Are you prepared?

Today's news -

The Dow for the month of June finished the lowest it ever has since June 1930.

Ever hear of the Great Depression of the 1930's?

Are you prepared?

Canadian stock markets staged a partial recovery Friday after sliding five per cent in the previous five trading sessions, as crude oil hit year another record high and gold surged on U.S. dollar weakness.

U.S. markets continued their descent, with the Dow Jones industrials on the brink of their worst June in 78 years.

The S&P/TSX composite index rebounded 63.07 points, or 0.4 per cent to 14,355.21 Friday, trimming losses for the week to 1.5 per cent.

The S&P/TSX venture composite climbed 40.03,points or 1.5 per cent, to 2593.40, to end the week down 0.9 per cent.

On Wall Street, the picture was much more bleak.

The Dow fell 106.91 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 11,346.51, bringing its losses for the week to 4.1 per cent.

The S&P 500 slid 4.77, or 0.4 per cent, to 1,278.38, ending the week lower by three per cent.

The Nasdaq composite was off another 5.74, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,315.63, down 3.8 per cent from a week ago.

With just one trading session remaining for the month, the Dow has fallen 10 per cent in June, plunging nearly 1300 points.

Barring a dramatic turnaround Monday, this will be the benchmark's worst on record June since 1930.

Wow Mamma it sure is looking very gloomy indeed! Ayi-i-i

Yes - Cathy -

It does look gloomy. Should we be fore-warned?

Are we going to be able to handle it? What are some of the things you can do to prepare yourself or lessen the pains of it all?

That is how we should be thinking.

Not so much of the doom and gloom - but devising a workable plan with family to make a bad situation livable and much more pleasant - if you can make "pleasant" in some situations beyond your control.

Yes - I am preparing - slowly right now - but I am keeping my eyes and ears open.

I am seeing changes - ones I do not agree with - and I cannot do a thing about them. And before they get any worse - I am preparing.

If the economy did a complete turn-around and everything was just wonderful - what I've prepared so far would not have been a waste of time, money or energy.

But I don't see that happening for a while yet.

Mamma,

How Would One Prepare For A Depression, If We Knew For Sure It Were Coming? I Am Just Kind Of At A Loss As To What I Could Do To Be Better Prepared Just In Case?

I've been stocking the pantry. If you buy canned goods - check the dates - some are good for 2 years - that can help you through it. Ditto with all staples.

Prices are only going to get worse - catch any sales you can - preserve as much of your own foods as you can. Most home-canned goods last for 1 year. Some on the store shelves are dated further than that.

If you have food in the house - and I mean an abundance - you do have bartering power for some things.

Thank you MamaM! Now let's just say our prayers and hope and pray for the best!

I wish this Assanine war were over, I feel it was the most stupid, ignoramous blunder of our century. We could've done with-out it, I really believe it is a major factor in our downward spiral!!! Oh well we are just the people, and I thought we the people meant something........I must have been mistaken!

Jeez this thread depressed me.

It is depressing Janie, I apologize and I am gonne butt out of the political stuff, because as you so rightly pointed out it is just so depressing, and it puts my stomache in knots!

Dont mind me Cathy. I have had a bad week.

True, this isn't a rosy-cheeked topic, yet it certainly contains much wisdom. It doesn't do a lick of good to go into "denial" mode.

I have a remote cabin in Fairbanks, AK that we'll likely put on the market at some point. We always kept it stocked with lots of shelf-stable proteins/entrees and other food items. I will likely start implementing a similar good pantry-stocking exercise to fortify here at home too.

Some items I will stock up on are: powdered milk, instant tea, crystal lite drink mix, rice, pasta, ramen noodles, instant potato dishes, tuna, peanut-butter, soups/stews, spam, cheese whiz, canned chicken (breast meat chunks as well as whole chickens), pasta entrees, hot tamales, chicken & dumplings, corned beef hash, fruits/veggies, tomato paste.

Yes it is depressing - but this is something we need to face - as the people of this country we haven't got a leg to stand on - it's the powers that be that are running and ruining everything.

This is going to effect us all in one way or another.

But it is better to be prepared for as much as you can prepare yourself for.

It just ticked me off royally that Bush signed the bill for another $162 BILLION to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For what????

And when our men and women come back maimed for life (if they come home) they are denied much of the medical they need. Don't get me started on that one!

We are paying $10 Billion for salaries to the Iraqi people to build their country. WHY?

This stimulus payment crap was just that - mine went into the gas tank.

There are so many people in this country that cannot make ends meet. I'm not talking about the welfare junkies with their hand out - you know the ones - 5th generation mooches - but I am talking about the seniors, disabled, etc. who have worked and can no longer make money to keep up. Why can't our government give them a large check to get themselves out of a mess, pay their medical, get things they need, fix their homes that are falling apart, etc. instead of wasting money everywhere else.

And they send all this wheat to Korea while we have uncontrollable wheat prices here! Yesterday they announced that hamburger rolls and hotdog rolls (sure it's summer time) are up another 20 cents per pack.

Don't these idiots (the powers that be) see this??

And I see no relief from it soon.

CAG -

Sure I love to can all my own stuff - but right now I am going to start stocking up on canned goods, dry goods/staples, etc. Thank heaven they now put expiration dates on everything.

If this were to all become perfect tomorrow - I just wouldn't have to buy these things for a long time - it's not a waste of money.

I just pray we never have to start stock-piling bottled water!

>I'm not talking about the welfare junkies with their hand out - you know the ones - 5th generation mooches -<

Coincidentally, in line with that, Shipscook had just sent me the following:

A guy walked into the local welfare office to pick up his check. He marched straight up to the counter and said, 'Hi. You know, I just HATE drawing welfare. I'd really rather have a job.'

The social worker behind the counter said, 'Your timing is excellent!' We just got a job opening from a very wealthy old man who wants a chauffeur and bodyguard for his beautiful daughter.

You'll have to drive around in his Mercedes, and he'll supply all of your clothes. Because of the long hours, meals will be provided.

You'll be expected to escort the daughter on her overseas holiday trips and you will have to satisfy her every need.

You'll be provided a two-bedroom apartment above the garage. The salary is $200,000 a year.'

The guy, wide-eyed, said, 'You're lying!!!'

The social worker said, 'Yeah, well . . . you started it.

KYH - I've seen that one before - and it is so true!

Also - it is so sad!

Welfare is there for those that really need it - second generation - doesn't need it. Sorry.

And I love the "family plan" people - they all move into homes on the border of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania - and they use each others addresses and collect from all 3 states. Pathetic.

But Seriously

Just a note about expiration dates, Mama.

First off, the idea that your own canned goods are only good for a year is sheer nonesense. In theory, there can be some loss of quality after two years. But that may be overstated as well.

From a food safety point of view, if you canned it properly it is just as safe in ten years as in the week after you processed it.

I have stuff we're still eating that was canned in 2002. It's perfectly safe, of course. And based on its looks and taste, there's been no degradation in quality; although I conceed that there might be nutrional loss. The key words there are "might be." But, according to the USDA, the heirlooms I grow start out with higher nutritional values than the produce you buy in the store. That being the case, any loss I suffer probably still leaves me with healthier food.

In terms of commercial foods, most expiration dates are arbitrary, and are put on only because the law specifies that canners have to do so. I have an item bought earlier this year, for instance, with a 2012 expiration date. Does anyone really think the product will suddenly go bad in 2013?

Dried foods have no expiration. There is no way, short of having it get wet, that dried foods can go bad. Indeed, I never understood the people who dry their own foods and then store it in a freezer. What's the point of that?

So, what I'm saying is simple that anyone who shares your concerns need not spend a fortune stocking up from the market, when they can put their own, home-grown foods by with no problems.

KYH - That is if all the storms we've had didn't ruin your crops and your soil. Some areas have a limited growing season - there's no time to re-plant. I don't live in Kansas or Iowa where all the damage has occurred - but we have had our fair share and ruined crops for the farmers here.

As far as spending "a fortune" to stock up - best to do it now rather than wait for it all to go up any more. Our corn crops were ruined with the weather which means not only is corn going up - but so will all products using corn, corn syrup, etc. And do you think that will all the crop damage that things will be cheap from the farmers - no it won't. So waiting until the local crops hit to start canning or preserving is not going to ensure anything.

And with the gas prices constantly rising - everything is going up - so if you are going to start stocking - start it now - because it is not going to get any better. As soon as they could do it - the stores will start to hike the prices up - even though the canned goods on the shelves were canned last year or so when there weren't the problems we are having today. I've seen it starting already. Many canned veggies are up 20 - 40 cents per can already.

I really "love" the new milk containers they are now introducing - they are taller and slimmer - and they can save a lot of money, less transportation costs, pack more into a truck taking less water for refrigeration, etc, etc, etc and to watch someone try to pour from it - they spill before they pour. But then again - who cares about the consumer having the waste - they paid for it anyway.

And of course they say it will take 11,000 less trucks to deliver the milk - so more jobs lost.

It's just never-ending - everyday it's something else - just one huge domino effect.

Also - as far as home canning - I can enough for one year and I don't keep it any longer than that - never did and never will - that is the way it's been done in my family for generations - and I stick to it.

It's my choice.

And in all honesty - I don't believe in all these "long" dates on foods.

Stocking with store-bought canned goods - at least I know that even if they are dated 2 years from now - that they will last for a year.

Mama needs a hug.

oh how sweet!

Thank you so very much - you've made my day!!!!

Hugs and kisses to you!!!!!!

Mama's are allowed to give hugs and kisses!!!!