My oh my. The more things change the more they stay the same. Back when the financial crisis hit people started prepping in droves, the need to be prepared for the unknown sparked a surge in the community. After all the market was crashing and people were losing their jobs left and right, the gubmit was coming for our guns and a solar flare may or may not hit our planet. Yet as of late things have leveled off as society has normalized and life is back to normal (or so it seems). Good times are back! Many of those who jumped into prepping on a whim have seemingly lost interest and preps have faded into obscurity, families have gone back to the status quo. Preps collect dust in the basement, guns purchased in haste are sold so that Christmas trinkets (read: cheap garbage) can be purchased and physical readiness is shelved in favor of bags of Cheetos and Egg Nog (good luck with that fatty). After all, the market is doing well, gas is affordable, credit is cheap once again and the jobs report is amazing!
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers. The powers that be (TPTB) truly have a tight grip on the puppet strings and there is no way to predict when things might get beyond their control. If you browse other prepper-ish sites you’ll see predictions for a market crash and SHTF in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (and 2014!). Nada. Zip. Zilch. Here we are still chugging along and faster than ever. Egg on your face predictors with insider information!
Here’s what I do know. 1+1 does not equal 5. Things are not as they seem and this thing cannot go on forever. As a matter of fact, something that cannot go on forever…WILL STOP. Will it be this year, next year, within 5 years? Who knows. All I know is that I will continue to prep because what I’m seeing is not sustainable. If TPTB manage to keep things going and I die of old age with a basement full of stuff…it will be a good day indeed. Don’t get caught up in the ebb and flow of the short term, prep for the long term. Cheers!
2 comments
PJ, your timing on this article is rather interesting.
Has anyone out there been watching what is going on in Russia? Or the situation with the crude oil? Or even the rest of what the heck is going on in the world?
Holy Crapo,
1. Here in the States we currently have a fed “discount rate” of 0.75% and a “funds rate” of 0.25%. Russia just hit 17%, yeppers that’s right 17 friggen %. Reports say there was a “run” on the banks worse that the 1920s run here in the US. As of today there is mass spending of worthless money to but EVERYTHING in site because of worthless money. Can you just imagine what is going to happen when the US bumps the rate 1% or more all alone hit 17%?
2. Crude Oil, according the Saudis, will hit $40, it’s now at $55+ down from over $100, Does anyone else get the feeling they (Saudis) are trying to crush the oil industry and kill off tens of thousands of jobs here and abroad? At the same time ruin the current economy? The $2.50 gas might be nice, but it will NOT last. Expect to pay $5.00 by the end on 2015.
3. Cuba, Police murders, Riots, Inflation, ISIS/Taliban, Murdering children in Pakistan Schools, Sony, NSA, CIA, Hillary/Obummer (UGHHH) the list goes on and on, than add natural disasters, EMPs, global threats, the sun exploding. You name it
My point is, of course, people are trying to do something/anything to try and survive (prep). As you mentioned PJ things have seemed to leveled off some, but for those of us that might be actually informed, more that by MSN (not by any means saying you’re not informed PJ, so don’t get ruffled up) , nooooo things have not leveled off, as a matter of fact things are hundreds of times worse than just a few decade ago. And in all actuality we really have no idea what “is” actually going on. 95% of everything you hear or see is a manipulation to keep us distracted from reality and the truth (IMO). Isn’t it amazing that Ebola has completely disappeared and the Obummer’s Immigration EO stories are also gone?
One thing I might say at the risk of getting slammed, the “market” is gaining points, yes. But as an indicator of the money to market relationship I cringe every time the market takes a huge leap up, in my eyes that does not mean the economy is growing, to me it means your hard earned dollar is worth that much less. If you could buy one share of AT&T stock at one apple and now you have to give two apples to buy the same one share of AT&T is that a good thing? NO, it means your apple is worth less. You better have a hell of a lot of apples saved up so you can eat when the market dumps. FYI some claim food prices are up 19% in 2014, go to the food store, I believe it.
Like PJ I don’t claim to have the answers, hell I’m lucky to just remember my name at times, HAHAHA, I also know one cannot sit around and worry about the EOTWAWKI, plan for it, expect it, but also live life, spend money like ya have it and enjoy. Because it WILL end sometime and your hard earned money will be worth about the same as a Russian Ruble (Nada).
Personally I’m not so worried about myself and “our” generation, but it’s our children and grandchildren that’s a concern. I believe that most of the true long-term “preppers” out there also are not worried about themselves as much as they are about their families and children. If (no if), when I die, I would love for my family to have what I tried to do in my preparing. Maybe someone can actually survive this crapo going on now and organize euphoria, God knows what’s going on now is BS.
This is a great nation and we all have great freedom, don’t let them take that away, once it’s lost you will never get it back.
I think it’s time for a drink, Thank GOD for Gin… LOLOL
NRP
Holy Crapo guys, I talk a lot, sorry