Its Gonna Get Worse

It has been a while since I posted folks… and I am sorry for that.  Personal commitments, family, blah, blah, blah.

If you are like me you are really FEELING this gas and food nightmare we are knee deep into!  The news reported that at $130 a barrel for oil the relative price for gasoline is $4.50 per gallon.  As many of you know the price quoted on oil is for future contracts so there is a little bit of lag time before the price of gas increases based on the price of oil. 

So in California, which has the highest gas taxes thanks to our legislature, a national average of $4.50 for gas translates into $4.75 to $5.00 a gallon.  Now, since we haven’t gotten to “summer” driving levels, gas prices are on the low end.  From winter to summer, at least in my area, gas prices increase from 75% to 100%.  That puts this summers gas numbers at somewhere between $7.88 and $9.00 per gallon.  Holy $hit!!!

When are people going to show up outside congress’ door with pitch forks and torches.  You do know that it was Congress who approved the merger of the four major gas companies in the country into two right? 

Our leadership is so screwed up it is ridiculous.  Did you know that there are SEPARATE inflation figures for basing the legislatures salary increases on?  Yeah, one figure for you and I and one figure for them.  Guess which one accurately reflects the inflation in the US?  I would bet it ain’t the 2-3% they have been talking about for the last 10 years!!!

Baton the hatches kids, this is going to get ugly before it gets better!

-SP

You Get What You Pay For!

In my quest for a new and larger ”Get Home Bag” (which is a bag you keep in your car which contains supplies and tools to get you home on foot in case a SHTF event that renders your car worthless because of EMP, lack of gas or any of the million other things that can go wrong with your vehicle) I stumbled upon Voodoo tactical at MajorSurplus.com.  The bag I was looking at was a 3-day size (large) Tobago Large Cargo Pack.  I did some research and the online reviews were positive.  I must digress for a moment and explain that I am a Maxpedition lover!  Their packs are VERY well thought out, VERY durable but REALLY, REALLY expensive!!!  When I realized I wanted a larger pack I first went to see what Maxpedition had… It was $150, OUCH!  So I thought I would look somewhere else for a more reasonably priced alternative.  Back to my story.  The description of this Voodoo bag says it holds TWO 3 liter reservoirs (nice!) and has “tons” (I quote it for a reason) of pouches.  Well, I ordered the pack and received it yesterday…. What a POS!! (That means piece of $hit) The zippers pulled apart the first time I unzipped it.  There are NO pouches or organizational systems and I cannot figure out where these TWO reservoirs are supposed to go!  This pack is worthless!  It is getting returned TODAY!

You need a VERY high quality pack (in my opinion) for your SHTF gear because when/if you need it, failure is not an option!  This stuff has to be rock solid!!  Imagine running down the street from (insert SHTF bogey man like zombies or biker gangs) only to have the zippers on your pack rip open and your only gear spills onto the street!!  Bummer!  Spend the extra money, get the Maxpedition gear …. You WILL NOT be Sorry!!

While we are talking about Get Home Bags, I wanted to share the modular system that I employ.  In my trunk I have a medium sized Maxpedition Pygmy Falcon IIpack.  It is stuffed with all your standard goodies like GPS, maps, compass, food rations, water, flash lights, light sticks, fire starters, pepper spray, knives, tent, multi-tool, iostat, medical supplies, water purifier, Nuk Alert, etc.  But for a family guy, depending on WHO is with me, I may need more “core” supplies (food, water) as well as specific items (diapers, wipes, children’s fever medicine).  To accomplish this I use a modular system.  Here is what I mean:

For each kid I have a little cardboard box in the back of my car with their specific stuff.  Diapers, wipes, medicine, a wide brimmed hat for hot days, a poncho for cold/rainy days, sunscreen, an additional bottle of water and food bars.  If the kid(s) are with me when I need to bug out of my vehicle I take their supplies and put it into the attached Maxpedition Rollypoly attached on my bag.  If you don’t know what Rollypolys are check them out, they are a great way to have additional storage capacity on your bags without all the bulkiness.  If the kids aren’t with me, then I don’t need to take the extra gear.  I keep it as light as possible.  Maybe I take the water or food depending on the situation.  Just some ideas for you! 

-SP

 

Need a Reason to Stock Ammo and Guns?

Watch any of the behind the scenes series on prisons!  These are the hombres that are hidden from the general suburbanite’s watchful eye.  They are seriously bad dudes.  Rape, murder, you name it they have done it!  The risk that they will get out during a lawless/grid down situation and find their way to you is too great.  Be sure you have enough firepower to defend your family!

As a side note, the documentary I was watching last night was about the super-duper-uper maximum security prisons.  The ones where prisoners go after attacking guards.  The “units” as they are called only handle a fraction of the inmates as a normal prison because they are so dangerous.  These guys have to where “spit hoods” and rubber helmets because they like to head-butt guards. 

So I am watching this program and they show the procedure where THREE guards take about TWO HOURS to get this scum-bag murder rapist out of his cell for a HAIRCUT!!!! Really? Think of the cost per hour of these three guards to YOU AND I so this piece of $HIT can get a haircut!!

Warning politically INCORRECT opinion/statement ahead … stop reading if you are a liberal.  WHEN ARE WE GOING TO TAKE THESE TYPES OF PRISONERS OUT BACK AND PUT A BULLET IN THEIR HEAD?  The money that the government is forced to spend on these people could be used to help children, the sick or other people that really need it! 

What really pisses me off is that when it comes time for food rationing, I guarantee you someone is going to object to prisoners being the first to stop receiving food!!  “They have rights too!!” (SP throws up in his mouth).  But by sharing the limited food supplies with these people you essentially say that they are equal to the general law abiding public, in my opinion they are not!!  We may have to make some tough decisions in the future regarding our limited resources, I hope the policitians have the stones to start reducing what the prison population gets first.

Yeah I know, cruel and unusual punishment … how about the cruel and unusual crimes these guys are guilty of committing? 

-SP

Really?

I know that attacking James W. Rawles is asking for trouble.  I know that he has a following that I couldn’t even imagine having.  I know that his credentials are vast and superior to almost everybody.  But I worry about his readers.  I really do. 

Here is a quote from his blog from today May 21, 2008 regarding increasing ammo prices. 

“Ammo is better than money in the bank”

Really Mr. Rawles?  That is a bold statement considering that the last time I went to Safeway to buy food with a bag of 9mm I got a funny look from the cashier.  The last time my daughter needed treatment in the emergency room the ER doc wasn’t sure about taking an ammo can full of .45ACP as payment. 

I certainly hope that his readers are not putting all their money in ammo at the detriment of having liquid cash around.  A very serious event would have to happen in order for ammo to become MORE valuable than money.  I just don’t think that the probability of such an event occurring justifies making a statement that ammo is BETTER than money in the bank.  I do concede that such an event is possible but highly unlikely.

FOOD is better than money in the bank.  During a SHTF event everyone is going to trade for food.  Productive farmland (as Mr. Rawles recommends) may be better than money in the bank, but not ammo.  I can take my money in the bank to another country if the SHTF here in the US.  Try calling a Cayman island bank and asking them what the current exchange rate for .223 is?

I know that you can trade for ammo and for the most part can be converted back into liquid cash.  But to who?  Except for a limited number of people, who is going to give you cash for your ammo?  EVERYONE takes money from the bank.   

My stance on trading ammo is well documented on my blog.  I DO NOT THINK TRADING FOR AMMO IS A GOOD IDEA.  IN FACT, IT IS A BAD IDEA.  There are a lot of guns out there.  But most of those people do not stock much, if any, ammo.  By trading away your ammo, you are in essence arming a large part of the population that was previously unarmed.  I know several households that have guns an NO ammo.  Not a little ammo but NO ammo.  They are essentially harmless to me.  But I trade away some ammo and as soon as their food runs out they now have the means to possibly take mine!  Not going to happen here!

Mr. Rawles, with all due respect you just went too far with that statement. 

-SP

Prescription Glasses for SHTF

If you wear glasses like me then you know that your vision is seriously compromised without your specs.  In a SHTF scenario you are going to need every advantage you can get and that means having good glasses.  Most “designer” glasses today can handle a rat fart without falling apart.  They will surely fail sooner than later when put to heavy use. 

The solution, get some Wiley X shooting glasses in your prescription that double as sweet SHTF specs.  They are ANSI Z87.2 safety approved plastic lenses with very durable hard plastic frames.  They can take a hot shell casing right to eye without any trouble so debris and dust shouldn’t be a problem either.  The SP got the P-17s at Rx-Safety.com.  They have several different lens choices.  Standard frames are clear which are great for indoor shooting.  You can buy up to tinted lens for outdoor use or even the traditional yellow lenses desired by shooters.  I suggest upgrading the lens plastic to a harder more durable substance such as the Polycarbonate ($15 extra) or the High Index Plastic ($40 extra).    Also get them with a scratch resistant coating ($15) and anti fogging coating ($25).  They come with a strap that goes behind your head to hold them in place even when you get sweaty and move around a lot, a nice soft/hard case, cleaning cloth and those 80’s style lanyards so you can wear them around your neck!

I use mine at the range and I have found them to be comfortable and the prescription was accurate.  I can’t tell you what a difference prescription shooting glasses makes!  BTW, I am near sighted so without a scope I couldn’t hit the broad side of a bus without my glasses.  If you are really paranoid you should get 2 or three pairs because during extended periods of SHTF, they are going to get used and abused.

Remember, prescription shooters are not something you can get in a hurry.  They have a few week lead time so get yours now before the world ends!!!

-SP

Make a List and Check it Twice!

Note: This somehow got posted to May 3rd!  Sorry for the confusion.  This is supposed to be Saturday’s post.

When it comes to disaster preparedness we cannot predict EVERY type of disaster nor can we predict EVERYTHING we will need.  On top of that, due to cost and space constraints, we cannot purchase and store everything we MIGHT need.  Since we don’t know whether disaster will strike tomorrow we must weigh the expense of additional preps against the possibility a disaster won’t happen.  For instance, you must weigh the cost vs. benefit of spending $2,500 on some sweet gen II night vision goggles which will undoubtedly be worth their weight in gold come SHTF versus the $2,500 you will need to spend now for your daughters braces.  Anyone who blindly preps without considering the fact that disaster may never strike and sacrifices leading a normal life is a crazy survivalist-type. If you raise your family huddled in a basement in the middle of no where and your children lack social interaction and a normal upbringing then you have failed them as a parent when, in fact, you were trying to protect them.  (SP steps off the soapbox and gets back to his point)

So everyday we must make decisions about getting more prep gear and food versus the cost that we will not be saving money, buying our kids the new G.I. Joe with a kung-fu grip or taking our wife to Vegas.  A dilemma in normal times? Yes.  But what if you had inside knowledge the S was hitting the fan tomorrow?  That would make our job easy.  You would drain the bank account, cash in the savings bonds, sell everything that didn’t have post-apocalyptic value and buy food, guns, ammo, medicine, night vision, body armor, basically everything you think you will need. 

So, when you get the word (whether it is a week, day or just hours) how will know what you still need to grab?  Make a list and check it twice!

I like the list because if something happens to me, my wife and kids and pick up right where I left off.  [I do realize this post is contrary to a previous post where I recommend sitting tight during a sudden onset of a SHTF event to avoid man-imals.  This post is distinguished by the caveat that you would actually have some time to gear up in a safe fashion.  Some items on my list are only available on the Internet and therefore would require lead time to secure.]

Here is an example of what I am talking about.  This is a listing I made a few years ago.  I use it as a checklist of sorts.  Many items I have purchased over the years and some I have not.  Some items are things you can never have enough of and therefore if disaster is imminent, getting as much as possible is highly advised.  Some headings are by location so I can run into the grocery store with a pre-made list.   This is not a well thought out or edited list.  It is a recording of my thoughts as they came to me but feel free to use this as a road map for your own list.  Remember, when the S hits the fan, you will not be thinking clearly.  Use your list to help organize your purchases when you have limited time and resources available. 

Immediate Purchases (if possible): (Green - Internet only type specialty items)

 

• Generator (Propane Preferred, Yamaha 3,000 watt www.wisesales.com/YamahaEF3000iSEB.html
• Gasoline / Fuel (depending on generator purchase)
  • Gas Cans (5 gallon)
  • Additional Propane tanks, Coleman stove fuel tanks
• Fuel preservative (Sta-bil) www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/
• RadDetect Radiation Monitor www.nukepills.com/radiation-detector.htm
• Air Filter with UV protections www.ultra-pureair.com/index.html
• Comprehensive First Aid Kit http://survival-supply.com/startii217pieceemergencytraumakit-p-391.html
• Katadyn Combi PLUS Filter w/ Sink Adaptor, www.amazon.com/Katadyn-8013620-Combi-Water-Microfilter/dp/B0007U00YY
  • Ceramic filters for Combi (Each filters 60 gallons)
• BABY
  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Infant fever reducer (Tylenol, Advil, Motrin)
  • Formula?
• Batteries
• Grocery
  • Water, Water, Water
  • Food, Food, Food
  • Coffee
  • Honey
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Oil (vegetable, olive)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Nuts
  • Liquor (vodka)
  • Sauces, Flavoring, Soupbase
  • Bullion
  • Vitamins
  • Tampons
  • Toilet Paper
  • Medicines (Advil, Tylenol, Flu medicine)
  • Kleenex
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Garbage Bags
  • Matches
  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Floss
  • Bleach
  • Soap (hand and bar)
  • Ant Traps
• Water
• Socks, Underwear (whole family)
• Glow sticks www.extremeglow.com/Merchant4/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=EGSAFETY
• Pepper Spray, pepper spray grenades
• Ammo (9mm, 12 gauge, .223, .357, .45ACP)
• Intrusion Detection www.defensedevices.com/strobmotdeta.html
• Hardware
  • Lumber (2×4 lengths, plywood [flooring thickness])
  • Tarps, roofing nails (with water tight sealer around top)
  • Duct tape
  • Silicone Sealer with caulking gun
  • SOIL, Miracle Grow
  • Seeds
  • Ant Trap
  • Gloves
  • Chainsaw, Gas
  • Plastic piping (for rain catching)
  • Plastic Sheeting (for rain catching)
  • Axe
  • Sledgehammer
  • Manual/hand Drill
• Sewing kit
• Portable Coleman Stove
• Camping Mess Kit
• Iron Cookware (Dutch oven) /www.lodgemfg.com/
• Coffee Percolator
• Rain Poncho
  • Rain Boots
• Sleeping Bags (5)
• Night Vision Goggles
• Dietz Lanterns, Oil (crystal clear)
• Barbed Wire, Razor Wire
• Body Armor (whole Family, double vests for shooters)

 Hopefully this helps.

-SP

A Prius as a SHTF Vehicle?

First off I do not own a Prius.  I do not even care for them.  In my humble opinion the additional cost of purchasing one does NOT offset the gas savings.  It would take 5 -10 years of normal driving to recoup the costs of buying a hybrid.  My buddy has a used Honda civic that gets about 40 miles to the gallon and he paid about $5,000 for it.  A far cry from the $25,000+ for a hybrid.  However, if you have some yearning desire to help the environment or you have the special stickers that allow you to drive by yourself in the carpool lane then go for it!  But remember tree huggers, those batteries you are lugging around will be an environmental problem all by themselves!  Hybrids were created and made popular by a demand for better gas mileage and decreased pollution from burning gas.  They will still cause a LOT of pollution in the future because of their batteries! 

Ok, now the positive.  You have all probably witnessed this before.  I was walking through the Safeway parking lot and all of the sudden there was a car right on my tail and I never heard a thing… it was a Prius Hyrbid running on its batteries!  I got me thinking, what a sweet urban SHTF vehicle it COULD be.  It can run in a sort of stealth mode (battery power at short speeds), it can get up and go when needed (engine power) and it should run for a long time on a limited supply of stored gasoline.  Yeah, I know, they are a maintenance nightmare because unless you got training from Toyota University, you don’t have a clue what’s under the hood.  Well guess what suburbanites, you probably don’t have a clue what is under the hood of your car right now!  If you want to subscribe to Rawles’ theories and get a mechanic in your group to rebuild a 1971 Power Wagon from the ground up for about $40,000 they go for it.  But for Sam U. Urbanite, that is just not an option!  We must accept that unless we take drastic and expensive measures, our vehicles are not going to last too long into a SHTF scenario when no mechanics and worse yet, NO PARTS are available. 

I would be curious to know (and I am too lazy to do the research) if you could power a purely electric vehicle like Toyota RAV4 electric (now discontinued) from a solar panel setup.  Are there voltage or current issues?  Any readers know?  That way you would not have to store volatile gasoline at your home and you would have a perpetual source of fuel to get around in your stealthy hybrid SHTF death ride! 

So go get a hybrid and get it armored with run flat tiresand load it up with GPS navigation, HAM radio, CB radio and park it in an EMP proof shipping container and you have a nice insurance policy for a post apocalypse vehicle!  (Insert sarcasm as applicable)

You could also wait for this new Ford concept the SYN-us?  Seriously, that is what they are calling it?  At least someone is looking out for the paranoid suburban car buyer!

-SP

How To Get Started

I have been getting a lot of emails and hits from suburbanites just starting out.  As prepping and the lesser applicable term “survivalism” becomes mainstream more people are realizing that prepping is not an optional activity, it is a duty they owe to their family.  Prepping is an insurance policy.  A policy we hope we never need to collect on, but if needed it is there.

Here is my advice on how to start your journey (yes, it is a journey) to a state of preparedness. 

If you are checking my blog and becoming overwhelmed by the depth at which some preppers see to be, don’t worry.  You aren’t supposed to be there yet.  You need to start somewhere and the fact that your journey seems long is no reason not to start.  The fastest way to walk around the world is to put one foot in front of the other.  Start with commercially prepared disaster kits.  These kits will get you from a state of no prep to well beyond 50% of your neighbors and friends.  The SP started with something like this.  The supplies come in a bucket so they are water proof and can withstand some falling debris.  They have a minimum of what you need to stay alive for 3 days.  I advise going with a kit that is designed for TWICE as many people that you have.  This way, the kits will give you a little breathing room in the event you need it.  A little extra food and water never hurt.  Two buckets are easy to carry in the event you need to get out of the house.  Keep them in an accessible area of your house or even out of the house in a shed or garage. 

After you have this minimum start by adding the absolute necessities, food and water.  I started with two five gallon containers from Nitro-Pak.  Nitro-pak has high prices when it comes to water barrels.  They can be found cheaper elsewhere.  Be sure to add in some water treatment to extend the shelf life of your water and prevent bacteria and algae growth.  I like Aerobic 07. I highly recommend buying new water containers that are designed for holding water as opposed to the cheap way of emptying 2 liter bottles.  Why?  I do not want to risk my water supply being tainted because I didn’t wash the bottles properly.  Pay a little more and do it right.  Continue adding water as you progress through your preps.  Ultimately you want a few 55 gallon containers.  They are big so get the hand pump that fits the barrel.   I suggest 2 gallons per person per day for thirty days.  Check your water every two years. You may wish to empty your containers and refill them to assure freshness. 

Now food.  It is no secret I am a fan of Mountain House #10 Cans.  The food is very good and it has a shelf life of 35 years!  Which means that you can buy it and forget it.  No rotating or checking expiration dates. They don’t have a huge variety which is a bummer but they have enough to have a different meal everyday for a couple weeks.  They also make great desserts and breakfasts.  Although I don’t like the eggs!  Check out Emergency Essentialsfor your Mountain House needs.  I also recommend MRE type meals. The Mountain House meals will require additional water (they are freeze dried) and have preparation requirements.  Keeping MREs around is good because they require nothing more to eat.  Just open and enjoy (well, not really because they are not that tastey.  But if you are starving I am sure they are REAL good!).  Long Life Food Depotis a great place to get MREs.  See my post on taste testing because nothing is worse than a pantry full of food you and your family hates.  MRE deserts are fabulous.  Keeping goodies around will help with morale during troubled times.

Finally you need to think about security.  This is easily the most controversial subject of prepping.  No one argues that you need food or water, but how you protect your family is debatable.  The SP is down with the SECOND AMENDMENT!!  In my opinion you need to get a gun and learn how to use it.  Don’t go Dirty Harry right out of the gate.  Get a 9mm automatic like a Ruger P95 and take a class at your local range on how to load, fire, clear misfires and clean your weapon.  The P95 is inexpensive and accurate out of the box.  I have one and I love it.  9mm ammo can be found everywhere and Big 5 usually has sales on bulk packs.  Get a couple boxes of 100 rounds for about $20 each and another magazine (it comes with two so you will have 3) for about $15 and a holster.  I don’t care about what other people say, a 9mm handgun will turn 99.99% of people looking for trouble around and if you need to fire, it will deliver a fatal shot (sans body armor or some unforeseen circumstance).  From there I would rec commend a shotgun.  Nothing says “Get the F&ck out of my house or you will assuredly die!” like a 12-gauge!.  But you don’t need a shotgun, the 9mm will get you to a state where you can protect your family with deadly force if necessary.  I am a firm believer that for most SHTF scenarios we are NOT going to see roving biker gangs and organized thugs.  You are going to have a few opportunistic criminals looking for an easy score.  When they come around any firearm will send them away to an easier target.  If you are paranoid about armed thugs and crime in a SHTF scenario then I suggest two get a gun safe and fill it!  If you have the money, an arsenal is a GREAT thing to have!

Finally pick up a few comprehensive first aid kits in addition to the ones supplied with your commercial disaster kits above.  Costco has some for a reasonable price.  You may wish to add a bottle of comfort medicines such as Advil or Tylenol as well as a cold & flu medicine.  Don’t forget the kids when it comes to medical supplies. Get infants or children’s Tylenol as well.

Now you are prepared.

From here on out it is just about adding layers or items for specific SHTF scenarios.  Masks for the bird flu.  Radiation detectors for a nuke or dirty bomb.  Body armor and night vision for additonal protection.  More food.  More water, etc.

You have to start somewhere.  That is not a phrase, it is an order!  Start your prepping now and get squared away for a minimum of 30 days of food and water.  Look at the Chinese earthquake.  It happened days ago and they are still in the rescue phase!  Things move slow when catastrophe strikes, being self-sufficient for a month will get you further than 99% of the population.

-SP

Plenty of Reminders

You do not have to read into the headlines very far for reasons to prepare.  That Chinese earthquake was horrible.  My thoughts are with the families that lost children.  The cyclone bad news just keeps coming and there maybe NO way to tell how many people perished for a long time.

The S hits the fan when you least expect it.  Remember my post about the earthquake while on vacation?  The last thing on my mind was preparedness.  Mother nature doesn’t care what time it is. That Chinese earthquake hit at the absolute worst time possible. 

Expect the worst.  Never let your guard down.  You never know if you are going to have another week to square away preps.  Earthquakes are scary.  You have absolutely NO warning, they shake like hell and they can get you anywhere.  There are no earthquake shelters. 

This is your daily dose of “Get Off Your Ass and Prep“!  Those people in Myanmar STILL don’t have food or water.  How would you like to watch your daughter starve or dehydrate to death?  Not me boy!  I may not have every contingency planned for or enough food to last years but I am NOT going down without a fight!  I suggest you do the same!

You will never feel 100% secure with your preps. No matter how much you plan or prep, there is always something.  Do the best you can, do as much as you can while you can and you will have the best chances of being alive when the S drips off the fan and onto the floor.

-SP

Peak Oil

Ok,Ok, I am not a doom and gloomer.  But I just watched the Oil Apocalypse on Mega-Disasters … interesting stuff.

They predict that the world will fall into a global Recession if oil reserves run out!  HAHAHAHAHHA …. Recession?  No No my friend, how about global destruction?  The world has shrunk in size, no not literally but figuratively based on our technology.  You can go London to San Francisco in 10+ hours.  You can order products online from anywhere in the world and for a few extra bucks it will be there tomorrow!! As a humanity we have grown accustomed to the conveniences that modern technology provides to us. But that technology is based 99.99% on OIL!!!  The one thing everyone agrees on is that it is not IF oil runs out but WHEN!  When oil runs out this planet is going to freak out because everything we have grown accustomed to will be gone!  Poof!

Planes, Trains, 18 wheelers ALL run on gas.  No matter how many Priuses you buy it will not make up for the trillions of gallons of gas that are required to run our infrastructure.  Planes, trains and autos are crucial for transport and delivery of everything you have in your house. 

So how do you “prepare” for peak oil?   Well first off get ready to move within biking distance of your job.  Get ready to be making less as your employer now only sells to those who can walk or bike to his shop and not the world.  Be prepared for world war three to be fought over the final millions of barrels of oil as oil is the only thing that will run tanks and fighter jets.  I haven’t heard much about a hybrid battle tank or electric f-22 Raptor… you?

In all reality though you should plan to get your solar or wind power system as soon as possible.  Imagine the demand and price increases you are going to see when John Q Public realizes that he may not have any power to his home in a few years. 

An oil catastrophe is going to be a global changing event.  Not something you can “ride out” and wait for a return to normalcy.  I do not really fear that it will happen during my lifetime, but I fear for my kids and grand kids. 

On the plus side, the environment will really see benefits from the oil Apocalypse.  No more fuel to burn and it is very likely we will return to nuclear power for electricity which I think is an EXCELLENT idea.

Peak oil could very well be just like the mortgage and housing crisis.  Everyone saw it coming and no one did a damn thing about it until it was too late.  The news started small and then stories just kept pouring out until we all realized this was some serious stuff we are into.  Watch out for headlines about OPEC refusing to increase oil production … Oh wait, you mean like this one just a few months ago.  Let me ask you this, Why wouldn’t you increase your output of a product that you could sell without limits? Maybe because you can’t increase output?  I leave you with that.

Just some ranting for you guys.

-SP