Suburban survivalists stock up for Armageddon (Food, guns, ammo., etc.)

msnbc.com (GAG) ^ | July 23, 2009 | Mike Hammer

[appleseed]

Some see the current economic downturn as tough — but temporary — times to be endured. But others see it as a harbinger of even grimmer days ahead. So they’re preparing for the worst by stockpiling food: piles and piles and piles of it.

Call them “suburban survivalists,” or call them, well, a little goofy. But they’re dead serious about being ready for a big crash … by making sure they have a nice little nosh in case of a catastrophe. Across the country, there are people preparing for the possibility that we will not have access to food by ensuring that their cupboards, at least, will be far from bare.

Postapocalyptic Pathmark Take Bill Cole, a dad and doctor who runs a successful chiropractic office. He seems like the guy next door … which is where you may have to go to politely borrow a cup (or a barrel) of sugar should a fatal financial meltdown occur.

Cole has turned his home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh into a virtual postapocalyptic Pathmark. “I’ve got enough to last two years for me and my immediate family,” he says. His stockpile is filled with foods that can stand the test of time — from peanuts to pancake mix, canned peaches to peas.

[April Lexington]

or call them, well, a little goofy.

Guess who'll be begging at your door for food? Oh, wait. I forgot. The Leftie media will just have ACORN stop by for a little census taking...

[April Lexington]

Also, if the economy collapses, Obama will likely pull an FDR and, BY EXECUTIVE ORDER, confiscate gold. So, if you show up with a gold coin and you want to exchange it for new currency, you go to jail. If you try to barter, you run the risk, Soviet style, of your neighbor reporting you to the police. Gold is risky for political reasons because Obama has the executive power to force you to turn in your gold for new funny money.

[Carry_Okie]

From EO 12656 that revoked EO 11490 the revoked EO 10998 (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12656.html):

Sec. 203. Resource Management. The head of each Federal department and agency, as appropriate within assigned areas of responsibility, shall:
(1) Develop plans and programs to mobilize personnel (including reservist programs), equipment, facilities, and other resources;
(2) Assess essential emergency requirements and plan for the possible use of alternative resources to meet essential demands during and following national security emergencies;
(3) Prepare plans and procedures to share between and among the responsible agencies resources such as energy, equipment, food, land, materials, minerals, services, supplies, transportation, water, and workforce needed to carry out assigned responsibilities and other essential functions, and cooperate with other agencies in developing programs to ensure availability of such resources in a national security emergency;

Now THAT's what we call broad. I chased down the amendments to this EO and from what I can tell, it remains on the books unamended as specifically regards Federal power to confiscate food and water resources and control their distribution.

[deks]

Oh, you’re good! Thanks for tracking that down. Saving for future reference.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Me too (I mean neither).

[PA Engineer]

Already prepped. I strongly believe a bank holiday is imminent this fall. For those that have not prepped I agree with others that food and water are the first priorities. Medication and defense are second and "real" money is the last.

I have spent a great deal of time studying gold and silver. I think both should be held including junk silver. I believe that silver has the greatest upside, however large quantities are hard to store. I prefer bullion over industrial bars for the short term (5-10) years. Gold is necessary to preserve your wealth, however is very difficult if not dangerous for daily commerce.

Cash will still be necessary even with a bank holiday. I believe after a bank holiday cash will begin to lose legitimacy. With potentially high inflation, liquidity is a necessity.

Finally, a two tier trade system will "continue" to develop. This will involve barter outside of the cash system. The cash system will remain, however preps should involve "real" money to convert to fiat currency as needed.

[matthew fuller]

My two cents- Just tonite got a call from a friend needing 10 mm ammo. I checked midway, cheaper than dirt, and Cor-Bon. They are all out of stock. Austin area shelves have been empty many months.

[kitchen]

10mm

[matthew fuller]

Thank you very much, has been e-mailed.

[HKMk23]

Man, it must be relaxing for the uninformed.

Me? I’m in an East, S.F. Bay Area suburb, and I know just enough to feel like I’m settin’ on a powder keg in a Nebraska thunderstorm.

When — not if — this thing blows...things are going to get ugly around my ‘hood. Got alotta Section 8 housing, and small horde of, uh, “foreign nationals” in the immediate vicinity. They’ll get real cranky when they get hungry, and the food stamps stop coming.

I’m likely to have to button this place up like I’m expecting a Cat 5 hurricane; with 1” plywood lag-bolted into the walls to protect windows and doors.

That, and stockpile off-site, and bug out when things heat up. Got relatives in rural Oregon, which would be a whole lot safer. We could drop over coast side and bag an elk once or twice a year to keep us in red meat. If we could sneak a boat out, even just into a coastal harbor to troll around, there’d be salmon on the table once in awhile.

[matthew fuller]

I’ve got a good supply of ammo, bullets, primers and powder for all of my calibers. But I have noticed that in the last nine or so months that ammo is unavailable to purchase in central Texas. A friend tells me that San Angelo receives a shipment on Thursday nights. People are standing in line to purchase the ammo, and it is sold out every Thursday night. The fight Cometh.

[GeronL]

ammo and food will be the only things that matter for trading

[GeronL]

good point about wheat. How long does dry wheat keep? Would it not be better to get two electric and two hanf crank grinders, just as backups?

Wood burning ovens?

[HKMk23]

Ro-ger THAT.

Something Wicked this way comes.

[HKMk23]

Well, history records that Egypt was able to keep wheat stored well enough to survive a drought and famine that lasted for seven years. Remember that the kernel of wheat is a seed, and seeds are designed to remain inert as long as they are kept relatively cool and dry. So, protection from pests and elevated moisture levels would be the primary keys to longevity in storing wheat.

[GeronL]

#89-

You forgot the secret underground warehouse to keep all the stuff in. =o)

[GeronL]

right right... now if I could win the lotto I might be able to get me a rural holdout before everything falls apart... in the fall? winter?

[deks]

Thank you for the informative link.

[Squantos]

As stated earlier on this and other threads, bullion, be it platinum, gold or silver is NOT to barter with but to preserve a minimum of wealth for meeting needs “after” a recovery is established etc .......not during. Thus 50% to 70% of ones total wealth can be bullion for that reason alone. It is best stable option for fiscal security us bottom feeders have in peace time IMO.

2 rounds of 12 ga will get you dinner...traded or not if it’s a criminal per se. Small bottle of aspirin, some AA batteries, a solar yard light, matches or small bic lighter, box of .22 long rifle etc and stuff you mention will be worth more than gold during really bad times such as our parents and grandparents experienced in depression era.........

Of course “barter” is done only with trusted sorts or under secure conditions as my tag line will be key in such times of duress.

If such a “event” occurs we intend to be the most invisible folks on the planet. We will not transmit on our radios we will listen . We sleep during the day in shifts and stay awake all night on watch. We won’t bug out because we did that 15 years ago when we carefully selected our home .

We’re there........:o)

[guitarplayer1953]

Yea it going to be quite a bit of stuff I’m working on turning a spare room into a storage area. Right now I’m working of at least 1 year of food for two people. Rice, beans, caned fruit, canned meat, two liter pop bottles with water and a few drops of bleach in it to control bacteria. And of course plenty of ammo.