[GJM] Fw: [globalnetnews-summary] Preparing for Economic Hard Times

[mary rose]

I've included a couple articles here from Global Circlenet News on how to 
tackle the Hard Times ahead.  But, what I really want to bring to everyone's 
attention is that for the last 40 years or thereabouts, we have been warning 
people that this time was coming.  But many have ignored the warnings, and 
now Hard Times are here.  But now that it is here, people are still trying 
to ignore the facts. Why?  The answer to this is becuase our sub-conscious 
mind has been programmed to do so. As Bruce Lipton, author of the "Biology 
of Belief" tells us in his books, articles, and DVDs. most of us are running 
on automatic -- that is, on the programming of our sub-conscious mind which 
derived its programming from the past and from the propaganda dispensed from 
the news media in order to keep us from learning the truth about what the 
Neo-Cons were doing.

And, while many are beginning to wake up and realize that something is 
dramatically wrong, we still don't know what to do about this. We don't know 
how to change -- to transform our behavior. So, that is why I keep harping 
on this
idea that we need community learning and information centers where people 
can come together in unity and mutual support, and learn together how to 
transform their lives. Change is never easy, but to attempt the change that 
this "never before in recorded history" event demands is incomprehensible to 
most.  Almost everything we do today has to change and this amount of change 
is monumental.  For thousands of years, ever since the Kurgans and the 
Aryans invaded the peaceful pastoral matrichial societies of the Neolithic 
Age and ended their way of life, we have been involved in wars and living in 
chaos. And, now, the time to end war and live in peaceful co-existence has 
arrived -- but we know not how to do this.  It requires changing the way we 
think about almost everything -- it requires that we evolve into another 
level of consciousness.

So this is a time of learning -- of learning who we are in this new reality. 
Learning whether or not we have what it takes to meet this challenge.  And 
among us there are many who do not want to meet this challenge, but to hold 
on to the past and the old ways of doing things.  They are the ones who are 
"afraid" -- afraid of what the unknown future holds. Afraid that in letting 
go of their present habits, uncomfortable and as damaging as they are --  
that the future will not be any better.  But, science today tells us that it 
can be better -- that we can reprogram our minds in such a way as to create 
the future that we want.  All we have to do is to learn how to envision it 
and then write a new script for ourselves that enacts the vision.

But, we cannot do this alone.  We need both the support and the vision of 
others so that those who see the farthest can pull along with them, through 
encouragement, those who are more timid, afraid and lack the ability to 
envision.  For as Thomas Berry writes, we will all move into the future as a 
single sacred community or we will perish in the desert.  But, also as 
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "When humans truly discover the power of 
love, it will prove more important than the harnessing of fire." So, let us 
begin by holding out our hands in love as we take this journey together into 
the unknown -- but an unknown that holds only potential, for that is all 
that there is, and it is up to us to fulfill it  So, let's get our 
endorphins and our oxytocin, and all the other natual ingredients within us 
that make up our positive emotions, and "just do it".

This is not the "end" you know -- it is an opportunity for a new beginning 
of a life that is far better than the one you are saying good-bye to.

With love and in gratitude for all that we do together.

mary rose

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "GlobalCirclenet" <webmaster at globalcircle.net>
To: <globalnetnews-summary at lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 8:49 AM
Subject: [globalnetnews-summary] Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard 
Times


"If we look back a few generations in America, many families had a wealth of 
traditional knowledge and skills which were passed down from one generation 
to the next that made living with less purchasing power doable and even 
pleasurable."

Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard Times
Chihuahua Valley Community Bulletin
by Doug Willhite, Copyright 2008
http://www.chihuahuavalley.net/sustainablelocalliving.html

"The debate is not whether we're going to have a soft landing
or a hard landing in the U.S. but how hard the landing is going
to be." Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics, New York
University; from Time Magazine, Feb. 4, 2008.

In President Bush's 2008 State of the Union address he stated:
"Our security, our prosperity and our environment all require
reducing our dependence on oil consumption over the next decade." 1

If your family is NOT feeling a burden from higher food and fuel
prices, the bursting housing bubble, wobbly Wall Street, or too much
debt, then count yourself among the very fortunate.

The good news for the rest of us is there is much we can do to help
cushion our families and stabilize our communities in the face of
financial hardships and vital resource shortages. [2] If we look back
a few generations in America, many families had a wealth of
traditional knowledge and skills which were passed down from one
generation to the next that made living with less purchasing power
doable and even pleasurable. Our ancestors managed without crude
oil for thousands of years. There is much that we can learn from
them. They often worked hard and enjoyed life even while getting
by with far fewer conveniences, choices and creature comforts
than the smorgasbord of options which today's Americans take
for granted and have grown dependent on. [3]

What To Do

Peak oil scholar, Richard Heinberg, recently advised "if you're
interested in finding shelter during the storm, get thee to the
productive side of the economy. Grow something, or learn to make
or repair something useful." [4]

*Grow as much of your family's food, medicine, fiber, fuel and
other resources as possible. Especially food! Farming, gardening,
and manufacturing were once cornerstones of traditional family life,
and must become so again. Use your backyard, patio or rooftop [5]
to begin setting up a "modern homestead." [6]  Raised beds and
container gardens are the easiest way to build fertile soil, conserve
water, and virtually eliminate tilling and weeding. Build fertile soil
by adding amendments such as compost, worm castings and mulch
to the top of the beds. [7]  Plant or graft as many fruit, nut, olive
trees, berries, and grapes as your lot can support. Use attached
greenhouses, solariums and cold frames to extend your growing
season, produce multiple crops and protect from predators.

*Raise chickens, rabbits, geese, guinea pigs, sheep, pigs, goats
and cows for meat, eggs and dairy. If necessary, get your zoning
laws changed to allow backyard agriculture. Grow your own feed
if possible.

*Save heirloom or open pollinated seeds to grow true reproductions
of your favorite plants. Preserve harvests by canning, drying, and
pickling. Build a root cellar to store potatoes and root crops.
Expand your knowledge and use of local wild foods and herbal
remedies. Join or form a community farmer's market and a local
food co-op. And learn to cook from scratch the way grandma did!

*Make things. Repair, re-use, and recycle everything. Work from
home or live close to your job. Support your regional economy by
buying from neighbor-owned businesses. Eliminate credit card
debts by living simply, within your budget, and making a shopping
list and sticking to it. Pay off your mortgage early by adding extra
principal to your monthly payments. Barter and trade goods, labor,
and services with friends and neighbors. A sure way to save money
on health care costs is to make certain you and your loved ones get
plenty of exercise, fresh water, nutritious food and rest. [8]

*Harvest rainwater by funneling your rain gutters into barrels or
a water storage tank. (Be sure to filter and boil before drinking.)
You can modify your plumbing so that grey water from sinks,
showers and tubs flows into separate pipes from toilet water and
may be reused to water fruit trees, grapes and berry bushes. Set-up
a composting toilet and use composted manure to fertilize trees
and bushes. [9]

*Use solar and wind power technologies to heat and pump water,
and provide electricity to your home or business. This will pay for
itself and provide your family with added security during electrical
grid outages and price spikes. Add extra insulation to your attic,
walls, and floors to save money on energy costs too. One way to
super-insulate your house is by retrofitting with straw bales and
covering with clay plaster. [10] Other ways to improve insulation
include 2x6 or larger wall cavities, earth-jacketing, or underground
homes.

*Train draft horses, mules and oxen for work and transport. [11]
Walk, ride a bike or a horse, carpool or use public transit whenever
possible. Organize with neighbors to have electric railways installed
between the town centers in your region. [12] Transportation and
infrastructure are critical to your family's economic well-being. It's
a common misperception to assume you'll be better off living
remotely in the mountains. History reveals that those who live
closer to water routes and centers of commerce have more
opportunities during financial hard times. [13] But, if you live at
or near sea level consider moving your home to higher ground in
case the melting ice caps raise ocean levels. [14]

*Help educate your community. In the future your family's
financial freedom will be more tied to your neighbors, as fuel prices
and spot shortages force the global economy to relocalize. [15]
Use emails, gardening clubs, potluck gatherings and other opportunities
to exchange tips and information. Knowledge and communication
will help insure local economic stability and security.

*If you feel frightened or overwhelmed after reading this article,
take a deep breath and rest assured you're not alone. We're all
in this together. Each positive action you take will bring your family
one step closer to financial freedom and security. So make a list,
prioritize, then get started. Sure beats waiting around for the
government or the "experts" to fix things! (Recall how they
bungled Katrina.) [16]

Bibliography:
[1] Transcript of President Bush's 2008 SOTU speech 
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/28/sotu.transcript/
[2] Heinberg's brilliant essay, "What Will We Eat as the Oil Runs
 Out?  http://www.energybulletin.net/38091.html
[3] President Bush said in his 2006 State of the Union address that
"America is addicted to oil."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/
[4] More from peak oil scholar, historian, and cultural analyst,
Richard Heinberg.
http://www.richardheinberg.com/peak_everything_economics
[5] Design a rooftop garden
http://www.container-gardens.com/Container-gardens-rooftop.htm
[6] Harvey Ussery writes instructional articles for Mother Earth
News. He and wife, Ellen, practice an integrated approach to raising
poultry which includes orcharding, vegetable gardening, and
vermicomposting (worm castings for fertilizer). Save yourself some
trouble and read his web page BEFORE setting up your homestead. 
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/
[7] To read a variety of informative letters from market gardeners
and others living on the land, sign-up at:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland
[8] Michael Pollan's New York Times article: "Unhappy Meals"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?ex=1327640400&en=a18a7f35515014c7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
[9] The Humanure Handbook
http://www.chelseagreen.com/2005/items/humanure
[10] The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes, by Athena & Bill Steen
http://www.caneloproject.com/
[11] Renewing Husbandry, by Wendell Berry
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/160/
[12] Kunstler lists ways for us to survive the housing bubble
implosion and an energy scarce future: 
http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2008/01/disarray.html
[13] Survival in Times of Uncertainty: Growing Up in Russia in
the 1990's
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/147683-Survival-in-Times-of-Uncertainty-Growing-Up-in-Russia-in-the-1990s
[14] CBS News warns that a NASA climate scientist said: "At this
rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free by 2012, much
faster than previous predictions." This will raise sea levels.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/13/tech/main3613698.shtml?source=mostpop_story
[15] Find or form a relocalization network in your area.
http://www.oildepletionprotocol.org/citizens/relocalize
[16] NBC's Brian Williams reports on how our government
mismanaged it's response to the Katrina disaster
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14559053/

Where We're At
http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2008/07/where-were-at.html

     Every time I saw a car towing a motorboat this holiday weekend, I 
wondered what was going through the head of the towee. Did they have a sense 
that darkness was falling on their careers in motor sports? Did they have an 
inkling that an oil-and-gas crisis is upon us and just not give a shit? Or 
were they just going through the motions, following some implacable rote 
programming induced by, say, forty-odd years of TV addiction and a diet 
based on corn-syrup byproducts?
     The holiday to me was a creepy hiatus from an ever more desperate 
reality overtaking the nation like a miasma. Meanwhile, the mainstream 
media's ongoing narrative has gotten stuck in the moronic groove of "drill 
drill drill." The belief of people like Larry Kudlow of CNBC and 
uber-mega-idiot John Stossel of ABC-News is that we could go back to $1.50 
gasoline if only congress would open the offshore exploration areas and the 
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This view is just plain erroneous. Nothing 
we get out of these regions will come close to offsetting the ongoing 
depletion of worldwide oil resources, or even arresting our own losses.
     Larry King had a particularly dreary debate Sunday night between Robert 
F. Kennedy, Jr., and a grab bag of "drill drill drill" advocates. Kennedy 
took the position that the US could achieve a sort of energy independence by 
massive deployments of wind and solar equipment. It's an understandable 
wish, I suppose, but not something I view as consistent with reality. The 
unfortunate part of the Larry King presentation is that it gives the public 
an idea that these two fantasies are the only possible responses to our 
predicament. No one is interested in changing our current behavior.
     In the background of these energy conundrums is the sickening spectacle 
of the nation's fatal insolvency, which remains partially disguised by the 
machinations of the Federal Reserve, using the various new loan "windows" to 
maintain the illusion that the major banks have not swindled themselves out 
of existence -- and in doing so, caused at least $3 trillion (so far) in 
capital to vanish in a black hole. This three-card-monte game has gone on 
for a whole year now, and the consequences are hitting home. No more money 
can be lent into existence now.
      One consequence is that other nations sitting on our exported dollars 
(from our massive trade deficit) have apparently decided to spend off those 
dollars rather than wait for the fullblown financial collapse of the nation 
issuing them. My guess is that they are spending those dollars on oil, the 
primary resource of industrial economies, and that they are prepared to 
outbid other contestants (including the USA) no matter what -- because they 
know the dollar is losing value, and that those losses are apt to accelerate 
over time, and what else would they spend them on? I suspect this is behind 
the rising price of oil more than anything else -- certainly more than the 
phantom "speculators" the right wing is yelling about -- and that behind the 
spending off of those exported dollars are the geological facts of oil being 
a finite resource inequitably distributed around the world.
      But to get back to my prior point, things are hitting home anyway, and 
with force. The US economy is crumbling because the way we conduct the 
activities of daily life is insane relative to our circumstances. We've 
spent sixty years ramping up a suburban living arrangement that has suddenly 
entered a state of failure, and all its accessories and furnishings are 
failing in concert. The far-flung McHouse tracts are becoming both useless 
and worthless in the face of gasoline prices that will never be cheap again. 
The strip malls and office "parks" are following the residential real estate 
off a cliff. The retail tenants of all those places are hemorrhaging 
customers who have maxed out every last credit card. The lack of business is 
now leading to substantial layoffs. The airline industry is dying and will 
probably cease to exist in its familiar form in 24 months. The trucking 
industry is dying, threatening the entire just-in-time distribution system 
of things that even people with little money to spend still need, like food.
      These conditions will now get a lot worse, no matter whether the banks 
continue to conceal their problems. All of it leads to an inflection point 
that coincides with the November election. By then, I expect that quite a 
few banks will be toast, job layoffs will rise spectacularly, foreclosures 
and bankruptcies will be raging across the land, and homeowners north of the 
magnolia belt will be shattered by the cost of staying warm this winter.
     All this hardship and woe will be blamed on the Republican party. It 
may actually kill off the party. Political parties do go out-of-business in 
American history, and this one deserves to die -- with its aggressive 
no-nothingism, its avaricious, punitive religious extremism (the religious 
part often being fake), its stunning inattention to financial malfeasance in 
areas under its direct supervision, and its gross incompetent mismanagement 
of the nation's strategic interests.
      That said, I will feel a little sorry for Mr. Obama if he gets to the 
White House. He'll have to find a gentle way to tell the truth to the people 
who elected him, people who will be suffering mightily, and who will be very 
sore about their losses. He'll have to tell them that the previous "release" 
of the American Dream software is obsolete, and the new version will require 
a whole lot more of them in the way of earnest effort, delayed 
gratification, and revised expectations.
      There's a whole lot we can do to greet the new circumstances awaiting 
us, but the one thing we can't afford to do is put all our efforts into 
keeping the current system running as is. Reality simply won't permit it. We 
would squander our dwindling remaining resources trying to keep it all 
going.  The next president is going to have to lead us through the awful 
process of cutting our losses. So far, the debate has been about how to 
avoid that.