2023 SHIT SHOW


So I guess I have to get something in here to say I did something in the year 2023, SO here goes.

If you have not been under a rock (that might actually be an improvement) then you would already know that not a damn thing has changed in the world,  it still sucks and is still going to shit at an ever-increasing rate and I am still shocked we have not already let all worst-case scenarios fly. Maybe 2024 will be it because what do we have left but the big one and that to me is China vs. Taiwan and the rest of the world and that should make Russia / Ukraine or Isreal vs. the Middle East look like a 5-year-old playdate. Either way, I say stock it deep and don't sell for any price, and hold on to those you love because hell who knows anymore. Take care all and we will see you in the afterlife or the wasteland or whatever comes first now where is my wine.


Prepology 

Russia, China, Ukraine, Taiwan and Uncle Sam

 

     Russia, China, Ukraine, Taiwan, and Uncle Sam are in the news more and more and will be pumped for all they are worth for the distraction value they bring in taking as many eyes off  Covid and the domestic failures of the current administration as they can. We have a weak POTUS right now and both Russia and China see that far better than those in our own country.

     As things stand right now I will throw my thoughts out here and now, when it comes to Russia moving forward with its invasion of Ukraine it will happen and we the United States and the EU will do nothing more than protest and at the most put into place additional sanctions but nothing more.

     The reason why in my opinion the EU will not get involved directly is that Russia has an energy strangelhold over them, Sanctions of some sort maybe but sanctions mean nothing when the natural gas gets turned off and you freeze to death. Russia while not quite the powerhouse it once was is still a very formidable adversary that you do not want to tangle with especially when they are in their own region. 

     With respect to the United States getting involved over the Ukraine issue I am leaning toward a very slight chance that the US gets directly involved, I do see sanctions as well as the funneling of arms to Ukraine as far more likely ( We are already doing this ) In summation the EU and the US just do not have for the most part anything to gain by going up against Russia in Ukraine and to be honest I think that by the time the world would be able to reach to the invasion it would be all over and Russia would hold most of the country and no world power wants to dig out a Russian bear. 

     China invading Taiwan for me is the larger global concern I believe this invasion will happen in my opinion, and the United States will be involved. Taiwan makes close to 90% of all semiconductor chips and has long been considered Chinese soil and they want it back for both reasons. We have all seen how China respects human rights and laws, ponder the plight of Hong Kong, Uyghurs, Tibet, and any other of the dozens of atrocities they have committed so you can only imagine how the people of Taiwan would be treated. Add to that the stranglehold the Chinese would put on the rest of the world when they have control of the semiconductor industry, this can not happen. 

     As I have said I do believe the invasion will happen and China will choose very carefully when they attack and again the United States, as well as several other countries will be drawn in. China must strike very hard and very fast to achieve this, they must overwhelm the defenses of Taiwan's land, naval, and air forces before US naval carrier groups can aid in defense. Japan has pledged support and following that England, as well as Australia, could lend support if in a position to do so. Indian may be a player as well considering their growing economic ties. 

     There is no doubt that one or maybe both of these potential conflicts may happen and the implications of the top 6 militaries (US, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea) all for the most part being involved will be huge, add into this 4 of these nations have nuclear capability and the potential for escalation while always there can not be discounted.


Stay frosty my friends.

Prepology






 

So 2021 told 2020 to hold my beer

      So 2021 told 2020 to hold my beer and that begs the question of what 2022 will bring.


     2021 ended up as much of a $hit show as the previous year "14 days to slow the spread" has turned into years now and if the control freaks have their way it will last much longer. We also have the .gov spending money on projects that will not be completed until several years into the future! Are they taking a precautionary outlook in our best interests or do they want to keep a massive amount of peeps on edge over this. 

     The .gov could not fight it's way out of wet paper bag no matter what party is in office, they have done one thing well though and that is to get the masses to be as divided against each other and be very dependant on big daddy gov. Never should you be more afraid of big government and the last 2 years should be all the proof you need. 

     If any person in this country can say with a straight face that they honestly believe things in this country are in good working order well I have a bridge to sell you. I have said before that we in this country are living on the shirt-tails of the past, we no longer produce or even lead the way in many new technologies but we import and debt our souls into everything new and shiny and all the while dumbing ourselves down to the lowest common denominator. 

     I find it hard to predict what will happen in these next few years but I do not see us coming together on much of anything either foreign or domestic. Take your pick on the issues: Civil strife, China, Russia, North Korea, Economics, Venomous Ducks, Disease or Plague, Mother-in-law, Middle East, Food Shortages, all jesting aside the world is a very fragmented place and we are for the most part just along for the ride while a very small few decide what shitstorm gets thrown our way next. 

     2020 and 2021 has shown us that almost anything can happen and will happen, from lockdowns, shortages, to unemployment, nothing screams vulnerability more. All this and being prepared is still looked down upon but it does seem to be slowly creeping into the mainstream until things get better and then all will be forgotten again. While everyone waits for the "Big one" I am equally concerned with the slow slide that is happening all around us, at the micro-level it may not seem like much but if you look at it in the macro it is clear as day. While the direction of humanity may be clear as day far too many people go out of their way to not see it or outright deny it, everyone wants to feel safe without actually being safe. 

     If you are still with me after what may be considered a gloom and doom article then great because I never try and leave an article on a sour note, I always try and leave on a better note, That said I will give my opinion on how to make it better. I can not overstate how important location, location, location,  and a primary subcategory to that is GET OUT OF THE CITIES. There are few better things that you can do than put as much distance between yourself and cities. 

     Cities equal people and there are no other species as ruthless, vile, dangerous, and evil, look at any black Friday shopping event when the doors open and people fight over the television that is half price! just imagine if that was food they were after. If we were in another lockdown with shortages again, think of the toilet paper aisle on steroids. I will not trust my fellow man when times are tough in a city when we are so deep in the new ME ME ME world. To me a city only offers me one thing and that is high-level trauma centers, everything else you can workaround. 

     Rural living can bring a peace and security level that you just can not get in a city, people again are the focus. Far less people live in a rural setting and those that do want to be there and in my opinion are cut from a different cloth. The bonds you can and will make will be far stronger and by default, you will look out for each other. The advantages of being able to live in a more self-sufficient way will also bring a sense of pride and confidence, we have lost that as a society. Rural living does have it's challenges but life is full of challenges and anyone that puts in an honest effort can meet and surpass any and all challenges thrown their way.

     I hope this may spur in some a reflection of where you are in both life and location and help you make good choices that will benefit how and where you live, decisions and actions have consequences that either help or hurt you so choose wisely.

     "May you live interesting times" while a famous quote is now an understatement, I would add dangerous but opportunity, much like the red pill or the blue pill..... you decide!

Prepology.

     














Corona virus - Why not

Covid-19

     
The Corona Virus, Is there anything else out there at the moment on the minds of just about everyone in the world that is not living under a rock?





     Well as it is now being labeled a pandemic by the W.H.O. what are you and what can you do about it ? The hot word of the day is "Social Distancing" Nothing new for me I have been doing it for years but we are a social animal and need out interactions, You might want to change that for a while. 

     There is a lot going on in the news today that is actually clearing shelves everywhere in the country of you guessed it.....Toilet paper. It has flown off the shelves and out the door along with a whole host of other supplies that you would associate with hurricane and bad weather events, eggs, milk and bread. The country is in a panic over this and if we look at the stock market you can see the fear gripping that as well as circuit breakers trip and records set for losses in a week but hey gas is getting pretty cheap right ;)

    But seriously if you are reading this then you have seen the writing on the wall for a few weeks and added to your hurricane, bad weather, social unrest, alien takeover and the like. Many people are just this week doing a double take at the news or what a fellow co-worker has said and thought it might be time to put a little extra into the kitchen cabinet.... Good I think you should considering that the average person has under a week of food at home. 

     If you are new here I would like to suggest the following basic supplies that actually do not at all seem out of the ordinary from what you might get over the coarse of a few shopping trips but with supplies dwindling with out just in time shipping it may be wise to put a little extra in the grocery cart.

     We are most happy when we have what we normally have to eat, put aside going out to eat for a while as that puts you in contact with people and let me tell you that even those 5 star restaurants are nasty and dirty trust me, not only that but people are really lax about washing hands, they just are so if you can cut back on the eating out.

     Now your list, buy what you eat its just that simple and the only change I would make is to just add to it but I would put an emphasis on some items that last longer, do not need refrigeration and can be eaten with as little preparation as possible, simple right? 
  
     My list and it has been shortened down a bit for brevity and generalization. 

  1. Water (Because you can just not have enough)
  2. Bleach (Disinfecting surfaces or worst case used to purify questionable water)
  3. Canned foods ( open can insert spoon, done ) 
  4. Batteries ( More uses that you can list on a chalk board )
  5. Soup making ingredients ( big pot, lots of options and pretty easy ) 
  6. Pastas, rice, beans ( It may get old but it is pretty easy and cheap ) 
  7. Spices ( DO I really need to explain here lol )
  8. Canned meats or regular meats if you are sure you will not lose power 
  9. Paper products, Toilet paper, paper towels and paper plates ( Clean butts and less water usage )
  10. General cleaning supplies (Gotta keep things clean) 
     This is a very basic list that can be manipulated to do what you need to work for you and is in now way complete, It could go into the hundreds of items but honestly nobody would want to read that so keep it simple, basics rule. 

     Keep in mind the 5 basics.

  • Food
  • Water 
  • Shelter 
  • Protection
  • Information
     Everything else is a luxury.

KYPD 















U.S. VS. China Battle on Trade

I am down 6K in the market, And I DO NOT CARE.

     Unless you have been living under a rock or deep in your bugout hole you might have heard we have a little tiff with China about trade and it will probably get worse, Good.

So down 6K and I say Good, Why. Simply stated we needed this to happen a very long, long time ago, We have been the suckers of the world for the past 100 years and with respect to china the last 30 at least. Now I am by no means an economist, guru, or any other specialist in the field but from where I sit I know and most everyone should know that we have been getting the short stick when it comes to China trade, Until now. China is being challenged by a president who is beholden to no one and has a business background that very few presidents in recent memory have, Like him or hate him we needed this the cycle to break.

Far too many Americans and businesses do not have the intestinal fortitude to rock the boat, they are perfectly happy to accept the status quo of relations, the idea of this,  lets call it what it is a minor pain is what I am completely happy with in order to get a better long term and fair deal so yes I do not care that I am down 6K.

China needs growth to support it's growing working middle class and this does hurt them both directly and indirectly, there is a lot of noise about who really pays for tariffs, in reality we all do the US and China, the workers and the consumers and yes they are big numbers being thrown around, millions and billions. In the end though at the consumer level they are pretty small and well within our means to absorb and lets be honest you might not even notice it, business will go on as usual and you will still buy "Stuff" that you may not really need in the first place, Think about that.

I saw a massive amount of hate at what happened with the tweets on Friday that sent the markets south and all I could think was everyone getting all upset about their temporary loss and their greed not getting fulfilled, Pissing and moaning about money versus doing what is right and it really goes to show where our priorities have gone in this country for some but not all of the country. The markets go up and they go down and it seems that when it goes down everyone gets riled up especially new traders but in reality it is very healthy for some volatility and it always recovers to new highs, if a deal were signed tomorrow the markets would explode and money would be made and all would be forgotten at least till the net time.

Take care all.

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