This isn’t what a civilized society is supposed to look like. We aren’t supposed to have vast mobs of very angry young people rioting, looting and generally going nuts all over the country. But this is what our nation has become.
Our major cities have become cesspools of lawlessness where violence can literally erupt at any moment. But if Americans are this eager to riot and loot now, what is going to happen once we are in the midst of a severe economic recession? Needless to say, harsh economic times are certainly not going to improve the mood in this country.
It appears that Monday night is Kansas City’s turn to experience civil unrest. According to Time Magazine, protests “have erupted” even before the sun has gone down…
Protests have erupted in Kansas City, Mo., after a Black teenager was shot in the head and arm by a white homeowner late last week after accidentally ringing the wrong doorbell.
Ralph Yarl, 16, has been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. He was shot after he went to collect his two younger brothers on Thursday after 10 p.m., according to police. Police said Yarl mistook the address 115th Terrace for 115th Street, where he was shot.
Any time a young person dies a tragic death like this, we should all mourn. Unfortunately, for a lot of people any sort of an incident like this is used as an excuse to riot, loot and burn things down.
And sometimes the criminals don’t need any sort of an excuse at all. Less than 24 hours ago, hundreds of looters completely gutted a gas station in Compton…
Sheriff’s deputies in Compton are returning to their patrol duties Monday following a chaotic weekend that involved a series of street takeovers and a mob of looters that left a trail of destruction at local stores.
Video captured a wild scene at an Arco gas station near Alondra Boulevard and Central Avenue early Sunday morning where a large group was caught on video bum-rushing an Arco gas station and stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise, all while the clerk on duty hid inside.
The video shows one man breaking the glass door while dozens of looters crowd behind him. Moments later, the group was seen grabbing everything from drinks, snacks, alcohol and even condoms.
Go back and read that first sentence again.
The mainstream media is actually admitting that criminals are taking over entire streets in Los Angeles right now.
And the police are admitting that they couldn’t do anything about the looting because they were so greatly outnumbered.
Watching hundreds of young men work together to loot a gas station should send a chill down all of our spines.
In this case, there was absolutely no political motivation for the attack. These young men just saw an opportunity to steal, and they gleefully took advantage of it…
The day before that, there was a massive riot in downtown Chicago that made headlines all over the nation, and a “huge brawl” erupted at a Chicago White Sox game…
A huge brawl broke out at Saturday’s Chicago White Sox game for over two minutes with several spectators involved.
Fists were flying all over the place before a woman was dragged from behind over a row of seats on the first-base side.
One lone security guard attempted to make peace, while another pair of women were throwing haymakers at one another.
If we are seeing this much chaos while economic conditions are still at least somewhat relatively stable, what will things be like once millions of Americans become truly desperate?
Earlier today, I was quite alarmed to read former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli’s assessment of the economy…
Former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli issued a grim warning over the U.S.’s “very complex” economy, cautioning consumers that middle market companies are under “tremendous pressure.”
“I think we’re going to see a lot of bankruptcies. Like Bed, Bath and Beyond. We got Walmart not only laying people off, but closing stores. We got Accenture laying people off. We got Amazon closing distribution centers. So I think there’s a tremendous-mixed message,” Nardelli said during an appearance on “Cavuto: Coast to Coast.”
The former CEO continued, saying that the “complexity” of the U.S. economy is “different than anything I have seen in my 52 years.”
Sadly, he is quite right.
So many companies are going to go out of business in the months ahead.
In fact, we just learned that David’s Bridal has just filed for bankruptcy…
David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy protection days after the company announced it would lay off more than 9,200 employees across the nation.
The wedding retailer said in a press release Monday that its stores would remain open and fulfill orders without delay as the company looks to sell all or some of its assets. Its online platforms will also remain available to help with customers’ wedding planning needs.
As economic conditions deteriorate, Americans are going to increasingly turn to debt as a short-term solution, and this will particularly be true for financially-distressed young people that don’t have a lot of resources…
Many young adults overwhelmed by financial stress cope by ignoring the problem.
Some tune out bank and credit-card balances, lose track of their spending and rack up debt. Average credit-card debt rose 29% to $5,800 in March from a year earlier for millennials and increased 40% to $2,800 for Gen Z, Credit Karma said. Younger people were also more likely to have paid late fees or taken advances from their credit cards, a survey from NerdWallet found.
Unfortunately, U.S. banks are starting to get really tight with their money, and so that means that credit lines will be reduced and fewer credit cards will be issued.
A lot of people will soon find that they are maxed out and are unable to get more credit.
And all of this comes at a time when the U.S. money supply is steadily shrinking…
The U.S. money supply contracted for the third consecutive month, and is declining at the fastest pace since the Great Depression, new Federal Reserve data show.
In February, the M2 money supply – a benchmark for how much cash, bills, bank deposits, coins, and money market funds are circulating throughout the national economy – tumbled 2.24 percent from the same time a year ago, down from negative 1.7 percent in January. This represented the third straight month of a contracting money supply.
There is so much economic pain on the horizon.
And the American people are certainly not mentally or emotionally equipped to deal with hard times.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
So we better hope that our leaders can find a way to artificially prop up the economy, because if they are unable to do so there will be much more rioting, looting and chaos ahead.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Article cross-posted from The Economic Collapse Blog.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
