Creating a Plan for Old Age - Investing in your Human Capital.
80 is the New 60 for Baby Boomers
This is probably more reflective of financial reality than a feeling of wonderful health and fulfillment.
Investing for retirement is not always about money. It is actually investing for a productive future even into old age when retirement may be an option but it might not be the option you choose. In a harsh economy or a collapsed economy your health, knowledge, and community involvement along with a family and friend support network may be your best ally for survival. Rather than focusing all of your efforts on piling up loads of cash that might get taken from you, it might be best to work toward a more meaningful existence now.
Education and Skills
This includes education to keep you skilled and up to date so that you can compete with the youth coming into the marketplace. It keeps your mind active and will help you make contacts and stay marketable. I remember a guy putting in satellite dishes when he was in his 70's and I knew another who did CCTV security systems at the same age.
Become Self Employed
Self employment is another avenue that can give you that strong fallback
plan when layoffs abound. If you are the boss you can always cut
prices just to make a living. If you are an employee, they usually just
cut your hours or your job. Find a business that aligns with your skills and interests and you'll have a way to make a living where you can excel and enjoy. Here is an idea for you. Since you are somewhat into survival why not find an avenue of that to make a living. Survival Business is Booming.
Own Your Home
This means something. Sure you don't own the land it sits on since the state and county will tax you on it, but usually you can find the money to pay the taxes but finding the money to pay rent or a mortgage is a challenge as work becomes harder and you slow down. If the economy slows down too then you are dealing with stress that would have been unnecessary if you had paid off your home. Go small if you must.
Friends
Make friends with those old and
young. You'll need both and exposure to both groups can be helpful and
rewarding. Don't get stuck in your age category.
Find a Sport
Anything that gets you moving and around other people will suffice to keep you active long after many are stuck on the couch. As a recommendation I'd take up something that limits risk of injury like golf, tennis, hiking, swimming, or even bowling. I'd stay away from bicycles, motorcycles, jogging, basketball, and water skiing or jet skiing due to risk of injury. As an add on to that, lift weights and by that I mean just 10 or 15 lb dumbbells to keep your arms strong. Start now and keep going with it. You will be amazed at how much strength you maintain. Stretch every night if you can and at least do the hamstrings since they protect your back when loose and put it at risk when tight.
Read
Keep your mind active and engaged by reading anything and everything. Even pulp fiction novels will do.
Write
Share what you know and what you have learned. It is a creative process that will also help you organize and formulate in your mind those things you know into a cohesive and useful source of information.
Teach
Writing is a way of teaching but also teaching directly by individually teaching someone or a group a skill you know is very rewarding. It can also open up many more ways for you to stay engaged with others and to make a living well past when you can work a production job. Teaching helps others and by doing this you will help yourself.
Rest
Rest is essential for productivity. Rather than taking vacations to recharge I have found it just as useful to just take time off daily for doing nothing but finding enjoyment. Doing this is also good training for your reclining days of retirement if they ever come. You may choose to keep working not just for income but for the joy of working at something you like to do.
If you notice something, almost everything on this list costs nothing or near nothing and in many cases can earn you income.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Sitrep: Financial Collapse, Racial Attacks, Militarized Police and Govt. Employees, Gun Grabbers
Financial Collapse
US Risks Joining 1933 German in Default
You know how that one ended as Herr Hitler ran things in Germany. What is different now. We have yet to go through hyperinflation.
Families are Hoarding Cash Worldwide
Fear is in the air and everyone knows it. The blood is already in the streets.
China Tells USA get Your House in Order
The debt crisis is coming home to roost and we will someday be the beneficiaries of this endless spending cycle in the form of inflation and collapse.
Banks Get Ready for a Slowdown in Deposits
People are going to have to spend money soon when inflation kicks in and prices go up.
Fed Prints 8 Trillion
Inflation is on the way.
Healthcare Tax Will Finish Off The Economy and the Middle Class
Inflation, and financial ruin for many families.
14 Ways to Make Extra Cash in Retirement
They're prepping you for the post collapse economy as you age so pay attention.
Springfield, LA Wal Mart Shelves Cleared in EBT Frenzy
This is a portent of things to come as the center cannot hold. Even DC can't make sure the computer system works all the time no matter how dangerous that is to stability. Wal Mart just learned something too, you can't trust EBT card holders.
Illegals bleeding the system dry.
7 kids for 20 years and you wonder why the system is running in the red. Multiply this times millions and you have a prescription for economic and social disaster.
Sundown in America by David Stockman
This is a well written description what has been done the the middle class to enrich the wealthy and in the process destroy the country.
Soldier Just Back From War Killed in Racial Attack on US Streets
There is no halo of safety for anyone whether in uniform or not when it comes to racial attacks. Know where you are and consider being armed at all times if you can legally do so.
Blind Man Attacked on Philly Street
I'm not sure of the race of the victim but the attack was made on a blind man so that alone warrants this special inclusion. It may not quality as a race based attack but it clearly more of the same type of gratuitous violence that is part of the landscape now.
This is full militarization of local police
Park Rangers Go Gestapo
Locking people up in a hotel room goes way too far.
Lethal Autonomous Drones
This slippery slope also assumes that errors can't be made when you send a machine out to kill things without a human making the final call. I guess they never watched Robocop.
Cop Dogs Are Now Racist Too
LAPD dogs bit only Hispanics and Blacks according to the news story. I wonder if this is training or simply a situation where whites and Asians follow directions from police better. Either way you can be sure millions will be wasted on a lawsuit to correct this and have the dogs bite other groups more often. Cops will probably be given quotas on whom they must loose the dogs on.
TSA now doing pre-airport searches.
Soon they will want to implant that chip in our necks.
Small scale random gun seizures won't get the job done.
This guy said he did the math and I believe him and it is apparent that if they want guns they'll need a pretext for full and mass confiscation. An end around has been to create an ammo shortage which should be quite instructive to anyone watching on both sides. Make sure you stock up on both steel and lead.
US Risks Joining 1933 German in Default
You know how that one ended as Herr Hitler ran things in Germany. What is different now. We have yet to go through hyperinflation.
Families are Hoarding Cash Worldwide
Fear is in the air and everyone knows it. The blood is already in the streets.
China Tells USA get Your House in Order
The debt crisis is coming home to roost and we will someday be the beneficiaries of this endless spending cycle in the form of inflation and collapse.
Banks Get Ready for a Slowdown in Deposits
People are going to have to spend money soon when inflation kicks in and prices go up.
Fed Prints 8 Trillion
Inflation is on the way.
Healthcare Tax Will Finish Off The Economy and the Middle Class
Inflation, and financial ruin for many families.
14 Ways to Make Extra Cash in Retirement
They're prepping you for the post collapse economy as you age so pay attention.
Springfield, LA Wal Mart Shelves Cleared in EBT Frenzy
This is a portent of things to come as the center cannot hold. Even DC can't make sure the computer system works all the time no matter how dangerous that is to stability. Wal Mart just learned something too, you can't trust EBT card holders.
Illegals bleeding the system dry.
7 kids for 20 years and you wonder why the system is running in the red. Multiply this times millions and you have a prescription for economic and social disaster.
Sundown in America by David Stockman
This is a well written description what has been done the the middle class to enrich the wealthy and in the process destroy the country.
Racial Attacks
Soldier Just Back From War Killed in Racial Attack on US Streets
There is no halo of safety for anyone whether in uniform or not when it comes to racial attacks. Know where you are and consider being armed at all times if you can legally do so.
Blind Man Attacked on Philly Street
I'm not sure of the race of the victim but the attack was made on a blind man so that alone warrants this special inclusion. It may not quality as a race based attack but it clearly more of the same type of gratuitous violence that is part of the landscape now.
Militarized Police and Govt. Employees
Armored Tanks for California Police
This is full militarization of local police
Park Rangers Go Gestapo
Locking people up in a hotel room goes way too far.
Lethal Autonomous Drones
This slippery slope also assumes that errors can't be made when you send a machine out to kill things without a human making the final call. I guess they never watched Robocop.
Cop Dogs Are Now Racist Too
LAPD dogs bit only Hispanics and Blacks according to the news story. I wonder if this is training or simply a situation where whites and Asians follow directions from police better. Either way you can be sure millions will be wasted on a lawsuit to correct this and have the dogs bite other groups more often. Cops will probably be given quotas on whom they must loose the dogs on.
TSA now doing pre-airport searches.
Soon they will want to implant that chip in our necks.
Gun Grabbers
Small scale random gun seizures won't get the job done.
This guy said he did the math and I believe him and it is apparent that if they want guns they'll need a pretext for full and mass confiscation. An end around has been to create an ammo shortage which should be quite instructive to anyone watching on both sides. Make sure you stock up on both steel and lead.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Start Storing Food Now
Food Supply is dependent on Refrigeration
If the grid goes down or becomes unreliable the food supply may become unreliable as well. For this reason among many others I suggest putting aside some dried foods, canned foods, and freeze dried long term storage foods. Most people won't make the effort to grow their own so any storage plan should consider how quickly foods decay if refrigeration is needed but not available.
Add a few cans of beans weekly to your list. They supply needed protein and carbohydrates combined with fiber. They store well once opened so you can rely on beans as a daily source of nutrition. If you don't like the sodium content just rinse the beans before cooking. I often just eat them cold.
Consider long term food storage such as freeze dried and nitrogen packed meals as only one component of your food storage and you will save lots of money. I would build my diet around what you can buy at the store such as dried beans, rice, pasta, and canned items. These combined with water and freeze dried meals can give you a variety and a lower cost per meal. Additionally, you will only be adding a small change into your diet if you take this route rather than never eating your long term storage foods and then relying on them as a sole food source.
USA Food Production Down 2% Per Year
This is a prediction of food shortages and starvation due to climate change which is questionable but government interference in the markets is the most likely culprit. Either way, put away some food.
If a food shortage occurs make sure to maintain security.
If people that are starving know you have food you may be in for the fight of your life. Keep things quiet about your food supplies both before and during a shortage.
Here is a great article on food storage requirements for nutrition to avoid starvation and malnutrition.
If the grid goes down or becomes unreliable the food supply may become unreliable as well. For this reason among many others I suggest putting aside some dried foods, canned foods, and freeze dried long term storage foods. Most people won't make the effort to grow their own so any storage plan should consider how quickly foods decay if refrigeration is needed but not available.
Add a few cans of beans weekly to your list. They supply needed protein and carbohydrates combined with fiber. They store well once opened so you can rely on beans as a daily source of nutrition. If you don't like the sodium content just rinse the beans before cooking. I often just eat them cold.
Consider long term food storage such as freeze dried and nitrogen packed meals as only one component of your food storage and you will save lots of money. I would build my diet around what you can buy at the store such as dried beans, rice, pasta, and canned items. These combined with water and freeze dried meals can give you a variety and a lower cost per meal. Additionally, you will only be adding a small change into your diet if you take this route rather than never eating your long term storage foods and then relying on them as a sole food source.
USA Food Production Down 2% Per Year
This is a prediction of food shortages and starvation due to climate change which is questionable but government interference in the markets is the most likely culprit. Either way, put away some food.
If a food shortage occurs make sure to maintain security.
If people that are starving know you have food you may be in for the fight of your life. Keep things quiet about your food supplies both before and during a shortage.
Here is a great article on food storage requirements for nutrition to avoid starvation and malnutrition.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Unique Weapons for Survival
Toilet Brush Sniper Rifle
This could be the equivalent of a crossbow in close range effectiveness, less than 100 feet. At $2 or so per brush it is probably cheaper than a crossbow bolt so makes for a good practice weapon.
Get a Degree in Drone Warefare
While you're at it, start attending those Satanic ritual meetings to rinse your soul of morality once and for all. On the other hand, a backyard drone capability may not allow you to arm it but maybe give you a bird's eye view of your perimeter. Stay tuned for future technology that will allow you to walk the perimeter by air.
Become a Thousand Yard Sniper with a Computer Programmed Smart Rifle
This could be a game changer for putting civilians on equal ground with Sniper school graduates that have an endless supply of ammo and time to train.
Taser Attacks in DC Show Value of Stealth Weapon
These weapons have ID tags attached so it must be assumed they were stolen. In any event this appears to be along with stun guns a great stealth method of foiling or initiating an attack. I wonder if body armor would stop these methods. Time for some research.
3D Handgun Works
It works well enough to get a SF Bay area writer to preface the article title with Uh Oh. The wonders of technology.
1911 3D Gun in Stainless
It works. More options for all of us.
This could be the equivalent of a crossbow in close range effectiveness, less than 100 feet. At $2 or so per brush it is probably cheaper than a crossbow bolt so makes for a good practice weapon.
Get a Degree in Drone Warefare
While you're at it, start attending those Satanic ritual meetings to rinse your soul of morality once and for all. On the other hand, a backyard drone capability may not allow you to arm it but maybe give you a bird's eye view of your perimeter. Stay tuned for future technology that will allow you to walk the perimeter by air.
Become a Thousand Yard Sniper with a Computer Programmed Smart Rifle
This could be a game changer for putting civilians on equal ground with Sniper school graduates that have an endless supply of ammo and time to train.
Taser Attacks in DC Show Value of Stealth Weapon
These weapons have ID tags attached so it must be assumed they were stolen. In any event this appears to be along with stun guns a great stealth method of foiling or initiating an attack. I wonder if body armor would stop these methods. Time for some research.
3D Handgun Works
It works well enough to get a SF Bay area writer to preface the article title with Uh Oh. The wonders of technology.
1911 3D Gun in Stainless
It works. More options for all of us.
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