The Shortage, Are You Preparing?

[ZNP]

Stupid conspiracy theorists, oh wait

https://nypost.com/2022/06/04/gas-nears-10-a-gallon-at-california-station-tops-5-in-nyc/

Gas has nearly reached an incredible $10 a gallon

New Yorkers paying five bucks a gallon for gasoline may think things can’t get much worse — but in one California town people are shelling out nearly double that for a fill-up

A Chevron station in the coastal village of Mendocino about 175 miles north of San Francisco was charging $9.60 a gallon for regular on Friday afternoon.

 

[ZNP]

8% inflation, really?

I used to pay $1200 a month for food and $200 a month for gas. 8% of $1400 is $112. However, my cost of gas is up more than $200 and that isn't even talking about food. Obviously the real inflation must by over 20% year on year.

 

[ZNP]

The economic collapse is hitting everyone!

1. Anyone who uses gas for their job, even for commuting to their job has seen 100% rise in the cost in just the last year.

2. Anyone on a tight budget which is about 80% of the country.

3. Shockingly, even one fourth of those who make $250,000 a year or more live paycheck to paycheck so this is hitting them as well.

4. In the last six months the Nasdaq is down 25% and the S&P 500 is down 20%, so anyone with significant stock holdings has seen them disappear. People who were considering retiring just six months ago have probably decided to cancel those plans. Many who recently retired now need to return to work.

5. Even Elon Musk, richest man in America is affected. He has put on a hiring freeze and calling to lay off 10% of his employees.

6. The majority of millionaires in this country are small business owners with the majority of their wealth being the value of their business. This has been the worst economy for small businesses with 40% of them on the brink of bankruptcy.

7. Usually a shortage of food is great for farmers and yet because of the rise in the cost of fuel, the rise in the cost of fertilizer, and the disruption to the supply chain has completely undermined this.

 

[kaylagrl]

I don't consider myself a prepper, but I am a survivalist. I grow at least 70% of the produce I consume, and I add to that yearly. I can, freeze, ferment or dehydrate enough that it lasts through winter until my next crop comes in. I buy meat in bulk (think buying half of a half a cow, a whole hog and so on) and can or freeze it. I can ready-to-eat meals. I can make yogurt, cheese, sour cream and butter from fresh cow's milk (I don't have my own cow yet but working on that) and I have chickens. I am working on turning the lawn in my back yard into an orchard, with fruit and nut trees, lining my garden with berry and fruit bushes. On top of this, I know which "weeds" are edible and which are poisonous. I can hunt for my own meat, and while it's not really my thing, I know I can survive if I ever have to. Now I have about 3 acres of land, but I grew more of our produce when we lived in Indiana and I only lived on 1/2 acre then. I think grass lawns, while pretty, are useless, and lawns can be turned into food if desired.

I do all of this, not because I fear the future shortages or anything like that. I do it because I want to be self sufficient. God provides for me through giving me the knowledge and strength to do all of this. I know exactly what I eat, no chemical preservatives I can't pronounce, I monitor and regulate the salt and sugar I consume, and I get a lot of exercise growing it. God provided me with everything I need to do this.

I donate bumper crops to a local church food bank, and I give a lot away to neighbors, friends and my kids. I have a goal of one day starting food tables at churches, that are covered for anonymity and weather protection. I want to offer seeds and directions on growing and producing food, as well as, how to harvest and store the seeds for future growing. Imagine the stress relief a single parent can have knowing they can grow a couple nutritious foods for their families, and never have to buy that food again. But right now, that is a dream.

Well I wish you were my neighbor, I'd gladly pay you to teach this knowledge. So sad that our grandparents knew all of this and we thought we were so smart and never learned it, many of us. My grandmothers both died in my teens so I never got to bake and cook with them and gain the knowledge they had.

I recall being on a news site and a "millennial" grossing about how the last generation had caused climate change. One lady got on there and just let her have it. She said her generation grew, made and preserved their own food, they didn't use washers and dryers. They used cloth diapers. They quilted old clothes that had already been handed down. Most didn't own a car. She went on and on until the millennial had nothing left to say. I see a lot of people are heading back to those old ways.

You should write a book sister! People would do good to learn these things again. I sure am looking into it because I'd like to learn. Either way, we know God is in control. But He gave us so many good things, I sure would love to stop buying some things from the store and grow it myself.

 

[ZNP]

5% of Americans make $250,000 a year or more and a third of them are living paycheck to paycheck

About 36 percent of Americans earning at least $250,000 a year claim that they are living paycheck to paycheck, a sign on how rising inflation is hitting households at all ends of the spectrum throughout the country, according to two surveys quoted by Bloomberg.

Individuals earning $250,000, who are among the top 5 percent of income earners, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, are spending most of their income on household expenses, according to the surveys by Pymnts.com and LendingClub.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/over-...utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport

I read this and wonder how can it be? In NYC a married couple where both are teachers can earn about $250,000 a year at the end of their career. But this story is about an individual. It reveals what a hamster wheel the world is. If you get some great job where they actually pay you this much, lawyer, or doctor, or TV personality. You have to keep up appearances. You will need a shiny new car, a very expensive apartment in the heart of the city, and perhaps a second house (in the Hamptons, etc). You have to have the two week vacation in the Riviera, and the week in Tahoe during the winter. So let's do the math. Taxes in NYC will take a third of your income and maybe even half. You have to pay City, State and Federal Taxes. So let's say you have $150k net after taxes. The cost of living in the wealthiest neighborhoods in NYC are 3 to 6x that of the rest of the country. So for example a person making 42k a year in some parts of the country will be comparable to a guy making 250k a year in NYC, or LA, or some other very expensive part of the country.

You got suckered. You were real smart, got into Harvard, and bought into the whole spiel about how you are blessed. Two thirds of these "elites" were born rich. Their wealth is in their investments. But they have their pick of the most competent people to make their companies run. They want you to be a debt slave. You make 250k a year but you work 60-80 hours a week. Even when you aren't working you go to their parties and so they basically have you 24 hours a day and no doubt you are on a smart phone leash. In order to stay in this rat race you have to keep up appearances. Now if you went to some other place the job would not be as "prestigious" and the pay might even be half.

If these guys at Harvard had actually done their research they would have realized working in a place where the cost of living was a third or even a sixth of what it is in NYC would be better long term. But they buy into the glitz, the glamour, the scam.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

Well I wish you were my neighbor, I'd gladly pay you to teach this knowledge. So sad that our grandparents knew all of this and we thought we were so smart and never learned it, many of us. My grandmothers both died in my teens so I never got to bake and cook with them and gain the knowledge they had.

I recall being on a news site and a "millennial" grossing about how the last generation had caused climate change. One lady got on there and just let her have it. She said her generation grew, made and preserved their own food, they didn't use washers and dryers. They used cloth diapers. They quilted old clothes that had already been handed down. Most didn't own a car. She went on and on until the millennial had nothing left to say. I see a lot of people are heading back to those old ways.

You should write a book sister! People would do good to learn these things again. I sure am looking into it because I'd like to learn. Either way, we know God is in control. But He gave us so many good things, I sure would love to stop buying some things from the store and grow it myself.

I learned the basics of canning from my mom, but I really learned a LOT from youtube. I also joined a facebook group called rebel canners, that has given me a LOT of recipes and "experiments" to try. I use my washing machine, but no dryer. I line dry everything. I am off grid solar powered (but getting close to connecting to the grid for convenience), I used cloth diapers on my girls, and they rarely had rashes. I watched a neighbors little one, who used disposables, and that poor baby has rashes all the time. I showed her how to use cloth, and the rashes cleared.

Buy the Ball Blue Book of Canning, or go to www.freshpreserving.com and they will offer you step-by-step instructions, including the tools and equipment you will have to have and what's extra, including recipes. I've considered writing a book though.

 

[Handyman62]

I learned the basics of canning from my mom, but I really learned a LOT from youtube. I also joined a facebook group called rebel canners, that has given me a LOT of recipes and "experiments" to try. I use my washing machine, but no dryer. I line dry everything. I am off grid solar powered (but getting close to connecting to the grid for convenience), I used cloth diapers on my girls, and they rarely had rashes. I watched a neighbors little one, who used disposables, and that poor baby has rashes all the time. I showed her how to use cloth, and the rashes cleared.

Buy the Ball Blue Book of Canning, or go to www.freshpreserving.com and they will offer you step-by-step instructions, including the tools and equipment you will have to have and what's extra, including recipes. I've considered writing a book though.

Why would you back track by connecting to the grid? And how old is your solar power system and what type of batteries do you use for storage?

 

[GardenofWeeden]

Why would you back track by connecting to the grid? And how old is your solar power system and what type of batteries do you use for storage?

I will still be using my solar panels, I will just have the grid as backup instead of gasoline generators. My panels are about 7 or 8 years old, and I have 30 some (I think 36) I have more to add to it. I use deep cycle marine batteries. I have 17 batteries. Connecting to the grid will give me a chance to resurface my panels, replace my batteries, and add the rest of the panels I have built now, without losing my power or causing me issues. It will also allow me to blow my hair dry, and use my coffee maker instead of using a french press, and things like that without having to add the generator for power.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

Why would you back track by connecting to the grid? And how old is your solar power system and what type of batteries do you use for storage?

The reason I am doing this is because when we began this, my husband was alive to help me with maintenance, installation and even building the panels, along with cutting the grass (3 acres) running the machine shop, building the house and so on, and now it's just me doing it all, and there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done. I can do it all, just not as fast nor as efficiently as before.
If I connect to the grid, that allows me to work on things a bit more slowly without losing my power every time I turn around.
Things change, and I have to be able to change with them

 

[JohnDB]

I will still be using my solar panels, I will just have the grid as backup instead of gasoline generators. My panels are about 7 or 8 years old, and I have 30 some (I think 36) I have more to add to it. I use deep cycle marine batteries. I have 17 batteries. Connecting to the grid will give me a chance to resurface my panels, replace my batteries, and add the rest of the panels I have built now, without losing my power or causing me issues. It will also allow me to blow my hair dry, and use my coffee maker instead of using a french press, and things like that without having to add the generator for power.

Gasoline generators are usually fairly troublesome with breakdowns....from fuel control/pressure valves to carburetor varnish and more.

Diesel generators are usually much more reliable but require batteries to start. (Glow plugs) they are also much noisier than Gasoline or natural gas/propane.

Now Diesel generators are much more expensive than the others...and the fuel is more expensive...but they are reliable and capable of running longer-term than Gasoline ever dreamed about.

 

[Handyman62]

The reason I am doing this is because when we began this, my husband was alive to help me with maintenance, installation and even building the panels, along with cutting the grass (3 acres) running the machine shop, building the house and so on, and now it's just me doing it all, and there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done. I can do it all, just not as fast nor as efficiently as before.
If I connect to the grid, that allows me to work on things a bit more slowly without losing my power every time I turn around.
Things change, and I have to be able to change with them

I understand fully not having enough time to get things done. I'm alone and had to install my solar system myself. At 60 some things can be very difficult without an extra pair of hands. The biggest challenge for me was putting the panels on my roof single handed, couple that with the fact that I developed a fear of heights in my later years. I was able to devise a solution and although not ideal it has proven to be more than adequate.

Anyway if I could give you a piece of advice about your battery storage. When your deep cycle batteries have reached the end of their life, I would strongly urge you to replace them with lithium iron phosphate (lifepo4) batteries. They are more expensive but there's near zero maintenance and they last a very long time. The biggest disadvantage is they don't like extreme heat or cold but they can be safely kept indoors.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

Gasoline generators are usually fairly troublesome with breakdowns....from fuel control/pressure valves to carburetor varnish and more.

Diesel generators are usually much more reliable but require batteries to start. (Glow plugs) they are also much noisier than Gasoline or natural gas/propane.

Now Diesel generators are much more expensive than the others...and the fuel is more expensive...but they are reliable and capable of running longer-term than Gasoline ever dreamed about.

I watched this video about a person who build a generator that works off water instead of gasoline, propane of diesel. I would love see one of those in action

 

[JohnDB]

I watched this video about a person who build a generator that works off water instead of gasoline, propane of diesel. I would love see one of those in action

The RPMs in most modern generators is crucial. It's the only way to achieve proper voltage at the proper frequency. Water wheels have been providing torque for thousands of years. Even Egyptians had them when enslaving Hebrews.

Louisville Slugger baseball bats still use a central turning shaft in their factory to provide power to equipment instead of electricity.

To get the proper RPMs you have to use math, pulleys, and belts.
Ratios are now your friend.

 

[ZNP]

 

[Handyman62]

The RPMs in most modern generators is crucial. It's the only way to achieve proper voltage at the proper frequency. Water wheels have been providing torque for thousands of years. Even Egyptians had them when enslaving Hebrews.

Louisville Slugger baseball bats still use a central turning shaft in their factory to provide power to equipment instead of electricity.

To get the proper RPMs you have to use math, pulleys, and belts.
Ratios are now your friend.

If you want to extract 120/240 volts a/c and can rely on a constant speed & volume of water it's much easier to get things dialed in. If consistent water flow is an issue then a dc generator can be used along with an mppt to regulate dc output or add and inverter or an mppt/inverter combo unit similar to whats used in solar setups to produce a/c and charge batteries. With an mppt controller the generator speed fluctuations is not as much of an issue.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

The RPMs in most modern generators is crucial. It's the only way to achieve proper voltage at the proper frequency. Water wheels have been providing torque for thousands of years. Even Egyptians had them when enslaving Hebrews.

Louisville Slugger baseball bats still use a central turning shaft in their factory to provide power to equipment instead of electricity.

To get the proper RPMs you have to use math, pulleys, and belts.
Ratios are now your friend.

 

[JohnDB]

If you want to extract 120/240 volts a/c and can rely on a constant speed & volume of water it's much easier to get things dialed in. If consistent water flow is an issue then a dc generator can be used along with an mppt to regulate dc output or add and inverter or an mppt/inverter combo unit similar to whats used in solar setups to produce a/c and charge batteries. With an mppt controller the generator speed fluctuations is not as much of an issue.

Electricity itself is only useful for motors...
If you have machine precision generating the juice....but the torque is easier to use if you connect it directly to the work you are trying to do...why have a motor turn a saw blade when you already have the ability to turn it?

Electricity is capable of being transmitted long distances to do work remotely....if you don't need to transmit it far away then dont....it's an unnecessary hassle.

 

[Handyman62]

While you can adapt an engine to run from hydrogen and you can also extract hydrogen from water using electricity, it's not possible extract enough hydrogen to run a generator off the hydrogen produced by the generator while the generator is running off the hydrogen it's producing.

 

[GardenofWeeden]

While you can adapt an engine to run from hydrogen and you can also extract hydrogen from water using electricity, it's not possible extract enough hydrogen to run a generator off the hydrogen produced by the generator while the generator is running off the hydrogen it's producing.

Lol Maybe but this one seems to work lol

 

[Handyman62]

Lol Maybe but this one seems to work lol

Lots of people will fake things like this just to get people to view their videos and generate income for themselves. There are also many videos on utube showing how these things are faked.

Just remember if it seems to good to be true it probably is.