Money makers and morons

One of the things I hate about the present survivalist environment is the huge number of unscrupulous assholes trying to make a buck off of the worried folk out there trying to do their level best for their families. These folk are scum.

Almost as bad are the morons that see a conspiracy behind every tree. It drives me nuts when I see blog after blog posting about vast government conspiracies to cull the population, or herd them into camps, or confiscate their guns, or make the UN world government overlords or…. well, you get the idea.

Normally, I wouldn’t give a shit what the crazies yapped about. As long as they stay holed up in their remote Idaho retreats fathering more inbred kids on their sisters and jerking off as they imagine themselves as some sort of neo-feudal baron after TEOTWAWKI.

Oh, and did I mention that they like to talk in acronyms and say things like: “ When the Schumer hits the fan”. Gosh golly, I bet they’ve got secret handshakes and Captain Billy Whizz-Bang secret decoder rings as well.

So what is the harm in some extremist ass detailing his fantasies on the Internet? The problem is that these people marginalize what is a serious topic. They make it either laughable or pathetic. Survivalists (or Preppers if you must use the term now that the other word has so much baggage attached.) are regarded as alarmist at best and dangerous loonies at worst.

Again, why care? People like me have put up with the flack for years and years, and prepare anyway, regardless of public opinion. It’s not going to change my mind.

I care because I think we’re in a bad place as a civilization. I think we are seeing the results of some of our choices as a society come home to roost, such as global warming, and peak oil. I think we’re more vulnerable as individuals than ever before, because we are more global than ever before and rely on far away people and places for many of our daily needs.

In short, I think that the likelihood of a serious shift in society, and all the hardship that entails, are closer and more possible than at any time since the end of the Second World War. And I believe more people need to prepare for it than ever before. \\

The morons make this a lot harder to get across. And we need to get it across to people. Anyone thinking they’ll survive in splendid isolation is wrong. You might live a long time, but nothing will survive you. No legacy, no great works, no better community.

We’ve come a long way in the last 2000 years. Let’s not lose it all.

Anyone thought about it?

This spring on the Canadian prairies, farmers planted the lowest acreage of wheat since 1971. Likewise. The wheat acreage in th USA was also the lowest since 1971. The planted barley acreage on the prairies is the lowest since 1965. It was not a cgood spring for the farmers.

Then of course there is the weather of the last month or so. If this keeps up, or if farmers have a bad spell of fall weather, what acreage that is planted will yield far less than usual. Let's see what a bag of flour costs us next year.

And then there is the Gulf oil spill which threatens a quarter of a billion dollar seafood industry. A lessening of supply, with a steady demand, (or just sheer profiteering) is likely to push prices up through the remainder of the year.

I can hardly wait to see what food group gets a hammering next! So maybe think about getting an extra bag of flour and storing it away. rotate a new bag into storage and use the stored one as you use up your kitchen supply.

Costs you less than 10 bucks, and might keep you a in flour if the prices decide to go nuts.

Just think about it, okay? Then do it!!

Gang aft agley....

That's what Robert Burns said about the best laid plans of mice and men, that they go oft astrew. Which is true. Someone else said that no plan survives contact with the enemy. Also true. And writers from Sun Tsu to Clausewitz have written about the fog and friction of war (and other human endeavours).

Yet day after day and blog after blog I read how this or that is neccessary to be prepared, or how someone has the perfect plan for when the SHTF...(ain't jargon grand?). There are no shortage of folk out there that will tell you that they have all the answers, and they ignore the historical and obvious truth about all things, and especially concerning things human. THat things never happens as we think they would (or should).

That truth is that NO ONE knows how the future plays out. There are pundits saying financial ruin and collapse are around the corner. Others are screaming ecological disaster. Others still are trumpeting the arrival of peak oil. And while these are legitimate and pressing problems, NONE of these self-made prophets really has a hot clue how it will really play out.

So ignore the prophets and build some alternatives into your life. Peak oil? Buy a bike. Ecological crisis? Act locally first, do what you can elsewhere. Financial collapse? Get your finances in order and have tangible goods like food and water set by and your shelter secured. Don't be bullied into anything, and don't let fear rule you.

Remember that many of the so-called experts are making their living off of advertising and selling you things you likely don't need.

But here's the thing: Decide for yourself, don't let me bully you either.

It's commonsense.