The Final Days Of The Dollar

Here is an article I ran across that was interesting.

 

The Final Days Of The Dollar

by Independent Living

American Lantern Press, Inc.

Confidential Subscriber Briefing – Copyright 2010

 

Keep a Food Stash

During an economic collapse, supply and distribution of the most basic necessities could

be disrupted. The most important concerns are food and water.

Stockpiling food just makes sense economically, even if there are never any shortages.

Think about it: If food prices rise 6% annually and you buy enough food to last you a year,

you’re effectively getting a 6% discount by the end of the year. Another way of thinking about it

is that you’re effectively getting a 6% tax-free return on your initial investment. As long as the

rate of food inflation exceeds the rate of return on a one-year CD at your local bank, stockpiling

makes economic sense.

Many types of food, properly stored, can last several years. The “best by” labels printed

on packaged foods can be misleading in that just because the date has passed, it doesn’t mean

that the food needs to be thrown out. Eventually, it will start to degrade, but only very slowly.

Most foods will last much longer than the date stamped on them, even if they become slightly

less than “best.”

If you keep your food away from high temperatures and keep any food that is not

enclosed in an airtight seal away from moisture and humidity, you can maximize its shelf life.

Obviously, purchasing foods with longer shelf lives means less care is needed in “rotating” food

stores (i.e., eating your old stocks of food and replacing them with new food). The longer the

shelf life of food you store for an emergency, the less time you have to spend replenishing and

rotating.

Unprocessed grains give you the most nutrition for your money. And when they are

stored properly, they last almost forever. This makes them ideal for people who have the space

to store them. As medical and survival expert Bob Livingston wrote in the July 2009 issue of his

Bob Livingston Letter: “I bought a ton of brown rice 40 years ago and I am still eating it, after

raising my children on it. I used diatomatious earth to preserve it.”

The point isn’t that you need to erect a silo in your backyard to store 40 years worth of

grains. The point is that it’s possible to store enough food to feed you and your family through

any potential crisis period. A year’s worth or even a few months’ worth of emergency food

supplies will give you a great deal of personal and financial security as compared to wholly

depending on “just in time inventory” at the grocery store and the buying power of depreciating

dollars.

Secure Your Supplies of Drinking Water

Although water itself is more plentiful than dirt, covering some 70% of the Earth’s

surface, potable fresh water makes up a small fraction of that. And the world’s growing

population is rapidly consuming it. Lakes, rivers, and aquifers around the world are drying up,

while pollution in industrializing nations such as China and India is rendering rivers and streams

too toxic for fish – let alone human consumption.

Without expensive new water infrastructure investments, millions may lack access to

running water in the years ahead. Scientists now warn that Lakes Mead and Powell – major

water sources for the Southwest – are on track to dry up completely within 13 years. Some 36

states in the U.S. will face water shortages within the next few years, according to Environmental

Protection Agency studies.

One of the simplest and most important precautions you can take to preempt increases in

water costs and to stay safe during an emergency of any kind is to keep plenty of bottled water in

your home.

A lot of people make the mistake of waiting until a disaster is imminent and joining in on

the mad rush to the grocery store, where shelves are already empty. You should have several

gallons of drinking water on hand at all times. Rotate in new jugs of water at least every six

months to ensure that your supplies stay fresh (plastic containers deteriorate over time and can

produce an unpleasant aftertaste).

What if you must rely on sources of water that may be impure?

Boiling water generally kills all potentially harmful bacteria and microbes. But it cannot

eliminate all harmful chemical pollutants that may be in the water.

In case boiling isn’t possible or practical, keep some stocks of water purification tablets.

They can be bought fairly cheaply at most stores that sell camping gear and will make your life

immeasurably easier during a time when you need to ensure the safety of your water. You’ll

probably see some purification tablets based on chlorine compounds and others on iodine; the

iodine tablets taste fouler but do a better job of killing parasites. (One trick is to mix sugar-free

Kool-Aid or other instant drinks into the water to mask the taste of the iodine.) Regardless, be

sure to follow the directions provided with the tablets.

A few drops of chlorine bleach can also be used, in a pinch, to sterilize water for

drinking.

 Keep a Well-Stocked Medicine Cabinet

Medical inflation is running rampant due to over-regulation and over-subsidization,

which encourages waste. With the federal government facing trillions in unpayable Medicare

obligations to millions of Baby Boomers in the years ahead, rationing may be the only viable

solution for policymakers. Quality professional medical care may become impossible, or at the

very least much more expensive, to obtain in the near future. Even drugstore items will be

costlier and will perhaps even get rationed.

That’s why a well-stocked medicine cabinet is essential. In addition to having plenty of

supplies of any prescription drugs you need, keep plenty of pain relievers, cough medicine, antidiarrheal medicine, and a fully stocked first-aid kit. Be sure especially to stock up on special

medications needed for any member of your family.

The homeopathic flu medicine Oscillococcinum (“Oscillo”), available over the counter,

should also be in your medicine cabinet. Oscillococcinum should be taken at the first sign of flu

or other viral infection. It helps stimulate your body’s defenses and is typically effective within

48 hours (though it will not necessarily eliminate a severe infection).

Store Your Own Gasoline to Beat Price Spikes, Lines, and Rationing

You surely do not want to participate in the coming rerun of the 1970s, during which

people stood in long lines to get a few gallons of available fuel and watch all the fist-fights

among members of the public caught clueless and flat-footed by the “surprise” energy shortage.

Consider stockpiling a few weeks worth of gasoline on your property if possible, or extra heating

oil if you are dependent on it during the winter.

There is ample reason to believe per-gallon gasoline costs are going to move to the $6.00-

$8.00 range in the relatively near future. Flattening global oil production combined with chronic

under-investment in energy infrastructure combined with growing Third World demand spells

big trouble ahead. The U.S. is extremely vulnerable to an energy shock, long gas lines, and, yes,

rationing at some point in the future.

In the event of shortages and rationing, anyone who has his or her own supplies is able to

offer them (at a premium) to others. Obviously, unless you’re planning on becoming a gas

station, you don’t want to advertise to the public the fact that you have fuel on your property.

But if a small section of your neighborhood knows, that can be to your benefit, because then

they’ll be offering you money, goods, favors, or services for the privilege of being able to fill up

in a pinch.

For about $600 you can purchase a state-of-the-art above ground 200-gallon fuel storage

tank. (Hand or small electrical pumps cost about $100.) Obviously, you need a safe and discreet

spot to place such a storage tank. But the benefits will become obvious when fuel is $7.50 a

gallon and you have a couple hundred gallons, which you snagged for around $4.00 per gallon.

Here are some pointers for consideration if you want to take the step of hoarding your

own private fuel supply:

• Local gas companies will deliver unleaded fuel to your tank. All you need do is consult

the yellow pages.

• To keep your stored fuel fresh, draw from your supply every third fill-up and replenish

the tank as necessary.

• Ask your fuel supplier for suggestions on gasoline preservatives. Another option is to go

to your local auto parts store.

If you think fuel storage is an option for you, make certain you get a very high quality

storage tank system. Northern Tool and Equipment is a reputable firm that offers many choices

in a very useful catalog. You can order a catalog by calling 800-556-7885.

The Wall Street Journal:

"Picture a family of four with an income of $46,000, annual costs of $78,000 and a credit card debt of $281,000... these figures are roughly proportionate to federal government revenue, annual outlays, and accumulated national debt."

How to Store Ramen Noodles

When Nissen first produced instant Ramen Noodles in 1970, the company made a Japanese dish cheaply accessible to, and popular with, a new, American audience. In 2010, Ramen noodles come in over six different flavors and are synonymous with inexpensive, long-lasting food that you can cook and eat just about anywhere. The dried nature of Ramen noodles makes storage quick and easy, ensuring that your favorite squiggly noodles stay fresh for up to one year.

·  1 Keep your individual packages of Ramen Noodles closed to preserve the freshness. Open your airtight 5 gallon bucket container and line the individual packages along the bottom.

·  2 Continue stacking your packages of Ramen, without forcing or wedging. If one of the packages doesn't fit, simply start a new row instead of cramming it into a smaller space. Pushing, shoving or pressing your packages of Ramen could break the noodle sheets or accidentally open the flavor packs.

·  3 Pop the plastic lid into place over the container. Stick a piece of tape on top of the container and write the storage date. Your Ramen noodles will remain fresh for up to one year.