Great Depression, 2008-style

[Jeff]

I heard on the financial channel this morning that this is the worse June on the stock market since June 1930, depression days.

It now takes $1.57 U.S. to buy one European dollar. In other words our dollar isn't worth much. And we all know the oil story, etc.

In my opinion, it is possible that before long it will get tough to buy enough of the necessities. It might be a good idea to put a little back for a rainy day. A lot of us have already done this, but even so, it's a good time to buff it up a bit. Just a thought.

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

It might be a good idea to put a little back for a rainy day. *A lot of us have already done this, but even so, it's a good time to buff it up a bit. *Just a thought.
Jeff. It's a good thought, too. Black clouds are on the horizon and I can smell the rain.

[kerryms]

We have been telling family that they need to stock up just incase. We got laughed at,then when they hit some bad times who did they call when they didn't have food. Yep, us It seems that people today don't think. They don't cook either, if they closed all the fast food joints people would starve to death! We cook and have offered to teach others but you know what they say" We'll just come over to your house" The Black cloud is looming and people are "to busy" to see it coming. I'm thinking of writing up "rules for the Homestead" if you want to come to our house you'll do your fair share, or go somewhere esle.

[walls0stone]

When my first was born, the inlaws came to help my wife. The don't cook. I came home from 12 hours of stone work, and had other real work to do... needed a meal..what had the women in my wife's fam put on the table? a plain cheese pizza >:(

I'm 149lbs... 6 ft 4 tall...burn weaght like a locamotive.. I told the women at the house.. to put down the baby, bake 2 taders, toss on some read meat and toss it down beside that pizza.

your right..people can't cook! what's more... the meals of the past were better for you...but as a culture..most don't do enough work to put that kind of fuel to it's use.

[ms-woman]

If your ever out our way come on over we'll feed you right! Last night we eat fresh from the garden, green beans, fried okra, fried squash, fried potatos, bbq chicken and cornbread.

[jen_in_southtexas]

ms-woman,

Now that there is my kinda meal!!! You must be from the south as well.

-j

[walls0stone]

@ Jen

Origonaly yep...

@MS & Jen,
Ok Ladies..your on. I have another on the way.. so you can come up and look after my table wile the little Mrs. is with the new one. I sent her people home with some steaks one night from an Angus I did... just one of them was a foot wide, inch thick.

[ms-woman]

MISSISSIPPI born, learned how to cook from my granny and my mom (kerryms). Started cooking at age 7, never learned how to cook small. My little brothers are 6'4" and 6'5", a pizza after baleing hay! They would have strung me up! Breakfast every morning was a cookie sheet of cat head biscuits, gravy, 2 lbs of bacon, at least a dozen eggs, plus pancakes, and sometimes fried tators and pork chops.

walls0stone, don't be teasing me like that, I could almost kill for a good steak, med. rare I could eat one a foot wide and inch thick!!! My husband got really sick bout a year ago, now he's allergic to beef, pork, venison everything! I can't even have it in the house. Can't cook it at home nothing, all we eat is chicken, turkey and fish now. Anaphylactic reactions- he swells up, quits breathing, hives the whole nine yards!

[leera]

By the time I was in fifth grade,I was cooking full meals after school so when my parents got home from working all day at the business they were trying to run,dinner would be ready and on the table........

When I took home ec. class in school,it was a joke.......the teacher about fell over,when we had to plan a menu and make a meal in a two hour block,I did pancakes,sausage,biscuits,gravy,scrambles eggs....and still had plenty of time left over to do the dishes and sit around.........no one else in the class was able to get further than making pancakes..........that was in eight grade......

In high school home ec,I ended up working alone during the final exam because none of the others in my kitchen showed up.......rather than work with another group,I took the final alone........and did better than the others who had every member of their group there that day.

Back on topic,yes I agree,we should all stock up a little more than we already have......it's only a matter of time now before things hit rock bottom........

[WileyCoyote]

Ditto, Leera. When I was 10, and we needed a new stove, my mother let me pick it out - because I was the one who used it most! When she got her first microwave for Christmas (it was one of the first models, and HUGE) she simply passed the instructions over to me, because she knew I would be the one using it. That very day I cooked the turkey in it - which freed up the oven for my pies and breads!

I taught all my children to cook from a very early age, the boys especially. When people asked me why, I said it was because I didn't want them wandering in the freezer section of the grocery, looking for the toast... I taught them how to shop, what to look for, what was important and what wasn't in buying and preparing groceries. When they started moving out of the house, I made a calendar for each of them that had appropriate recipes per month, and even had 'replacement' foods - like how to use boullion instead of meat when necessary, how to turn milk sour for sauces and recipes, etc - just so they would remember. We are not fast food people, and I don't understand my friends who eat out every single night. Even when I worked two jobs, someone put a full meal on the table, and we always had a vegetable and herb garden, and as many fruits as we could grow. They learned to shuck corn, pop green beans and peas, all sitting on the kitchen floor or the back porch together, and learned to dehydrate, freeze and can. My oldest lives in the middle of Las Vegas, and uses his entire yard to produce vegies and herbs. He and his wife make their own Christmas gifts from their garden and kitchen - and no one turns them down!

Too many empty calories, and too much overprocessing, can cause physical damage over time. We raised our children to understand that nourishment was basic and cellular, not something crammed into the body for convenience. Plus - it was just too durned expensive to eat garbage! I feel sorry for the folks who are mindlessly stuffing themselves at restaurants, watching their funds shrink as their waistlines expand, and I wonder what will happen to them when things get really tough... all of us have food storage that we rotate out and keep stocked. It just makes sense - even if there ISN'T a recession or depression, having food and knowing how to shell it, grind it, cook it, and use it is the most basic survival knowledge.

[mom]

Last night we got 1 1/4 inch of rain. Of course it was a shock to me when I got up cause I slept through it all. Walked out to the garden and in the middle of the corn was a flat spot. Looked like a giant had sat on it - must have had some real wind. We agreed it was not going to stand up again so we just pulled it. Started to pull ears and Hubby said - not mature - feed it to chickens. Nope. There were kernels although there were a lot of imature ones. I sat on the back porch and cut and scraped every one of those ears for and probably have a months worth of corn to put in the freezer. The chickens can have the cobs and will think they have died and gone to heaven but I got what there was to get of it and it is going in the freezer today. Don't waste Right now I probably could use a shower because I am covered with corn splaterings but wth, I am clean and sweet tasting.

[gsb]

WileyCoyote, my wife could learn from your example. If it wasn't for me she would eat out of a box everyday! Good thing I worked in the restaurant industry for 17 years. Now i've taught myself to can and make our own bread. Now her Mom wants to by bread from me! Planted my first garden this year and it is doing well. Taught myself to make soap and cleaning products also. Stocking my pantry currently. Mostley thanks to this sight and magazine and forum. Thanks everyone for there knowledge.

[ms-woman]

Is anybody thinking GOOD! This is what this country needs. Maybe people will stop and think. I don't wish it on anybody, but I'm really worried about today's culture, about tomorrow's generation. We learned from our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents about the Depression. Be prepared, don't waste, etc.. I think the people on this site are the ones that took that to heart, but we are only a few, trying to pass on this mentality to our kids, we need something big to happen to this country to shake people up and show them just how smart our older generations are. I don't like the path this country is taking do you? I'm not talking something really bad, but a recession is good, maybe some people will wake up.

I'm only 28, so I don't remember the depression or even the recession in the 70s and 80s, but I am an avid reader of history, today in the US most people live in LA-LA LAND.
I'm sick of people saying GIMME, people have this" you owe me" mentality, I don't owe you a thing bub! I've pulled myself up by the boot-straps so can you.

[annawolfsong]

I've been wondering when local school districts will be asking for folks to teach home economics again...

I'm figuring I'll set up seminars on how to cook, clean and garden. They can pay me in produce, milk and meat *lolol*

[ms-woman]

I'm teaching a class in two weeks at the local housing authorities on cooking, budgeting, gardening, etc... I'd hate to see what they would barter. ;) Probably something illegal ;D

[Lake_Lady]

Yesterday at my grand-daughters birthday party we got into this discussion. My eldest son and his wife are liberals (not my fault) and make fun of my prepping. My middle son and his wife, who I've talked to before (and thought I was getting through to), said "The government has plans in place to make sure nothing like this happens" I damn near puked all over the pink poodle cake! I just don't know what else I can do other than to keep prepping for us all. It will be a very sad day when I tell them 'I told you so' :-/

[dreams_in_color]

I work in banking and without saying which of the major banks I work for I have to say for the first time I am scared. My husband is a writer and we have nothing saved in fact we owe a lot of money due to some lean times and bad decisions on our part. I have been working hard trying to get us back in shape financially but am still 5 years from getting out of debt. 1 year ago we moved out to 7 acres and thought we had sold our house when we bought this one. Well three hours before closing and after we had already closed and this one and moved the guy backed out without a reason. That was the exact same day the subprime mortgage STUFF hit the fan. 18,000.00 and 8 months later we sold that house. But it also put me 2 years behind on my game plan. If I was to lose my job and the publishing industry is hit by a depression I do not know what we would do. Sure I can cook. I started baking when I was 10 and making family dinners at 14. *I can throw things together out of leftovers that often taste better than the orginial meal.

But as I said I am really scared an I do think there will be a depression. Our country is in bad shape and I am afraid the walls are going to come tumbling down.


I really do not know what will happen to a lot of people if there is a depression. Thanks goodness *as I said I can cook and my husband can not only write but do anything from float sheetrock to building a deck or chicken coop. Problem is we are not young anymore...

I think I will start reading up on how people survived the great depression to understand what we may be up against.

It there anyway one can make themselves depression proof?

[mom]

I own my house and land outright thanks to a gift from my mother years ago. No one wanted this little house and plot of land but I saw the potential. I have never borrowed against this house and will never do so. If I want something done to it, I may put it on a credit card or pay in cash but no mortgage. For years my sons said, "Mom, buy a bigger house. You can afford it". Thankfully I didn't becaus I left that "big job" and was basically unemployed for several years. Now I have the "big job" again and I am thankful that the little house that no one wanted is mine free and clear. What ever happened to the idea that owning your own home outright was a good thing.

[walls0stone]

remember only 1 in 3 were out of a job in the 30's.
Not every person will just go to the bread line. Also,
If the whole world were to come down, we'd just have other needs. A light hearted example is this.

our local festivals have been packed! before it was just somthing to bug the locals when they tried to go to town. Now they are loaded with local people out spending a few bucks each. It's a great awakening. becouse they don't feel ok going to six flags...but they will come to see the local events and take part in the lives of their neibors.

[anna]

Simply by shutting down all unnecessary spending you can free up a lot of $'s to pay down debt and/or stock up. Stop eating out and/or ordering delivery. Little things like waiting an extra week or two for a haircut give significant savings over a year. Its bad for the barber/hairdresser but that's not your problem. Beans and rice instead of meat and potatoes also saves a lot of $'s. People just need to stop throwing away money on things they don't need especially disposables (diapers, wipes, paper plates, cups, paper towels, etc.) and stock up on reusable supplies. Learning to do-it-yourself will save $'s in an ongoing way so is worth spending today to save tomorrow. How-to books or classes are gold. Cut driving by planning trips carefully. Buy used at auctions, garage sales, thrift shops. Internet is okay too if shipping doesn't make things cost too much.

[leera]

Dreams in Color, it sounds a lot like you're where my DH and I were four years ago.....We had made a LOT of bad decisions,and it all caught up with us......we nearly filed for bankruptcy,but chose to find a way to pay off our debts instead.

Now we are nearly there,and looking to buy a house.First thing Tuesday I will be making the pay off on my car......I'm planning on making the final pay off on this old mobile home by the end of July.

Now if we could just a find a house that qualified for FHA,we'd be all set........every house we've looked at so far had had some little thing that made it not pass for FHA......

BTW,all of them have been bank repos........every sinlge one of them.........if that tells you anything about how the economy is doing........

[RNMOM]

I loved reading through these posts. My hubby and I have never stopped trying to be self reliant and stocking up. There have been times we've lived off the food we stored and then started over, but I'm ok with that.

We are cutting back every way we can, I can't seem to want to give up internet service, but I'll cut other things instead.

I've always cooked from scratch and made my own bread, my married kids are seeing the wisdom from being raised that way and now are starting to do some great preps on their own. We have a family plan to get us together if things are bad. I have enough food stored for the entire family for about 8 months if needed.

I agree that this has the potential to be a good thing to get people to open their eyes.

[TNDadx4]

Cool thread. Regarding cooking, I find it very interesting that on some packages of meat now, chicken, ground beef, etc. have instructions for heating it up. It's almost like cooking is a lost art. I guess it has become that in some parts of society.

I like many of you can cook. My wife and I have taught our kids how to cook and experiment (with Mom or Dad's help) in the kitchen.

So, congrats to those getting out of debt, buying a house or some land, preparing/stocking food and living the life!

[WileyCoyote]

The motto of the Depression was "wear it out, use it up, make it do". *My mother was born at the start of it, and told me what their family of 10 went thru, as coal miners and moonshiners. She was not one of those folk who stayed frugal, however - once she had money, she spent it like water thru a sieve.

I survived the recession of the 80's, divorced and with two small boys. It was rough. I remember living on soy instead of meat, because all of the meat for sale in the stores was literally green - and still overpriced. I remember growing our own vegies and having our own chickens.

The major difference I see in the Depression of the 20's and the upcoming one is simply this - people have gotten more selfish. They think nothing of taking from or even harming others if they do not get what they want or think that they need, even now - what happens when they are literally broke, out of money, and the government supplements stop coming? How many times have we seen it - the people in court, or on TV, using the excuse "Well, I needed it so I took it; I'm so sorry someone got hurt"...

Ex. One of my good friends was coming out of a store near Christmas time, and was accosted by a man who waved a gun in her face and demanded all of her money. She was 28, young and inexperienced and terrified - someone distracted the thief, and she screamed and RAN back inside the store. The man took off and was later shot and killed by a deputy after the thief attacked him (the deputy was in the hospital for three days and out of work for three weeks, rcovering from his injuries.). It turned out that the thief had carjacked an elderly couple at gunpoint to get a car, and that the gun wasn't loaded - unfortunately none of his victims knew that. For five days afterward, the news was full of the criminal's family, crying about the injustice done their relative - he would never harm anyone; yes he had a criminal record and a history of violence but he woudn't have hurt them, and why did that mean woman and that horrible old couple call the police, and WHY, oh why did that awful cop have to shoot their dear relative? All he wanted to do was to get some money to buy his children Christmas presents, after all!! It was an injustice, it was wrong - and then they found out who my friend was (thanks to a self-righteous media person) and began making nasty phone calls to her, threatening her and her children until she took out restraining orders against them...

IMHO, these are the types of people who, when they are faced with the reality of hardship and starvation, will demand that everyone else succor them. They will not just be individuals but gangs, looking for whatever it is that they want - and anyone who has anything at all will be their victims. It won't be like the last Depression, with peaceful hoboes wandering from town to town, looking for work, or friendly neighbors helping each other - it will be a "me first" world of violence and cruelty, and the gubbermint will not be able to contain it. More - those who actually HAVE put stuff away or 'hoarded' food storage or who have productive animals will be harassed by local governments as it is their "duty" to "share" - i.e., not to fight the criminals who would take from them but to give away their hard-won stores for free to any who ask. In the larger cities, it will be Katrina all over again, exacerbated - looting and criminal behavior, even murders and home invasions, run amok. The gubbermint might try martial law or other stopgap measures, but they will be completely overrun until there is a "shoot to stop anyone" mindset. *

Add to that the uncontrollability of natural or man-made disasters, or a pandemic, or political unrest, and this country will be swept by the criminals and the people who excuse their behavior, even to vilifying their victims. No, it will not be the Depression of the '20's, but something much deeper, much darker, much more violent, and much more devastating than 'mere' fiscal collapse. It will be social collapse, and few areas will be spared. At least, that's how I see it... or why I left a town of 2500 mostly-Welfare dependents to move to a town of 125 hardworking folk who farm and ranch and make their own way, far from the crime and violence of the mobile, selfish, and volatile public. *We are on our way to becoming a third-world country when the dust settles; communistic or at least socialistic, within the next 10 years. The folks who blithely refuse to see the direction we are heading, who protest, "It can't get as bad as all that!" will be the first ones to fall under the violence of the "have-nots" who believe that it is their absolute right to have what others have worked for.

Of course, that's just my opinion after having worked 23 years in public service. I know what kinds of people there are out there, demanding services, demanding their "rights" that supercede other peoples' rights, demanding everything that they feel they deserve - all without their own effort, on the backs and out of the pockets of others. This will not be your grandmothers' Depression.

[stew]

Excellent post WileyCoyote,
I think we will be shocked / suprised / disgusted, with the state of things to come. Yes, it's now an 'amoral' world, and there is little we can do about it.
We don't even know exactly what to prepare for, just the worst i suppose. And yes, the criminals will demand sympathy for their desperation, nobody squeals louder than a stuck pig!

stew

[kerryms]

I agree WileyCoyote, This country is sinking fast, are we chicken littles waiting for the sky to fall? Hey I'd rather be prepared than squished flat! ::) I have lived on food stamps before, people think if it gets tough I'll get help. Guess what that won't pay for soap,toilet paper,shampo etc.. People better look up cause guess what the sky is falling!

[edward_4576]

My parents were kids during the depression, dad would tell me stories about going down to the railroad tracks and picking up loose coal and in the summer hauling water to the steel plant and selling water by the cupful. My mom's family lost their mother and the state said that their father couldn't provide for them and put the youngest ones in an orphanage. Mom used to talk about the day her dad was able to bring them home.

People today haven't a clue as to what it will be like. I'm sorry to say it won't be like on the Waltons. That was a time when people were used to hard work and providing for themselves and helping their neighbors.

Today (in many instances) a neighbor is a liability. We have one guy that lives next to us and him and his former wife turned out to be crack heads, they got busted for cooking. The stuff they dumped almost killed my dog. Now a days I keep a sharp eye on anyone new to my neighborhood and I contemplate what steps might need to be taken "just in case".

I'm now concerned with keeping my preps secret. Wolf in sheep's clothing type of thing. I don't want to be targeted as a possible supply depot for the unfortunate. It brings to mind a line from "Alas Babylon" - "with the dropping of the first bomb the christen era died."

I wonder how true that may be in the upcoming depression. As pointed out above today's mindset is totally mercenary. Where I live half of our cities children were bused to the KCMO school district, we recently won back our schools and the KCMO school board is fighting it because they say our city owes them money. A judge said no and when the city went and inspected the schools we got back KCMO had trashed out the schools, just for money...

If these individuals who profess to be only concerned with our children's welfare why did they rip out fire alarm systems and why were rats found there?

I know I digress but it's an example of the way people think now. What will we see? I'm not able to tell the future, my wife however has been pretty accurate in her prognostications. She told me last week that she expects to us to see gov't troops of one form or other on our streets by the end of the year.

If we can hang on here we'll be pretty safe as we have an old house that has stood for nearly a hundred years. The siding on the house is so tough that you can barely drill through it. We're going to stock up at least three cords of wood. Most of our preps are canned or dry goods and we can hold out for perhaps a year. I want to stock up on more "beans and bullets" we got most everything we need as far as band aids go.

DW and I have hashed out most possibilities as far as hardening the house further if necessary and what we would do if someone comes to the house looking for handouts. The talking heads on the boobtube already are talking 2+ million families loosing their home, that's 5 million people that are homeless.

Rising inflation, rising fuel prices and a loss of jobs will only continue. The upper crust of this country already are calling them selves "Elite". With 90% of the wealth held by 5% of the populace, I don't see it getting any better just because of the afore mentioned mindset "I got mine, screw you".

Keep your powder dry......

[walls0stone]

I feel that for all the people who tried to change farming or effected farming with lies about farm practice..or lies about fake butter...all the stuff we've put up with for years... yep let 'em starve!

plenty of people who are smart will be just fine. With every trouble comes a need. Now some may go out of busienss.. but some new door opens..another topic on here talkes of salt.. so if you know how to get it, you now have a job.

So you can't get lumber from the stores any more.. fine, if you know somone in the area who knows how to run a band mill or a steam powered saw.. wow..a job.

needs don't dissaprear when stuff like this happens, and maybe you don't have cash, but if you have a skill you can live...

On the waltons, I tink what the show illistrates is that you can't get all down in the mouth when things get bad. If you do, then your may as well give up and Die.

It's true..many are sissys... limp wristed, soft handed prity boys who don't know anything about basic work.. to bad

[kerryms]

Hear,Hear I agree wallsOstone! I worked in a book warehouse several years ago. It was hard work but the only job I could find. They hired 20 people the day I started within 1 week half were gone.Some would go to the bathroom and never come back! At the end of the month there was two of us. The young guys griped all the time this is to hard. I told one "Look I'm a grandmother and I can do this,yes it's hard but I like eating,electricity and a roof over my head." I even had shingles and still worked the boss asked me how do you keep going? I said "Fear" fear of being homeless and not being able to provide for myself. A month later Sept 11th happened and a month after that I got laid off. I tried to get gov. help! HAH I ended up moving in my parents basement.You can't give up when things get tough,you have to get tough to keep up. I'm glad my daughter found this site so like minded people can come together and share the wisdom.

[pinetreefarm]

The Great Depression did not really end until after WWII. The war probably brought us out of it. I was a small baby during the war. We lived in a large old house in Detroit. No one had any money. Families lived together. There were 12 of us, uncles, aunts, grandparents. Supplies were scarce and rationing was necessary for the war effort. In order for me to have shoes, several family members shared their ration stamps. I still hsve these ration books, BTW.

My grandmother cooked for everyone for the rest worked and took care of me. There was electricity but only lights. They did have a radio and Grandpa listed to the war effort. We had a ice box and grandma canned what she could.

I taught myself how to cook and clean and sew, etc. after my DH and I married. We were both going to university and paid as we went. We managed to stay our of debt but more than once my DH sold his blood to purchase school books.

My mother in law was a great help for they lived on a farm.
We still live frugally and our wants are few. But we garden, grind our wheat, bake our bread, etc. And we love doing it.

But back on topic, I also think we could be in for a long struggle. I sometimes feel we have been manipulated because of the war and our dependence on oil. We are a lazy people and I think many will not be able to survive and government cannot help. If they would only listen ! But I don't think the sheeple will.

[bookwormom]

sobering subject,I think Wiley Coyote is hitting it square on the head. I would not be afraid of plain old hard times, been there done that. the modern mindset scares me, the young people of nowadays, the "ME" and "gimme, gimme, gimme" generation worries me. A friend of ours just threw his wife's son and son's wife out of the house, he had had it, working his butt off, and when he came home they were playing video games, not a goat fed, dishes piled up,he came home at 9 in the morning and they were still in bed. He was providing everything, food, shelter, and the TV. It does not embaress them to not pull their load.

[Dobelo17]

I agree things will get worse before they get better.
We bought a generator, made the garden bigger and
planted a orchrd. We also are in debt way to far but I am trying to get my husband to start saving something.
A losing battle to be sure but I am trying. I have a emergincy fund hidden for myself and the kids. I is not hard to see how fast things will get ugly very fast. I work at the Post Office and on thursday alot of the
SSI and welfare checks didn't come in. We had people on the phone and coming into the office yelling at us.
THey are always convinced that the mailman is taking their check. We would lose our job for taking someones mail. One lady came in twice telling us we needed to got check again because the check was ther we were just not findin it. SHe is 30 yrs old and getting disability. SHe had cancer and no longer works.
I know of a lot of peole with cancer that still work. SHe never had chemo or anything she looks healtier than
I do. ANy way she was driving to Missourie for the
4th of July weekend. Who has money with the price of gas to drive that far when they are on SSI? We live in a town that is the Welfare capitol of WI. WOow something to be pround of. Most of the people that come in looking for the check we are stealing are young have never worked a day in their life and need to shower, use a little moth wash and learn that the best way to get the lady behind the counter to help you is not to talk to her like a idiot. THey lack even the basic manners my kids had at 5 yr olds. THey can't even address a envelope. They hand it to you and say I need to send this and exspect you to address it and send it for them. I am so looking forward to them running the country.

BEcky

[RangerRick]

Now is the time to prepare as the old addage says, "fail to plan plan to fail". If you don't garden, start. It is a skill that should be continuously honed on the breast of Mother Earth. When things get bad enough to need that which a garden produces it is too well past time to break ground and learn those things you must know and feel in order for her to give her best. Learn them now!

If you don't sew it's time to learn. It's the same with canning and the hundreds of other skills that must be gained. Personally I consider this time a blessing as I look to all the things I'll need and the teaching that I can provide to my grandchildren of those many skills. It not only gives me peace but self-satification in teaching my grandsons how to sharpen an ax or fell a tree for the shakes to repair the pump house roof. Fruit trees need prunning, septic tanks must be cleaned, goats to be butchered, turkeys smoked and all are things that must be done regardless of the status of our economy.

Truly this time before the fall should be cherished, this time of learning and sharing and giving. Now is the time to work the plan!

;)

Ranger Rick

[kerryms]

If only you would run for president!

[walls0stone]

Me Me Me will go away after a few people see the light and Slap the Living Crap out of any selfish dolt who can't pitch in. *After a little more whimping from the brats, *the rest of us will just let them starve or be more blunt. That's what starvation will do to people.

I don't think the war took us out of the depretion. It took a lot of men out of the work force. *but it wasn't the great cure all. The Depretion did little to effect the area were I live now beouse even in the Decade before the Depretion, this place was depressed and people lived a given way.

"oh the stock markeet crashed?"

The real heroes will be the people who did stuff the old way, just cuz.. and not becouse it was a fation, or to save the trees or keep the world from getting hotter.. that's all an idea to scare people into spending money on somthing.

People who knew how to skin butcher a hog, *make soap or save and concerve just becouse will be the best off later.

and I don't think we will find the best of them here on this sight, becouse they are just doing it and not spending time on line. *:)

[EarthMother]

. Plus - it was just too durned expensive to eat garbage! I feel sorry for the folks who are mindlessly stuffing themselves at restaurants, watching their funds shrink as their waistlines expand, and I wonder what will happen to them when things get really tough...

We all know what will happen when that day comes. Just how far will we go when some never-do-well tries to take what we have stored? Every body got weapons?

[walls0stone]

yyyeeeeaaaa how will they get to you? *big city folks going to take the bus to your house? *All the stuff I've been asked in all my travels...the fools you talk of don't have a clue, the perseptions of us are crazy...and what, they come'n out with a nine to cap yo'A** *?? yea bagy pants won't get any looks in your neck of the woods...

those people are as scared of you as you are of what they are not. * Look at New Orleans. babies! *they gona walk to your place with no fuel in any car they have? *

Don't let the boogie men make money off the scary stories they tell.

[docsoos]

Every body got weapons?

Yes, Ma'am. Three Bags Full. ;D

DocSoos