The Survivalist

The Issues We Face As a Nation Last Year:

Gear and Gadgets - All of these excellent products can be purchased at www.fourseasonssurvival.com

The Brunton Atlas MNS GPS is a Mutli-navigational GPS/WAAS Receiver with True Magnetic Compass and the Barometer/Altimeter can give you the next 12 hours of weather.

The Garmin Rhino High Powered Two Way Radio is waterproof , integrated with a WAAS enabled GPS receiver, and has a range of 5 miles (GMRS channels).

The Silva Lensactic Compass sports a classic design; it is used by military forces for its extreme accurate bearing in land navigation.

The Wengler Traveler is a highly versatile Swiss Army Knife. Very dependable and rugged.

The NZT-2MBN is a compact pair of night vision binoculars

The LM Solar Dynamo Radio with Flashlight has four different sources of power. Has AM/FM bands with adjustable volume and a built in light for backup in emergencies.

Digging Down:
On the other hand, here are four ways to be safe during the next big storm:

Fallout Shelters-

www.f-5stormshelters.com

Hillside Reinforced Steel Shelters-

www.americanstormshelters.com

Tornado Cellars-

www.stormsheltersofnorthwestflorida.com

Alternative Shelters-

www.safebelow.com

YWO is happy to report the Top Four Ways Americans Spend their Free Time are:

1. Eating
2. Surfing the Net
3. Gambling
4. Doing Nothing

1. This summer over 60% of the country endured a long drought. Some Western States have been without rain for five years.
2. Oil Prices surged to near record highs.
3. The Recovery from Katrina is seen as being too slow by a majority of Americans.
4. Separately, it was reported that our Reserves and our Emergency Services would be unable to adequately meet more than one National Disaster at a time. Whether we are faced with man made acts of destruction or a continued rise in Natural Disasters, our response may be insufficient to avoid major loss of live.
5. Immigration became a major issue. Groups formed on both sides of the issue. The U.S. Census indicated that most of the population growth in this country has been through immigration. Studies show that most immigrants have jobs.In fact, the unemployment rate for immigrants is lower than that of people born in the United States. The jury is still out on whether they pay their fair share of taxes or use more government services than other groups. Despite our other problems it looks like immigration may be the top political in coming elections.
6. Economic Growth has slowed. There have been more mergers, layoffs. Credit borrowing is up, Consumer Confidence is Down. Robots are starting to replace people in the work place. More older Americans are leaving the workforce, with fewer qualified replacements. Outsourcing likely will increase.
7. Violence in Iraq continues. Americans are divided on whether we should stay or go. The Iraqi government continues to struggle with extremist groups.
8. The debate over Global Warming heats up. Both the United Nations and the International Water Institute report that soon there will be a Global Water Shortage. Investments in water-related companies increase.
9. Deaths from "Bird Flu" and AIDS continue to rise, with no end in sight. The long term global health consequences of these two issues could become very serious for the world population. In the United States, Obesity is Our #1 Health Problem.
10. Power Utilities are stretched thin. The nation's electric power grid was reported as being "outdated." Energy Demand continues to grow at a fast pace. A large number of new coal plants are in the works. There have been more mining accidents with 33 deaths so far this year. In June, the MINE Act of 2006 was passed. Controversy still surrounds the accidents.
11. Many Americans seek alternative sources of energy both to keep costs down and to conserve the environment. Other positive trends include the rapid growth of organic farming and the proliferation of hybrid vehicles.
12. The Bush Administration has come under intense scrutiny for wiretapping American's phones and for presidential "signing exclusions".
13. The idea that there would be a Great Wealth Transfer when the Depression Era elders passed leaving their children with large inheritances is now regarded by Wall Street as being inaccurate. The fact is most Baby Boomers have lived "on the edge" for most of their lives and are saddled by substantial debt.
14. While there has been a decrease in tradtional "street crime" there has been an alarming increase in white collar and Internet Crime.

CAN WE TALK ?

The Philosopher's Corner:

"Our" Reality-

"Nature forever puts a premium on Reality. What is done for Effect,is seen to be done for Effect; What is done for Love, is felt to be Done for Love." ANON

NATURE-

"To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think that the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime." Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882.

"Most men,even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with he factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them. Their fingers, from excessive toil, are too clumsy and tremble too much for that. Actually, the laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day by day; he cannot afford to sustain the manliest relations to men; his labor would be depreciated in the market. He has no time to be anything but a machine." Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862.