Hello, Frank here.
Ladies and gentlemen, about seven months back I wrote a piece that I'm going to re-post. It's as relevant today as it was then. I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, share it with your friends and loved ones. And if you don't enjoy it, please let me know, and if you do let me know, would you please state why? I hope it makes you think.
We'll talk more later, Frank
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Originally published May 24, 2014
You know we post and talk all the time about some kind
of collapse in our society. When you're sitting in church, some people
talk about the good Lord coming back and how things are going to change.
If you're reading
financial pages, there is always some doom
and gloom fellow saying that you need to buy precious metals, because
the markets are going to collapse. Well, you flip to another channel in
your brain, and there are the folks proclaiming that the grid is going
to go down. If you flip around in your head to another channel, you hear
people talking about revolution, it's time for a revolution. Any one of
these above scenarios, and many others, could happen at any time. There
is a collapse often in this country on a local basis. It could be
caused by a tornado, hurricane, grass fires, your local plant shutting
down and you lose your job, and the list goes on.
So,
why is it that so few people actually prepare for some type of down
time? FEMA, The Red Cross, many church organizations and civic groups
all recommend that people be prepared for some type of collapse.
Remember, most of these are local. And if your house just blew away,
for
whatever reason, then you are in a local collapse situation. But, I ask
again. Why is it so difficult, when there are so many possibilities of
some type of local or national collapse, why is it that so many people
refuse to prepare? Well, there is always the classic reason, "It's not
going to happen to me!" Or, let me see, "I'll go stay with my mommy."
And I love this one, "I will befriend a farmer." Or the guy that tells
you, "I'll just go take what I need from people." But, I guess my
favorite one of all is, "I'll just go walk into the woods and survive."
There are many other excuses why people don't prepare, "I don't have the
money." "It takes too much time." "What will my friends think?"
I
live in southeastern Oklahoma. We have the national weather service,
just like almost every place in the United States of America. We have
local
radio and TV stations that are always telling
us what they think the weather is going to do. But people will still go
fishing on a lake when there is a chance of thunder and lightening. And
there will always be fans sitting in the stands at a little league
baseball game watching their kids play ball in a thunder storm. Every
year, in this part of the country, at least one kids gets killed by
lightening on a baseball field. Can you see the clouds coming? Are you
one of those that's standing out on the baseball field looking off to
the west watching the sky get dark? Anybody with any sense knows to get
off of that baseball field.
Anybody
with any sense can look at the economic condition our country is in. If
you can read at all, then you know how vulnerable our aging electrical
grid system is. I'm not going to touch on the religious aspects, but I
will touch on morality. Look at all the filth and trash that is on
television everyday. The vast majority of people do not believe that it
influences their
children. Look at the way parents
dress their kids. Look at the way the parents dress. If you don't think
television influences adults and children, then please go back, turn on
the TV, and watch a football game, where cheerleaders are jumping up
and down and everybody has been conditioned to pretend that they are
admiring their athletic talent. That's where we are folks. Our moral
decay is eroding the foundation of our society. No, it's not eroding it,
it HAS eroded it. And if you don't think that killing an unborn baby is
wrong, then you are a product of that erosion. Government sanctioned
murder. If you don't think that's not decay and erosion, then I don't
know how to convince you.
Our
financial system is holding on by a thread. I don't know where to
start. Banks are openly stealing people's money. The Federal Reserve
Bank is printing money in a figurative sense by the billions daily.
That's right, daily. And our government tells us that we only have
minimum inflation. Have you paid attention to the cost of food and
gasoline lately? Or the reason you don't pay attention to it, is that
you're in too big a hurry to get home and watch pornography on your
computer with your ten year old child sitting beside you? Maybe that's
why you didn't notice the cost of food and gasoline escalating.
And
our aging electrical grids. It has been written about time and time
again how the aging electrical system cannot continue. And it can't. It
was built primarily to serve half the number of people it is serving. It
is unsustainable, it can't continue, the electrical grid will go down. I read
articles
in respected newspapers on a regular basis that imply that foreign
governments could hack into our electrical grids and shut them down at
any time. Do you know what that means? That means you will not be able
to buy gasoline, your computer won't work and your TV will be off. And
if you have the fantasy belief that all cell phone towers have back up
systems, then you have been watching way too much television. Without
power in this country everything will come to a stop immediately. No
banks, big box stores shut down, everything shuts down. I know, I know,
I'll just pick up my leatherman tool, grab my tent, and go live in the
forest. Good luck.
There is a
distinct feeling among many people that our government is in the process
of gathering data and information so that they can control the people.
Is that the possible reason that the department of agriculture is now
buying 40 caliber submachine guns? That's right, the department
of
agriculture. Do you know why local police departments are now using
military style vehicles? Why is NSA gathering and recording data on
every person in this country? Why back a short while ago, on New Year's
Eve night was the NDAA signed into law? If you know what that means,
congratulations, because most people don't have a clue. For you clueless
ones, it's the National Defense Authorization Act, which means that you
have no Constitutional rights. You don't read this type of stuff on the
sports pages. You can be arrested at any time, with no jury, no trial,
no charges, no search warrant, and you don't have a clue.
So, the question still stands. Why is the department of agriculture buying 40 caliber submachine guns? Along with the IRS, NOAA you know, the
weather
people, the postal service, and the list goes on. Okay. Let's see. Our
moral systems have collapsed. The economy is a huge, huge bubble. Our
electricity could go down at any time. Our beloved government is
stocking up on guns and ammunition. Now they have NDAA. So, can you see
those clouds coming? Are you going to stick your head in the sand and
continue to pretend that it is not going to rain on you? I hate to tell
you this, buddy, cause when it rains on you, it rains on everyone. Did
you ever figure out why your remote control doesn't work?
This weekend Patrice Lewis at Rural Revolution wrote a very interesting piece for World Net Daily, which she does weekly. It was very thought provoking and provocative. I'd recommend that you read it. A while back I wrote a little piece, and I would appreciate it if you would take a gander at it also. Folks, we have dark clouds on the horizon.
We'll talk more later. Frank
read
ReplyDeleteunitedstatesprophecy.com
and qwakeup.org
what do you think?
hate the way your system doesn't say enter 'comment as' first. keep losing comments as i comment first and then enter info.
Hi, Deborah. I was taught that we will never know the time or the place. Right now there are people that believe that the time is near. There have always been people that believe the time is near. But as mentioned above, I have been taught that we will not know the time or the place. Thank you.
DeleteFrank
Frank and Fern, I read this post way back when you first wrote it. Agreed with it then; agree with it even more now. Because the price of meat of all sorts, but especially any cut of beef has spiraled upward beyond our ability even to purchase hamburger (last week at our grocery store, it was $5.98/lb for 80 % lean and $6.98/lb for 93% lean), I decided to go check out the price of dried beans of all kinds. I am sure we will be eating lots of them again soon.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't believe the price of beans! The only bulk beans we can find in Alaska are the pinto beans at Costco, and they have risen in price dramatically. Last year, I ordered several kinds of bulk beans from Amazon. I thought they had gotten a bit spendy then. But now! Oh my! The cheapest beans were 8 cents per ounce, but most were 12-14 cents per ounce. And I couldn't find any bulk beans with free shipping as I had last year.
Today I resolved to toss at least 2 bags of beans into my cart every time I go to the grocery store. One for my family, one for my son's family. Beans store for a long, long time, and for the buck they contain lots of protein. I think the issue of obesity in America is about to become a thing of the past very soon.
Hello. Interesting perspective about obesity, you may very well be right.
DeleteWhen we would shop at Sam's in Anchorage seven years ago, they had bulk navy beans along with the pintos. Sam's had some six gallon buckets of various items with free shipping. I don't know if they still do or not. If not, maybe they will ship to the store and you can pick them up there. Just maybe, check it out.
I wish things were better, but they're not. Right now, the price of gasoline is down sharply. But in the long run, that is not good for the overall economy. Keep doing it a little piece at a time, like you're doing it. Hang in there.
Frank
Hello! Pat R here again.
DeleteWal-Mart ships just about everywhere free if over $50, I think? They carry Auguson Farms products and at least one other (Lindon Farms?); best price anywhere on the Auguson Farms.
The LDS (yes, that's Mormon) Home Stores have the best price on the items they carry, which isn't much. But they will sell to anyone. But they do carry some beans, potatoes, pasta, pre-ground flours, milk, oats etc.
Here's the link, if anyone needs it: http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category3_715839595_10557_3074457345616706237_-1_N_image_0
About that "cheap" gasoline: I have a friend in W TX: her hubby and sons have all been in the oil production business for years, hubby the longest, of course. He's a supervisor. He recently had to let go 240 people; his sons and one wife of a son have all lost their jobs. The American companies can not afford to produce at less than $80 a barrel. It's now below $50 a barrel.
Two years ago OPEC vowed to destroy the American oil producing sector. With the help of our "leadership", they are getting it done.
I think of that every time I hear someone cheer the "cheap" gasoline.
From Pat R
DeleteAbout those beans...did you know that all beans contain a toxic compound? (Phytic Acid?). In small concentrations, it won't do any real harm, but consume enough, and it will. Red Kidney beans contain the highest concentration; they should ALWAYS (as I understand, anyway) be soaked not less than four hours. The water then should be poured off and fresh water added before cooking. Other beans with lesser concentrations should be soaked at least an hour, water poured off, then fresh water for cooking. This should also help tremendously if beans tend to cause you gastrointestinal discomforts!
Do you have a Sam's? Their 90/10 is still "reasonable" (comparatively speaking) and their lower grade is even better. Also, their 90/10 contains so little fat or water, if you want burgers on the grill, ADD fat. Seriously. One of the few places where the public can purchase "Prime" grade meats, and if it isn't prime, it's choice. Most groceries are selling "select" grade meats now, trying to keep profits up.
DeleteThe gooberment approved grades are (1) Prime (restaraunts get most of this); (2) Choice (3) select. Select should worry us all a little: that's the lowest grade legal to sell, and it CAN include animals that have been sick. They can't be processed while sick, but they may have been sick, treated, then processed. At least, that's my understanding based on the reading I've done on the subject. -- Pat R
Regarding beans and phytic acid, I am not disputing what you say, however all my relatives are/were from Oklahoma, and during the Depression one entire side of my family ate pinto beans and cornbread nearly every meal. I'm not saying they were all healthy as horses, but they survived the Depression and the Dust Bowl days. Most lived into their 80's at least, and my grandmother made it to 99 almost as long as her mother who died just short of 101.
DeleteAmericans don't really know what they will eat in the future. We'd like to say we will never eat ...or never will HAVE to eat this or that. Talk to anyone else on the planet or read their history, and they or their not so distant relatives have eaten lots of things we say we would never eat or that we think will kill us.
Even during the Great Depression, Americans had more access to food than any other nation's population. In the end all of us will do what we need to do -and eat what we have to - in order to survive.
As for the meat I buy now, there is NO WAY I am buying hamburger when I can still get ham and pork and chicken at lower prices per pound. I will now look upon meatloaf as I formerly did fillet mignon! Never thought meatloaf would come to be an extravagance.
I couldn't agree more! Part of me wants to believe that everything will be just as it always was, but the reality is there is no way we are coming out of this national debt in one piece. It's not a matter of if but when. Most people are so consumed with everyday life that they don't lift their heads to see the train coming.
ReplyDeleteDr. Mom, thank you for the comment and for taking the time to read. You have a very interesting blog site.
DeleteI think we all wish for things to be peachy again, and to some people, life is peachy. But it's sad that so many people live in denial. So, that's the way it is. Thanks again for the comment.
Frank
Thank you, Frank. I always appreciate reading, and rereading both of your posts. Also, I've been meaning to thank you for all your posts on ham radio. I had struggled on and off for years trying to learn, but I'm not technically minded. I originally wanted my license because I'm kind of a daddy's girl and he's a radio geek, but got more serious after reading different preparedness blogs. Your posts really helped me and are the reason I finally have my technician's license. Thank you so much for what you do.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! It's always nice to achieve something you've wanted to do for a long time. I genuinely hope that you enjoy the hobby. And I especially hope that you utilize the aspects of survival radio. So, you are planning on getting your General, aren't you? It's really not any more difficult, just some different material to learn. I hope you are affiliated with some type of radio club, if not the ARRL can lead you in that direction. Again, Congratulations and best wishes.
Delete73s, Frank
I think a lot of people do stick their heads in the sand, I also think quite a few folks got past Y2K and think nothing happened because they didn't hear of anything happening. Things did happen - you just didn't hear about it. People don't want to be the weirdo on 'doomsday preppers', your friends will make fun of you, they may think you are a Mormon! There are as many excuses as there are unprepared folk. We are all cossetted and petted and soothed and told to sit back down. Quite honestly a lot of those in the government or big business with their climate change/save the planet agendas think that a few less people would be a good thing. (Read Bill Gates population control theories sometime) Not sure they want a lot of us to survive. As for why the Dept of Ag is buying ammo and machine guns? I'm pretty sure we know, and it's not for prairie dogs. So I have a few conspiracy theories myself...
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathy. Speaking of conspiracy theories, I know the true story about John Kennedy, but I can't tell anybody. Just kidding. Kinda.
DeleteThere are a lot of folks that believe we are in for a planet wide reduction in population. I happen to be one of them. Yes, we are told everything is good, every day. Unemployment is better. The economy is better. And Hallelujah! gasoline has come down. These are either illusions or diversions, and some of them are just lies. But we have been lied to for so long that if we hear the truth, we question the reliability of the source. So, I guess we all need to go sit down, watch TV, drink a high caffeine beverage, and eat our evening bag of cheese doodles. Now that's the way life should be.
I knew that prairie dogs were the reason for all those purchases, but I couldn't tell anybody. Take care.
Frank
Retired an 77+ We are south in AZ for the Sun in a RV. we are some what prepared at home an the RV is part of the plan . I now try to judge what is the Trigger to run for home or at least as far as I can an Avoid Califfuy .
DeleteHave Tech Ham an Portable also a few toys Hope I guess correctly
From Pat R: one thing concerns me and I have to bring it up, for safety reasons. Please forgive me if I sound like a doomsday prognosticator. I am not. But I am a realist; if not, I would not be here. Those who think they will just "run to safety" in the 11th hour may not be able to do so. Frank and Fern posted about our financial condition, about the grid going down (and it will). We just retired from the energy sector. Nothing said here not true. But there's an equally ominous threat: the travel infrastructure. Many of our roads and overpasses are in "scary" condition, and there isn't money to do anything about them, nor is there likely to be. A little shake and those bridges and overpasses are history. How many natural occurrences can produce "a little shake"? How about not-so-natural? Or, how about a "big" shake? Have you checked the seismic activity in your neck of the woods? The U.S.G.S. will make that possible for you. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/
ReplyDeleteCollapsed bridges and overpasses....crumbled asphalt roadways...no gasoline...no financial system...no trade or barter possible just yet...how far do you really think you will get? No, I encourage everyone who CAN to figure out where you want to be, get there, and "dig in", as soon as possible.
Sorry to be a "drag", y'all....but we would be negligent if we didn't sound this warning, as well.