I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

[raja]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

I go back and forth on how much to prepare. We have taken the basic precautions, but the big one in my mind is whether to acquire some rural acreage or small farm, and where. But, when my rational mind kicks in, I have a hard time believing that things will get that bad. True, the trends are very negative. However, much of what is happening is positive and necessary from the conservation of resource point of view. If gas in the US goes to $10 a gallon, it would have a huge impact on life style, but not curtail our ability as a nation to grow enough food and get it to market. It would simply stimulate a huge investment in alternative energy.

Oil is not the only problem. There also are:

1. Close to $500 trillion in derivatives that many call a "ticking time bomb" waiting to implode.

2. Economic competition with China, India, etc., which wasn't there in the past.

3. Shortages of other commodities.

4. The residential housing and commercial real estate meltdown.

5. The trade deficit and loss of manufacturing base.

6. National debt.

7. International tensions over commodity shortages.

8. Threat of losing reserve-currency status.

Others perhaps could expand (or contract) this list . . . .

It's oil and all this other stuff coming together that could cause a MAJORLY unpleasant situation in the US :eek:

[sn1p3r]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

I call it the perfect storm, I don't think 1 thing will hurt us but several could work together to make life miserable for a few years. I canned about 6 months worth of food tonight and I have to say it does take a little bit of the worry away when you handle the bonars, bullets and beans...nothing tin foil about it...just common sense...ask your grandparents

[Nervous Drake]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

Something I keep thinking about is how there is nothing to worry about unless there is a united resistance against what is going on. If that happens, then yeah, it's probably a good idea to have food stored and such so you can hide if you want.

But if people don't resist what is given to them from the "powers that be," I would reasonably say that nothing as tragic as requiring a generator and guns and canned food is necessary.

Really think about what the future portends, try and see it from the perspective of "We are all in the same boat, and that is a pretty big boat (USA, Europe, etc.).

Personally I've been trying to see everyone as my equal and going from there. I think the safest way to survive such radical change that will make life a bitch for most is to have love and compassion for everyone, no matter who they are.

Drake, you should copy your post and put it on your fridge and check it in about 50 years and see if your attitudes might have changed over that period of time.

One thing about which I tend to agree with your speculation: nothing in this country is going to seriously change--barring some super external tragedy that wipes out the national government--unless people get pissed off enough to start demonstrating about had bad things are. Personally I don't think that is any where near happening. I also don't think it makes a rat's ass bit of difference who becomes president for next year or probably for the next 2-4 elections unless real organized, or even disorganized, public dissent becomes the only news worth reporting.

[Nervous Drake]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

.

[Chris]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

an (other) ominous sign for the US:

Starbucks to close 600 US stores

By Jonathan Birchall in New York
Published: July 1 2008 22:34 | Last updated: July 2 2008 00:21

Starbucks is to close 8 per cent of its 7,000 US coffee shops and drastically cut plans for new locations, blaming over-aggressive expansion rather than slowing consumer demand.
Peter Bocian, chief financial officer, said on Tuesday that while the economy had been “awful”, the business at the outlets being closed did not work out like the business case expected,”we didn’t believe it was all economy”.



The coffee retailer said it would close about 600 shops over the next year, which will result in pre-tax charges estimated at more than $300m, and about 12,000 lost jobs, or 7 per cent of its global workforce.
In addition to the company-run outlets there are just over 4,000 licensed operations.
The new figure includes 100 stores already identified for closure in January after Howard Schultz resumed the role of chief executive at the company.



http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/086fd976-4...077b07658.html

[sn1p3r]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

I'm not sure how things will turn out but I look at it like insurance. We insure our cars, our homes, our health (sort of)...I like to eat so I insure my food. I like to save some money so I insure some of that via PMs. The guns...well, those are just fun

It wouldn't take much of a natural disaster to shut down groceries for a few weeks (months?) in your areas and sure they could bring in some food/water on pallets and distribute it at your local FEMA camp but I like my independence so I insure that.

[jimmygu3]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

It wouldn't take much of a natural disaster to shut down groceries for a few weeks (months?) in your areas and sure they could bring in some food/water on pallets and distribute it at your local FEMA camp but I like my independence so I insure that.

In the back of my mind I always assumed Uncle Sam would swoop in to the rescue with pallets of food and a first-class rescue effort in a crisis. That illusion was blown away by FEMA's non-response to Katrina. Perhaps under the next administration things will be different, appointing competent people with the authority and resources to act vs impotent cronies like Brownie. But I wouldn't bet my life on it.

[sn1p3r]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

the math is simple...who do you trust more with your livelihood? yourself or a gov't agency?

[tombat1913]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

:eek: For the Love of Ra, don't depend on a taser to protect your family!

That being said, this is a subject very near and dear to my heart as well. Had I been spending significant time preparing for turbulent times over the last several months I would probably have the following.

-12 ga shotgun w/ several boxes ammo including slugs.
-easily concealable hand gun
-hunting rifle w/ lots of ammo
-1-6 month supply of food for each family member (12 year shelf life, non GMO, no pesticides, grown in the U.S., made when ordered, 2200 calories per day)
-6 month supply of soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
-About 1 cord of fire wood for cooking (live in warm climate don't need it for heat)
-A truck that runs on diesel as well as straight vegetable oil with a hydrogen assist to boost mileage
-Several pounds of silver (buried)
-Rent on about 40 acres useable land
-several air tight cans of various non GMO seeds
-Good quality charcoal water filters
-Well water plus a hand pump in the event of lost electricity
-hand crank radio and flashlight

Maybe it's overkill, maybe not. Depressions happen, wars happen, shit happens. believe it or not I actually have high hopes for my future and humanity, but I also pay attention to history.

Hope this helps.

[GRG55]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

In the back of my mind I always assumed Uncle Sam would swoop in to the rescue with pallets of food and a first-class rescue effort in a crisis. That illusion was blown away by FEMA's non-response to Katrina. Perhaps under the next administration things will be different, appointing competent people with the authority and resources to act vs impotent cronies like Brownie. But I wouldn't bet my life on it.

Boy you are an optimist. Read this:

...Amid angry local criticism of the Federal relief effort ...., President Bush said today that he would send troops to help feed residents and rebuild the area after a hurricane that he said might be the worst natural disaster in the nation's history.

Pentagon officials said 2,000 to 5,000 troops were being flown..., along with portable kitchens, medical supplies, helicopters and bulldozers. A professional disaster-relief specialist characterized the move as welcome, though modest and tardy.

"The damage has created tragedy for millions...," President Bush said, just before boarding Air Force One ... "The damage is far more widespread than even we had feared"...

Pentagon officials acknowledged that tonight's action was arranged within a matter of hours, after orders from the White House this afternoon...

The announcement came after local officials and disaster relief experts said that Federal efforts had been inadequate and often confused and that four days after Hurricane ... struck ..., uncounted thousands of residents still lacked food, water and shelter.

...But the Bush Administration had confined its relief effort to the scale appropriate for past disasters and had refrained from taking extraordinary measures.

...Military officials were still arguing ... also said the Pentagon was hampered by legal restrictions from launching major operations within the country. Indeed, on Monday, Federal officials denied a request from Governor ..., to supply an Army engineering battalion.

In a briefing tonight, Pentagon officials said the soldiers would be on the ground ... by morning, and would be equipped with 20 mobile kitchens capable of feeding 6,000 people three meals a day...

...resembled a war zone. Shattered buildings are everywhere, dazed people wander aimlessly in the streets, a black market in scarce food and water has sprung up, and heavily armed National Guard troops limit access to the storm-damaged zones at checkpoints.

... earlier said food distribution had become hopelessly tangled in bureaucracy and general confusion...

...Emergency deliveries of food and water are still tangled in distibution problems, officials said earlier today...

"We've got 120,000 C-ration meals that are here somewhere, but we don't know where the hell they are," Governor ... said. "Right now, a truckload of food gets there, 200 people show up, 50 people get food and 150 people are angry. We've got to find a way to solve that."

Sounds like Katrina? Wrongo...


HURRICANE ANDREW; BUSH SENDING ARMY TO FLORIDA AMID CRITICISM OF RELIEF EFFORT
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS,
Published: August 28, 1992


Like father, like son...:rolleyes:

[jimmygu3]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

Boy you are an optimist. Read this:

......................

Sounds like Katrina? Wrongo...


HURRICANE ANDREW; BUSH SENDING ARMY TO FLORIDA AMID CRITICISM OF RELIEF EFFORT
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS,
Published: August 28, 1992


Like father, like son...:rolleyes:

Clinton's FEMA chief James Lee Witt is the type of guy I would hope for again (emphasis mine):

By 1996, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial said, "FEMA has developed a sterling reputation for delivering disaster-relief services, a far cry from its abysmal standing before James Lee Witt took its helm in 1993. How did Witt turn FEMA around so quickly? Well, he is the first director of the agency to have emergency-management experience. He stopped the staffing of the agency by political patronage. He removed layers of bureaucracy. Most important, he instilled in the agency a spirit of preparedness, of service to the customer, of willingness to listen to ideas of local and state officials to make the system work better."

[GRG55]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

For what it's worth: I'm seriously spooked. I read LATOC and worry. Suffice to say, I'm making my preparations. Peak oil is absolutely f*cking everywhere now. It's only a matter of time before J6P finds out and then prepping supplies (acres!) will be difficult. Confidence in the financial system will be shredded.

I'm getting my acres and my seeds and safety devices. No serious career or relocation decisions yet, but it's an option that I will continuously review. Won't be spending so much time on ITulip I think. This thing has got to crash sometime, in some fashion, sooner or later. I've made my investments (with good ITulip insights and friendly laughs).

For those of you who like to wander off in Googleland, try just one search: "peak wood". I know, just laugh. But read the first and the second hits.

I hope my significant other will laugh at it in 10 years time, saying it was just my funny hobby.

Any others here feel the same way?

Time to relieve the gloom and doom a bit

From the last big inflation experience. Len Norris from the Vancouver Sun...



"I can never remember ... is it too much money chasing not enough goods that causes inflation or vice versa?" [October 26, 1967]


"Now see here ... it's important that we pass on from son to father the secrets of campfire cooking, rubbing sticks together, keeping warm in the wilds ..." [July 14, 1973]




"... because we've got to start somewhere." [June 20, 1978]



"My husband contributes to inflation where he works in the bank." [December 6, 1980]

[jimmygu3]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

Time to relieve the gloom and doom a bit
From the last big inflation experience....

If only we'd had more time to prepare for peak cheap oil! :rolleyes:

I was watching this 1977 clip from The Kentucky Fried Movie this morning. At 5:18 the newscaster recaps the top story: a meeting of OPEC ministers in Tehran to discuss a 10% increase in crude prices.

[krakknisse]

Re: I'm seriously spooked and switching to preparations

Browsing over at LATOC, I found the following thread (Something about to go down in my local county) on local governments handing out "emergency preparations" booklets, holding town hall meetings on the same, and increased frequency of tests of the emergency broadcast system. Anybody here at ITulip, not so hair-trigger, notice the same? Interpretations?
http://www.doomers.us/forum2/index.php/topic,14218.0/