Triggers For Revolt: Rising Resource Costs Escalate Odds of Global Unrest

by | May 16, 2014 | Headline News | 90 comments

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    riot-policeEditor’s Note: The following analysis provided by Chris Martenson of Peak Prosperity delves into the issue of why and when a population snaps. As noted by Chris, there are numerous factors that can drive people to finally hit a breaking point. When that happens, whether it be because of rising food prices or lack of access to essential goods like gas or water because they are no longer attainable by the majority, all bets are off. Panic often grips the populace and violent confrontation usually ensues, oftentimes with the dissolution of the existing system of governance, law and order. If you want to understand the trigger events for revolt and when that might happen in the United States, we need only look to history to see what it took for similar events to play out in other countries. The information provided by Chris is, as always, concise and extremely informative in helping us to identify the signs that something serious is about to take place. There’s a reason our government and others around the world are integrating military assets with local police forces and arming up. They’re looking at the same data points Chris highlights here and they know that the time will soon be upon us.


    Rising Resource Costs Escalate Odds of Global Unrest
    By Chris Martenson

    As we observe the growing unrest in Ukraine, there is the usual rush to ascribe a cause. Was it meddling by the West? Russia? Was it corruption by prior leaders? Simmering resentments that stretch back centuries that finally erupted?

    The answers to these questions apply to Ukraine as well as to many other countries. Which is why having an accurate framework, a clear ‘lens’ for seeing what is actually transpiring, will prove far more useful to you than 99% of what you will hear on the nightly news.

    In response to my recent report on the devolution of events in Ukraine, a veteran reader asked:

    • Which snowflake causes the avalanche?
    • Why are the people in Ukraine are angry enough to start a civil war, while the people in Greece are upset but ultimately willing to go along with years of Troika diktat in order to save the German and French banks? In other words: why was the avalanche in Ukraine so ready to happen?
    • Martin Armstrong attributes the high degree of Ukraine unrest to the populace crossing its tolerance level for corruption, after years of rising discontent. Is it that straightforward?
    • How about the Arab Spring: Do we blame the policewoman who slapped that fruit seller in Tunisia? Or Facebook and Twitter for facilitating communication among the populace in a manner outside of the control of the State?

    Was it any of these reasons? All of them? Perhaps some others, too?

    Why people in country A are ready to revolt, while those in country B are not, is worth exploring; especially for those considering moving to another country. If you plan to re-locate to a “better” society, you really need to make sure you fully understand the community and culture you’ll be placing yourself into — and whether its benefits are indeed extended to new-coming ‘outsiders’ such as yourself.

    The 40% Rule

    If you were going to try and understand why revolts happen, but wanted to limit yourself to a single variable, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better than the price of food.

    There’s quite a bit of research to support the idea that people who spend above a certain percent of their income on food are more likely to protest, riot, or otherwise become restive. That number seems to have a minimum threshold of 40% of income to food costs, give or take:

    Since the beginning of 2014, riots have occurred in countries including Thailand and Venezuela. Although they’re different cultures on different continents, these mass protests movements may all have one commonality; increasing food prices may have contributed to their occurrence. The cost of food has been steadily increasing in both Thailand and Venezuela; last month demonstrators in Caracas took to the streets marching with empty pots to protest food shortages. According to Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam and fellow researchers at the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI), events such as these may be anticipated by a mathematical model that examines rising food costs.

    The events of 2014 aren’t without precedent; the price of food has provoked (and placated) throughout history, beginning in Imperial Rome when Augustus introduced grain subsidies. In recent years, the Middle East has been particularly affected by the cost of grain. Centuries after Egypt developed bread as we recognize it, the nation experienced a bread intifada – the country rioted for two days in January 1977 following Anwar Sadat’s decision to drastically decrease food subsidies. More recently, under the rule of Hosni Mubarak, the price of grain rose 30 percent between 2010 and 2011. Then, on January 25, 2011 a new revolution began in Egypt.

    (Source)

    While the study used data through 2011, so much has happened since that I strongly expect the results are even stronger now. To wit, if we were to update the above chart we’d have to add Thailand, Argentina, Ukraine, Greece and Venezuela to the list.

    It’s delightfully intuitive that food prices and people’s sense of contentment are tightly linked. Where the various meddlers in the Ukrainian situation were able to obtain quite large reactions from relatively simple efforts, it might be nearly impossible to incite a similar reaction in Switzerland, even with 50x more provocation and propaganda.

    This conforms to my views on terrorism which I see as a very rare occurrence that results when a group feels they have literally zero other options left. Usually what governments call terrorism is not even that; rather, it’s the type highly asymmetrical warfare that one gets when a vastly weaker party believes it has to react to a stronger foe.  That is, it’s a tactic not a genetic defect or cultural ideology.

    The main connection between these points on social unrest and terrorism is that people are generally very slow to react, and will only resort to unrest and violence if they already have their backs against a wall. A very effective wall is the lack of access to affordable food.

    But there are others. From the same article as linked above:

    Of course, man cannot riot off bread alone; factors such as unemployment, oppression, economic instability and corruption also contribute. Still, there is something so fundamental about food, and the implications of not having it, that makes people react. As Bar-Yam explains, “The analysis suggests the doubling of food prices we have seen since 2005 pushed many in the greatest poverty across the line from bare subsistence into desperation and starvation. When people are not able to feed their families, they have little to lose and become willing to take strong actions.”

    Certainly one popular story in the West is that the people of Ukraine rose up against a corrupt president, Yanukovych, and that’s certainly true to an extent. Instead of viewing the corruption as the only factor at work, though, those willing to do a modicum of digging will soon realize it was merely one of several final straws.

    Under- and unemployment contributed, as did oppression and a generally poor economy. Heavy fuel costs were mixed in there, too. And all of these threaten to get worse under the terms of the IMF ‘loan’ to Ukraine.

    Rising Oil, Rising Food

    Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world.

    – Henry Kissinger

    There are numerous research studies showing that rising food prices are highly correlated with oil.Analysis reveals that the price of oil influences the price of food but that, in reverse, the price of food does not influence the price of oil. That is, there’s more than correlation, there’s causation — with oil driving the price of food over the long haul. Specifically, the price of corn, soybeans and wheat, with rice not showing much of an effect possibly because so much of it is planted and harvested with muscle-power vs. oil.

    Here’s a long run view showing this relationship:

    (Source)

    What’s interesting is that the obvious effect of rising oil prices is on the supply side. All of the inputs costs more: fertilizer, diesel for the tractors, chemicals and transport. The less obvious part of the story is on the demand side, as higher fuel costs end up diverting cropland to energy production in the form of corn-based ethanol and palm oil. This removes land for food production and creates competing demand for the same edibles in the case of corn.

    In 2005, the price of oil began its volatile rise to the current worldwide price of over $100 per barrel. Correspondingly, the world price for food has also risen over the same period and is now above the levels that ignited the so-called Arab Spring, which really could be renamed the Hungry Uprising:

    (Source)

    Food prices are high by historical standards and this is one of the key flashpoints for so many of the recently afflicted countries. The reason energy prices and food prices are so tightly coupled is because there are anywhere from 10 to 20 energy calories embedded in each 1 food calorie.

    It seems quite likely that food prices will only continue to rise from here for a number of reasons, high oil prices being just one. There’s also increasingly chaotic weather impinging on harvests, which seem to be a part of our new normal. Already driving the price of food is a fair degree of speculation on the possibility of the emergence of El Nino in the Pacific later this year (2014); previous similar weather patterns have proven to be especially damaging to global grain harvests.

    Droughts, as well, have been particularly vexing to several regions of the world, including the US. One that began in 2008 is almost certainly a main contributor to the Syrian uprising:

    Lebanon Prays for Rain to Avoid Syria’s Fate

    May 9, 2014

    Three years ago, on the cusp of the Arab Spring, a devastating drought sparked anti-government protests in Syria, which eventually devolved into a grinding civil war.Now a new drought has arrived—one that’s expected to be theregion’s worst in decades.Only this time, the parched country in peril is Lebanon.

    Things are so bad in this nation of 4 million that snow was largely absent from the country’s famed ski resorts this year—a vital source of groundwater during the summer—and some villagers near the Israeli border have even reportedly turned to the ancient ritual ofshish balli, or praying for rain. And asthe dry monthsapproach, some worry thatLebanon, as well as Syria, is on the brink of a severe water crisis.

    (Source)

    Perhaps droughts have always been a staple in the global climate tool kit but when you combine drought with high population densities, ruined soils, and generally dim economic prospects they can be quite destabilizing as has proven true across the Middle East – North African belt.

    In the case of Syria, there’s no good news yet on the horizon.

    UN warns of Syria food shortage due to looming drought

    Apr 8, 2014

    The UN has warned that a drought in Syria could lead to a record low wheat harvest and put millions of people at risk.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) said rainfall since September has been less than half the long-term average.

    At the same time, WFP food aid has been cut by a fifth due to a lack of funds from international donors.

    “WFP is concerned about the impact of a looming drought hitting the northwest of the country, mainly Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama,” WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told reporters in Geneva.

    “A drought could put the lives of millions more people at risk,” she said.

    Up to 6.5 million Syrians could need emergency food aid as a result, up from the current figure of 4.2 million, Byrs said.

    As a result of the drought, Syria could be forced to import more than the 5.1 million tonnes of wheat it needed last year, the WFP said in a report.

    Syria was last hit by a drought in 2008, three years before the outbreak of the civil war.

    On Monday, the WFP announced that it had to cut the size of its food parcels to Syrian families by 20 per cent.

    (Source)

    It’s pretty obvious that part of the tension that led to uprisings in Syria was related to both this drought and generally high food prices, even before poor harvests added to the misery.

    Importing Water

    An additional factor in my prediction for rising food prices stems from the gross over-withdrawal of water from aquifers that has been ongoing for decades.

    If you compare the map below with a list of trouble spots in the world you will note a high degree of overlap:

    (Source)

    Some of those countries are not yet in revolt, but are on a very dangerous path that may well take them there. India is badly over-pumping its main aquifers and is hugely dependent on the food that comes from those efforts.

    Saudi Arabia’s main aquifer is slated to run out as early as 2016. Because it has abundant energy resources Saudi Arabia will be able to turn to desalination plants, but for how long and at what costs to their ability to export oil as that same oil is being used to power those plants?

    It takes up to 1,000 tons of water to grow one ton of wheat. Therefore, when China imports grains, like corn, soybeans and wheat, it is actually importing water, something it increasingly needs to do because of aquifer depletion and surface water pollution.

    Given the trends in world food production, energy prices, droughts, El Ninos, depleting aquifers, and the like — we actually have to work very hard to come up with any scenarios wherein food prices mightfall instead of rise.

    The only one that really makes sense is an economic accident of such grand proportions that it causes a deflationary impulse so strong that it drags pretty much everything down with it, including food prices. But then, we’d expect literally everything to be cheaper in price; from real estate to stocks to bonds to politicians to used cars.

    It remains our view that such an outcome, while possible, will be fought tooth and nail by the world’s central banks. They’ll print and distribute additional rounds of ‘deflation fighting’ money to keep the system afloat.

    And, just as none of the central bankers have given one thought to the savers they have tossed under the bus wheels to ‘save the system’, they will give about as much thought to the immense pain that exporting food inflation will meant to dozens of countries and billions of people.

    Conclusion (Part 1)

    In Part 2: What To Avoid When Relocating we apply the framework above to understand why Ukraine was actually a very likely candidate for the unrest that’s broken out there, and why the math strongly indicates the situation is likely to get considerably worse.

    Dwindling resources produce the least admirable human behaviors, something science has tested and understands quite well. Ukraine is a bellwether; we will see other conflicts like it elsewhere in the world, and likely, in time, within our own nation. Which is why understanding the nature of social unrest is so important, particularly to those considering relocation (within or outside of their home country). You certainly don’t want to leap from the frying pan into the fire as resource scarcity and conflicts are now part of the global equation.

    Click here to access Part 2 of this report (free executive summary, enrollment required for full access).

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      90 Comments

      1. WE WILL HAVE OUR OWN SITUATION REAL SOON – READ AND PASS ON:

        Russian Conversation Overheard-‘No, you may only touch things now with your eyes. Soon we will own all that we see with our hands
        Dear Steve,

        I was not sure that I believed that there are Russian soldiers in Gatlinburg, but now I am wondering if it could be true after an encounter today in Fredericksburg, VA. I observed three incredibly tough looking men in and antique store here. One of the men said to the others, in perfect English, ” I would like to purchase some of these things now.” The lightly older one of the three told him, “No, you may only touch things now with your eyes. Soon we will own all that we see with our hands.” They did not know that I was watching or had overheard. When they did notice me they spoke to each other only in Russian.

        After a few minutes I asked them if they were fro Russia. They gave me a total stone face response. Kind of annoyed, I asked if they were soldiers and if they were staying at Quantico, Fort A.P. Hill, or Dahlgren (all are military posts near here). They simply looked right through me again. More annoyed, I asked them if they were here as part of the gun confiscation plan I had heard of. That at least got a response. The two younger men flinched slightly and looked to the older man who still had no expression but turned to leave. The two other two men left with him. They went to the parking lot, got into a white car with US military license plates, and left.

        • Huh? What is this statement and where does it come from? What is the source here? Pass it on from where, whom?

          • Steve Quayle if memory serves.

          • Gonetoolong: Also here….this is a compilation of sightings and interactions with foreign troops (russians) on American soil.

            http://revelation12.ca/?p=11

            PKLL

            • I was at Dayton OH today at the Hamvention and watched an interaction with a vendor, who was watching three men speaking Russian ( my father speaks fluently) discuss some equipment they were looking to buy. The vendor kept an eagle eye on these guys. I merely watched to see if they bought anything….this is getting unnerving, because back in our hometown, we are encountering more and more Eastern Europeans and Russians coming to learn business skills working in the restaurants and other tourist destinations, wondering why they aren’t learning this on their own soil….

            • Foreign troops would not last a week here. We still have 300 million guns in the hands of civilians. Half of the military and most small town LEO’s will be on our side. 5 Million prepers along with: militia, good ole boys, bikers, and gangs. It would be a blood bath for them as the Bundy ranch and ATV’ers proved. Imagine that on a scale with 50-250 thousand pissed off and feed up Americans at just one event. More and more people are starting to wake up. Don’t relocate, and don’t sweat it. Train, Form teams, and prep your ass off. PRAY, PLAN, PREP, FORM TEAMS. It is going to be hard but we will get through this.

              • The US has delayed all out Food Riots here for decades, because of Food Stamps/ EBT Electronic Benefits Transfer, and why they keep expanding this EBT program out to 50+ Million Americans. Folks that’s just one in six people dependent on EBT Food Stamps. We already saw what happened within a few hours of an EBT Glitch. 50% including social security, and welfare and veterans. As long as people can eat they will be semi civil. Cut off Welfare and food stamps, and economic payments, and we just may get a permission and a green light to shoot people on sight for stealing, no questions asked. You just better have lots of shovels and a place to bury the bodies, or they will rot in the streets, with flies spreading disease.

                Imagine this, and EMP solar flare hits, and all electronic systems-communications, etc, including Credit Cards and EBT food cards are knocked out and no longer working, for weeks and months. No Gas pumps work, no phones, no ATM’s and Grocery store freezers are out of order. And No semi trucks bringing in any more food to your city. Its Game-Over folks. It will be an all out war as the unprepared populace rob steal and kill anybody in their way to acquire food. And you will be defending your home and food stock. And there will be no quick fix, since an EMP blowout could knock us off the grid for 2 years or more. Mass death and disease will set in. I am telling you ALL better have lots of lethal ammo and plenty of weapons and a year or more, long term food on hand and stock piled, cause a lot of people are going to die within a few weeks. This may be a planned event or this even used as a false flag event to reduce the useless eaters in society and dependency and an excuse to kill these Zombies off. Many will die who are dependent on medications and drugs under Medicare and Medicade. And our Government may do this as an excuse just before they break the news we are in total bankruptcy and collapse as a nation. And all to just to reduce the number of people dependent on the Government for food and other freebee programs. Load and Lock baby!!! Lots and lots of High capacity magazines and lots of ammo. And you and your family just may come out on the other end in one piece. You may have to eat your pets for food unless you prepare now, or yesterday. An EMP can hit anytime without any notice. Are you all ready?

          • Freedom Confrence in Riverton Wyoming, Tomorrow Sat. May 17. Here is a chance to hear a true Conservative, Constitutionalist. Dr. Taylor Haynes a candidate for Wyoming Governor. Not just another RINO! Trekker Out.

            • Mountain Trekker

              Thanks for the “heads up”. How is he doing?

              • New Ord, if I may elaborate, I lived my entire life in Missouri other than when I served in the Military, prior to moving to Wyoming and I must admit that I have been somewhat prejudice most of my life. But Dr Taylor Haynes who is black, is one of the most intelligent and well versed on the Constitution of all politicians that I personally ever came across. And when you hear him speak at town hall meetings, he takes all questions and has an excellent and Conservative answer for every question, and most importantly he never evades your question. He is doing well, but will have a hard time in the Governor race since he isn’t part of the Republican Party Machine. The sad thing is that even people that claim to be Conservative vote the Party, not the principal of the man. Funny, one of the questions he was asked was if he was still a friend of Cliven Bundy, after his racist remarks, to which he replied. Yes were still friends, and he said Clive was not a racist and wasn’t well educated in the art of talking to the press. Time for me to stop rambling. Trekker Out. I’ll Have A Tea Party!

                • I have been to Riverton. Almsot took a job there. Nice twon with nice people. Pity the group that tries to screw with the folks of that town……

          • Don’t you people smell a setup when you step in it? Supposedly, Russians in govt vehicles, playing obama admin games of denial and refusal to answer questions? Good grief people, I’d hate to have you on my intel team…I’d might as well get the CIA to help out.

            • Well, let’s just say, it doesn’t occur to us, the innocent bystanders, that another country( or our own) is preparing to send us like sheep to the slaughter, with the approval and compliscence of our own govt….

              • Think about this—If the entire world would condemn Russia for sending troops into Ukraine, which is a former territory with RUSSIAN-speaking people who are ASKING for their help…

                What does anyone think would happen if Russia was to start attacking U.S. citizens, EVEN WITH THE BLESSING OF THIS GOVT?

                Putin IS NOT STUPID. He knows he has a moral high ground at the moment, and he knows what would happen to that benefit in the world scenario, if he was to set Russian troops against Americans on American soil.

                Half the world is pissed off that there might be Russians in Ukraine, THINK…THINK for a moment what they are saying. That would be a nice trap wouldn’t it…if the world MSM was to get a hold of a story of Russians on U.S. soil, rounding up American citizens—Don’t think for a hot second that those corrupt, Machiavellian elites wouldn’t do that…2birds1stone.

                You think there’s outrage NOW…

                PLEASE stop buying into propaganda and THINK about what you’re being told.

                • And THAT is one of my biggest reasons why I do not believe that Russians are here to stand against US, even for the govt. THE UNITED STATES GOVT LIES THEIR ASSES OFF ABOUT EVERYTHING. If they got a chance, they would unite the world against Russia.

                  Probably the best thing Putin has going for him, is that he IS ex-KGB, and knows the ropes, and of U.S./NWO HISTORICAL treachery.

                  It’s the stupid sheep who don’t know.

        • Is Russia on the verge of dealing a MASSIVE blow to the petrodollar?

          “The struggle over Ukraine has caused Russia to completely reevaluate the financial relationship that it has with the United States…”

          From the Russian press… “on April 24th the government organized a special meeting dedicated to finding a solution for GETTING RID of the US dollar in RUSSIAN EXPORT OPERATIONS.”

          “Russia is not just a small player when it comes to trading oil and natural gas. The truth is that Russia is the largest exporter of natural gas and the second largest exporter of oil in the world.”

          “In order to do this, Russia will need trading partners willing to go along. In the article quoted above, the Voice of Russia listed Iran and China as two nations that would potentially be willing to make the switch…”

          “So why is the petrodollar so important?
          Well, it creates a tremendous amount of demand for the U.S. dollar all over the globe. Since everyone has needed it to trade with one another, that has created an endless global appetite for the currency.

          That has kept the value of the dollar artificially high, and it has enabled us to import trillions of dollars of super cheap products from other countries. If other nations stopped using the dollar to trade with one another, the value of the dollar would plummet dramatically…”
          http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/de-dollarization-russia-is-on-the-verge-of-dealing-a-massive-blow-to-the-petrodollar

          Moscow Says Massive “Holy Grail” Gas Deal With China Is 98% Ready

          “The Hong Kong publication reports that China and Russia hope to sign a massive deal for natural gas supply when their leaders meet in a regional summit in Shanghai next week.”
          http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-16/moscow-says-massive-holy-grail-gas-deal-china-98-ready

          Russia Dumps 20% Of Its Treasury Holdings Mystery “Belgium” Buyer Adds Another Whopping $40 Billion

          “Russia dumped a record $26 billion, or some 20% of all of its holdings, bringing its post-March total to just over $100 billion.”

          “it is quite clear that “Belgium” is NOT the country of Begium who is engaging in this unprecedented buying spree of US paper, but some account acting through Belgian custody.”

          This MYSTERY BUYER has quietly and quite rapidly become the largest holder of U.S. Treasury holdings. With $40 billion additional purchases in Marh, “Belgium” now has $381 billion in treasury holdings.
          http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-15/russia-dumps-20-its-treasury-holdings-mystery-belgium-buyer-adds-another-whopping-40

          • I’ll bet that great defender of liberty, George Soros, has an office in Belgium.

            • Waiting in Idaho,

              Interesting. That was who I thought of also.

              The economy in the U.S. and in many other countries arond the world are weakened.

              Soros has the money to do this. At a time of his choosing, he could decide to dump all his holdings in an effort to … start the dominos falling.

              • Well, lemme see—if I was being antagonized by a lying, dual-citizen ran regime, my country and peoples threatened with war and sanctions every time I turned around, what would I do?

                I suppose I’d take whatever measures necessary to shorten the stature of the bully, just in case there are blows thrown at me and my country. Maybe it could be a less bloody alternative to bombing the fuckers back to the stone-age…

                NO MAN…I REPEAT, NO MAN SHOULD EVER HAVE TO HIDE IN THE CLOSET WHILE INTRUDERS TRASH HIS HOME. HE HAS AN INHERENT RIGHT TO DEFEND HIS PROPERTY, HIS PEOPLE AND HIS NEIGHBORS.

                …anyone who says anything different is NOT a Patriot, but a govt brainwashed fool.

              • ….and KY Mom, will any of us see this coming…..?

            • My gut tells me it is the fed who is purchasing these in order to hide the avalanche coming at us.

              • yup, fed buying thru Euroclear. untracable transactions, but more obvious every day.

            • Yeah, and it’s located right next to the Koch brothers.

          • Yep… just like I been saying…climate hell and peak oil (soon to be, “no oil”).

            Around 2016, even unconventional supplies of oil and gas (from shale rock and fracking) will be running out… Thats the only reason we haven’t gone over the cliff yet. But in 2016, with even those avenues closed, it doesn’t look too good for civilization.

            Also, in the same year, “the last little sliver of ice” so to speak, will be gone from the Arctic. And that will be another HUGE problem.

            God help us!!

        • So half the world won’t have water and half the world won’t have food.
          And the other half won’t be able to afford anything.

          At this point does it really matter. ; Hillary Clinton

          • All in all, we are in Depression 2,

            it’s just that not everyone is aware

            of it yet.

        • Very useful article…

          A Dutch Oven & Outside-The-Box Recipes Equals Gourmet Eating, Prepper Style!

          *Article includes helpful links and “How to” Youtube videos for these topics:

          Home Canning Bacon

          Home Canning Butter

          Preserving Eggs

          Sourdough Starter

          Waxing Cheese

          Dutch Oven Recipes
          Over 2500 “food storage friendly recipes and discovered a deceptively simple site for cast iron Dutch Oven cooking.”
          http://survivethecomingcollapse.com/3664/a-dutch-oven-outside-the-box-recipes-equals-gourmet-eating-prepper-style/

          Just Dutch Oven Recipes
          “over 2,500 recipes for Bean, Beef, Beef-Ground, Bread/Biscuits, etc. Chicken, Chili, Cobblers, Deserts, etc., Drink, Fruit, Lamb, Miscellaneous, Pasta, Pork, Sauce, Sausage, Seafood/Fish, Soup, Soup-Chowders, Stew, Turkey, Vegetables, Wild Game”
          http://www.justdutchovenrecipes.com/index.html

            • Well, unless it will fit in a mail truck, it’s out of my reach….damn it, the good things usually are.

          • KY: Thank you…Great info…red feather butter is amazing…

            Found the seed starter/growing/saving book. Really good. It’s called “The New Seed Starters Handbook” by Nancy Bubel. 385 pages

            Section One: Starting Seeds Indoors. chapters 1-11
            Section Two: Moving Plants Outdoors. chapters 12-22
            Section Three: Special Techniques and Situations. chapters 23-26
            Section Four: Saving Seeds and Making Further Plans. chapters 27-38
            Encyclopedia of Plants to Grow from Seed. pages 250 on…

            ….tons of great info….watering, green houses, spacing, trees, pests, etc.

            PKLL

        • Can’t wait to see Jesus kick Satan’s ass!

          • (Received this in an email)

            Finding happiness in the simple things…

            1. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.

            2. Laugh every day, it’s like inner jogging.

            3. Growing old is inevitable … growing UP is optional.

            4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

            5. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

            6. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.
            God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

            7. If you worry, you didn’t pray … If you pray, don’t worry.

            8. Faith is the ability to not panic.

            9. The most important things in your house are the people.

            10. Do the math … count your blessings.

        • And those who control the guns, contol the politicians. Come and take em’ b!tches…

        • Steve Quale…….fear monger………yawn.

          • YAWN, POS TROLL, YAWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

        • Why would they be speaking to each other in English, and only switch to Russian when they knew someone else was listening?

          • because they are govt plants, to stir disinfo, and foment fear of Russia, so the govt can get on with it’s mission.

        • W H E N. . . . . ?

        • Bull feathers.

      2. Those commies fit right in with Amerika’s commies. Commies everywhere.

      3. When this goes down, a lot of people “will fight 4 food”.

        • You mean receive lead nutrients?

          • here, warning shots will be sent downrange to center-mass!

          • Iowa, I hear you loud and clear. that’s what they’ll receive from me unless they stay away.

        • so, it’s gonna be a food fight, huh?….better spread out those resources to others homes in your area in case you are raided….probly be dead anyway, but cache some food and weapons elsewhere to diversify your portfolio!….meantime, party like it’s 1929!

      4. We need to have an ORGANIZED and DETERMINED militia in every state to protect us from the domestic terrorists called “military” and “law enforcement”.

        GET YOUR GENERAL CLASS HAM RADIO LICENSE and lets get a band plan in place.

        Lets add the singularity and techno apocalypse to our list of fears. Start researching emp guns small enough to be shoulder mounted. Sooner or later we are going to be fighting terminators – killer robot soldiers. Its inevitable. Phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

        Perhaps its time to reinstitute the office of “Tribune of the Plebes”.

        Sexually harass old women.

        ‘Crotch out.

        • you actually wasted keystrokes on that???

      5. Food would be my guess to start a revolt. There is nothing worse than seeing you child hungry. The folks in the cities are going to have to figure out something so they will have food. If they haven’t by now it just might be too late. “County Boy Can Survive”!

        The second item would for me. Would be saying we have no Constitutional rights, Martial Law for no reason,

        Invasion by a foreign nation I could see it. Maybe that is why there are Russian and Chinese troops in our country.

        I think it is going to be several thing together that will cause the Revolution. It will only take 3%.

        Pray, Prep, Pray, Prep!!!!!
        AIM SMALL MISS SMALL
        Sgt.

        • It will only take 1% this time.

        • Howdy, Sarge and everybody. Just finished some projects that kept me away from the computer for the 3 days. Sarge, I see food and a lot of other things combined that will cause the Revolution. I know I’ve said this before and I have to say it again. if anyone comes to my home for food or anything else, they’re just wasting their time. I have it for me and my own, BUT NOT FOR ANYONE ELSE, PERIOD! If you didn’t prepare, that’s not my problem. other families are not my responsibility. Sarge, I hope I never have to shoot anyone over anything, but I’m afraid that day is coming and I’ll have no other choice. We all know what’s coming so keep prepping.

          • T R B
            Good to hear from you my friend! I hope your project was setting up BOL. We want to get down there, but are still waiting on the seller,and my folks are not doing well.I want to start just setting things into place so that when I get the green light I can put in what I want.

            This isn’t going to be my BOL this is where I will stand a fight. If I get run out I will go to where we had talked about in another topic last week.

            The only people I will help is the ones in my group for now.

            Now if someone comes up and ask for help I will ask them what they could do for us? Like a Doctor, Dentist Ect. If they can’t doing anything for us. My Christian upbringing tells me at least give them one day of food and water and sent them on there way. If they return they will considered combatants and dealt with that way.

            I know some will say I’m wrong, but that is the way we (Our Group) will handle it.

            AIM SMALL MISS SMALL
            Sgt.

            • Sarge: This is what keeps me up at night….trying to wake up my fellow sisters and brothers who refuse to do anything…like stock up on food or grow a garden. And when they come to the door hungry….

              PKLL

              • PKLL
                Just keep trying. It is what I had to do. 20 years ago we had 4 families, and know we have around 15 or so.
                I have always believed you lead by example.
                Good Luck
                Sgt.

                • Sarge: Thanks…

                  One can only hope….you have had 20 years though….if Christians don’t get it now with everything lining up right out of the Good Book, then I’m not sure they ever will until it’s too late. I will admit, it gets tiring being the crazy person in the room.

                  PKLL

                  • PKLL
                    But it is fun though, being the nut in the crowd. When TSHTF You will be the god of the neighborhood.
                    Sgt.

                  • Sarge: LOL…not God, but a target….I sure wish many of you were closer to me geographically.

                    PKLL

            • their not there

              • Rotten…shutup…

            • Howdy, Sarge. As I said a few articles back, I’m taking some more supplies to my cousin’s BOL in GA in July. this is my first time back online in 3 days. What you say about helping someone in exchange for certain “services rendered” sounds plausible but I would still be extremely careful about who I do business with under such circumstances. I think you’re approaching it exactly the right way. I’ve had no luck on finding my own place is East TN yet, but still looking. I’m concentrating on SE TN within say an hour to hour and a half drive of my family in GA. If that falls through, I still have the GA arrangement.

        • We as Americans are a pampered group. We for a long time haven’t endured life struggles that others in other countries have had to undergo. If the nitwit running this thing thinks for a moment that they can starve the population into submission this poor fu*k is deluded.
          You can do a lot of things to a man and in the end not have much to worry about. If you starve a mans family, and slowly kill his kids and his wife, his mother or father, you had better have eyes in the back of your flipping head. If he’s alive, he WILL come after you looking for vengeance and retribution at any cost. You’ve already taken what he’s lived for up to this point, and you’ve taken that away. What has he to loose?
          Children’s hunger, his children’s hunger will drive a man mad. Killing mad! It won’t matter who’s involved or if their responsible or not, he’s coming!
          Something like this could very easily spiral wildly out of control.
          Way beyond their expectations.

          • excellent comment Hammer.
            It reminds me of Michigans Agenda 21 push , they decided that if you got a farm in a “rural residential” district then they can shut you down, starve you out so to speak.

            john mellencamp :
            When you take away a mans dignity he cant work his fields and cows

            There’ll be blood on the scarecrow blood on the plow
            Blood on the scarecrow blood on the plow

      6. Nine meals away from anarchy. Ethics and morals are tossed to the curb when you have hungry, scared children.

        Every time I go to the grocery store I pick up a few extra cans/boxes of food items that store well. But that is because I choose to, because at any moment something bad could happen.

        Most people buy only for that day or that week. They either can’t afford to stash for the long term or choose not to. When the quality of living goes down because, it won’t take long for people to start to lose it.

        • Everyone remember those videos of dying children in Africa? You know the ones, the UNICEF and United something-or-the-other, with the little bags of bones with the flies crawling on their faces.

          I’ve always wondered why, if it is true that ANY MAN will go crazy and do such horrendous things to feed his children, why didn’t those parents kill somebody to feed theirs? Why are they all still dying?

          The answer: Because NOBODY HAS ANYTHING LEFT TO TAKE. The entire country is starving, not just certain populations or areas.

          I think this is a perfect example of what may lie ahead…at least, in the wet dreams of the NWO.

          Me? I’d have a barbeque, with the nearest elite as the featured entre…er…I mean, VIP…

          • He’d be treated to a cucumber wash and oregano rub, a salt bath and a good long…hot…soak.

      7. Apparently OUR SAFETY is NOT a big concern…

        The Obama administration would like to ban guns for citizens, but releases thousands of CRIMINAL IMMIGRANTS in the U.S.

        After Obama RELEASED over 36,000 CRIMINAL IMMIGRANTS in 2013, and now is CONSIDERING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO HALT ALL deportations

        OBAMA CONSIDERS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO HALT ALL DEPORTATIONS
        http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IMMIGRATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-05-16-04-19-05

        17 Pages of Immigration Laws Obama Is Breaking…
        “By refusing to enforce our country’s immigration laws, the Obama administration is compromising the safety of law-abiding American citizens,”
        http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/05/16/Sessions-Updates-Catalogue-of-Obama-Administration-Immigration-Non-Enforcement

        Murderers, Rapists, Kidnappers: Over 36,000 Criminal Illegal Immigrants Released In 2013
        “The immigrants were being processed for deportation at the time they were released.”
        http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/12/murderers-rapists-kidnappers-over-36000-criminal-illegal-immigrants-released-in-2013/

        “A murder or assault conviction is no guarantee an immigrant will be deported or even remain in detention, an internal Department of Homeland Security document reveals.”

        Administration releases illegal aliens convicted of violent crimes – murder, rape, robbery, kidnappers…
        http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/05/12/ICE-released-murderers-sexual-assault-kidnapping-convicts-in-2013

        • He is rubbing it in our faces. He wants us to know that, NOW there is plenty of space for US troublemakers.

          Don’t doubt it…

      8. If there are foreign troops on American soil we need to identify them and spread the word. We also need to find out what branch of government has allowed this and start criminal proceedings for treason.

        • If by “criminal proceedings” you mean a trial- count me out. If by that you mean, erect a gallows with about 500 nooses on the National Mall, stretch their necks and let the weather and buzzards have their way with them until their bones are bleached and the nooses are ready to refilled with the next batch of traitors- THEN we’re in total agreement. And please- nobody give me any bleeding-heart bullshit about how it makes me no better than them. They don’t deserve a trial. Humans deserve trial. You don’t give vermin trials.

          • We need to give the a fair trial before we hang them.

            • What is “fair”, would they do the same for us?

      9. And what is the number 1 predictor of expensive food?

        Expensive energy resources!

        Too bad global conventional crude oil production peaked in 2005.

      10. The US Govnt calls people, who are just trying to protect their motherland from invaders, “Terrorists.” Harry Reid just took the lead on that phrase at the Bundy Ranch.

        • Amen.

      11. In the movie 48 Hours Eddie Murphy said; I’ll paraphrase; “Lack of FOOD make you brave”.

        • Yeah, they completely destroyed an honest man for…a ONE DOLLAR bet.

          • That was Trading Places.

            • oops, my bad. thanks.

      12. To me the article just made a bunch of excuses covering the backside of the established powers that control everything. The real reason for the downfall is clearly greed. That along with suppressed innovation that keeps existing economic advancement in place for the entrenched elite. No real progress for the masses, only losing ground.

      13. Things may seem bad here in the states, but we actually are in the top 10% in income worldwide. Most people struggle to live on a dollar or two a day.

        Hell, in India over 260 million people don’t even have a bathroom to use…they just go out and shit in the street or river. Mind boggling. And we use drinking water to flush our shit down a commode. They struggle to stay alive.

        I know… who cares about them dot heads… but we don’t know anything about hard living compared to most people. Cheap carbon fuel has spoiled those living in the empire.

        • JRS, right on. The poorest American, sitting in a park beating a drum, chanting “This is what democracy looks like”, ranting about the 1% elites, is one of the 1% elites.

          Only about 2 billion people on the planet make over the equivalent of $3,000 a year. Half of the remainder are existing at subsistence levels of $300 or so.

          • Its sad when you have debased your nation to such a point that you lower the bar and compare yourself to the 3rd world.

            When I was growing up in the 1960s you would hear, “finish your plate there are kids starving in Europe”. Well they were about 15 years too late for that line but the goal was to bring the world up WITHOUT lowering yourself down. Now they just lower the bar and magically your doing better even though you regressed.

            Smoke and mirrors.

          • Oh…the nations we used to compare ourselves to have surpassed us. Lets find someone W/O running water and say, “Be thankful, your doing a lot better than him”. Hell “He” and his nation just discovered fire a generation ago. We put a man on the moon 45 years ago.

            I think we honestly need a higher standard to compare ourselves to.

      14. I have seen a few comments on here regarding the importance of natural resources to survival…which is absolutely true. The only way the U.S. resources are of any use to us (or invaders) is if the Nuclear power plants don’t all melt down. That happens, the they write the U.S. off and most of the northern hemisphere as well.

        The Chinese (and others) are paying the price now for all that industrialization and manufacturing with depleted and polluted water supplies. People wonder why Africa all of a sudden became ‘important’ to many countries? It’s because a HUGE unknown (yeah right) aquifer was recently discovered that would supply many years of fresh water. It wasn’t gold, diamonds or oil that just drew countries there…it was the hidden water sources.

        The U.S. is in big trouble as the largest aquifer we have The Ogallala, is quickly depleting and it isn’t coming back. Why do you think the other Oblama army division (the EPA) has all of those new rules concerning water rights? The NDAA of 2012 also outlines seizure and control of natural resources (water, food, energy) as the government sees fit. They don’t just make up stupid rules to make themselves look less intelligent…they intend to use them.

      15. Buy now it only gets more expensive later.

      16. The only thing those in the UN NWO Agenda21 camp are interested in is the countinuation & countinunity of government. Everyone else is expendable. They know great world wide clatyclismic weather & end of an age earth change events caused by the Magnetic pole shift are coming very soon. They have prepped for their survival. and they are prepping to contain & control the citizens & resources. Think about it you know how little you care about them. They care even less about you.

      17. Last September I was driving from corsicana towards fort worth Texas on I35, ahead of me was a large flat bed truck hauling a tank, I didn’t recognize the back of the tank, since I am a military equipment buff I thought to myself WTF, I caught up to and passed the truck, the tank was a soviet T72. Guess they aren’t ready to send their front line stuff here YET!

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