I believe America is going to go through a big spiritual change.  We will have to try to come together and curb our addictions, weather they be debt/spending, alcohol, gambling or drugs.  Group help and getting back to nature will be a part of the cure.

I love spending time outside. From wild places like the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada mountains, to the mundane nature in my back yard, I find comfort in my natural experiences. These places are restful. Peaceful. They restore my batteries, and help me to focus. And I am not alone in these experiences. People around the world seek out natural experiences. Even when confined to built spaces, we add pets, plants, pictures, and momentos from nature. It is part of who we are, and these experiences in nature help us reflect on what is important in life.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=moral-call-of-the-wild

Originally from http://freedomarizona.org/2009/02/02/survivalism-how-to-prepare-for-the-economic-collapse/

Also a great discussion followed at http://www.phpbbplanet.com/damessageboard/viewtopic.php?t=6823&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&mforum=damessageboard

If this forecast holds true, and a major portion of our states file bankruptcy, there will be widespread panic, our state funded services and programs will be closed down immediately, and confusion amongst political leadership and the citizenry.

Not long after the states file bankruptcy, could we see martial law declared by the President of the United States, as a means to bring order and peace. Those who are not willing to comply with the mandates of the martial law will be hauled off to FEMA camps and military bases throughout the United States.

How can you prepare for this economic collapse now?

Food

• Begin stocking up your cabinets, pantries, and closets with non-perishable food items.
• Purchase a portable camping stove in case your home’s electricity is shut off.
• Start consuming a healthier diet so your body isn’t dependent on the processed and junk foods we’ve grown accustom to.
• If your have the space in your yard, plant and grow a garden.
• Stock up on vitamins and necessary supplements to ensure you stay healthy in the next Great Depression.

Household

• Discuss emergency plans with your family, roommates, friends, and/or loved ones.
• Store a stockpile of hygiene items including deodorant, toothpaste, towels, washcloths, and toilet paper.
• Make sure you have a hefty reserve of bottled water on hand, stored in a safe place.
• Keep extra pillows, sheets, and blankets in your closets.
• Have at least one shotgun, rifle, or handgun, if not more.
• Ensure you have enough ammunition to defend yourself, your household, and your loved ones in emergency situations.

Community

• Get to know your neighbors.
• Know who you can and cannot trust in your local community.
• Gather together with like-minded individuals in your community, choose designated methods of contact, and choose a few leaders.
• Pick a safe house, where your community coalition will go in emergency situations.
• Pick two alternative safe houses, in case the primary safe house becomes compromised.
• In times of peace, continue to make your community aware of political, social, and economic dangers.

Money

• Save paper and coin money in a safe place in your house.
• Invest in a small or medium size safe to store your money and other valuables.
• Slowly begin withdrawing from your savings and investment accounts on a regular basis. Store this money in a safe location.
• If you can purchase gold, buy it. Gold retains the same value no matter how low or high the currency markets go.
• Stop paying taxes to save money and force government leaders to listen to the citizenry, the people who put them in office.

Further Reading

Read the survival documents at:
http://www.textfiles.com/survival/

It’s better to prepare for the worse, and hope for the best.

Take Action

Remember the government belongs to the people and it’s our duty to ensure our rights and freedom.

Spread the Economic Collapse Newsletter [pdf] everywhere. Download. Print. Distribute.
John Paul Mitchell is a candidate in the 2010 Arizona Governor race. He’s also the published author of the book, “No More Taxes”. For more information on his candidacy and campaign, visit aznextgov.org. You should follow him on Twitter here.

link: http://freedomarizona.org/2009/02/02/survivalism-how-to-prepare-for-the-economic-collapse/

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if this stock market can rally a few more weeks (or at least not disintegrate) then this buys us time...

i have read that it wasn't until 1931 that people understood that things weren't gonna be the same. that was 2 years after the '29 crash. that would then correlate to 2010 this time. sounds about right.

last time we had brutal deflation with gold going up in value. i don't see any reason for anything different this time.

the answer to hyperinflation is fiat metals. get fiat metals. unless you want hyperinflation.

This just came in my inbox today.  Thought I'd pass it along.

Hi Folks,
 
I first want to thank you all for your prayers and concern over my emergency hospital stay last weekend.  Your e-mails, phone calls, and letters have been much appreciated.  At times like these when I need support the most it is so gratifying an experience to realize that there is a whole Tracker Community out there that cares about each other.  During my hospital stay I have even heard from students that had taken the Tracker Classes 28 and even 30 years ago.  Our collective Vision of saving the Earth also reaches to each other.  Your outpouring of concern made the sense of "family" that Grandfather so often spoke about a reality, manifested in your caring. 
 
Of course as Trackers you all want to know why I was in the hospital.  After all, it’s in the nature of a Tracker to ask the "sacred question" as to what happened and why.  Basically my journey to the hospital stay began over 30 years ago.  I had been hit in the side of the jaw by a baseball bat and had a molar badly broken off as a result of the blow.  No I wasn't playing baseball but was trying to apprehend a fugitive I had just tracked down who happen to be holding a baseball bat.  Well a long story short, he is doing life and I have had a life long struggle with the broken tooth.  Over the years the remainder of the tooth fragments have worked their way out, like a splinter, each with its own raging infection.  Several years ago I had thought that the tooth was finally gone as none of my dental x-rays showed any evidence of the tooth.  What the oral surgeon and I didn't know was that a fragment of tooth root had penetrated my sinus cavity and was lodged there, causing years of agonizing pain, sinus infections, and a laundry list of other problems. 
 
During my last dentist visit I complained that it felt like a splinter stuck in my gum where the tooth had been and the dentist found that I was running an infection inside of the gum.  He decided to open up the gum and as he cleaned out the infection he found and removed the tooth fragment.  A day after the surgery and during the Philosophy V class the right side of my face swelled to a point where I was unrecognizable.  Well back to the dentist to have the infection suctioned out again.  A day later, with my face fully swollen to a point where my eye felt welded shut, running a raging fever and excruciating pain, I was rushed to the hospital.  Then it was a few days of constant IV, bed rest, and absolute boredom.  I was told as I was being discharged from the hospital that if I would have waited to come in for another 12 hours or less I would have been dead.  Wake up call !!!!!!!!  I had realized that tooth infections can be dangerous but up until now I did not realize how dangerous and life threatening they could be. 
 
So yes, I had a near death experience once again in my life and like the other times I've done a lot of soul searching and yes there will be a lot of changes in my life for damn sure.
 
Thank You all for your love and endless support.
 
In Medicine,
 
Tom

Here is the latest from the trackerschool newsletter,

Hi Folks;
 
Several weeks ago we released our second Commitment series of classes, (the Medicinal Herb Compounding and Mixing Class) and the response was both immediate and overwhelming.  The class series booked solid within 10 days with many people on the waiting list.  During that 10 day period so many of my West coast students wanted to take the series of classes but due to the high cost of airfare and time away they could not make it happen.  Many asked if I would be running a similar class when I am in California.  Well it is now going to happen.  During the time I am running the Standard and Grandfather Classes in California I am going to run the Wild Medicinal Herbal Compounding class over a 3 weekend period.  The classes will be held the weekend before the Standard Class, the weekend between the Standard and Grandfather Class, and on the weekend after the Grandfather Class.  Everything about these classes will be the same as I am running here at the New Jersey site except the homework end of the class will have to extend well beyond the final class date.  I would suggest that if you are at all interested in these classes contact us right away as the Herbal Compounding class here booked very quickly.
 
In my book The Vision, in the chapter called "The Healing" I write; "We accompanied Grandfather on his journeys of healing whenever possible.  He would use us to gather his fresh herbs, shortly after he had decided what herbs the patient would need.  We also helped him make and mix various herbal medications and assisted in their administration.  That way, we too learned to become herbalists, from start to finish.  We observed his analysis of a patient.  He explained to us what he needed and why, and helped us blend and mix the herbs.  He taught us how to give the herbs to the patient at what time and how frequently.  The teachings went far beyond the basic use of herbs and into the complicated mixtures of primary plants and catalysts.  We knew which plants were toxic yet medicinal, and how to remove that toxicity through the introduction of other plants.  We learned the best way there was to learn, through doing.....”
 
This Commitment Class will focus on Medicinal Herbal Mixtures, compounds, tinctures, and so much more.   If you want to take your medicinal herbal skills to the next level than this Commitment Class series is for you.  This is going to be a very intense and complicated series of classes with plenty of hands-on workshops.  Please remember that this class will probably fill as quickly as the East Coast Medicinal Herbal Mixtures Class did, so don't delay.
 
In Medicine,
 
Tom
 
A note from Sara:
If you would like to be apart of the West Coast Commitment Class on Medicinal Herbal Mixtures please fill out an application here on the website, you can either fax or mail in your application with the first installment of $800.
 
This set of Commitment Series is open to all Standard Students!
 
The class dates and payment schedule for Medicinal Herbal Mixtures are as follows:
 
1st Session April 11th-13th, 2009                            $800 due upon registration
2nd Session April 18th-19th, 2009                            $800 due March 1st, 2009
3rd Session April 25th-27th, 2009                            $800 due April 1st, 2009
 
Please note that these classes are limited to 40 students and that you MUST commit to ALL three dates.  Each class will be held at Camp Lindblad in Boulder Creek, California.  Class will start on the first day at 2pm and will end on the last day around 4pm.  Once the class list is finalized will we send out a group email with more logistical information.
 
As always if you have any questions please contact me by either calling me at 609-242-0350 or emailing me at registration@trackerschool.com.
 
Take care,
Sara
Registrar
 
Tracker L.L.C.
PO Box 927
Waretown, NJ 08758
P: 609-242-0350
F: 609-242-0352
www.trackerschool.com

Here is a good reason to learn some survival skills.  As Tom Brown Jr calls it, "The ultimate insurance". 

We are 3 in the home, 2 adults and 1 child. We both have a job, but my husband has lost his extra hours, but he is the main source of income. I have been laid off, but i was allowed to continue working at a 50% position. So the income of the home has been cut by 50-70%.

We bought a property some 45 minute drive outside the capital and i drive to work every day to the capital. It costs us around 40-50 thousand just gas per month. So after i was laid off it does not pay off to drive to work, in terms of income and expenses, but i can not afford to quit working .. so we do not know what we can do. As is, there are no jobs available at this place we live at. My husband works in Keflavik which is a 15 minute drive, and has a 12 hour shift plan and is a project manager.

We have two cars, the loans of them have raised by just about 10 thousand ISK per month. We can not afford to buy winter tires for the cars or pay the loans of them, the payments are piling up. I was offered to freeze the loans on the cars and pay for the next three months only 50% of the dues, but to do so i have to pay all the bills that are behind and the automobile tax which is around 120 thousand ISK of the both cars. So we will probably lose the cars, and when that happens we can not do our jobs since we both have to drive out of this town to get to work.

Read the rest here: http://newsfrettir.com/alive/?page_id=159

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1714714.htm

At the end of 2008, there are three consumer marketplaces that are experiencing record sales volumes—firearms, precious metals, and emergency storage food. Crisis preparedness is increasingly the theme for those seeking a refuge for their money and comfort from their concerns.

Minneapolis (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 6, 2008 – Gun dealers all over the United States are having a hard time keeping any inventory on hand for anxious customers. Reports are that guns and ammunition are selling at levels up to 50% higher than previous records.

The demand for gold has similarly erupted—Q3 of 2008 showed global sales 45% higher than the quarter before, which itself set the previous high-water mark.

Survival gear and emergency food producers are shipping product as fast as they can get it through their facilities and onto the loading docks. Using packaging technologies that deliver shelf lives measured in years and even decades, producers of storage food are experiencing unprecedented demand today for their products.

Victor Rantala, owner of the crisis preparedness company Safecastle LLC, said: “Our business volume this year will triple over last year, and most of this increased activity has come in the last 3-4 months.

“By far, our best seller right now is Mountain House freeze-dried food. It stores for more than 25 years, it’s easy to prepare, and it tastes great. Outdoorsmen and adventurers consider it a preferred staple. Our customers, those who are looking at a future that looks very uncertain, see it as a way to lock in today’s prices and to ensure a level of peace of mind that is hard to otherwise put a value on.”

In response to the overwhelming demand for storage food and strains on customers’ budgets, Safecastle is offering an end-of-the-year sale on Mountain House freeze dried food in cans—which offer the longest shelf life of any storage food on the market. All Mountain House cans are 25% off list and ship for free to the continental U.S.A. The sale is running at the Safecastle Royal Buyers Club from December 6 to December 19.

Said Rantala, “Anxiety and bearish outlooks abound wherever one cares to look today. There’s precious little a concerned citizen can do in reaction to global forces spinning out of control. But we all do what we can. At Safecastle, we’re particularly happy to give our customers this holiday-season opportunity to become better positioned for what looks like rough times ahead.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1714714.htm

I just recieved a email from onPoint Tactical regarding their new 2009 schedule.  I'm re-posting it below. You can visit there site here: http://www.onpointtactical.com/

2009
Class Schedule

Check out our exciting New Classes
And New Locations

upcoming | events
   
12/11/2008-12/13/2008, Northern Indiana
Trapline: Learning to trap and process game
Students will be learning to make and set snares in the quest for game animals. They will make snares in the shop, then accompany master trapper Kel...
   
1/8/2009-1/10/2009, NJ/Philadelphia
Scout Urban Escape and Evasion
Surviving in a hostile urban environment requires different skills than those used in wilderness survival. This course teaches the basic escape and e...
   
1/19/2009-1/21/2009, Orlando, FL
Scout Urban Escape and Evasion
Surviving in a hostile urban environment requires different skills than those used in wilderness survival. This course teaches the basic escape and evasion...
   
1/24/2009-1/24/2009, Tabernacle, NJ 08088
Land Navigation
Students will learn how to navigate using a map and compass. This decidedly low-tech approach will teach the skills necessary to survive as a Scout w...
   
1/29/2009-1/31/2009, NJ/Philadelphia
Scout Urban Survival
While on an international business trip, you are kidnapped and held for ransom. A terrorist attack closes the business district and you find yourse...
   
2/5/2009-2/7/2009, Tabernacle, NJ 08088
Scout Trapping
This course will introduce students to the principles of "man trapping" and will teach several primitive traps to reinforce human trapping principles....

Scout Urban Survival Class

    The city you once called home collapses and you suddenly find yourself in a hostile concrete jungle.  What do you do?  How do you survive and thrive for an extended period of time? 

     The Scout Urban Survival course provides the necessary skills and training to survival for an extended period in an urban or even suburban setting.  Topics covered include sheltering in place vs. evacuation strategies, food and equipment storage, home heating, water storage and purification, grid-down repairs, off-grid medical care, long-term survival supply acquisition (urban foraging), urban trapping (to acquire protein), and home defense.