Oh, what a bad little girl you are!!

I have news for you.

The government didn't do this to us we did it to ourselves.

I've been debating here for quite a while on whether or not to post on this topic thread. I've gotten quite the chuckle here, noticing several things others posted here similar to things I posted decades ago on other forum sites. Executive orders, Steven Quayle (having listened to him on c-band satellite/shortwave/online for over 15 years), survival tips, guns/ammo, bows/arrows, and teaching self-sufficiency classes- all in the name of "waking people up" and "educating" them. It took several years to realize this was a futile effort. Those who want the information and are serious, will seek it out on their own. Regardless... good topic still. The best advice I can provide is-

1. KYMS (Keep Your Mouth Shut) in regards to what you have or looking for and conveying it on a public forum site when it comes to preparation (especially guns/ammo). Take it private (if you know what I mean and why). Next, the same people that scoff and sneer at your attempts to help them help themselves will be the first begging for your help when/if something happens. The only thing I will have to offer those people is telling them the story of "The Little Red Hen" and wish them well.

2. It's human nature to brag about skills, talents, and abilities (I am guilty of this myself at times as well) when it comes to preparation (for a crisis real or perceived). I believe the key is to keep a low profile. This doesn't to mean crawl into a bunker and hide but adopting/adapting to new ways of doing things like planting a vegetable garden disguised as a "hobby". Your local county cooperative extension service offers Master Gardener classes and food preservation (canning and freezing).

3. Preparation of this nature has to be a perpetual lifestyle choice and not like the novelty of packing for a weekend camping trip. A good way to test your situation to see how well you are prepared- remove the main circuit breakers from your electrical panel, disconnect the phone for a weekend, and use only the items in your home/apt. Take inventory and assess your strengths/weaknesses and make adjustments accordingly.

4. While food and guns are at the top of the list of things to have, the number one priority I believe is water and a good portable water purification system. My personal preference is the "Big Berkey". One can go weeks without food; However, one can only go a few days without water.

5. "It's better to be 10 years too early than one second too late". So you have your food, guns, and everything stored up- great, that's a start. When/if those supplies run out, get stolen, or lost... then what? Hope? Pray? Maybe the government will bail you out? Good preparation takes time and can't be achieved in a week or month, it takes years. Learning new skills and trades- many now considered obsolete/novelties and things we take for granted nowdays takes time. Vegetable gardening (using heirloom seeds that can be saved), soap making, knitting/sewing/weaving, woodworking/carpentry (using hand tools), hunting/fishing/butchering, just to mention a few. Knowledge is one thing you will always carry with you regardless of your situation. It weighs less than a can of corn and will sustain you for much longer.

I had a feeling I would get carried away here (preaching about getting prepared)... old habits die hard. The main message here (if there is one) is not to panic but not to bury your head in the sand either. Be realistic. I enjoy my computer, electricity, and modern convienences/technology as much as anyone else here; However, I also realize that just one little glitch in this current system- a domino effect is created. One little truckers strike, one little computer virus, one little key disaster (manmade or natural) is all it takes to cause this country to go into a complete paradigm paralysis.

My parting thought here. Those who are prepared aren't nearly as nervous/anxious about the current state of affairs as those who aren't.

Wasnt it Reagan the shifted the way those numbers we figured? Florida is at 10% but am told if it was figured the same way as it was in the Great Depression we would be some where around 16-18%!! Not far off of those depression numbers. If Im wrong please correct me. I like to learn!!!!!!

We are IN a depression,,,WE have lost to many jobs to even think we can rebuild. As unemployment runs out,,,people WILL survive...
PARENTS will find food. WE all will fall victims to total meltdown.
Be ready,,,I'll give us about six months to see it at your door.

If Micky-d's starts closing stores here,,,,,,,,be AFRAID, VERY AFRAID!

How are your local FOOD PANTRIES DOING??
And local churches??? Thats another way to be up on how things are going,wink.. WE CAN'T BE TOLD WHERE IN A DEPRESSION.
The government THINKS we will PANIC,,,,and WE WOULD....But truth is truth..

I still say STOCK UP NOW...