True, true... You do bring up very good points. I’m curious though; Do you think it’s to the point yet, that if you haven’t already prepared then it’s too late? In other words if you already aren’t out of town by now then it’s too late already or do you think we’re at the point where the “Fat Lady” is warming up and just about to sing and you still have some time to boogie out of town?
I don’t think it’s to the point yet where you should already be out of town, though it’s damn close. I know many who have already shifted to more rural locations, though no one of any real consequence. I do think it’s really late to get anything other than a good emergency stash in place. In other words, now is not the time to start thinking about whether or not to buy a place out in the country, and almost past time to actually buy such a place if you already have one in your sights.
I really think the markets in general are fragile enough now that any good shock could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Add in all the instability in the MidEast right now, plus Japan’s economic woes, China’s economy bubble and rising pugnaciousness, and the tottering EuroZone, and you’ve got a real recipe for disaster.
Unfortunately, given the wide range of possible scenarios, it’s too difficult to prepare for them. Rather than try to get ready to ride out any one particular scenario, it would probably be more prudent to be able to protect yourself and your family to whatever extent you can manage, even if it’s at the expense of everything else you own as a last resort. Knowledge and training are going to be more valuable during a crisis, and after, than material things.