Survival Shops Report Big Sales For Possible Collapse

From a local Television station in Missouri comes a report about a Survival Food and Gear store saying a huge jump in sales reflects that many people are getting prepared for the “possible collapse” of society. The stores are selling expensive MRE's at 50 cases a month. Reports that people come in as a family and build Bug Out bags on the spot.

Others are stocking up on freeze-dried meals and other supplies to stash at a remote location away from the city where they would go in an emergency. Other people have said they have property which they have set up different things to protect themselves like towers they can stand up and watch.”

One of the store owners said that business has been brisk since the spring, when uprisings in the middle east, the U.S. Federal deficit and lack of government movements to fix it bringing on a deep concern for the future of the U.S. He says " People are just plain scared. They don’t know where this country is going".

From the on-line version of this news report, many diverse comments are made and
UrbanMan is going to take the liberty of commenting on some of them:

"If you haven’t stocked up by now, pray."

UrbanMan say's: It's never too late to start. I think that if you polled all the preppers in the country, most of them would say they are not finished prepping or at a point where they would want to be preparation wise if the STHF.

"I’m stocking up on GUNS and AMMO, the currency of the future. With those things, I can have all the food I can eat when I take it from the liberal pacifists. I’m making a list of all the turds in my area with Obama bumper stickers or yard signs."

UrbanMan say's: Really. A lot of "if's" in this premise. If the "liberal pacifists" have food for you to steal. What "if" they don't have any food? What if the older gent who drives a BMW, who you think as a Liberal, is really a Vet,....much better trained than you,...and in fact knows your cowardly

kind and is just waiting for you to give him a reason to kill you? And you know what's funny? I don't like Obama either.

"Make sure you have plenty of Ammo and several rifles and hand guns. You can always take the food from the others who are storing it. OR Ammo will be a trade item.. Your call if the doo doo hits the fan."

UrbanMan say's: Here it is again,....taking food from others. You may evne be able to do it, if they are unprepared. Are you prepared? Have you been tested with your life on the line? Take you stealing mind set back to the couch and re-read your "Soldier of Fortune" magazines.

"People streaming out of the city when TSHTF, remember Katrina. Most city dwells won’t be able to get out. Many are to dependent on the government for any type of help and wouldn’t be able to find a road out of the city. Also after a while with people panicking I’d imagine alot of pileups on the highways. Without police to direct traffic or city workers to move the wrecked cars alot of people will be walking out of the cities. Without the massive and daily trucks of food the keep grocery stores stocked people leaving the cities aren’t going to find alot to eat, unless they learn to catch animals by hand."

UrbanMan say's: You have a good point based on the Katrina scenario. But do you really think people,....hungry refugees....can't travel 10, 20 or 30 miles in search of food? What kept a lot of Katrina victims in the city were: obstacles such as large bodies of fast moving water and blocked bridges; a fairly rapid state and federal response; the idea that it would never get so bad. I have said many times, be sure to look atthe natural routes for refugees when you are planning.

"Pshaw. For this type of collapse you need a good financial plan or adviser to protect your savings from government trying to inflate their way out of debt. Society is not going to collapse, in the US; no telling what will happen in the EU. Europeans get barbaric fast – think Bosnia."

UrbanMan say's: You will be one of the people railing at the banks at forced bank holidays, calling your broker (if the phones work),....here's a tip, he won't pickup as he will be loading his SUV with food, guns, gear, gold and silver and heading to his bug out location. If you really think the way you wrote, then you are a chump,......but not everyone is planning adequately for a economic or societal collapse so I guess you'll be one of the first victims. To use some social media code: LMAO at you.

"Things certainly appear to me to be headed for big trouble for us average people. I doubt that a complete collapse of society and riots everywhere will happen, but we need to be prepared for some of this if the food supply gets interrupted. I think the most likely scenario coming toward us is that energy and fuel prices will spike so high that the truckers will refuse to drive and therefore no food or other goods will go to stores. How long do you think it will take the shelves at Safeway to empty out? So, somewhere between everything collapsing and everything is roses, we need to prepare. Why not just buy extra canned goods, pasta, rice, nuts, etc. and store them in your house? Put them in expiration date groups and eat the oldest ones first. So, instead of eating what you bring home from the store, you store it and eat what you previously stored. Using this method I have now about 3 months of food in a pantry. It’s sort of a hobby, picking food at the store and arranging and storing it. Anyway, if you don’t get ready for at least a temporary interruption, then you are very foolish."

UrbanMan say's: I don't think the truckers will refuse to drive, unless it gets too dangerous. I just think they won't be able to afford to drive or find fuel for their trucks. You are certainly right at least being ready for a temporary interruption.

The Bad Guys Are Us

Starting to come out two days ago, then more fully yesterday and today, are details of the Senate Defense Bill for Fiscal Year 2012 that has a provision, Section 1031, which allows for the designation of the homeland (meaning the 50 states) as a part of the War on Terror or as Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) put it: "The homeland is part of the battlefield and people can be held without trial whether (they are) American Citizens or not." Notable supporters include Senator's John McCain (R-AZ) and Carl Levin (D-MI).

On the surface it seems like a logical means and set of tools for Federal Law Enforcement to combat domestic and imported terrorism. Until you get to these four facts:

1 - The Senate Defense Bill was developed in secrecy contrary to law.What is the Senate worried about? That the People would see what the bill was shaping up to be and be outraged as they should be?
2 - The bill allows for the use of the Armed Forces in domestic law enforcement and anti-terrorism operations.
3- That domestic Terrorist suspects include,.....people who disagree with the Government; people who may be missing fingers; people who collect or store guns and ammunition especially multiple guns and waterproof ammunition,...and people who have 7 days or more of food stocked.
4 - Finally, some wisdom from one of our great Founders, Benjamin Franklin,.."Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither.

I don't know who else besides Rand Paul (R-KY) is on our side and the side of tens of millions of Americans, but what I do know is if this bill is passed the game changes. Primarily focused on conditions and threats outside of our control,.e.g..economic collapse, dollar break, external terrorist attack by Weapon of Mass Destruction or EMP attack,.....or even natural disasters have now been superseded by the very real threat of a totalitarian government,....at least we have a counter-measure that that is redress of grievances through petition (phone call and e-mails) or through the ballot box. Holy Jesus, this scares the shit out of me!

The Mayan End of the World Prediction in the News Again

Headline: Mexico acknowledges 2nd Mayan reference to 2012. UrbanMan still gets an occasional e-mail or comment from readers who are transfixed on the possibility not from man made collapse but from pre-destined collapse as interpreted by the Mayan Calendar and other dooms day predictors. I subscribe to the theory of self determination, be it good or bad. If we didn't have free will and everything was pre-determined, then what the hell are doing?

Anyway, an article by Mark Stevenson of the Associated Press details another Mexican archaeology find backing up the Mayan Calendar prediction that the apocalypse would occur in 2012.

While Mexico's archaeology institute downplays these theories that the ancient Mayas predicted the apocalypse in 2012, they did acknowledge that a second reference to the date exists on a carved fragment recently found at a southern Mexico ruin site.

The "Comalcalco Brick," as the second fragment is known, has been discussed by experts in some online forums. Many still doubt that it is a definite reference to Dec. 21, 2012 or Dec. 23, 2012, the dates cited by proponents of the theory as the possible end of the world. Given the strength of Internet rumors about impending disaster in 2012, the institute is organizing a special round table of 60 Mayan experts next week at the archaeological site of Palenque, in southern Mexico, to "dispel some of the doubts about the end of one era and the beginning of another, in the Mayan Long Count calendar."

No matter what your beliefs are,....Mayan predicted end of the World; Socio-Economic Collapse; Foreign attack induced collapse,....it still pays to be prepared in some form or function,...again: planning, security, food and shelter all need to be considered to have a reasonable chance of survival during hard times, be it from the dollar collapse, a Mayan Boogeyman or from fire breathing dragons.

Bad Advice on Buying Silver?

Tina wrote to UrbanSurvivalSkills and asked: " Several of my friends and I get together to can vegetables, and we take turns going to flea markets to sell items we no longer want or can do without. This has brought about a on-going conversation about the dollar collapse (not all my friends believe) and what it would be like to have a barter only community. I brought up the fact that I have been buying some Silver coins. Two of my girl friends almost seemed offended saying that: if we have a Germany type of dollar collapse, money and gold and silver will be useless and only bartering items and growing your own food for trade would be the right. How can I make them see that having some Silver and possibly Gold is a good idea, along with food?"

UrbanMan's reply: If your friends agree with having physical skills and material to enter into a collapse and survive through barter then they have taken the first step to Surviving SHTF, however you won't be able to talk anyone into anything. It just may be too uncomfortable for them to think about it or accept the possibilities of an impending collapse and the chaos it brings. It will come back to haunt you if you do try and talk them into anything. They need to reach the belief in preparation on their own accord based on the merits of the facts.

Second of all, if one or two of your "friends" think that buying Gold or Silver is foolish, then their attitude probably stems from the "Being Left Behind" syndrome. This is where they are mad that they did not have the same foresight to procure Silver and Gold, be it Bullion or coins for Silver melt value, and don't want you to be ahead of them. This is also the so called "Crabs in a Bucket" phenomenon. If you put crabs in a bucket, when one finds a way to climb up and escape, the others will actually pull him back down into the crowd.......it's like "how dare you" get ahead of us.

In fact, you ought to search for "Crabs in a Bucket" on you tube.

It is great that you and your friends can produce barterable goods, go to flea markets to work in the barter society or otherwise find that what you can make has value for others. There are many other categories for preparing for a economic collapse,.... .......planning, security and the stocking of appropriate durable and on-durable items and material to make survival not only possible, but possible with some decent standard of living. After all, that's the goal.

If you continue dripping information to them about buying Gold and Silver your "friends" will undoubtedly turn to the "Gold and Silver are poor investments argument". Your counter is that you are buying Gold and Silver as a commerce contingency in the period of time when the dollar deflates in value and before a true straight barter society will commence.

I truly think that during and after the period when the dollar becomes worthless, Silver and Gold will be of value and will end up being the new basis for a new currency standard. Tell your friends that if they think Silver and Gold are not important then that's fine,....don't buy any. And I'll just bet one silver round to a can of your vegetables that your friends will experience "fear of being left behind" and start some type of Silver procurement, even if it's just a couple of one ounce Silver rounds a month.

Good luck and prepare well, Tina.