Sobering and Scrooge-like Thoughts

Breakfast Ponderings

Maybe I shouldn’t have had the extra cup of coffee this morning at IHOP.  Or maybe I had just one bite too many of my mushroom omelet.   Regardless, my mind went in warp speed, kicked into overdrive and all manner of disturbing thoughts raced through my mind.  As I sat across from my friend, I couldn’t help but wonder if she would be one of the survivors when the SHTF comes along.

 It isn’t as though she hasn’t been warned; even her husband has tried to talk to her about preparing for the coming economic tsunami.  His lack of physical health and stamina are not conducive for him to take charge and do anything on his own.  He is not master in his own home.  Her world revolves around chat rooms and whatever is on TV.  She has not responded well to suggestions that maybe she needs to have some kind of food and water storage, if nothing more than she is the sole breadwinner in the family.

It causes me considerable grief, when I look beyond the here and now.  The future looks to hold nothing that bodes well for most people.  We will all lose friends and a way of life to which we have become accustomed.  And what a great life it has been.  Our current economic crisis is being compared to the Great Depression.  What we are going to experience does not even begin to resemble anything comparable to what we have experienced in the past.  Our economy has become globalized with every integral part being so much like a falling line of dominoes. But I digress.

 My friend has refused any notion of preparing for the future.  Where will she be six months from now?  A year?  What skills does she possess that will enable her to survive along with her young son and ill husband?  Yes, she has family nearby, but her mother is old and sickly, and her brother is no better off than she is.  What skills or talents does she have that a prepared enclave would seek her out to include her for those abilities?  

I see it written on her face, she and her family will not survive without intervention.  Another sobering thought; what will she become in order to have any hope of survival?  Will she become the enemy if she is panicked and without resources?   

She is no different than 99% of the other IHOP patrons, just there fueling up before hitting the stores for Christmas goodies bought with the almighty credit card.  My fellow breakfasters were the same ones who bought the huge flat screens, latest crap for kids, and whatever else it is that people celebrate the holidays.   How’s that big screen going to work out when it’s either pay for the cable service or have next week’s meals?  There wasn’t a single IHOP patron this morning that could reasonably be assured to have a job by this time next year.

 This is a working class town.  The company that makes bank checks has already down-sized.  AT&T is planning its own down scaling of humans. Even China Mart has a down-size in the works.   Nothing in this town but small businesses, a Wachovia (is that still its name?), a mall with anchor stores closing their doors, and lots of little fast food places.  Oh, forgot the little hospital that serves a three county area.   My point?  This morning I was amongst people who a year from now may or may not be survivors. 

 Those who do survive will either be the ones who have prepped (in the minority), or those who have become part of roving groups in constant search for shelter/food/water looking for the people who will become their victims.  The path to survival is clear and simple.  I think that in the early days, there will be survivors who manage to eek out some kind of survival, but as resources dwindle and the government steps in with martial law to quell civil unrest….who knows. 

Questions and more questions

What’s up with teaching military personnel how to do civilian vehicle searches and roadblocks?  I am sorry, but those activities just don’t take rocket scientist-quality brains.  Show the troops Youtube videos depicting searches and road blocks as training films.  It's not like the military lacks experience.  Hello, what have the Army and Marines been doing in Iraq and Afghanistan--- check point duty!!!  Maybe I am taking the wrong reading on this but the more I think about, it, the more I am bothered.  I am thinking it is to get Mr. and Mrs. Average American used to seeing uniformed military personnel searching vehicles and heaven knows what else.

 There are a few other things that are bothering me.  Why does the United States need a large standing force which is based on the continent?  Our representatives didn’t think it was important enough to seal our borders from invasion by illegal aliens (I know not PC), haven’t chosen to get involved in the frequent incursions by the Mexican government into our South Western states, and no one seems to be worried about a major transportation node cutting through the US of A running from Mexico to Canada.  All of the aforementioned items are huge security issues!!  Why do we need this Northern Command of which the PTB speak?

 Yet, we need a standing force?  For what?  To protect against whom?  To do exactly what?  To provide disaster support or to supplant the States’ rights to their own military force?  Are the PTB basing this force on Hurricane Katrina and the ineptness of a mayor too stupid to evacuate his city, a governor too ridiculous to call up her state’s resources or to ask for Federal help?  Awe, give me a break.  What the hell happened to posse comitatus?   I can remember a time during the Atlanta prison riot that Army personnel weren't even allowed to drive a tank brought in from Fort Benning.  The FBI had to be taught how to drive the tank because of posse comitatus.  Wow, things sure have changed.

 I read somewhere that Marines on a southern California base were surveyed, and found that one in four Marines wouldn’t have a problem taking action against fellow citizens.  Why in the world would anybody ask that question in the first place?  Something about this smells like one big stinky fish, and it smacks of desensitizing the troops to the thought of possible action against the citizens.  Lord Almighty, this smacks of psychological operations....being used against us.  

 I have never bought into the Area 51 crowd, the truthers, or any of the other popular conspiracy theories.  I would describe myself as logical, practical, and a person who thinks for myself.  But what if there really are empty military bases sitting around waiting to be used for Lord knows what? 

 Knowledge is power.  Power to plan, prepare, prevent and prioritize