Prepping 101: Are We Being Played?

Authors Paul Helinski Prepping 101

I make a habit of checking assumptions when I believe something that a lot of other people believe. When I am online these days, all of the ad tracking systems have me pegged as a “prepper,” and I get ads for everything from freeze dried food to gold bullion. I have become a commodity, and it has made me feel like perhaps I should do a little research into just how imminent this global collapse is likely to be.

If you take a snapshot of our financial system right now, it appears that things are about to fall over. But has it been like this a long time, and are these newly found fears like walking up to the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the first time and screaming, "GET OUT OF THE WAY SHE'S ABOUT TO GO OVER!"  ????

If you take a snapshot of our financial system right now, it appears that things are about to fall over. But has it been like this a long time, and are these newly found fears like walking up to the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the first time and screaming, “GET OUT OF THE WAY SHE’S ABOUT TO GO OVER!” ????


Imagine if you had never heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and one day you were walking along and walked up to it. Wouldn’t you charge forward into the crowd on the leeward side and scream at them to get out of the way? Wouldn’t you call them stupid and “can’t you see that the thing is about to go over?” The tower began to sink after construction had progressed to the second floor in 1178. Restoration was done to keep it from evening itself out in the last decade, and it actually leans less now.

First of all, I’m not a fool. The government has really been constructing a system of nationwide “FEMA Camps” since many of our freedoms were stripped away after 911. They really are buying billions of rounds of ammunition, enough to sustain a ground war for 10 years. They really have militarized the police to levels not seen since Nazi Germany. And yes they even have brought in troops from other nations to train to take over our cities. If you care to spend $24.95, you can order a whole set of videos from Alex Jones that will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that something is afoot, and that there is a plan.

The question is, with all of the publicity garnered from Alex Jones and others, is the fruition of that plan imminent? Many would argue that it has to be, because our entire financial system is in the process of melting down.

Watch this three and a half hour video below. It was made in 1996, during a period of imminent prosperity in the US, and at a time when the “assault weapon’s ban” was coming into existence. The world seemed to be ending then, 15 years ago. If you take the time to actually watch the whole video, you’ll discover that there has been a war between the private bankers and the issuance of actual government money since the beginning of our country. Benjamin Franklin even said that the Revolutionary War occurred specifically for this reason, because King George took away the colonists right to print their own currency. The narrator, Bill Still, goes on to explain that several presidents have tried to create US Treasury money, and they have systematically been killed. If you ever wondered what was meant by “Abolish the Federal Reserve,” this is it. It means abolish money borrowed into existence by private banks (95% of our money right now), and replace it with money created and controlled by the country itself. Below it is the updated version that is shorter, and that won the best documentary film of 2010. It relates the history of our financial system to the Wizard of Oz movie. Great stuff.

You have to watch the video(s). It is an interesting premise, and one based 100% on history. A major point of the film is to explain to people that a “gold backed” currency is not the answer. This I found interesting, and that in particular made me ask myself if I was just being played for a fool by the same bankers that are running things now. A sudden downturn may rise a call for a “gold backed currency” from the prepper crowd. For me, not so much anymore. Please judge for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments below.

This is Bill’s updated movie, put out in 2010:

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  • stevenr.f. September 21, 2014, 6:08 am

    Prepping makes no sense if it’s only for a certain kind of extreme event of less likelihood. It makes tons of sense if it makes my life better whether or not things go bad, or if it’s just a life-event like a job loss, a local disaster, or something regional, national or global. That’s why prepping as doomsday preppers do it just doesn’t work for me. Living much more like my grandparents did does. “Homesteaders with a better gun cabinet” fits nicely. Ya’ll check out http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com for a solid take on prepping.

  • THOMAS JEFFERSON August 25, 2014, 10:33 pm

    Remember 1776 ???…all you doubting Thomas sheeple
    “Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you”
    ~ Benjamin Franklin~
    WAKE UP AMERIKA INFOWARS.COM
    P.S. Read SILENT WEAPONS FOR QUITE WARS… and Buy more Guns and Ammo…
    http://educate-yourself.org/cn/silentweaponsquietwarsmay79.shtml
    I’m prepped are you? And no you can’t have any of my food or ammo supply if the SHTF… 😉

    • Russ August 26, 2014, 12:32 pm

      HOLY CRAP T.J. That’s a ton of information that confirms many of the hunches I’ve had on what’s going on.
      I sincerely hate being right!
      But thank you for putting it out there.

  • Russ August 25, 2014, 9:40 pm

    So, back to the original Question
    Are we being played?
    No.
    We are gleaming tons of information from each other to do what we want with it.
    Hopefully all of it combined in this “information age” will make us better off.
    I appreciate all the opinions I read good or bad, right or wrong, I’m better “prepped” because of it.

  • Russ August 25, 2014, 9:35 pm

    So, back to the original Question
    Are we being played?
    No.
    We are gleaming tons of information from each other to do what we want with it.
    Hopefully all of it combined it in this “information age” will make us better off.
    I appreciate all the opinions I read good or bad, right or wrong, I’m better “prepped” because of it.

  • Marawuti August 25, 2014, 9:04 pm

    The arguments about scarcity with respect to noble metals as a “backing” for money / currency are fascinating. The tenor of lack of trust of government is a wise one. G. Washington said “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”

    Government can use force to take away your gold and other commodities if they accumulate enough power – followers and resources. What can’t they take away from you all?
    Knowledge.

    Cryptocurrency is based in knowledge alone. For all of the new-age feel of it the scarcity is mathematically as near to absolute as we can get, and more importantly its possession is based on knowledge only – numbers that we can maintain even if only in our heads.

    For me, and I’m not trying to make believers of anyone, the fascinating thing about cryptocurrencies is that they give the governments of the world the middle digit – pun intended.

    For those of you who argue that with a sufficiently large EMP effect there will no longer be computers or networks, you’re possibly correct. Though being a technologist I doubt it. But, I would bet there are sufficiently ornery folks out there who might insist on you using the keys to the kingdom. 😉

    BTW, I own no bit coins.

  • Steve from Maryland August 25, 2014, 5:26 pm

    If all you say is true, then we are doomed. If I truly believed, as you do, I would take a walk in the woods with my colt.

    • Russ August 26, 2014, 12:21 pm

      Common Steve, Be strong.
      Don’t give up and fall like the masses.
      Put down the phone, stop watching crap TV, move away from the computer.
      Have a good time working out, or just get out and go smell some roses. Better yet, plant some.
      Stand tall, but don’t forget to duck, we need the good to survive.

  • DINOMITE August 25, 2014, 5:23 pm

    I think, if Obama stays in for 3 more years, it won’t matter what you have to protect you from the falling dollar.
    We will probably be dead or starving. Look at the man, he has lost all intrest in being President and any foreign
    enemy could walk in and Obama would just hand them the keys to this most wonderful country.
    Gold, Silver, Oil or even ” TOLET PAPER” could be what we use for barter, after all, isn’t that what money is, a form
    of “BARTER”.

    • Russ August 26, 2014, 12:09 pm

      Your right DINOMITE, hey that rhymes.
      Bartering is where we’re headed and it will be done by the average people.
      Precious metals are for those that already have it all.
      They possess more than they need, so gold and silver will be their mad money, or extra life insurance.
      Good for them I guess.
      Personally, If I were filthy rich, I would spread it out to my family then friends.
      And finally help others, maybe invent things to make life better. I’m not a hoarder.
      Actually, thinking about it, I already do this and I don’t even have all my $#!T together.
      I think I’ll go out and treat myself to a new gun and a large box of ammo. ; )

  • Durwood M. Dugger August 25, 2014, 5:13 pm

    For all the prepper gold aficionados out there: Consider that gold has little if any functional value. You don’t require it to live. Shinny or not it’s useless.

    Our current economy left gold because of the industrial revolution and the invention of the internal combustion engine – when our economy became defined by our energy resources. Our economy today is based on functional resource wealth – energy and other critical food and shelter production resources.

    Regardless of how much our gov. abuses our functional resource economic base’s collateral value with its currency printing presses, functional critical resources will necessarily remain the basis of global economies. Consequently, gold will never return as a rational and logical economic basis – because of its lack of critical functionality and its rarity due to depletion – not enough to serve as a durable currency. Because it’s shiny – it will always attract those fascinated by shinny things.

    However, defendable resources that provide families with dependable food, shelter, and water will continue to be the only insurance of survival in this world of declining resources per person. A world whose critical resources – and therefore the basis of its real economy are continuing to be diluted and depleted by an unsustainable (by 4x) human population that continues dramatic growth despite all the happy talk out of the UN, World Bank and CIA population models – about some countries declining populations – of which their are 19 out of 237 countries. Global population continues to increase at 1.3% per year – if you believe you can accurately survey global population by satellite. The US’s population also continues to grow simply because we have no economic model that functions with declining populations. Our real leadership (not the political puppets – you don’t really believe we have two party system do you?) is at a loss of what to do – and it shows.

    Our leaders – as incapable as they are – have done the population/critical resource math and they know what’s coming – if nothing changes. Whether the gov. preparations do us any good as individuals – is an entirely different question. Depending on a positive answer is probably lethal. The gov. knows the end of cheap critical resources is very near and they have prepared for the chaos when the shortages come. Best estimates are that current resources (peak food and peak phosphorus) will become critical in less than two decades. Worst case is – literally tomorrow, in the event of global scale disasters or wars that eat critical resources at much faster rates than normal. The only thing that might change this equation is the discovery of an energy source that is a fraction of the cost of current energy costs. Whether and how much you prepare for an uncertain future should depend on how probable you think such and energy source’s reality is in at no more than the next twenty years.

  • J. Livingston August 25, 2014, 3:33 pm

    I do not trust Alex Jones completely but his information is a must read, glean what you can,
    his guests are ist rate

  • bob h August 25, 2014, 1:53 pm

    Its just my opinion of course but the answer to the question posed- are ‘preppers’ being played?- is a resounding YES if a ‘prepper’ is a person preparing to survive an apocalyptic upheaval and the total breakdown of society. There have been instances throughout history of societies being totally destroyed in a relatively short span of time but those instances have invariably been when a vastly more technologically advanced group invaded their territory, when the Spanish conquistadors armed with firearms and steel destroyed the Stone Age Aztecs. Is there a such advanced group today that poses a similar situation vis a vis the USA? Nope. The other way societies have crumbled in the past is by their slow decline over many years/decades/centuries. Witness the Roman, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires.
    Those of us alive today won’t live long enough to see the posited dissipation of our civilization unless one of three things happens: an invasion by a vastly more advanced species from outside our solar system; a nuclear war or; the Apocalypse predicted in the Old Testament. There is no reason to believe that the first is likely. If the second occurs the resulting nuclear winter will eradicate most life on Earth in a few years anyway. If the third happens then all the canned food, bottled water, weapons, etcetera won’t save anyone from “God’s wrath”.

    • Don August 25, 2014, 2:23 pm

      And the US government is not more technologically advanced than the majority of the US population? If you are a 102 years old, you are right, you may not live long enough to see our downfall, and again you might!! Since you are quoting the Bible, shouldn’t you keep your lamp full of oil?

    • Durwood M. Dugger August 25, 2014, 5:41 pm

      Reading the comments herein, I see that most of you need to update your apocalyptic theories and scenarios. Basic math says that our demise as species under current circumstances will come from resource depletion. Not that we will sit quietly, politely and peaceably starve to death – while food production drops drastically below what the Green (NPK) Revolution has provided our growing population. Or, because we become impoverished by the negative economic impacts caused to food production by peak petroleum and peak phosphates. By our governments preparations we can see clearly that trouble is expected.

      More likely our resource competition will result in war. Probably not nuclear war (too much infrastructure and resource damage that doesn’t benefit or serve the winners goals). That leaves a bioweapons war for which we become more technically capable daily. Such a bioweapons war would likely be disguised as a global pandemic and its source technically occluded. Probability says it will be secretly initiated by the most densely populated of nations. In any case, some will likely survive. The probability for survival is always on what most would call the luckiest – otherwise known as the best prepared. Generally, the initiator would be probably be the best prepared – he knows what’s coming.

      For low density population countries like the US and Canada – without a massive immunization program a high mortality bioweapon does not benefit them. It could reduce our numbers below a level to recover, maintain infrastructure or be effectively governed. On a comparable percent survival basis, it would allow a more densely populated aggressor to not only survive, maintain their infrastructures – but they could effectively invade and seize the resources of the respective highly depopulated countries.

      Now if yours truly can come up with this strategy, can’t you imagine that much smarter people around the world have also thought of it.

      • Russ August 25, 2014, 9:25 pm

        Individuals and small packs will survive without the common resources you mention just by being in isolated areas away from the masses and living off the same things that nature dose in these areas. Copy the nature around you and insert yourself into it without depleting it. Maybe even enhance it.
        You just need a better understanding of all nature.
        There are many vast cave systems full of life.

  • JK August 25, 2014, 1:01 pm

    While I like to shoot, train, collect guns and keep some goods on-hand for an emergency, i.e. being a responsible head of household, I won’t be taking this stuff with me when I die nor will our children or children’s children when they too eventually pass as all preps are temporal. A legacy left of Jesus Christ’s love, repentance, and holiness will be FAR more valuable to our loved ones and society than a warehouse full or preps.

    Nothing against those that “prep” as it’s a simple matter of being responsible, like having insurance. I “prep” as well to a certain extent for this reason. But it’s easy to get consumed by this stuff. Especially reading Alex Jones and those that sensationalize and can exacerbate obsessive prepping behavior.

    • JCitizen August 25, 2014, 5:58 pm

      Yep! Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, and how the birds of the air do not toil. However, if one preps for everyone instead of just himself and his family – I think the Lord will bless such an individual – just as long as he thinks of everyone that is possible.

    • Russ August 25, 2014, 9:08 pm

      Would I be wrong to do both?
      Former Boy Scout and Lifeguard.
      I like being prepared and want my family to survive and prosper.

  • dGb August 25, 2014, 11:47 am

    It is time to throw the bath water out: But keep the baby

  • Don Reneau August 25, 2014, 11:16 am

    In 1964 I could buy a gallon of gas for 2 silver dimes. I can do the same today with 2 silver dimes and would have some fiat change coming back.

    • Russ August 25, 2014, 9:01 pm

      Don, aren’t we talking about SHTF scenario?
      More like you pull up to the pump and they jack your car and someone else steals your clothes followed by the freaks that butcher you for dinner.
      Your 2 silver dimes will get melted down to make one .22 cal bullet
      Better start to think real clear on human behavior.

  • SFG August 25, 2014, 11:09 am

    All I know is that you cannot eat Gold. If the sh*t hits the fan I don’t want to be sitting on a pile of shiny metal bars that I can neither eat nor build shelter out of or even use to physically defend myself with. UM DUH!!!!!! Just think too that when you buy gold at $1500 per ounce you are buying it from someone who spent $350 per ounce for that gold. And if it is so valuable why exactly are they selling it? I would buy copper and lead and a whole lotta brass!!!!!!

    • Mar August 25, 2014, 11:35 am

      SFG,
      “All I know is that you cannot eat Gold”…..Then you best get educated because what you don’t know can harm you. Ie: We have gone through the mad max scenario you envision and are now rebuilding, trading, bartering, etc. A little silver or gold might come in handy, No?
      Ignore what they say and pay close attention to what they do and how they do it.

    • Ruppert Jenkins August 25, 2014, 1:59 pm

      Yes. We are all aware we cannot “eat” gold. I’ve been hearing this for decades. We also cannot eat paper currency or our metal coins.
      But, nobody is advising you to sink all your money into gold, and at the same time do no preparation.
      Smart people are doing a little of both. Storing food and water and supplies, AND having a little gold on hand as well.
      Buying gold and buying food for storage are NOT mutually exclusive.
      Too many of you have been presenting this false choice for years. Just think.

      • JCitizen August 25, 2014, 5:54 pm

        My father and mother already did the prepping for us on the gold and silver, so I concentrate on the more usual supplies. However, if folks are gonna eat and don’t have guns and ammo, who are they going to go to? – Me! – I got a LOT of it! HA! I can also teach folks how to farm, as that is what our family has done for over one hundred years.

        • Russ August 25, 2014, 8:52 pm

          Your very generous, I commend that.
          You may put them to work for you and start up a town with loyal defenders and diversely able bodied citizens.
          Good for you. Still, stock up on lead, peace through power.

  • Mar August 25, 2014, 11:01 am

    re: Big Mike
    With a society of more than 30 people, you will never get full agreement on what has intrinsic value. It boils down to a philosophical question. Therefore, why not use something commonly known to most men to be of value due to its scarcity and its historic value since recorded times.
    Interesting that central banks all around the world are currently busy buying this item up by the metric ton.
    (Ignore what they say and pay very close attention to what they do and how they do it.)

    • Rattlerjake August 25, 2014, 8:19 pm

      The only reason that gold has value is due to an imaginary demand, and who sets that demand. It’s no different than art, or gemstones, or collectables, or any number of other objects. Humans over the ages have been indoctrinated to desire specific “rare” or difficult to obtain items. Land is about the only you can own that will ALWAYS have value. Precious metals, gems, art, etc. could at any time be deemed worthless, but at least with land you can live on it and grow/hunt food to survive. I have several caches with items that will be in demand when SHTF, items that will be used for barter if necessary (food, water, ammo, basic medical items, even liquor) . When SHTF, the rich with all of their precious “junk” will give it away by the handful just to get the basic necessities that they have not stored or planned for; that $1500 oz of gold might buy a loaf of bread.

  • chilichef August 25, 2014, 10:07 am

    Money is worth whatever you can buy with it. So long as US Dollars can buy US farmland, US oil and gas fields, US broadcasting companies, it is worth something. This is why the US Dollar is the world currency; as much as Russia and China would like to see the world using their currencies, Russia and China will refuse to allow foreigners to purchase means of production; or they will require that you ‘partner’ with a local, or they will seize the assets if you do buy those assets. They’ll be happy to sell you products with their currency, but try to buy an oil field in Russia or China.

  • Gregory Romeu August 25, 2014, 9:52 am

    Bottom line… If I have water, food, ammo and you have gold, WHO has the wealth?
    Plus, realize those that hold the gold and silver, will soon need someone to help guard their “wealth”.

    • Mar August 25, 2014, 11:13 am

      Gregory,
      Real bottom line is if you have water, food, ammo and no gold or silver and I have water, food, weapons, ammo, gold and silver;
      You will be my hired hand someday, probably for silver at a minimal wage. 😉
      Don’t ignore history ie; Germany, Argentina, Zimbabwe, etc, etc.

      • Russ August 25, 2014, 1:16 pm

        A better bottom line is; I have many acres of beautiful land in Yosemite and Shasta with food and water running on it, and guns & ammo to protect it and my family. I sold all my gold and siver and bought lead, the new precious metal.
        Folks, there’s a war going on and the Enemy is our Domestic Terrorist and Chief.
        Let me just ask you this; If you were an enemy to the United States of America, would you do anything different than what Barack Hussein Obama (Barry Soetoro) is doing right now?
        You know, dividing the people, spying information, ruining the economy, widely opening our boarders, stopping us from utilizing our natural energy resources, taking away the means to defend ourselves and at the same time enhancing the ability to control us. I could go on , but why waste my breath. Say good bye to your Freedom and Liberty, but you still have free will, so believe what you want.
        Please don’t argue about who’s right or wrong and what may or may not happen in the near future. Just treat people how you would want to be treated and try to live by the ten commandments. Then be ready to protect your family. Those are the people I hope to see in my future.
        Sincerely, good luck.

        • Ruppert August 25, 2014, 2:20 pm

          I agree with most of what you say.
          But, if you really want freedom as much as you say you do, you should be having second thoughts about having your wilderness home in the state of CA.
          CA is one of the LEAST freest states, and it is becoming LESS free every year. No matter the category–guns, laws, controls, water, land access, you name it–CA is becoming a liberal-controlled hell hole.
          Unless you want to wake up some day and suddenly realize that the whole state of CA is a Obama Utopia, you’d best look to resettle in a section of the US that will be more free, for a longer period of time. Idaho, Montana, etc.

          • Russ August 25, 2014, 6:19 pm

            You may be right, but I purchased the land way back when California was a republican state. Idaho and Montana sound good to me these days.

        • John August 25, 2014, 3:39 pm

          What HE’S doing right now? The economy is already wrecked for most of us, “thank you” to a Wall Street with no meaningful penalties. My ammo is readily available, and I just sold one “assault” rifle & bought another. Resources? It’s about time we started to safeguard them and keep this “America the Beautiful”, not “America the Barren” at the behest of power-hungry conglomerates run by greedy boards and CEOs. Immigration, now THAT’S an issue I’m staunchly in the red with. Destroying the country? How about threatening to repeatedly shut down the government to accomplish a political aim? And then doing it? Anyone who does THAT, knowing the damage it does to The People and to our economic and diplomatic interests here and abroad…and commits that harm to our country WILLINGLY…in my mind is committing TREASON. Why haven’t these nut jobs been brought up on charges?

        • Matt Haraway August 25, 2014, 10:28 pm

          Russ,I have read several of your remarks on this forum and I could not agree with you anymore,10000000000000%.Your viewpoint is identical to mine.Treat everyone as kindly as possible but keep your finger on the trigger or at least nearby.I especially love the remark on not to argue who is right or wrong or what may or may not happen in the future.All anyone needs to do is look at the obvious which you pointed out in our presidents behavior.One simple example is I have never seen anyone come out with racial overtones as this president has as well as our attorney general Eric Holder.This is to keep our country divided while they carry out further agendas while everyone is fighting among themselves.This government has created the turmoil in Iraq,Afghanistan,Libya,Syria and soon,you watch,Iran.We are also fanning the flames in Ukraine.I am not blaming Obama on all of this but his poor leadership and his hell bent attitude to bring this country to its knees is also obvious!Is it not funny that the world is on fire and our president is playing golf.Is it not scary that ISIS is cutting off thousands of human beings heads and shooting them in the head and throwing them in a river and there is no urgency to stop this.You or I would have pushed a button to obliterate people like this and yet our cowardly leaders act as if they need to go on a field trip or something.What is so sad is they actually created ISIS and gave them financial support to bring down Assad.Now look.Anyway,I am totally on board with your thinking.Americans need to get their heads out of their rear ends and take a stand.By the way.This really to me is no longer about republicans and democrats as they have all become self serving.I am a republican who cannot stand the likes of Pelosi,Reid,Feinstein or others.The only reason Boehner acts like he gives a crap is he does not want to lose his job and recent elections are making him sweat.Take care and I pray for you ,your family and our great country

          • Russ August 26, 2014, 11:35 am

            Thanks Matt, and I’m seeing it your way as well.
            I really hate being right though.
            Some of the nightmares I thought would happen, have, and others look unbelievably likely.
            That’s the whole thing; unbelievable. People just can’t believe it. Too bad.
            I hate to say it but there’s a whole generation of Americans that forgot or never learned that people had to fight and pay in blood for the Freedom and Liberty we as Americans enjoy.
            Sadly, by being so weak, uneducated and PC , they are going to have to fight and die just to learn this all over again.
            I just want to go surf and travel around this country and it’s wilderness areas and see the beauty of it all, generally have a good life.
            I wish I could figure out a way to do that without being so dam on guard.
            I am glad to know others like you have their eyes wide open.
            It’s a bit comforting to know there are still some cool people out there in the real world.
            I hope things go well for you and the people you surround yourself with.

  • Bisley August 25, 2014, 9:07 am

    Money, in order to allow truly free markets and to prevent its manipulation by governments and bankers (always to their advantage, and at the expense of everyone else), must be gold, or silver coin (or some similar commodity of limited quantity and real intrinsic value), or, in the case of paper, or electronic substitutes, 100% backed by such a commodity. Fiat money, which can be produced at no cost and in any quantity desired by the issuing entity, is merely another way to tax and steal from the general public (without most of them knowing it). The only reason that what passes for money today is accepted in trade by anyone, is the legal tender laws ordering its use, otherwise who would accept a piece of paper (backed by nothing) in trade for a cow, a ton of steel, a tomato, or anything else of real value? The people producing this legalized counterfeit are profiting at our expense, and distorting the economy in the process, stifling productivity and making us all poorer. Arguments to the contrary are made by the people who profit from the existing system, or don’t understand it.

  • roger mason August 25, 2014, 8:53 am

    alex jones is a well known disinformation agent and
    rabid defender of israel and the zionists.
    yes, we’re prepping as best we can. we are also
    loading up on silver bullion, the best investment
    in the world.

  • BigMike August 25, 2014, 8:06 am

    The notion that currency must be “backed” by something ignores a basic premise. The currency in circulation has value now because the people using it have agreed (knowingly or not) that it has worth. When I give you a dollar for a dollar’s worth of product we’ve both agreed that 1) my dollar is worth that amount of product and 2) the dollar can then be used by you to get another dollar’s worth of ‘something’.
    Those who argue that currency MUST be backed by another ‘something’ ignore the fact that both parties must agree that the ‘something’ also has value.
    Back a dollar with the promise by the government to exchange it a pound of duck feathers obtains only is the receiving party considers duck feathers to have value.
    These guys ignore the reason to have currency: portability.. Joe Goodman (above) writes that it must be backed by “gold, silver, oil, food, water, ammo,” etc. It already is. It is a way to carry the gold, silver, oil, food, water, ammo conveniently.
    The inflation issue (creating more currency to chase fewer goods & services) is another matter.

  • Dewey August 25, 2014, 8:04 am

    If the dollar’s collapse is imminent, then why are all of these companies that sell gold so willing to trade their “valuable” gold for your soon-to-be “worthless” dollars? The only reason that gold has any value is because people say it does, just like any other fiat currency. The “intrinsic value” argument is false, the only elements that have true intrinsic value are air, water and food.
    Are all of you gold buyers being played for suckers? The answer is self-evident.

    • Ruppert August 25, 2014, 12:52 pm

      You say “The only reason that gold has any value is because people say it does”.
      Uhhhh, wrong.
      If it was THAT easy, then people would simply declare that dirt or sand or sticks or leaves had value, and then they’d collect big piles of dirt or leaves and say it was valuable.
      The reason gold has value is because it is very rare, and very hard to obtain in nature. It also doesn’t hurt that people almost instinctively love the way it looks, and that they have always loved to use it ion jewelry and decorations. Finally, another reason gold is valuable is because it LASTS. As in, forever. It doesn’t spoil, or tarnish, or rust, or fade away. It just LASTS. Not many metals you can say that about.

      • Jeremy August 28, 2014, 11:51 pm

        You say “The only reason that gold has any value is because people say it does”.
        Uhhhh, wrong.
        If it was THAT easy, then people would simply declare that dirt or sand or sticks or leaves had value, and then they’d collect big piles of dirt or leaves and say it was valuable.
        The reason gold has value is because it is very rare, and very hard to obtain in nature. It also doesn’t hurt that people almost instinctively love the way it looks, and that they have always loved to use it ion jewelry and decorations. Finally, another reason gold is valuable is because it LASTS. As in, forever. It doesn’t spoil, or tarnish, or rust, or fade away. It just LASTS. Not many metals you can say that about. <<<<HEY U LEAD DOES NOT SPOIL TARNISH OR FADE AWAY EITHER…ITS ONE OF MY PRECIOUS METALS FOR SURE!!!

        • Administrator August 29, 2014, 9:11 am

          If you watch the documentary you will see that it was in fact a system using a stick, called a tally stick, that was one of the more successful currency standards in history. Why be just another idiot parrot? Watch the documentary and actually learn something. 😉

    • Rick 173 August 25, 2014, 1:09 pm

      Always nice when a breath of common sense is injected into a conversation. Sometimes we get so caught up in the small details, we forget the obvious.

    • Tom August 25, 2014, 3:49 pm

      Wow! I can’t believe that someone out there actually concurs with what I have been preaching, teaching and screaming for a lot of years now. Gold and or Silver, Platinum etc is NOT going to be the answer for the long haul. IF and WHEN money becomes worthless, what makes precious metals even more so? The numbers don’t add up. The amount of Gold and Silver is extremely limited whereas many many other resources are limitless and quite abundant now.

  • Joe Goodman August 25, 2014, 6:05 am

    If the currency isn’t backed by something (gold, silver, oil, food, water, ammo, etc.) the creator of that currency (government or private Central Bank) can (and eventually will) print it to oblivion. This has been the case with EVERY fiat currency in history. At some point fiat currencies cease to be money (a durable store of value) and become just another currency (a medium of exchange). Do you believe that this time will be different? A massive transfer of wealth has already taken place. It isn’t over yet, but it’s pretty well along. It’s taken place because the value of the currency has fallen dramatically. I’m not sure what the answer is, but I will continue to save a portion of my earnings in something more durable than the promises of men.

    • Muhjesbude August 25, 2014, 8:36 am

      John, don’t put it in gold until you’re set with enough supplies/resources to hold out for at least a year, and have a couple rural acres somewhere to secure yourself. Gold will never be the ‘backing’ again for any currency.

  • joe August 25, 2014, 4:07 am

    agreed. its (more than likely) a matter of distraction. what i mean is, the media, “prepper” networks, and so-called conservative talk shows are sending out the idea that a social/economic dilemma will be uncontrolled, or gradual, or benign. I think we need to be asking “why are there foreign troops on US soil?” and “what is the outcome of the US govt’s disaster training simulations?”

  • Alex jones? really dude???? August 25, 2014, 3:58 am

    Lost all credibility when you said Alex Jones. …lol….that guy is nuts

    • TC August 25, 2014, 9:50 am

      Alex brings up (and beats to death) issues that make people feel uncomfortable and therefore he is dismissed as crazy. He gets people thinking, just as academics do with issues like climate change, etc.

      Yes, Alex does get a little excited at times; however, many of the issues he brings up (or harps upon) are the same ones presented on NPR on shows like Fresh Air and On Point, i.e, governmental spying, militarization of police, U.S. facilitating Islamist extremists, radiation from Japanese power plants, the dumbing down of American society, etc. He just does it with more flair. When folks like him and NPR converge on issues, those issues may be valid.

      And yes, he does make money selling prepper stuff. Money is money, but I don’t believe selling prepper stuff is is the reason for his “extreme” opinions.

      • grumpy August 25, 2014, 10:56 am

        Folks or fellow country men, we all see things differently and live the same way. However, we, the people of this great nation need to wake up and smell the ground roast. There are no longer leaders in this country, especially obama…..this person has destroyed many good things and has manipulated the citizens of our nation on to believing he’s the emperor off us all.

      • TPSnodgrass August 25, 2014, 2:15 pm

        I am also NOT a fan of anything connected to any Alex Jones’s outlets. I’ve not heard him say anything, nor seen any presentation of his, that hasn’t already been proven false on its face. In fact, my opinion of Alex Jones and the Obamafurher are equal, I see NO difference in either one, both are narcissists, egomaniacal and power hungry.
        I am distressed that GA Blog would be touting anything coming from Alex Jones. How low this blog has sunk.

        • Bill McReynolds August 26, 2014, 10:35 am

          I really don’t understand your comment. The video simply presents facts of world history and draws conclusions about how some of those historical situations might have been influenced by central banking. As he was speaking I thought about the “housing bubble” and the severe contraction of money (foreclosures) that almost caused a depression and the results of which are still being felt. It was the banks that insisted on being paid, so they caused that contraction. There’s no other way to view it. And the trillions of dollars worth of housing didn’t just go away. It simply got transferred to the banks. True, they couldn’t sell it … but they didn’t need to because the government bailed them out. Actually, the FEDERAL RESERVE bailed them out.

          That’s not vanity, or insanity or megalomania. It’s just simple fact.

          • Patriot Sense August 27, 2014, 2:31 pm

            Blaming the entire economic problem upon the banks leaves out many other entities which are responsible. Yes, many banks loaned money to people who clearly could not repay it, but WHY did this occur? Anyone with common sense knows that handing a10 year old a $10,000 check as a loan is stupid b/c he won’t be able to pay it back and therefore, the adult (lender in this case) wouldn’t benefit.
            Sure, if assets are used to back up a loan, then those assets can be confiscated; but in the long run, banks are better off with loans being repaid….not foreclosures or repossessions. A foreclosed home could be sitting for years, even decades, without anyone purchasing the property, and that entity (bank in many cases) must sit with that loss of money too.

            People forget or are unaware that Congress passed laws and forced banks to give out these risky loans for various reasons. Loans were given to poor individuals or struggling businesses, even if it was clear as day that the loan wouldn’t be paid back, b/c of pressure and direction from the intellectually vacant leaders in D.C. (Congress, Fed. Reserve, and even various Presidents).
            Many banks were against this “loose-money”, BUT, there were many banks who were okay with it, and they gave this money out freely. So yes, the irresponsible banks / bankers can be blamed for the economic downturn, but only partially, b/c elected representatives shoved banks in that direction and allowed irresponsible/stupid people to get $$ they would never be able to pay back.

            Essentially, one cannot blame just one side in this matter b/c several entities are at fault: greedy, short-sighted bankers + stupid/irresponsible individuals taking out loans they cannot afford to pay back + moronic & incompetent politicians getting involved in matters they don’t comprehend.

    • ROLLO ( Rolf Ganger) The VIKING August 25, 2014, 11:12 pm

      ‘”Think’st thou, King Harald, in thy anger, To drive away my brave Rolf Ganger Like a mad wolf, from out the land? Why, Harald, raise thy mighty hand? Why banish Nefia’s gallant name-son, The brother of brave udal-men? Why is thy cruelty so fell? Bethink thee, monarch, it is ill With such a wolf at wolf to play, Who, driven to the wild woods away May make the king’s best deer his prey.”
      VIKINGR WOLF not a SHEEP.
      INFOWARS.COM

    • Johnny Dough August 26, 2014, 12:39 pm

      Wake Up!
      By John Doe
      Beginning in October 2008, several private Wall Street banks received taxpayer bailouts totalling over $6 trillion (and counting). This is not by accident. The word “conspiracy” has gotten a lot of bad press; it is an idea which has been targeted for ridicule. It is a word we have been conditioned to recoil from. We have been trained to reject anything called a “conspiracy” instinctively, without considering the merits of the information being presented. In most aspects of our lives, we recognize it is in our best interest to ask questions, be skeptical, and base our decisions and actions on as much information as possible. “Caveat emptor” (buyer beware), “look before you leap”, etc are well-known principles. Yet if somebody suggests that many of the problems presently facing our nation are due to the influence of a highly secretive banking cartel, we have been trained to dismiss this idea with no further investigation. Sadly, it is the case. It is a matter of public record that the Federal Reserve Bank system is not a government institution (no more “federal” than Federal Express), rather privately owned by a handful of very wealthy families.
      Have you ever heard of an organization called the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)? If you look into it, you will discover that ever since the 1960’s, every Presidential administration- Democrat or Republican- has had a large percentage of CFR members on their staff. What does this signify? Considering the power they wield, why isn’t more attention paid by our “watchdog” media?
      Did you ever wonder why Democrats and Republicans bicker endlessly, but once they are elected to office, they basically follow the same policies? When a politician comes along who differs with the narrow Right-Left monolith, (s)he is ridiculed or ignored. (e.g. Ron Paul, Tammy Duckworth, Dennis Kucinich).
      Did you know that the Russian Revolution was primarily funded by Western bankers? On the face of it, that is absurd, since Communists claim they would take the assets of the wealthy, and redistribute them to the poor! What could possibly explain such behavior?
      Were you aware that while millions of people lost their fortunes in the stock market crash of 1929, a small clique of the very wealthiest families in this country (Rockefellers, Morgans, Melons, Loebs, and Harrimans) were safely out of the markets when the crash hit? What did they know that the rest did not?
      I could go on all day. There are literally thousands of instances I could point out which show clearly that the worlds of politics and finance do not operate as they claim to. Their driving principles have been obscured from the public. This book explores the history, philosophy, and function of the shadowy, secretive, insular, and unaccountable institutions which really run the world: the Federal Reserve System, the Bank of England, the CFR, and their international counterparts in the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and countless others. The ultimate goal of all these groups is to centralize wealth and power into the hands of a very small number of American and British banking elites. The book elucidates how worldwide socialist movements over the past 100 years were intentionally created or supported by this Western banking cartel, for the purpose of establishing a world political-financial system. The European Union, NAFTA, CAFTA, the African Union, and the widely discussed (sometimes denied) North American Union are all manifestations of this concerted effort. Gary Allen’s insightful narrative describes many (not all) of the milestones this effort has passed over the past century, including the the secretive drafting of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, passage of the graduated federal income tax, establishment of tax-free “charitable” foundations (by the Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Ford families), and the 1907 stock market crash- which was planned and executed by (Rothschild collaborator) J.P. Morgan.
      In this age of the Trans-Texas Corridor, discussions about replacing the US dollar with a multinational “Amero”, and $750 billion taxpayer bailouts of private Wall Street banks, it is very late in the game. President George H.W. Bush spoke of an imminent “new world order” in a speech in 1991. That phrase has been discussed for decades in private think tanks. However it has been packaged to us (usually as a United Nations-led “partnership for peace” or a “brotherhood of nations”), this new order has at its heart a monopoly on the creation of currency in the hands of a small banking cabal. As has been shown in nation after nation, if this is allowed to happen, monopolies in manufacturing, communication, transportation, and all other significant economic activities will follow, and that is itself just a transitional stage on the way to estabilshment of a world totalitarian dictatorship.
      The book is a short 138 pages, but if you read it, you will never see the nightly news in the same light again.

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