Posted on 03/08/2009 9:01:08 PM PDT by Perseverando
Booming preparedness industry says Americans are stockpiling
To some, the term "survivalist" conjures images of camouflage-clad men stockpiling freeze-dried food in a mountain cabin, but in the current economic crisis, the people quietly preparing to survive catastrophe may just be your next-door neighbors.
In his column in last month's Financial Times, business and technology expert Ade McCormack writes, "The world is in crisis and with it the world of business. Many of us have two plans. Plan A involves President Barack Obama performing some economic magic. Plan B involves a revolver, a vegetable patch and a subscription to Survivalist Monthly."
And while McCormack was writing with a hint of jest, dissent over the president's trillion-dollar spending approach to the economy has left many average, everyday Americans considering something looking suspiciously like plan B.
Discover the shocking truth about the U.S. economy – and what you can and must do – with "Black Hole," the most recent edition of WND's acclaimed Whistleblower magazine!
Bill Heid of Survival Seeds, a company that sells "banks" of high-yielding vegetable seeds sealed for long-term storage and awaiting a family's need to grow its own food, says business is skyrocketing.
"It's been dramatic, nothing short of dramatic," Heid told WND. "The survivalist mentality used to be considered a fringe element, but now that economic times are such as they are, many more average, regular folks are adopting the same set of preparations."
Heid told WND what's most notable is that his boom in sales isn't coming from just the usual survivalists stocking up for a Y2K-like event.
"Ninety percent of our increase in business is new business," Heid said, "people who have never thought about surviving in case of emergency before."
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
ping
You have witnessed some events that most would have thought “More than a tad sensational.” ten, or so, years ago.
At this point, I don’t know how ANYONE can say “It can’t happen here.”
I feel so strongly about this - I believe in being prepared for emergency, esp for disruption in food/water/electric/medical supply. I don’t just mean a weeks worth, but at least 3 month’s worth.
Before you call me an alarmist, here is how I look at it. You know how you hear people say how they could never forgive themselves if someone broke into their homes and they couldn’t defend their families? Well, I feel the same way, and I would feel just as badly having to look into my children’s eyes and tell them I have no food. Especially when everyone could see at the beginning of 2008 there was trouble coming down the pike.
I am a believer, and my friends say this is a lack of faith. I say look at Joseph. Noah. God isn’t against being “prepped” for disaster.
Off the soap box now ;)
The party is over (for those of us who aren’t the pigs knocking each other over at the government trough) and it’s time to be smart. Plant a vegetable garden, shoot a few deer and load up the freezer, eat in, splurge on nothing, drive the car into the ground and then spend a few grand on a rebuild rather than $20k or more on something new, and of course, keep plenty of guns and ammo handy.
Also, take whatever savings you have left out of stocks and buy gold or fertile land.
I have noticed a lot of subtle and disturbing changes. For example at Walmart today, clerks were extra careful at checkout with reveiwing credit card/id matches; I was chased out down by a clerk with my purchases after I left the store to make sure I had a receipt. Customers seem ruder, parking lot traffic less courteous etc. Maybe it is something about me, but my Walmart experience today was a little unsettling.
If it really hits the fan, look for a lot of incivility if not outright confrontation. As much as I hate to say it, we won’t “pull together”....that ethos has been beat out of us by the culture, public education, liberal politics and what passes for entertainment these days.
It's not only guns and ammo. I went to my local feed & seed store Friday about 1pm. They had gotten 300 chicks that morning and were sold out by the time I got there. The clerk was amazed.
Exactly - and if TSHTF, you don’t want to be in those places. Better to have stuff stocked up, if you can. And survival is a mindset, don’t just think short term (canned goods) think long term - seeds and a means to hunt or trap food! Make sure you have books on gardening, foraging, how to clean/preserve wild game. You may not have the internet!
Also, in my earlier post - I want to clarify. When I say breaking into my home, I meant how someone would feel not having the means to protect their family.
I totally agree about being fit too - I’m not there but my goal now is to be able to run a mile.
Off the soapbox (again) ;)
At this point, I don’t know how ANYONE can say “It can’t happen here.”
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You are exactly right. Just about anything is possible now.
The scariest part is how people are going to react. There is no common sense anymore.
It is so weird for me to read about ya’ll talking about buying guns and ammo in a regular store. When I lived in the South, everyone I knew had guns — in their cars, in their bedrooms, behind the front door. Most of the guys were hunters, besides being into protection of themselves and others.
In the 20 (unfortunate) years I have lived in Massachusetts, I have met exactly one hunter and, except for law enforcement, I have not met anyone else who owns a gun (or who will admit to it).
A visit home is like going to another world — a much more normal world than the one I live in here.
God bless you... you have it EXACTLY right!
I went to a small gun show near here yesterday.
I picked up a hundred rounds of .44 Magnums for $50,and fifty rounds of 9mm Lugar for ten bucks.Then,I went to our local Wally-World and picked up more 9mm’s and other assorted rounds.
Then,I went to a new MC Sporting Goods,where they had pretty much of any ammo you may need,for a couple of bucks more than WM.
Going back tomorrow for a new SW 9mm on sale.
My brother,in Colorado,can’t find any ammo or firearms at Sportsman’s Warehouse or Super Walmart. They sell out in one day.
Fortunately,our new MC Sports is a new store,and not too many people know it’s there.
Plenty of handguns on sale, and rifles,though the salesman said that he didn’t think it would last too long.
Keep your powder dry.
Quick question for your opinions. We have a quarter-ton truck in decent shape that we currently have no use for but also have some debt. Should we keep the truck since its paid for and might come in handy someday, or sell it to pay down our debt? Or, in light of current events, use the money towards additional provisions?
Thanks. I have all that you mentioned covered, except the sail boat.
I figured that you’d be well prepared...but most people won’t have the cash on hand to handle a simple thing like credit cards and ATM’s being unusable for a month (e.g. during a widespread banking panic).
Plan A is no plan.
You need chickens to make eggs, you need eggs to make mayonnaise and you need mayonnaise to make tuna salad. Tuna stores well and I like tuna salad.
I recently bought some old US silver dollars and have those on hand so I won't neeed to pull out the Krugerrands I bought in 1993. I like the idea that the silver (90%) dollars are still legal US currency, albeit worth $12-18.00 each in silver content.
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