The Three Stages of Crisis Revisited

The following is a repost of an article first published last year. Given the recent destruction in Oklahoma it may be a good time to revisit this subject.

By: Tom Chatham – Author of The American Dream Lost

In every crisis there are three distinct stages that occur to form the complete crisis scenario. Once a crisis occurs, all three stages will be experienced at some level. In preparing for a crisis, you need to be aware of the stages and prepare for each one. A failure to acknowledge any of the stages will cause hardship for those caught up in it. Our ability to foresee danger and take precautionary measures sets us apart from other animals and gives us a distinct advantage when it comes to survivability. We have the ability to create tools and store supplies to see us through the worst of a given situation.

The first stage of any disaster is the pre-crisis interval when a potential crisis becomes suspect. Some will investigate the potential danger further to deduce its’ ramifications on their lives while others will ignore the potential threat in favor of maintaining the status quo so they will not have to face the reality. Many people have a problem facing a reality that suddenly changes and pushes them out of their comfort zone. To acknowledge a threat is to question the sustainability of that comfort zone and the beliefs that the person holds. Those that acknowledge potential threats widen their comfort zones to encompass the threat and they incorporate that into their beliefs so they can accept a changing reality and adapt to it. Once a person accepts a potential threat as real, they determine how best to protect themselves from it and form a defensive plan to deal with it. The defensive measures are dictated by the type of threat and the resources available to the individual. The defensive measures taken act to enhance the persons’ comfort zone and provides mental clarity when reality suddenly changes. This is why some people handle disasters better than others. Their comfort zone already encompasses the new reality and they are able to comprehend what is happening. Those that prepare during a pre-crisis interval are prepared for radical changes in reality.

The second stage of disaster is the unfolding crisis itself. This could be short or long in duration depending on the variables involved. An earthquake is relatively quick while a 1930s style depression is very long. The analysis and preparation one makes prior to an event will determine how well the person gets through the situation. Even without all of the necessary items identified by the prior analysis, a prepared person will fare much better than the unprepared due to the fact that their comfort zone will not have been breeched allowing them to make rational decisions in a timely manner. The preparations made during the pre-crisis interval will lead to successful navigation of the crisis and prepare the individual for the final stage.

The final stage experienced will be the post crisis phase. No matter how bad or long a crisis is, eventually it will end and recovery will begin in some form. A proper evaluation of the potential crisis will provide some insight into what a post crisis reality will require in terms of human and mechanical needs. The recovery effort following a crisis will depend in large part on what preparations were made prior to the crisis to provide infrastructure for the recovery. The failure to plan for a recovery effort will extend the crisis until the necessary situation develops in which recovery can commence. The act of preparation sets the stage for recovery even before the crisis actually happens and can limit how far outside of the comfort zone the crisis extends for unprepared persons. For every person prepared for the crisis, the extent of the crisis will be limited in scope and duration by a proportional amount. Hence, if everyone is prepared for a disaster, the impact will be small and manageable and recovery will be rapid. Many people prepare for disasters but their planning stops at the crisis itself and fails to go beyond it. This can potentially extend the crisis in scale or duration until a majority of the victims learn to move beyond the crisis and define the new reality they will live in.

As an example, you may determine that you are at risk of a tornado strike because of your location. Because of this you decide that building an underground shelter to protect your family is a sensible action so you build one. This is where most planning stops. If you believe your family is in danger then the possibility of loosing your home is very high also. A complete analysis of the potential danger can lead you to a conclusion that you may also lose your home and leave you without the ability to care for your family. Because of this you may decide to build a more robust shelter and equip it with the ability to house your family for several days and provide for all of their needs. Your post crisis planning will limit the hardship you face and aid in recovery.

To prepare successfully for crisis, you must look through to the other side of the disaster and determine how to best mold the new reality that will exist and prepare for the disruptions that are likely to occur. A plan to redefine the limits of a new reality will speed the recovery and prevent the lost, hopeless feelings that usually accompany any serious crisis. A failure to plan for the post crisis reality will leave the new limits to be discovered by trial and error and lead to a chaotic transformation rather than a smooth one.

Post Collapse Retirement Plan

By: Tom Chatham

The majority of people work all their life and look forward to a pleasant retirement. Their retirement plan involves paper assets to provide for their living expenses in the future. The major problem with this type of plan is that they have no backup plan to provide for themselves in the event that all paper assets are destroyed through inflation or default.

It does not matter if your plan is wrapped up in stocks, bonds, currency, CD’s, pensions or social security payments. When fiat currencies collapse, all paper assets go at the same time. When this happens, you no longer have the means to pay for your future needs without working for them. This is the Achilles heel of the retirement system that we use.

The old saying about putting all your eggs in one basket applies here. It was not until the later part of the 20th century that retirement actually became a prospect for people. Until then most people simply worked until they died. Retirement is now considered a given in society but few realize how fragile the system is and how fast it can be taken away through a world changing event. It is this fragility that necessitates the rethinking and forward planning of retirement at this point in time.

There are two reasons to save for retirement.

1) To enable you to stop working full time and enjoy more of your time in a leisurely way.

2) To insure you can pay someone else to care for or provide services for you when you are physically unable to do so any more.

The most widely used method today is to save some of your current production in the form of currency or paper assets which provide a medium of exchange to acquire the things you will need in the future. In the event of a failure of fiat currency, you will loose your saved production for future use if it is kept in paper assets that become worthless.

One way to avoid this loss is to keep your savings in an alternate form that will still have value after a currency collapse. This can take the form of an alternate medium of exchange such as gold, silver or diamonds or in the form of goods that will still command a premium in the future.

It may take the form of land that can be leased, rented or sold in the future. Leasing or renting will provide a continuous income for many years while selling will provide a one time source of money that must be evaluated to determine if the selling price will last the amount of time you require. Some combination of the three may be appropriate over a long term period.

The ability to own buildings to lease, rent or sell may also be a way to store wealth until needed in the future. Regardless of the dollar value of things after a collapse, you will be able to adjust the price to current values maintaining your purchasing power.

Some people may say it is unwise to buy and hold because you might pay $100,000 for a building today and after a currency reset it may only be valued at $10,000. This is true on the surface but that is only if the new currency has the same purchasing power of the old one which will be unlikely. If the value of hard assets drop after a currency collapse it will likely be only in dollar value but not in purchasing power.

This is a distinction people will have to learn. A silver dime from 1964 is still only a dime that will buy very little today but the value of the metal in the dime still has as much purchasing power today as it did then. With a new currency if the value of your assets drops it will likely be relative to the value of everything else. That means a quart of milk may suddenly cost .15 cents and a loaf of bread .10 cents while your building becomes $10,000. Those hung up on the dollar price of things need to start thinking in value terms rather than dollar terms.

There are many different ways to employ a strategy to insure you can preserve your current excess production until you need it in the future. Your plan needs to reflect your personality, your location and your future desires in order to make you feel comfortable with it.

Here is one example that may work for some. You may want to buy a small plot of land maybe 10 to 30 acres in size. Construct a small but comfortable home on it equipped with the tools and livestock you will need to provide most of your necessities for years to come. Once you have the land set up to insure you can provide the things you need you will then need to think about how you will store your excess wealth in a way you can use in the future when it is needed.

You might want to build 3 or 4 small cottages that you can rent out. Each can have a small yard capable of housing some small livestock and a garden. You may have a small shed or barn in the backyard of each cottage as well for the tenant to use. This will provide a tenant the ability to produce much of the food they will need helping to reduce their expenses.

In the aftermath of a collapse, many people will be destitute and have few valuables to enable them to get by. Someone in this position will need shelter and food for their family and you will be in a position to offer it to them. In exchange for their help on your farm you can provide them the means to care for their family and later as things improve they may be able to earn money and pay actual rent. Their ability to produce some things themselves may allow them to sell products to do this.

Keep in mind that the two reasons to store money are to reduce your work load in the future and to help care for yourself when you are no longer able to do so yourself. In a restored currency situation you will be able to save money to buy the help you need in the future. In the absence of a restored currency system you will be able to offer a service, housing, in exchange for your tenants services that you are unable to do yourself. It may be growing some food or cutting wood or home repairs. As long as you get the things you need you will have the same benefit as having the money to buy it.

This type of collapse scenario works best if you have family members that can care for you later in life but lacking that, you will need a plan. The three main things people will need most are food, shelter and clothing. Your ability to produce or provide these things will give you a resource to help provide for your retirement. As things improve the opportunities will increase but the basics will never change.

The storing of your excess wealth in assets such as gold and silver will give you a store of value to draw on in the future but you should not overlook the basic things that may take precedence in society during and immediately following a collapse. Land, tools, livestock and buildings are always going to be necessary when society must fall back on the basics for survival. In the immediate aftermath of a collapse your precious metals may have little value until society restores itself to a condition where people have the basic needs fulfilled and commerce is once again possible.

With this in mind you need to develop a plan that you feel comfortable with to insure you will have the things you need later in life. Your planning horizon needs to be at least a few decades to insure you will have the resources available to get you through and insure a pleasant retirement.

The Truth

By: Tom Chatham

What is it that we should consider the greatest virtue of men? Is it courage, honor, brilliance, strength or perhaps loyalty? These are all important but there is another that the lack of can imperil men and destroy empires faster than anything. It is the truth. The truth must be the most important virtue because when a man lies he murders some part of the world.

The truth illuminates and empowers while lies breed darkness and despair. Lies infect and breed cankerous wounds that can never be healed. They infect all they touch with a rot that leaves a stench you can never wash off.

Americans often joke and laugh about the lies politicians tell. It never occurs to most that they are laughing at the means to their own destruction. Every time a politician lies to the people they murder someone by one means or another. It takes the shape of corrupt laws or regulations or unjust orders.

A free people cannot remain free and prosperous when they are subjected to a continuous bombardment of lies that they rely on as the truth and depend on to ensure their continued existence. As the lies grow so grows the pile of bodies that act as a reminder of what we should hold dear and sacred.

What are we to expect when a growing majority of the population hold untruths and immorality as a virtue and elect those that exemplify those characteristics that represent the majority. The truth will set you free but lies will put you in bondage eventually. Lies are the bitter narcotic that we chomp at to ease the burden of doing the right thing which is often more difficult.

The end of a nation is not brought on by the fall of its currency or the demise of its manufacturing but the untruths it lives by. When a nation tries to fool itself with falsehoods as a means to correct its problems it can never recover.

Only when a nation looks at itself in the mirror and admits the truth to itself can it begin to recover some of what it has lost. Until that occurs no amount of lies will prevent the darkness it brings upon itself. No amount of lies can fix a problem permanently.

When a politician lies it is always evident because they are left with the death and destruction that cannot be hidden from view. As long as the people are content to step over the bodies in an effort to continue their daily routine it will never end. As the politicians lie to us we lie to ourselves to justify the mirage we want to believe.

When a man lies he murders some part of the world and it does not matter if that lie is to himself or another, the damage is the same. Until the truth is once again the most sought after virtue, men will continue to stumble in the darkness and the bodies will continue to accumulate. Every new lie is a new body we must climb over in our struggle to reach the light. The lies breed darkness and the trouble with the darkness is, you can never see the cliff ahead until it is too late.

Barter Currency: The Know, Grow or Make it Approach.

By: Tom Chatham

Those in society that are used to getting a paycheck every week in return for their labor may soon find their skills are not sufficient to continue putting food on the table. A true commodity is one that you can store and sell at will. It is subject to supply and demand and demand is always present for human necessities that are in limited supply.

Labor can be a commodity of sorts but it cannot be stored for later sale, trade or use. Everyone is limited to the same 24 hour day and time is the great equalizer in that regard. Unskilled labor in and of itself is in large supply so you will be subject to the same supply and demand fundamentals as everyone else. This is the reason you should not rely on your physical labor alone as a trade-able item in a collapse scenario. The more unemployment there is, the less your labor will be worth.

Know –

The one source of labor that can be in demand at any time is knowledge. The knowledge you posses is more trade-able in a crisis than your physical labor will be. Anyone can lift the hood on a car but how many can diagnose and fix a malfunction when it stops. How many have the knowledge to identify and bypass the problem if needed parts are not available? Knowing what wild plants are edible, have medicinal properties or can kill has a value. Knowing how to produce a liquid fuel alternative or create electricity from a pile of junk parts has a value when energy is lost for long periods. Knowing how and where to find food and store it for long periods has a value. Construction knowledge or advanced lifesaving procedures may not be in demand every day but when they are they cannot be replaced easily. The larger your base of knowledge is the more trade-able barter currency you will have.

Grow –

The ability to raise a product to sell or trade is the power to control your life. This may be nothing more than growing some vegetables. The ability to produce something from little or nothing is a skill that many do not posses and will produce a commodity that others will be willing to trade for. Money really does grow on plants when you can take a few dollars worth of seed and produce hundreds of dollars worth of products. It’s better than having a printing press. The ability to produce seed for sale can command a high premium when supply is low and demand is high. The ability to produce livestock products is a step higher in the growing of commodities but the higher price will also reflect more hazard and labor.

The grow ability can also include the production of natural resources that are limited but available to you. The harvesting of trees or tree products like maple syrup, fruits or nuts should not be overlooked. The recovery of natural minerals such as salt, iron ore, coal or even precious metals bring commodities into being that did not exist before and may command a premium in society.

Make –

The ability to take a raw material and make something useful from it that society needs is another way to produce a commodity for sale or trade. Knowing how to make cooking oil, alcohol or bio-diesel from crops and having the equipment to do it will provide you with a commodity to sell or trade. Having the knowledge and equipment to make textiles from crops, reprocess scrap metal into tools, process animals for food, build furniture or boats or repair broken items will provide you with a usable commodity when you need to barter. The make function is a combination of knowledge, materials and tools that can also be used as a function of labor to repair items for others.

This can also extend into the realm of transportation and communication as well. These items will require the means to repair and maintain the function and will almost certainly require the production of materials and energy for their use by you. The ability to transport people or products by truck or boat or provide vital communications over long distances may be a commodity you can provide to others. The make function goes beyond the typical labor function and provides a useful service or product that is in short supply.

The worse the supply situation is in society and the more you know, grow or make, the better your chances are of getting the things you need and use. A self sufficient mentality will provide you with many of the skills and tools you will need to provide these three things in society. When fiat money fails, what you know, grow or make becomes the new barter currency until stabilization brings forth a new medium of exchange. Having a supply of barter goods is great but over a long period you will eventually run out. That is why know, grow and make will be necessary for long term situations. The basis of all commodities is knowledge so that is a logical starting point if you feel the need to insure your value in the future no matter what happens.

Five Plus Two for Survival Gardening

By: Tom Chatham

In a crisis situation the need for growing your own food increases with time. Many factors determine if you can grow anything and what that may be. Location, soil, water and weather are primary concerns that must be evaluated. In a crisis you need to grow the maximum amount of food in the smallest space possible. The ability to store your harvest with few modern conveniences is also a problem you need to address.

What you grow will depend on available seed stocks, personal preferences and location. There are no ideal items that fit every situation or location but there are some that will fit in most locations and situations. The following are some good choices to keep in mind when planning for the unexpected.

Five vegetables

Potatoes

Potatoes are an ideal food for year round consumption. Potatoes provide a lot of starch that helps to fill you up when food is at a minimum. That’s one reason the military feeds soldiers potatoes almost every meal. They can be prepared in many ways to help avoid taste fatigue and when stored properly can last many months. Yield per 100 foot row is about 2 to 3 bushels.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and also help to curb your appetite. They can be stored in many ways such as dehydrating or canning. Long keeper tomatoes can be harvested and kept for three or four months without refrigeration while they ripen providing you a source of fresh tomatoes well into the winter. The many uses for tomatoes will help diversify your meals to help expand the limited foods you may have. Tomato plants also provide a large return for the space used. Yield per 100 foot row is about 4 bushels.

Beans

There are many types of beans that can provide needed protein when food is scarce. The type of beans you grow will depend on your taste and growing conditions. Beans that are good for drying and canning are stressed. With a shortage of meat, beans become a necessary food to provide the protein humans need. When combined with a grain such as rice it provides a complete protein. The ability to store beans dry and in small spaces, make them a great survival food. Yield per 100 foot row is about 2 bushels for lima and snap varieties.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a good plant to grow to provide a leafy green food. Cabbage is a good choice for a winter garden. In many areas of the country it can be left in the garden throughout the winter and provide fresh produce during winter when fresh greens are in short supply. A good variety is late flat Dutch cabbage. It can produce heads as big as 12 pounds and provide more than one meal for a family especially when small potatoes are added. In areas where the winters are too cold, it can be dug up and kept in a root cellar for several weeks until needed. A few dozen heads of cabbage in the winter garden can be the difference between staying fed throughout the winter and starvation. Yield per 100 foot row is about 45 heads.

Turnips

Turnips are usually easy to grow anywhere and can provide the root itself as well as cut greens. Turnips are a good cold hardy crop that can be left in the garden during winter like cabbage. The addition of turnips to potato soup is an easy way to spice up your soup. Turnip seeds are small and relatively inexpensive and the plants take up very little space. Yield per 100 foot row is about 2 bushels.

Two Grains

Corn

Corn is a staple that can be used in many ways to expand the limited supplies you may have. It can be eaten whole or ground into flour for cornbread or used in a dipping batter. It produces a large amount of seed for the space used and can be dried and stored easily for later use. Heritage varieties will provide better nutrition and growing capabilities than conventional varieties when matched with the climate they are raised in. It will also provide a good animal feed if small livestock is kept. Yield is about 1 bushel per 500 sq. feet.

Oats

Oats are a good source of nutrition and can be used in many ways. Oats rank the highest in protein and run neck and neck with wheat as the all around most nutritive grain. It also provides a good livestock feed and the straw makes excellent bedding. Yield is about 1 bushel per 620 sq. feet.

In a crisis situation that may last for months or years you must decide what you can produce yourself for minimal sustenance. Keeping at least a minimal supply of strategic seed varieties will make a major difference in how you are able to cope with the crisis. Your decision may be determined by the amount of space you have to grow food. In that instance you must choose foods that are nutrient dense and will produce a heavy crop in minimal space.

You also need to keep in mind that desperation may cause others to target your garden. In a situation like this plants that others do no recognize as food plants will play a major role. Don’t laugh but there are many people in this country that do not know that potatoes grow under the ground. In many instances a potato plant will look like a weed that will be passed over by many looking for food. The same can be said for a crop like oats. Without the knowledge and equipment to process or cook it many people will pass it over for more readily recognizable foods.

These things should be kept in mind when you plan your crisis garden. While the listed varieties will give you a good selection to keep you fed, you must determine what will work best for you. Making your own five plus two list is the least you should do to prepare. Beyond this list of seven, any seed you store is an additional hedge against future crisis events.

The Three Categories of Preparedness

By: Tom Chatham

With many people now preparing for various disaster scenarios, it is important to put everything into perspective and organize your thoughts to enable successful navigation of a serious crisis. By placing everything into three primary categories it is possible to focus on the things you may need the most during a crisis. The three categories will allow you to evaluate these primary areas in a brief fashion and determine in a fast way what you may need to work on first or the most. In many instances, preparedness is more than just tangible things. Some of the most important preparedness items cannot be touched or seen but can be the difference between life and death nonetheless.

 

Physical items

When a person decides to prepare for a future crisis they usually start with items they determine they will need to get through the difficulties. These can range from food and water storage to power sources and energy to shelter, transportation and security devices. Long range items may include food production materials to clothing production, building materials and tools. Physical items make it possible to endure, recover and rebuild after a crisis. They provide a means to leverage a persons’ ability and reduce hardships to minimum levels.

Knowledge

The most valuable resource a person has is the knowledge they posses. With a wide enough knowledge base, almost any crisis can be dealt with utilizing knowledge and available local materials. Knowledge enables a person to leverage the limited materials available and overcome adversity to survive the difficulties. With enough knowledge even limited stores of supplies can enable a person to navigate the crisis successfully.

Mental preparedness

If there is anything that can be more important than knowledge it would be mental preparedness. When an out of the ordinary situation occurs, mental toughness can enable clear thought to navigate the situation. In some situations, mental abilities can carry you through a situation almost on their own. Even with a good supply of physical goods and the knowledge to use them, the lack of mental preparedness to navigate the situation has the ability to prevent successful survival with minimum discomfort. Even with supplies, the loss of hope and the onset of depression can decrease the odds of surviving the crisis.

The ability to survive potentially deadly situations by shear will is possible and must not be overlooked when preparing. Survival is always possible no matter what supplies you have and what knowledge you have only to the point that you give up and succumb to the crisis. To enable your ability to overcome the crisis, you must expand your comfort zone to include any unpleasant circumstances that you may face and decide how to deal with them. This will not only expand your knowledge base but will give you the confidence to overcome the hardship you may face.

 

As you prepare you must decide on the proper balance of the three categories to give you the best abilities at a cost you can afford and given the time available to prepare. Having the right mental state and a certain amount of knowledge can get you through many situations where supplies are short or non-existent. The proper mental state can be the difference between being a helpless victim and a strong survivor able to go on. A good deal of thought spent on the three categories now can prevent a great deal of suffering later if crisis suddenly occurs with little warning.

Shortages: Where Do We Go From Here?

By: Tom Chatham

In the past few months we have been visited by some very startling shortages in unlikely things. Just a few years ago who would have suspected that ammo in this country would become so constricted that even law enforcement agencies would have trouble getting any. And just recently we have seen precious metals get squeezed. Even while spot prices were dropping, individuals and dealers alike found the supply drying up and prices remaining high.

Even though the spot prices were low the free market did what it does best, supply and demand forced prices to remain at real market levels. This is something the manipulators of the economy cannot change. The free market will always get its’ way in the end. The supply of commodities will always be priced by the free market and no amount of price controls or manipulation will change that for long. This is the lesson everyone needs to learn before the next set of shortages occur in the economy.

What should we expect next? Just keep in mind supply and demand. Those things that people want or need will continue to be in demand and those things that are luxuries will fall by the wayside. As things get tighter people will cut back until only the basics remain. When this point is reached any further shortages in society will turn into a national crisis.

Those that have destroyed our economy know they cannot continue the charade for much longer. The market manipulation is giving way to the free market and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. The free market will take control at some point and begin the unpleasant task of rebalancing the years of mal-investment we have sowed. I use the term free market in the sense of being a force of nature that we cannot control.

When that happens, all of the wealth we have pulled from the future and squandered will be gone and we will enter a vacuum for some period of time. As we move into this vacuum the shortages will get worse and more numerous. I believe we have now entered the edge of that vacuum and we are seeing the shortages begin.

The things we must have will continue to become harder to find and more expensive to buy. It will slowly get worse until one day everything almost comes to a complete halt. That is when we will be faced with another major world war. Preparing for economic collapse is a good start but you should also plan on the scourge of war to play its’ part.

The following are the things likely to become expensive and hard to find in the coming months. Some of the items may appear in a different order but we will likely experience all of them. The shortages in these things will likely appear as the recent shortages in ammo and PMs have. They will sneak up on society and suddenly appear from seemingly nowhere. Once they occur they may fluctuate for a while but they will not get better any time soon they will just slowly get worse.

The shortages to come:

Ammo and weapons

Precious Metals

Security – both individual and national

Freedom of movement

Freedom of speech

Agricultural products

Electricity

Liquid fuels

Petroleum products like rubber and lubricants

Medical supplies and pharmaceuticals

Water

Textiles

 

When the shortages get to the point of bringing the nation to a halt there will not be anything anyone can do to make it substantially better on a national scale. The only thing you can do as an individual is to be prepared to care for yourself and your family. The financial crisis will ultimately destroy the dollar but the shortages will precede the crash as people head for hard assets and reduced supply will drive prices up.

Some shortages such as water and electricity will be a result of government regulations and failure of infrastructure. While some things such as food and liquid fuels will still be produced, a large percentage of these products will be exported as foreign nations out bid us for our own resources. Some items such as imported textiles will be cut off as we lose the ability to pay for them and no longer have the ability to produce them ourselves.

When all is said and done we will be living in third world conditions and the only way out as a nation will be for us to do as our ancestors did and fix it ourselves by rebuilding the republic from scratch. It will be harder this time because there are forces that will be working against us at every turn but we are capable of it if we choose to do so. Those that are prepared for the shortages will be the ones in the best position to rebuild and will become the next generation of leaders, but that is the happy version. The other version is one that can be found in your worst nightmares.

The Bread and Circuses of Failed States

By: Tom Chatham

It’s now official. America is a failed nation. How do I know this? It’s the same thing Rome went through when it decayed into nothingness.

The past few years have seen the food stamp program go from just over 26 million to almost 50 million. The people are becoming increasingly impoverished and the state throws them bread to maintain order. Very few notice and no one cares as long as they get what they need to survive. When the bread is not enough something else must be introduced to the situation to keep people occupied.

The most recent incident that verifies the decay we are experiencing is the nationwide show initiated by the Boston bombing. The bombing is not the item to focus on but the public reaction is. As the police began their investigation the media did everything they could to direct the blame to innocent parties even before the evidence provided any answers to the perpetrators identity.

The media built a ground swell of insinuations and accusations to get the masses worked up leading to the main event. When the guilty parties were discovered the real games began. Like a scene right out of ancient Rome the crowd gathered around to view the chase and eventual carnage. They cheered on the police from the comfort of their homes and watched with bated breath for the next engagement to begin.

As the blood began to flow the masses were worked up into a frenzy until the final scene where the victors dragged off the surviving enemy to the cheers and chants of the people. Few bother to question the official narrative even though it keeps changing. The outrage at the bombing and the casualties are ignored to recount the fight scenes people can’t get enough of. This is what public consumption has devolved to. Just a simple act of holiday violence.

When the pursuit of justice is devalued to nothing more than a spectator sport to be cheered at, the morals of that nation have decayed to levels that are virtually unrecoverable by the masses. While it is a good feeling to know a dangerous person is taken off the street, to use that incident as nothing more than a distraction to divert public attention from more serious matters of state is a clear sign of failure in government.

We can look forward to more spectacles of this nature in the future as the nation continues its’ decent into third world status. When the blood sports on the streets become boring to the masses it will be time to lock everything down to maintain control. This is what a failed state looks like just before the end comes. Those that see the current events for what they really are should take heed and prepare for the worst.

When the bread and circuses run out it will be over and a new reality show will begin. It will be called survival of the best prepared. It is a game the masses are not prepared to play but when it comes they will be forced participants in it. We don’t know how this episode will end but history gives us a good idea and it is not pretty.

Eight Ways to Rebel Against The Corp

By: Tom Chatham

The behemoth we have created that we call the government has become so bloated and controlling that the individual freedom we take for granted is now in great jeopardy. The Corp acquires and maintains control by making you dependant on the services they provide. The destruction of your ability to be independent is the driving force behind the machinations we see. With no way to provide your own basic needs, you will be beholden to them and subject to their control in every way. Any deviation from their wishes will result in a curtailment of your resources and freedom. With no recourse, the majority will succumb to this tyranny and become puppets in this world of illusion. It does not have to happen to them or you. There are some simple things individuals can do to prevent this type of manipulation and free themselves.

Stop going to movies

The movie industry not only provides entertainment to the masses but it also serves as a means to impose the creators values on the rest of society. The latest fads and social norms are set by these people and it usually leads to a degradation of the moral standards of society. The media imposes these deviant behaviors on people and teaches people that anyone that does not follow the herd mentality is not normal or is even racist. The people that make millions from this source believe they are somehow superior to the rest of society and they somehow have the right to tell everyone else how to live. By eliminating their source of revenue you will send them a signal and reduce the impact they have on your life.

Home school your kids

The educational system in America has devolved from a first rate educational system to a social engineering program designed to produce stupid individuals that obey the controllers. The social and moral standards that have helped to build this nation have been subverted and will ultimately produce a generation of sociopaths that will insure the failure of all functional systems in this country. The act of home schooling will help parents to instill those standards in their youth that will insure a stronger future for society. It will also insure the children learn unvarnished facts that will enable them to function in society and be successful.

Stop going to large sporting events

The sports mania that is prevalent in society acts as a distraction to the dysfunctional system that is being put in place by the Corp. It acts to mesmerize the population leaving them prone to the will of the controllers. Is it really worth being treated like a criminal just to get into a stadium to see a team play? Sports are a great way to stay in shape and bond with others that have the same interests as you do but it is becoming a mania with many. How often do fights break out between fans of opposing teams? How often do riots break out after a big game? This is all programming to act as a distraction to the problems we face in society and it will only get worse with time unless people just say no.

Stop flying

Flying used to be a big event. People had special luggage they carried and special clothes they wore but it has now become just another hassle in life that must be endured. It is also a way for the Corp to control people. You must submit to searches to prove you are not a criminal and if you fly outside the country you must have a passport and to carry too much money is to have it stolen from you by the authorities. You must pay extra for certain luggage and act as the controllers want or you will be taken off the plane for any little infraction. Flying is not as necessary as most people think and until they stop flying the controllers will not stop with all of the intrusions you must submit to for the privilege. If you want to take a vacation, try something closer to home. It will be less hassle and likely much cheaper.

Produce your own food

The need for food makes life a give and take proposition. What are you willing to give up to get what you need? If you grow most of your own food you not only save a lot of money that you won’t have to earn but it frees you from the dependency you must have on others. This dependency has a cost and the cost is sometimes very high if there is some type of disruption in society. When you grow your own food you give up some of your free time and energy, both of which are completely in your control. When you have to buy everything you must give up some of your freedom to work for others for money which is controlled by others. Money can be devalued, taxed or taken from you in many ways reducing the amount of food you will ultimately be able to buy. Food can be reduced, restricted or adulterated in some way making you subject to the producers will and inflicting harmful health effects on you. Control of your food supply means control of your health and your freedom.

Produce your own energy

Energy is a necessary function in the technological world we live in. It is difficult to do anything during the day that does not require some type of energy. The lack of it can make life difficult or even deadly in some cases. This places your well being in the hands of others that may not have your best interest in mind. Control of energy means control of the population in many cases. The act of being energy independent reduces the hardship that can be forced upon you by others seeking your compliance with their will. Independent energy production also shields you from disruptions in society at large such as delivery interruptions and fuel price spikes.

Operate outside the banking system

The currency system we use is a means of control and a way to fleece the population. Those in control of the currency make the rules and can change them anytime they want. Those that are dependant on the currency have no choice but to comply and submit to the whims of the controllers. When you operate outside of the banking system you free yourself from many of the controls they place on you. Silver and gold are the mechanisms that allow a person to circumvent this control and gives the individual more power over their own life. The use of barter in conjunction with gold and silver takes power away from the controllers and reduces their impact on everyday living.

Reduce expenses, reduce income, reduce taxes

The conventional way of life we have all been raised with leads us to the inevitable need to make lots of money to support that lifestyle. This requires us to work more and harder to pay for the things we feel we must have to be normal. The more we work for pay, the more the government takes for its’ social programs and social programming of society. By reducing the things we feel we need or supplying them in other ways, we will free ourselves from the excess production we inevitably have to give up. By doing simple things to decrease your spending you will decrease the amount of work you need to get paid for reducing the amount government will take. This taxation in many ways does more to harm us than it helps us. When you reduce your spending you ultimately simplify your life as a whole.

These are just some of the ways you can use to strike back at the corrupt system that has materialized and take back some of your freedom and rights. The less you depend on the system and the less you provide to it to function, the more freedom you will ultimately have. The individual right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has gradually been degraded by the controllers in society that want absolute power. By creating a buffer between you and them you will have more opportunity to build a better life. The less you rely on them for basic needs, the larger that buffer will be. Your job is to make that buffer as wide as you can.

Silver Takedown and Potential Shortages

By: Tom Chatham

Overnight the price of gold and silver decreased substantially with silver sinking as low as $22.92 and gold dropping below $1,400. This is the takedown we were expecting last June but it never materialized. That day has finally come and now may be the last great opportunity to stack silver at bargain basement prices. Some PM investors believe silver could reach triple digit numbers in the next two years if the current financial situation is not corrected.

Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine in Utah has suffered a massive landslide that will likely shut down production for months if not years. Approximately one billion tons of material collapsed into the basin. The Kennecott mine is the second largest silver mine in the US and the worlds’ largest copper mine.

The mine produces 3 to 5 million ounces of silver annually and 300,000 to 500,000 ounces of gold. This represents about 16% of US silver production and 5% of US gold production annually. This is going to have repercussions on PM’s once it filters down into the markets. It will also have direct affects on Sunshine mints ability to produce blanks for the US mint.

This takedown in silver and gold will not last long so anyone wishing to buy should not procrastinate for long. Physical bullion is getting tighter and the loss of production at a major producer will almost certainly force prices up on its’ very own. With a new QE program in the making it is only a matter of time before prices climb substantially.

The DHS insider has stated that a PM takedown may precede the next major move by the government so everyone should remain alert to this possibility. The time to protect your future will not last much longer so take advantage of this lull while you can. The PM prices may slowly rise from here or they may fall lower but either way, the prices are a good buy as of right now.