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Night Fall We are all concerned with our country's economy, but it is important to understand our state of affairs, as well as what we can do. The mainstream news reports unemployment numbers but they don't help one realize the depths of its impact. Many, including family & friends, are losing their jobs or seeing our 401K values plummet. How bad is it really? Federal Reserve Board Chairman Bernanke testified to Congress that the economic recovery could begin in 2009. That isn't the view of many financial experts. Niall Ferguson noted Harvard economist warns that this crisis will lead to blood. Civil violence and governmental collapse are a very real possibility. Is that an isolated point of view? International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has warned that civil unrest is highly probable. Trends forecaster Gerald Celente says the he believes that America will be facing food riots, squatter rebellion, tax revolts and job marches. By 2012, holidays will be more about getting food rather than gifts. The potential threat isn't limited to economist, those in government are fully aware of this possibility. Senator James Inhofe, Congressman Brad Sherman and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson all have acknowledged civil unrest as a result of the economy being a potentially real situation. U.S. Army War College's Strategic Institute reported that in such an event, Pentagon resources and U.S. ground forces may be used if needed to quell protests and bank runs during an economic crisis. How close are we getting? Recent news about the FDIC is not bearing good news. "The US government is warning banks that its deposit insurance fund could go broke this year as bank failures mount..." What's our leader doing? President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have been throwing taxpayer funded parties nearly every night with their friends and supporters, with Michelle Obama even exhorting them not to break White House property. According to a report by the news and commentary website Politico, many of the parties have been just that -- parties, not political or governmental meetings. Insiders said in the report that Obama's social schedule is busier than any other previous occupants of the White House. According to an ABC report, many of the parties have been on Wednesdays and the report confirmed one featured a Stevie Wonder concert. Published reports said the Jonas Brothers were on hand in the White House for a special event for the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia. They've even served up $100 a pound Japanese meat in one of their get togethers. The report says that the President's response has been, "This is a pretty big house, so we get lonely. It's hard for me to move around out there some times so I got to bring the world to me." Ironically, our President doesn't seem to enjoy all parties. President Dwight Eisenhower created a ball in 1953 called The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball. The Ball was created to honor recipients of the Medal of Honor. Every new president has attended this function with the exception of our current one. Relying on the government to help you through this crisis is unlikely. Remember Hurricane Katrina? Examine all major catastrophes in the U.S. and you'll discover the government does not have the capacity to quickly or efficiently fix the problem. Early this year, when the Northeast and parts of the South was battered with snow storms, states like New Hampshire and Tennessee was out of power and heat for two weeks. There were also numerous deaths as a result. Now imagine a national catastrophe occurring. Unfortunately those that are rich have access to certain information that the average American does not. When the economy gets bad, often times they will use the middle class to keep the system a float so that they can pull their money out before everything crashes. The government provides financial reports that various companies have access to but the general public aren't even aware of such reports. Part of that information includes banks that are going to collapse, even though the news agencies won't know about it until banks publicly go through the procedures of closing. Despite the lack of the mainstream news' coverage of the serious threat we are about to face, there are reports around the world of people preparing for this storm. Seattle Times Columnist Danny Westneat interviewed Claire Anderson, a 68 year-old woman who was prompted by Obama's call for community organization to host a meeting of neighbors in her apartment. Their discussion of the slumping economy and fears of what lies ahead is reminiscent of the leaner days of her World War II childhood. "I think we're headed back to the days of the victory gardens," Anderson said. "We have to figure out how to help ourselves. We can't be isolated. We can't sit around and wait for the government." A New York Times article from last summer suggests last year's elevated fuel and food prices sparked a surge of interest in gardening that hasn't slowed since. "Seed companies and garden shops say that not since the rampant inflation of the 1970s has there been such an uptake in interest in growing food at home," writes Times reporter Marian Burros. "Space in community gardens across the country has been sold out for several months. In Austin, Texas, some of the gardens have a three-year waiting list." An ABC News report said "there are worrying signs appearing in the United States where some locals are beginning to hoard supplies." The Sydney Morning Herald reports the story of Tony, a 44 year-old stockbroker who lives in a Sydney suburb with his wife and three . Tony has been stockpiling supplies including rice, multivitamins, peanut butter, honey, soap and toilet paper. The Toronto Star reports the story of Paul, a man in his mid-50s who only three years ago became alarmed over the possibility of fuel shortage and began a plan to prepare for survival should the worst happen. "When cars stop running and grocery stores go bare, what do you think is going to happen?" Paul asked the Star. "Its mind boggling once you grasp it." Waiting to take action at the last minute will only leave you as a victim to whatever is going to happen. What can you do to avoid being a victim of riots, food shortages, revolts, homelessness and an inability to access your money? Part of it is to reduce any useless expenditures and save as much money as you can. Buy nonperishable goods, such as canned foods, peanut butter, honey, pickled products...basically anything that does not need refrigeration and stock up on them. If you can grow your own food, start. Those that require various medical treatments, get them taken care of as soon as possible. Anyone that needs various medicines, try to get emergency supplies of the medicines you require. Essentially, any items that you would need to get in any emergency, whether that means environmental disasters to governmental disruption like the economic environment of Jimmy Carter's administration, that's what you need to gear up on. To further prepare, it would be wise to consult with people who've actually lived through the Great Depression or World War II. If your parents or grandparents aren't around and you personally don't know some who lived in that era, you might want to volunteer your time at an elderly care facility. They would love to spend time sharing their experiences with those that want to listen. Speaking of which, talking to immigrants that have lived through a war also helps because they can share with you what it's like to not have access to necessities and how they coped. Knowing people who have farming, fishing or hunting experience would also be of great benefit because these are important skills to have in troubled times. There are also several television programs that would assist you in gaining useful information. The Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild is THE show to watch when it comes to learning how to rough it. PBS' program, This Old House is helpful with teaching you how to do things yourself so that you can cut cost. When it gets really rough, you won't have to worry about having money to get someone to fix various things around the house. Two less conventional programs that is also of benefit is Lost and Jericho. Both Lost and Jericho is not instructional programming, they are both dramas. The reason they are of benefit, it helps comprehend what life might be like in the conditions that we all might be facing. By developing such a comprehension of the problem, it enables an individual to develop ideas to prepare for what lies ahead. The most important thing to do is to stay a head of the game by staying tuned into what goes on with our government and especially with the economy. When everything falls apart, you want to know it has. This is why you need to get a light, portable radio. You don't want to be the person that's holding the bag, not able to gain access to your money because the banks or government has closed them and you don't know what you are going to do and have no idea when the banks will reopen. Those interested with understanding why both economist and financial experts are all predicting that this recession is going to lead to a depression, without having to go through four or more years of college, should read the following books. New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America by Burton W. Folsom, Jr. FDR's Folly: How Roosevelt and His New Deal Prolonged the Great Depression by Jim Powell These resources are simple to understand and doesn't complicate itself with technical language. Furthermore, it will help in the process of sizing up the situation by looking at a past depression to prepare for the next one. May God help us all... 
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