Sense and Nonsense

I published parts of this article back in May of last year under the title "Whatcha Gonna Do? - WTSHTF in Argentina". It had been sent to me by a friend via email but I did not know the actual author. Since then, I found that the original article was written back in 2006 and published at Frugal's Forums by someone using the handle "FerFAL".

Further research revealed that FerFAL is Fernando Aguirre, a 31 year old father of two living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His old website, Surviving in Argentina, is being phased out in favor of a new website called The Modern Survivalist. You may be interested in his new book, "The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse".

The following article is republished here with Mr. Aguirre's permission. The original is entitled "Thoughts on Urban Survival" and can be found on the Modern Survivalist website. The material here is in addition to the material in Mr. Aguirre's book. This is a long article so you may want to download it to read at your convenience. The first part was published here previously so if it sounds familiar, you may want to skip down to new material.

If nothing else, go to the end of the article and read about The Saucepans that brought down five presidents without a shot being fired.

Thoughts on Urban Survival by Fernando "FerFAL" Aguirre

My brother visited Argentina a few weeks ago. He’s been living in Spain for a few years now. Within the first week, he got sick, some kind of strong flu, even though climate isn’t that cold and he took care of himself. Without a doubt he got sick because there are lots of new viruses in my country that can’t be found in 1st world countries. The misery and famine lead us to a situation where, even though you have food, shelter and health care, most of others don’t, and therefore they get sick and spread the diseases all over the region.

What got me started on this post is the fact that I actually saw this coming, and posted on the subject here, months before the new viruses spread over the country and the news started talking about this new, health emergency, which proves that talking, thinking and sharing ideas with like minded people (you guys), does help to see things coming and prepare for them with enough time. So I started thinking about several issues, what I learned (either the hard way or thanks to this forum) after all these years of living in a collapsed country that is trying to get out an economical disaster and everything that comes along with it. Though my English is limited, I hope I’m able to transmit the main ideas and concepts, giving you a better image of what you may have to deal with some day, if the economy collapses in your country. Here is what I have so far:

URBAN OR COUNTRY?

Someone once asked me how did those that live in the country fare. If they were better off than city dwellers. As always there are no simple answers. Wish I could say country good, city bad, but I can’t, because if I have to be completely honest, and I intend to be so, there are some issues that have to be analyzed, especially security. Of course that those that live in the country and have some land and animals were better prepared food-wise. No need to have several acres full of crops. A few fruit trees, some animals, such as chickens, cows and rabbits, and a small orchard was enough to be light years ahead of those in the cities. Chickens, eggs and rabbits would provide the proteins, a cow or two for milk and cheese, some vegetables and fruit plants covered the vegetable diet, and some eggs or a rabbit could be traded for flower to make bread and pasta or sugar and salt.

Here is how things developed after Chile embarked on a radical change to a centrally controlled economy under the direction of a government unfettered by constitutional limits. There is growing concern that it could happen in the USA so maybe a few words from someone who knows will help.

Hyperinflation, Part II: What It Will Look Like

by Gonzalo Lira - Zero Hedge Contributor

I usually don’t do follow-up pieces to any of my posts. But my recent longish piece, describing how hyperinflation might happen in the United States, clearly struck a nerve.

It was a long, boring, snowy piece of macro-economic policy speculation, discussing Treasury yields, Federal Reserve Board monetary reaction, and the difference between inflation and hyperinflation—but considering the traffic it generated, I might as well been discussing relative breast size in the porn industry. With pictures.

Essentially, I argued that Treasury bonds are the New and Improved Toxic Assets. I argued that, if there was a run on Treasuries, the Federal Reserve—in its anti-deflationary zeal, and its efforts to prop up bond market prices—would over-react, and set off a run on commodities. This, I argued, would trigger hyperinflation.

By Felipe Franco - an American homeschooling father and frequent business traveler to Latin America. (Reprinted from LewRockwell.com)

After decades of traveling throughout Latin America and years living there, I have developed a painful twinge every time I return to the U.S. and realize the loss of freedoms and rude behavior that is in store for me. It all comes flooding into my brain. What’s the rule on shoes and searches at the airport? What will the cops do if my 7-year-old son is not in a government-approved booster seat in the rental car? What if a family member needs antibiotics or stitches? What are the things that will cause US residents to call the cops on me? What are the rules on car and health insurance that will get me in trouble? What kind of ticket will I get if I forget to turn on the headlights when there is a drizzle? Can the children stick their heads out of a sunroof or ride in the back of a pickup? No. Daddy might be arrested. Why? The cops are different here. The kids don’t understand the oppressive environment. They don’t understand the government worship and the angry woman screaming at Dad while he putts around on a motorcycle, "Where’s your helmet!" Why do people want to control their neighbor’s lives via the state in this country? We don’t get it.

As to loyalty to a President merely because he is President, Theodore Roosevelt may have said it best, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official ... "

That is just an excerpt. Read on.

What’s More Important: Liberty Or The Entity That Protects It?

By Dr. Chuck Baldwin - FOUNDER-PASTOR of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.

Let me ask readers a question. What’s more important: freedom and its undergirding principles, or the entity meant to protect it? A word of caution: be careful how you answer that question, because the way you answer marks your understanding (or lack thereof) of both freedom and the purpose of government.

The Mexican constitution of 1824 gave the people of Texas rights similar to those enjoyed at the time by the citizens of the United States, but every new Mexican government attempted to increase control over Texas. To call attention to this, Texans removed the coat of arms from the center of a Mexican flag, and replaced it with the date of the constitution. It was this banner that flew from the walls of the Alamo.

For 13 days, less that 200 Texans held off an army of more than 5,000 men. The alcalde of San Antonio, an eyewitness to the last day of the battle, recorded: "The deadly fire of Travis' artillery resembled a constant thunder. At the third charge of 830 (Mexican soldiers) only 130 were left alive. The gallantry of the Texans who defended the Alamo was really wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the generals were astonished at how dearly victory was bought."

The Alamo fell on March 6, 1836. In addition to the 182 Texans who died, approximately 1500 of the best Mexican soldiers were killed and another 1500 seriously wounded. The Texans in the Alamo were fighting to protect the rights outlined in the Mexican constitution of 1824 and never knew that Texas had declared its independence 4 days earlier.