What do we have in common with Glen Beck?!?

Glen Beck, echoing the beliefs of his Mormon Church, has often urged his "followers" to stockpile food since he believes that a disruption to the food supply will happen sometime. He also says that Hurricane Irene is a "blessing from God" and warning to those who haven't followed his advice.

I'm all for stockpiling food but using scare tactics, as is Beck's custom, is a bit over the top. There are other reasons I would stockpile food including (but not limited to):

• the failing economy
• China's rise to power
• the number of natural disasters
• the increase in prices of food
• more genetically modified foods on the market

Can you think of more?

Stockpiling cash-revisited

As you know, dear readers, in addition to being an expert on surviving the end of the world, I also bide my time as a bartender, because I need money to build up my supplies for 2012. Also, I am nosy by nature and one can learn many things while simply pretending to be cleaning.

One story I would like to relate occurred a couple weeks ago and is directly related to the notion of stockpiling money in the event of a national disaster. What happened is this:

Four gentlemen (dentists, by trade) came to my bar and commenced eating our fine food and drinking our delicious beverages. Naturally, their conversation turned to the end of the world, as that is a topic on everyone's minds. After discussing possible scenarios (bank crash, food shortages, etc.) one of the dentists brought up the fact that he has $5,000 cash in his house stockpiled for the end times. Not to be outdone, the other three dentists declared that they each had between $5,000 and $10,000 in cash hidden in their houses. Luckily, they had a sympathetic party overhearing their bragging, for I am generally for people preparing for the end times. However, they were stupid for discussing it aloud in a public place because what if I had been a bad guy? I would definitely have texted my minions to follow them home and rob each and every one of them. Especially because they only tipped 10%. Generally, don't talk about how much money you have if you are not going to tip properly. Of course, that is how people get so much money--by not sharing it.

Now you know my views on stockpiling cash. I think it is stupid because you can't eat money and when it comes right down to it, I would rather have rice and potatoes than $5,000. Luckily, Social Darwinism dictates that those smart enough to stockpile food will survive while those only hoarding cash will not.

Stockpile Gold and Silver?

HECK NO! Ok, look at it this way- can you eat gold? Well, I guess technically you could. But it is not a good idea. And when there is a complete breakdown of our banking system and society as we know it, people are going to be more concerned about getting food and we will enter into a barter system where I will say, "Hey, I have some extra eggs from my 27 chickens, and I need some ammo for my gun." and you will say, "Ok, I will give you 20 bullets for 50 eggs." and I will say, "Deal!" That is how a barter system works people! I am not going to say "Please give me 3 pieces of non-edible gold and I will give you 20 eggs." Nope. Not going to happen.

That being said--you SHOULD stockpile farm animals. I know, it might be smelly and cramped in the bomb shelter with Daisy the milk cow and some crazy chickens running around, but hey, our ancestors in the Middle Ages did it (and some in the Middle East still do it!) and it won't kill you. (Unless your cow has Mad Cow diesase, or the chickens sleep on your face and suffocate you with their feathers, but that is a whole other blog entry entirely.) The best way to avoid this scenario is to build your bomb shelter with a seperate area for livestock. And, you can use their poop for compost for your garden!