[SavageEagle]

You all make some good points. And up until this year I had been living like America the Great would live on forever, only worrying for the most part, about myself and my family. I watched the news, I kept current with all world events. I was worried that shit outside the USA was going straight to...

Now in this last year, year and a half, I have been playing it straight, learning how to become more and more self-sufficent, learning how and what to store back for whatever. I find myself listening more to 93.1 talk radio than my MP3 player. Which even has FM... I never considered getting my LTCH until this year. I always figured if America turning into Lebanon or some warzone I'd just get me a rifle and carry it with me. Which I still might do if things get any worse.

On the news last night they were showing how thieves broke into sheds for gas cans and left the most expensive tools and such behind. Risking felony breaking and entering for a GALLON OF GAS?!?!?! WTF?? Oh I remember the days of drive-offs at the pump from working at Speedway and Thornton's, which to be completely honest, OH WELL! They steal off us everyday, if you're brave and smart enought to get away with it, I won't stop you. I'll report it if it calls for it, but how can you call the cops because a family drove off with $20 of gas? Oppss, never seen them leave? Dunno what kinda car it was... NO I DON"T THINK ITS RIGHT TO STEAL GAS. But to steal it off of regular people, now that's something totally different. The Oil Companies, ok, regular people, no.

Neocon makes the great point about food prices. They WILL skyrocket, if not just for a short period. Would you turn someone in for stealing a loaf of bread? a gallon of milk? All just to feed their family? But if you don't think this is going to happen, it will. The more they make life unbearable, the more crime will go up. Nothing in my home or vehicle is worth your life... That's the old bumper sticker... well, I'm not so sure. I don't say this meaning that if times get hard enough I will steal to feed my family. I'm self-sufficent enough to grow or hunt my own food and I know how to purify water without the treatment of chemicals. But there are those out there who don't have that knowledge. There are those out there right now who are willing to steal to feed their families. Some families go to work just to be able to afford GAS TO GET TO WORK. The days of living away from your place of work are fading fast.

Just like you Peterock, I too am scared shitless. I'm scared that our economy is slowly AND quickly collapsing under the weight of all the BS laid out before us. I'm scared that if we don't stand up and say enough is enough, our government and our sheeple are going to destroy everything this Country stands for. It's no longer up to our government and big buisness (not that it ever was) to straighten this Country out. We have to prepare for the worst. Please take Shay's advice. He is SOOO right that knowledge is the most important tool you can save back. Having barter goods is great and all unless for some reason you are forced from your home. And as no fear suggests, money may not mean a damn thing in the future. As for being debt free, it depends on the debt. If SHTF, oweing money on a car, Credit card, novelty item won't matter a damn bit. Oweing money on a home or mortgage, that can cause some reason for concern. Not that the government can't take away your home for any reason at all anyway, but the lender could reposes it for its own purposes.

What I'm trying to say is that peaceably or forcefully, we can change this Country. We have the power, granted us by God and our Founding Fathers. The only questions that remain is how far are you willing to go and how many people can you convince that they have a say in this Country?

Again, like Disposable Heart, I do NOT advocate "raising up" against our somewhat tyranical government. But should it become necessary, I don't advocate sitting on your face and taking it up the arse either. I'm just saying we need to make changes in this Country if we are to survive the future.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of Patriots, and Tyrants." (Put that in your hippie pipe and smoke it!)