NinaO:

              Brother, my Brother.

              ……”there is no spoon”……BA.

            • @BA ;0) ummmmmmmmmm … do you have a fork then ???

              ;0p pssszzt … ;0) had to do it @BA pls forgive me for my trespasses .

              I don’t mind using a fork really I don’t !!!

              “TO EAT THE RICH !!!”

              ~N.O.

      41. The crunch 6 to 18 months away ???

        You’re joking right?

        Try 4-6 WEEKS.
        Let’s see if I’m right (again…)

        • ZombieDawg:
          I’ll see you a can of beans and raise you a gallon of distilled water….
          LTR,
          GFG

          • I call…..

      42. We’s all B-B-Q.

      43. Quake of 7.9 magnitude strikes off Philippines: USGS

        http://news.yahoo.com/quake-7-9-magnitude-strikes-off-philippines-usgs-130334586.html

        MANILA (Reuters) – An earthquake of 7.9 magnitude struck off the Philippines on Friday and a tsunami warning has been issued for the region, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

        The quake was centered off the east coast, 91 miles off the town of Guiuan in Samar province at a depth of about 20 miles, USGS said.

        The tsunami warning was issued for the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the Pacific including the U.S. state of Hawaii.

      44. Patriot from the past: If you are storing beans, old beans will need to be soaked with a bit of baking soda or they will never soften up in cooking. Look it up and print it out. I keep a doomsday notebook with all sorts of stuff I’ve printed out such as recipes, uses for baking soda, white vinegar and salt. You’ll need a lot of these things. Get big bags of baking soda from places like BJ’s or Costco and several gallons of white vinegar. I’ve read that you can never have too much salt; I don’t know what for but I have plenty and perhaps I’ll find out what for.

        Solutions from Science has a “Soup Bean Survival Kit” for $99 (at least it was that price last year). Anyway, it’s a selection of 9 different beans that you could plant in your own garden.
        I’m under the impression that if you are saving beans to plant or mung beans for sprouting, they shouldn’t be stored in airtight containers as that will ‘kill’ them. Could someone enlighten me on this?

        Canned tomatoes won’t last beyond their expiry date because of the acid. I have a few cases of the Pomi brand tomatoes in boxes. My own crop in the garden hasn’t done very well the past couple of years otherwise I’d can my own in glass jars that will hold up better than they would in cans.

        I bought a pressure canner which I’ve never used but thinking about canning some meat when it becomes cheaper before the prices rise so much to be unaffordable due to the drought.

        Any canned meat or fish from the supermarket will last for many years beyond their stated expiry date. Tuna, chicken, salmon, sardines, spam, corned beef, dried beef in those little jars (put in a cream sauce and serve over rice, potatoes, toast). Get cases of these meats.

        Get lots of herbs and spices to vary your recipes. Plant garlic this fall. It will grow just about anywhere in the world. I get it online from the chief clove dot com.
        I buy lots of ‘ingredients’ rather than those prepared meals in the #10 cans though I do have a bit of them. I like to cook from scratch.

        One of the few canned vegetables I like is corn; get cases from Costco, they’ll fit under the sofa. You can use this in lots of things. Cases of evaporated milk, powdered eggs, Ovaezy are especially good, have on hand until your own chickens start laying.

        There’s some interesting recipes on the granddaddy website that you might want to print out and keep in the doomsday notebook mentioned above.

        Teabags for making iced tea in cold water.

        You’ll need lots of oils for cooking. Olive oil will last forever (I was told this by the owner of an olive oil plantation in Spain). Same goes for Peanut oil but not so with other types as they go rancid quickly. Pam spray has no expiry date. Cans of Crisco should be good for a long time.

        Cases of various pasta. I keep them in large rubbermaid totes which should keep the mice out.

        Dried fruits from Costco: crasins, blueberries, rasins, apricots, etc. Nuts are very good for you. I’ve been keeping them in the freezer for now.
        Olives for your martinis. Olives are good for you, especially when soaked in gin.

        Get large packs of toothbrushes, floss, and bath soaps from Costco. No one has mentioned this, but they’d be good barter items. Baking soda is a good cleaner for your teeth.
        Solar battery charger and batteries.

        Metal bucket to carry water from your well; you won’t want to be using your plastic mop bucket for drinking water will you?

        Case of candles if you can find a good deal. Wicks for your oil lamps are available from Lehmans.com Get lots of lamp oil. Propane burners that screw onto a propane cylinder available in any camping store or Wally World.

        Solar clothes dryer and clothespins. Nice sturdy wooden dryers for use on the porch or indoors are available from Lehmans.com

        Make your own laundry detergent; recipes are online using Fels Naptha bar soap and washing soda and Borax. I’ve been doing this for over a year now and it works great. These ingredients are much easier to store than big bottles of laundry detergent as you really need only 1/2 cup each of the Borax and washing soda and 1/3 of a bar of the Fels Naptha to make 4 gallons.

        Lots of plastic bags of all sizes and aluminum foil. Mouse traps and fly paper.

        I could go on and on and I guess I’ve given more info than you asked for but I hope I’ve helped someone fill in any holes they have.

        • Great post, gadabout
          ~~~Canned tomatoes won’t last beyond their expiry date because of the acid~~
          I just checked my 11 cases of tomatoes–all dated 12/11 or 12/12 or 12/13 or 12/14. I wouldn’t be throwing those tomatoes away, if I were you–seems the company doesn’t even date by manufacturing month.
          Yep, I ate home canned tomatoes and tomato juice 15 years old. No problem.
          Evaporated milk has a shelf life of two years, which means it will last MUCH longer. Great for backup milk, just add equal amt. of water.
          Unflavored gelatin is a great substitute for eggs for cooking.
          100 hour candles are $4–well worth the money; that means one will last about 18-20 days if only used after sunset till bedtime.
          I got my dryer rack from Aldi’s for $10 and Kmart had same one for $25.
          Plungers and tubs from TSC will be used for laundry..and I also like the homemade soap. I use Zote from Kmart instead of fels-naptha; it smells nicer and a few ladies say it keeps whites whiter.
          Peace…jayjay

          • I forgot to mention that the solar lights you have in your garden could be brought inside at night.

      45. Thank you all for the kind responces. Lets hope the guy upstairs smiles on us.

      46. After reading through most of the responses to this article, it is not surprising that most Americans (even the well off) do not take responsibility for the state of this country.

        We have all either participated, benefited or not from the problems our country faces. Through immoral behaviour from all, our great country is coming to an end.

        Why not check out all the people on disability who are perfectly able to work, the people on early social security, the lawsuits that have been fought and won when there shouldnt have been one, the retired government that continues to draw salaries even though the no longer work. Its the law of diminishing returns and now, we as well as our children and generations to come get to suffer the concequences of the greed of this nation.

        Buckle up, its going to be a wild ass ride.

      47. You cant eat gold but you can exchange it for real goods.
        What can you exchange a worthless currency for? you could try eating that.

        • I think you are better off stockpiling something useful to others for exchanging/bartering. Such as toilet paper, soap, food. Gold is for preserving your wealth for use after the crisis is over when we are trying to put the country back together.

      48. This culture (the people and their government) has embraced debt and now the bill comes due. Since the debtors cannot pay, their collateral is seized,and if afterwards the debt is still not made whole, then the debtors are indentured as slaves.

        This has been the common law since pre-biblical times. Would any American expect this does not apply to them now (whether on a national or personal level)? If so on what basis?

        To avoid a fate of destition and slavery, the government and the populace should pay their debts owed now before the collector comes calling and there remains no means of payment other than to sell their own flesh and blood or starve from a lack of sustenance.

      49. bring back the OTTOMAN EMPIRE

      50. I am looking for a site that discusses the economy in a rational manner. I really don’t think the earthquake posts are relevant or accurate. Does anyone know of a similar web site that doesn’t require the reader to be a shrill, paranoid little girl?

      51. I’m in Colorado. When I turn on the news or when I look at all of the brand new or newish cars on the street, it really makes me doubt that there is an economic problem. BUT, then, I look at the street corners. I see many homeless people, holding up signs, desperate for some charity, some kindness. And the people here are getting so aristocratic, it’s almost disgusting to me. They were actually talking about how fearful they are for their children, around these poor homeless people.

        I want aristocratic people like that to feel the misery and despair that they seem to despise. I want some poetic justice for the homeless people they kicked into the gutter, basically.

        What makes those people think they can treat others like that? Because of money and privilege? That’s a despicable way to turn your back on humility. Not to sound evil or extreme, but I think the Jews did the same thing to the Germans after WWI and people like Hitler wanted to change that. I mean, when do you draw the line between what’s right for your family and your people, and what’s right in general??

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