[kokoda]

You are probably right to be a little bit freaked.

Look at our "leadership". They are clueless. Short of begging the Saudi's for more oil they don't have any answers.

[GoghGoner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'I') agree with MF about Mexico - they are already into the turmoil - I'd hate to go there and be white and not fluent in spanish.

"I went to the place where every white face is an invitation to robbery . . ."

[mystiek]

I agree with the don't panic. Develop a plan to retire debt, learn from the various threads how to become as energy independent as possible. What we did was look at our typical day/week and how could we make changes to save money, reduce our gas cost, electric bill, etc. Some changes might seem small or simple but they will add up. I am trying to be as "food independent" as possible with storing basics and having a garden. I agree with ferretlover that barring a war it hopefully won't be Monday, but I think if (when) Israel attacks Iran there will be a temp. interruption in our oil supplies, which will probably affect truck supplies to your local Walmarts, etc. Of course people will get excited and make a run on the stores. If you have a pantry stocked, you won't have to get in the middle of that frenzy until the stores can get stocked up. I'm sure most folks here have seen the "runs" on the store. When we lived in WV and they predicted a "bad snow storm"-milk, bread etc was cleared out quickly. When we lived in FL and the hurricanes were coming, same run on the stores-not just for food, but plywoods, generators, batteries.

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hope_full', 'C')ashmere, my husband works for a large city (population just over 100,000) and like most city employees, he makes a good wage (more than private sector would pay) and has a lot of benefits.

Do you really think these will be the last jobs to go away in a failing economy? If so, why? Is it because fed, state and municipal economies are so slow to react to market conditions?

As to the original post, I wouldn't go to Mexico on a bet. Save that dough and put it to a higher and better use.

HF

[Revi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Muckingfess', 'M')exico is NOT the place to vacation in today's world. There is just too much drug related violence there.

Start your preps NOW!

[POAlex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('albente', 'N')obody has the answer!

[Muckingfess]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GoghGoner', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'I') agree with MF about Mexico - they are already into the turmoil - I'd hate to go there and be white and not fluent in spanish.

"I went to the place where every white face is an invitation to robbery . . ."

[Cloud9]

I'll be in France next week. I hope the bottom doesn't fall out this month.

[cestlavie]

First of all, listen to some good calm music - something you can play post peak on the guitar

http://remix.kwed.org/download.php/2722/Tokafondo%20-%20Parallax%20unplugged.mp3

Then realize you werent worried about it - peak (once you were listening to music). Then fear is an internal state, correct? So just dont worry about peak oil. Nothing lasts forever. I get my kicks planting suburban stealth gardens. But its more like its for fun - before it was more frantic but now it just feels good, is calming. You can be planting flowers with roots - campanula rampunculos, jerusalem artichokes, alliums etc the list goes on... I current have no guns. I dont need any, there is no war. I dont have to worry about it right now so I wont. Not worrying and not having guns leaves me helpless, defenseless. It makes me, it forces me to deal with my fear, to own it, to live it. Well, we are all defenseless, anyways. Bugs, germs could take us down within a matter of weeks, even days... So just live in the impermanence of life one day at a time. I remember one saying - we are one heartbeat away from eternity...

I once felt fear about Peak Oil but then I grew out of it, grew over it, under it, around it, on it, in it. Its just a part of life and doesnt do much (too me) but I do listen to a lot of music. I guess I'm just listening the remnants of this civilization (at its peak). Peak oil and peak civilization. What a trip. Remember, just remember life is impermanence. Its not permanent at all. Many new areas of work will open up and grow (like funeral embalmer) and probably most will go away. Health will be crucial to life. Everything is changing... Don't worry about a thing!!!!!!!

Guns solve one problem (like village raiders) but create another (the memories). What I am saying is that only the strong (emotionally) will survive intact. You have just taken the red pill. Buy the best movies before collapse. They will make you feel better. Buy "The Russians are Coming!" - its a good movie. Everyone freaked out during the movie and was crazy with fear. However in the end (instead of killing the Russians) they ended up escorting them out to sea (their own fear). In the movie Titanic the ship was sinking, turning, everyone went crazy and they were going to die anyways. So whats the beef? Why go crazy? Just play tunes and sing songs and let light go down. I like the guy that downed a bottle of ?whiskey and jumped off the side. He was fearless (to do that) but still needed a little kick... hehe. Just dont worry about a thing. Even if your family doesnt get on board its still not the end...

[diefunky]

Wellbehaved,
Are you originally from Mexico by any chance, and plan to visit your family for 2 months? If so, that makes all the difference in the world.
I plan to be in Turkey in August. Well... I have airline reservations with Austrian Airlines anyway, who knows how that will go. Long story, my husband got caught up in the turkish military while waiting for INS approval to return to the USA. We've been married for 8 yrs. He will take 3 weeks leave and we will stay in Istanbul with his sister and brother in law. He is Kurdish and we were in SE Turkey for 2 months last year.
I paid cash for a house in a small town in WV 2 years ago, everything within walking distance. I have about 2 years of food stashed in that house, along with a gun, ammo, -20 degree sleeping bag, 3 different heat sources, a new roof, camp toilet, mountain bike, crank lantern and radio, tools, etc. - but still don't feel prepared. I'm a traveling heathcare worker, so only "visit" the house on occasion, but have someone local keep an eye on it for me. And I never take a job more than one gas tank away from the place, and always keep the gas tank full.
While I'm in Istanbul, I'm going to apply for turkish citizenship (I will have dual citizenship), and will check out hospital jobs and apartments. We'll also get my husband's paperwork together (again) for INS, maybe he can return to the US in Mar 09. Maybe not.
If TSHTF while I'm there, I can stay in Istanbul with my inlaws and probably find a job. I'm prepared to abandon my preps in the USA if necessary. I'll see which way the wind blows. Turkey is an emerging economy, but the people generally know how to be poor, especially in the kurdish southeast. No "sense of entitlement" there.
Wellbehaved, you asked for practical advice. but I can only offer my gut feelings to you. Timing is everything. I suspect it will be business as usual before the Olympics. After the Olympics and before the election might be uncertain times. Keep your loved ones as close to you as possible during uncertain times.
I hope your timing is better than mine. I'll be in Turkey during the Olympics, will be back in the USA long before the elections...alone with all my preps and depending on the government to get my husband home. Mega-preps are not everything, take my word for it. But, if you can manage to keep all your loved ones together and stock up on water, rice, beans, powdered milk...buy cheap canned foods with long expiration dates, I'd say you will be far ahead of most of the population.
Best of luck to you, girl. And please wish me luck too!!
DF

[wellbehaved]

Yes, we have family in mexico..That´s why we are going, we have been for years. We work all year to get back there. Going to Mexico is not a luxury vacation, fun..but not luxury. I have a sister who is living in Istanbul..small world.

contact me...it would be nice to talk..

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('diefunky', 'W')ellbehaved,
Are you originally from Mexico by any chance, and plan to visit your family for 2 months? If so, that makes all the difference in the world.
I plan to be in Turkey in August. Well... I have airline reservations with Austrian Airlines anyway, who knows how that will go. Long story, my husband got caught up in the turkish military while waiting for INS approval to return to the USA. We've been married for 8 yrs. He will take 3 weeks leave and we will stay in Istanbul with his sister and brother in law. He is Kurdish and we were in SE Turkey for 2 months last year.
I paid cash for a house in a small town in WV 2 years ago, everything within walking distance. I have about 2 years of food stashed in that house, along with a gun, ammo, -20 degree sleeping bag, 3 different heat sources, a new roof, camp toilet, mountain bike, crank lantern and radio, tools, etc. - but still don't feel prepared. I'm a traveling heathcare worker, so only "visit" the house on occasion, but have someone local keep an eye on it for me. And I never take a job more than one gas tank away from the place, and always keep the gas tank full.
While I'm in Istanbul, I'm going to apply for turkish citizenship (I will have dual citizenship), and will check out hospital jobs and apartments. We'll also get my husband's paperwork together (again) for INS, maybe he can return to the US in Mar 09. Maybe not.
If TSHTF while I'm there, I can stay in Istanbul with my inlaws and probably find a job. I'm prepared to abandon my preps in the USA if necessary. I'll see which way the wind blows. Turkey is an emerging economy, but the people generally know how to be poor, especially in the kurdish southeast. No "sense of entitlement" there.
Wellbehaved, you asked for practical advice. but I can only offer my gut feelings to you. Timing is everything. I suspect it will be business as usual before the Olympics. After the Olympics and before the election might be uncertain times. Keep your loved ones as close to you as possible during uncertain times.
I hope your timing is better than mine. I'll be in Turkey during the Olympics, will be back in the USA long before the elections...alone with all my preps and depending on the government to get my husband home. Mega-preps are not everything, take my word for it. But, if you can manage to keep all your loved ones together and stock up on water, rice, beans, powdered milk...buy cheap canned foods with long expiration dates, I'd say you will be far ahead of most of the population.
Best of luck to you, girl. And please wish me luck too!!
DF

[diefunky]

Allright!!! We can be PM sisters!!
So funny, people always WARN me about the extreme dangers of Turkey because all the scary muslims live there, but this is from people who have never been there. They read the USA government sponsored newscasts. And they were brainwashed from birth, just like me. We can't blame them too much.
The people who bother to know these places, not as tourists, but as residents, guests, family, or people who spend lots of time there, know the real score. Anybody who has ever been to Turkey is so happy for me, because they always hope to go there again someday. Those who have never been, rely on newscasts and warn me not to go because of the horrible violence that takes place???? Istanbul is a mega-city with an extremely low crime rate, unlike the mega-cities in the USA.
I've been to Mexico, but only Tijuana and Rosarito, the tourist areas. Had lots of fun there!!! and it is kickass!! I hope to know the real Mexico someday. Your sister is in Istanbul? Wow, really small world!!! But the world might get bigger and more difficult to navigate soon, because the dollar might be vaporised.
Don't freak out. I'll PM you and we will talk.

[Ayoob]

Give me three months, I'll buy your kids. $1000 apiece, paid in silver or gold, your choice. They'll be well-treated. They'll be WAY better off. My girl could use some help around the doomstead, and we're going to have our own kids soon. I know we'll need a nanny, so if you have a girl that would be perfect. I could use a couple boys in the field.

PM me for further negotiations.

[Revi]

Ayoob.

You are really not making the new members feel welcome here.

Please treat them like you would like to be treated.

Thanks.

[manu]

Cash out and when you go on that trip to Mexico, just stay there.
Make sure you are as far as you can get from any big city.

[Revi]

I agree, Manu. I think I'd rather be in Mexico than the States when TSHTF. Some small town wouldn't be a bad place to be.

I speak fluent Spanish, and I like the culture.

[wisconsin_cur]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Revi', 'I') agree, Manu. I think I'd rather be in Mexico than the States when TSHTF. Some small town wouldn't be a bad place to be.
I speak fluent Spanish, and I like the culture.

[hope_full]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')F wrote, "Now is not the time to go. There is even a State Dept warning out. Do you not watch the news? The Mexican police chiefs are seeking asylum here from the drug cartels. I forget the number of police killed in just the last month. I'd rather go to Iraq than Mexico right now."

[GoghGoner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wisconsin_cur', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Revi', 'I') agree, Manu. I think I'd rather be in Mexico than the States when TSHTF. Some small town wouldn't be a bad place to be.
I speak fluent Spanish, and I like the culture.

[catbox]

The last time I was in Mexico, I stayed in San Luis Potosi for 3 weeks. We visited people 50 miles outside the city who were doing simple farming and living w/o electricity....and doing pretty well. I figure these people are much more suited to face PO than most Americans. I can say that water was at the time and still is a HUGE problem for Mexico.

catbox