fundamentals-panic buying

FRIDAY FUNDAMENTALS-PANIC BUYING


A better title might have been Last Minute Shopping For Preps, but I don’t like overly long titles. And it seems like a really good time to talk about this. If you are reading this at a later date I’ll either be a brilliant forward looking strategist or just a lunatic that easily panics. I don’t know how things are going to turn out in the middle east but right now as February winds down things look scary indeed. It would neither do to panic to the point of harming yourself financially if things calm down, nor would it be prudent to go on about business as usually and ignore a potential problem. If the unrest spreads to Saudi Arabia and their oil production is disrupted I think we can all agree that the teetering house of cards that is the financial system can come crashing down. Now, it is true that all this revolutionary zeal that suddenly started out of the blue could have been instigated at the behest of The Powers That Be. Not something idiotic like a Super Giant Conspiracy Of The Masons, or some such drivel. But more along the lines of regimes being toppled previously by orchestrated “peoples revolutions” such as in the former Soviet country of Georgia ( a good if overpriced book on the subject is “Full Spectrum Dominance” ). It almost has that smell to it. But how would this help American Empire? Do we even have the manpower to occupy the Saudi oil fields? That are seeing decreased production anyway? At least the Iraqi fields sat mostly idle for twenty or thirty years and aren’t tapped out ( the infrastructure to pump is another matter ). But whatever is behind the unrest, it bodes ill if our imports are jeopardized.

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One thing I hope we can agree on is that under no circumstances should you ever consider getting into a head to head vicious buying competition with the general public. Preppers consist of between one tenth to one one hundredth of one percent of the population ( both the old American Survival Guide magazine and Rawles had/have about 30k subscribers, which should be a pretty good count of the numbers ). If you go to the grocery store at the last minute, after a panic has started, the numbers will be against you. You have a stocked pantry, they don’t. Stay away from stores after a general panic has started. Nothing you want is worth your life. Having said that, if you panic early enough while the masses are still licking up the sweet stinking lies of media propaganda that “All Is Well, Do Not Panic!!”, you should be able to get some needed supplies ( I hope they are just desired supplies rather than absolutely needed supplies, but I suppose you can’t have enough of almost anything ). Remember, prepping isn’t about keeping yourself in the lap of luxury for the rest of your life. It is about hiding out during the bloody collapse until you can more easily form a sustainable community after the die-off. Even if you have the most desired skill in the world, during the general die-down the starving masses will eat everyone. Do not expose yourself to that danger. But it also shouldn’t take long. Your supplies are for a short collapse and a few years back-up while non-petroleum agriculture is reestablished ( as well as solar dwellings and traditional defense forces ).

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While the prices of oil go up, but no one is panicking just yet, I would focus on buying heavy items that won’t be economical to ship shortly. Cast iron stoves. Cast iron grinders. 12v marine batteries.Solar panels ( while prices are manageable, drive the pick-up to the nearby Harbor Freight ). Perhaps ingots of lead. And by all means go to the feed store and buy wheat if you don’t have enough. Wal-Mart for restaurant size bags of pinto beans, white flour, sugar, tubs of lard. You can’t buy any of this stuff once the general public panics- the stores don’t carry enough inventory on hand. I wouldn’t waste the money on gasoline stocks. You are tying up cash in an explosive, high theft risk item. Food is much more important. Now, you need to know when to quit. Buy now, discreetly. But stop before everyone else panics and definitely stop before you spend money you can’t afford. Don’t spend the rent money. If things stabilize you’ve screwed yourself. It isn’t that you want worthless paper, it’s just that you can’t absolutely guarantee things will totally collapse. Don’t charge up more than you can comfortably pay back on the credit cards and don’t screw yourself financially. Only spend what will be difficult but not impossible to do without.

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People will not be civilized when general panic ensues. People are dangerous asshats just in normal day to day traffic. Their car gives them a sense of invincibility. Imagine what taking along a firearm will do for them. Stay home, locked down when panic starts. Before it starts, buy low cost heavy items now. What you can afford. Don’t be a panic prepper, be a prudent insurance purchaser.

END FUNDAMENTAL- scroll down for more drivel

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I’ve noticed our city is installing smaller street lights. Instead of the big bulbs they are a short strip. I wonder if they are LED’s. Anyone have any clue? How much more efficient? Is the Federales paying for them?

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From Wired magazine, a nifty blurb. To make microwave jerky take flank steak, cut in thin strips, marinate and then cook at half power for thirty minutes.

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I can’t remember which big survival company is doing it but I’ve signed on for a reader writing contest. The details will be out soon, but basically you post an article on my site and it gets entered into a contest that you can win nifty prizes from. Don’t ask for details, I don’t have them. Just think about writing a guest article to be submitted after the contest starts. Keep it mind it should be family friendly. Not just Bison friendly. And remember, don’t spook them too much- they will be Yuppies. Sharpen up those crayons!

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