Reader's Thoughts

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Recently, Fern published an article that received a number of comments - Government's Uncivil War. Yes, the article was picked up by Western Rifle Shooters Association and the Woodpile Report. This certainly increased our readership with some extra comments. We didn't see anything special about the article, but there were some great comments, thoughtful, sincere and genuine. 

We're going to share a few of those comments with you. These are readers that share often. Fern and I benefit from, and respect these folks ideas and contributions. Hopefully, you will also enjoy their insight. These are in the order that we received them.

Please share any thoughts that you have. We're all in this arena together and when it rains, it rains on all of us. We are approaching a dicey period in our civilization. Things may stay the same, but there is the opportunity for significant change. Pay attention. It's changing very quickly.

You know the rules. Food, water, fuel, protection, shelter. Pay attention. Stay away from crowds and don't get on the bus.

Hope you enjoy these comments. Enjoy may not be the right word, but I still hope you enjoy these comments.

We'll talk more later,  Frank

 

Vicki

 

Personally, I now believe that we are passengers on a runaway train, the brakes don't work and the bridge is out a mile ahead.

Greed and corruption and lies have nearly always existed in politics. But never in my lifetime have I seen those things displayed so openly. Candidates for the office of the leader of the free world are openly celebrating the murder of babies, every perversion known to man and the changing of our system of government that takes away the freedoms our forefathers fought and died for. And a fair share of our population are in the front row, standing and applauding.

We have ourselves to blame. When TSA agents at the airports began digging into granny's Depends looking for bombs and began touching our children in places they had been taught were private, we wrote letters and signed petitions and wrote blog posts condemning those actions, but we did nothing that might make a difference and we soon accepted those behaviors as normal.

When hairy men in dresses and heels and lipstick were allowed in the same restrooms as our daughters and granddaughters, we raised a ruckus and vowed to boycott the businesses that allowed this practice. But we did nothing that would actually put a stop to it. By this time we feared being labeled racist or homophobic or some other 'phobic.' We soon accepted this practice as normal.

When we were told that to openly express our opinions about things like Sharia Law or that All Lives Matter or our dismay at the unstoppable tide of 'refugees' illegally crossing our southern border, we were told to just shut up or be accused of 'hate speech.' College students were told they could speak freely only in designated 'free spaces.' School kids were told they could not wear t-shirts that had anything to do with our flag or with guns or with Christianity because others found those things offensive. We fussed about it. We wrote op-ed pieces about it. A few PTA members objected, but nothing happened to change it.

I, like so many, have no answers because I believe we are now so very close to the end of what was once the most wonderful place on the planet to live and there is no turning back. We have become afraid and understandably so. Twenty years ago I had little if any fear of going anywhere alone other than the obvious 'skid row' areas of cities. Now I wouldn't even consider walking around my block in daylight or after dark without protection. Those I know living in small towns or rural areas are equally cautious these days.

I do not know what is coming. I just feel in my bones that it is bad. This seems to be the prevailing thinking of those who pay attention. I know there is nothing I can do to change things. Those we hire to see to our well-being in government are far more interested in power and lining their own pockets than they are in doing their jobs. So I continue to get ready. I fill my deep pantry and stockpile everything I can think of to make life bearable for me and my family when the world comes crashing down around us. And it will - sooner than later.

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Peteforester

 

I've been watching this and have come to the same conclusion that you have; there's no path to victory here. America has become the world's largest dysfunctional family. Hell; families can't even sit down at a Thanksgiving dinner without ending up in a raucous, family-dividing political argument! Abortions are not only legal, but encouraged. Life is cheap; 'don't like your classmates? MOW 'EM DOWN! 'Don't like the fact that some stranger is wearing a "MAGA" hat? BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM! You'll be CELEBRATED on THE VIEW! You cannot turn on the TV or go to the movies without the homosexual agenda being rammed down your throat. Even preschool kids' shows are showcasing homosexual marriage and portraying it as "normal!" The toddlers watching things like this will grow up knowing nothing else. To them homosexuality WILL be normal! Our government "representatives" don't even TRY to hide the fact that they're lying to us. Neither does the MSM. The sacrifices of our forefathers are trivialized and even DEMONIZED! Their living memorial, the American flag, is trampled and burned as a matter of free speech, even though doing the same thing to a Mexican flag flying in in the neighborhood is considered a hate crime. It goes on and on.

Kids reaching voting age this year weren't even alive when 9/11 happened. In fact, they've known NO disruptions to their sensitive little lives. Their freedom has never been threatened. Their idea of a crisis is when the internet goes down for a couple of hours. They walk out of class to protest "climate change" after being ferried to the school... in their parents' cars... from their houses a few blocks away! Unfortunately for America, this batch of weebles is larger than both the Millennials and the Baby Boomers, and is being solicited by "folk heroes" like AOC and, for some reason, Bernie Sanders. In short, they're too dumbed down to know any better. They're so stupid that they don't recognize the Trojan horses being wheeled through the wide-open gates, even though they're made of clear plastic, plainly revealing the soldiers inside.

I could go on all day...

No, I don't see a path to victory. If America is to return to its roots, it won't happen until things get WAY worse; kinda like what happened in Old Testament Israel...

...Stand by for heavy rolls as the ship comes about...

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Bluesman


Hi Fern,
The world about us is certainly in very chaotic times. It is sad to see the erosion of this once great country. I believe it will take something very unpleasant to happen before things will get better, if they ever will improve from today's craziness.
The destruction of our country has taken a long time to occur. I believe bad things got a strong foothold here during Wilson's presidency. The Communists infiltrated F.D.R.'s administration at high levels in the 1930's. Senator McCarthy was right, but the press did a job on him.
The takeover of our country's educational system was a major step for changing the way people think.
If only we could learn from history, but we refuse. Things are going to be different this time, right. I think not. People should get familiar with United Nations, Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030 to see the direction of things that are planned for us.
We prepare for bad things as best we can. We don't know what event will "trip the switch" to liven things up, but something has to give, these situations cannot continue forever. Turbulent times are here. We pray for guidance and direction on a daily basis, may the Lord have mercy on our country.

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CWfromIowa
 
The people of this country who know the true and indepth history of our nation did not learn it in a public school setting. Most educated people gain their knowledge through study they do on their own. They are also aware of revisionist history, and they attempt to find older more reliable sources. The same holds true for current events. They do not accept the garbage that comes from the media. It takes a little extra effort to look for the truth and very few are willing to do it. It makes me so sad to see what we have become and how the majority of Americans will celebrate this Memorial Day...completely unaware of how fragile our nation is today.

Thank you, Fern. You and Frank know, so much better than most, the real and nasty struggle ahead of us. Too many people are uninformed, brainwashed, or are in denial. We will all suffer the consequences. There will be no hiding from what is coming.
 

No More Surrender

We raised pigs for a while, the American Guinea Hog. It is a standard breed, just smaller in size by nature. 

Well, the day of my uncle's funeral, six months after my double bypass, we were feeding the pigs that night, which we had done every night for a year or two. The male pig decided he wanted to get a little aggressive. His weight was around 250 pounds, fully grown. I felt a nudge on the back of my leg, then I felt a nudge again, a hard nudge, which is not really uncommon, our pigs just did that. But on the third nudge, I realized he was biting me about knee high. I hollered at him and he started to circle me. 

Being the prepared person I am, I pulled out my pistol and fired a shot into the ground in front of him. This did not deter him, he continued to circle. It was still daylight at this time and I knew what was coming, so I shot him right behind the head, which ended the circling.

Here is food for thought. When I drew my pistol, I did not have to think, is my gun loaded? Is my safety on? You see, my gun is an extension of my hand. I didn't even have to think about where it was pointed, where it was aimed, it was second nature. I know my gun. I know it well. I have shot this same brand of pistol for decades. You need to practice and you need to train. You don't want to be fumbling for a light switch in the dark, you want to know where your flashlight is. You want to know that your radio is charged and what frequency it is on. Your life my depend upon these little, bitty, simple things. An animal circling is looking for a weakness. Don't give your enemy a weakness to exploit.

So, you say what's the problem? A 250 pound pig, the way pigs are built with their neck strength, if he had gotten me to the ground, he could have killed me. That's the problem. So we waited a few months to see if any of the girls were pregnant, which they weren't. We hauled off all of the pigs to the butcher, therefore, no more pigs. No more surrender. 

Frank & Fern 1997

If I had not been carrying my gun, well, we can speculate all we want. We are a gun carrying family. When Fern leaves the house, she is carrying a gun, and I don't mean leaves the house to go to town, I mean when she leaves the house - to work in the garden, to take care of the chickens, to go to the barn, or any other household type chore that takes her outside. Fern is very capable and competent with her pistol. She is one of those people that knows which end of the gun the bullet comes out of. She knows that a gun will not fire all by itself, and she knows that her little 40 caliber Glock will stop a 250 pound beast from doing her damage, or worse, killing her. Fern lives in reality. A gun is a tool, just like a shovel, or a flashlight, it is a tool.

My pig story, it could have had a horrible outcome, and it did for the pig. You see, there are people out there that say I can't carry a gun, and there are other folks that say I could have handled the pig situation different. Well, let me be very simple about this. I don't care what those people think, and I know they don't care what I think. But if anything messes with my way of life, I'm going to stop it, by whatever means necessary. On occasion, we'll have a dog come through. What if that dog is a drunk, meth druggy piece of crap in the form of a human? Some people call it the Castle Doctrine, it used to be called Make My Day. But God, through the Constitution gave me the right to protect myself, be it man or beast. Rights come from God, and if you don't believe in God, then your rights come from the Constitution, which by the way, those rights came from God.

I refuse to let some beast rape or kill my wife because some bleeding heart liberal refuses to accept his responsibility to defend his wife and family. I call these people cowards, among other things that I shan't say here. A tool. It's just a tool. Can a hammer be deadly? Absolutely. Can a diving board be deadly? Can a kitchen knife? How about that 4000 pound piece of 70 MPH projectile sitting out in your driveway?

I refuse. Listen to me very carefully. I refuse to surrender my right to protect myself and my family. There are more commandments than just the Big Ten. I'm leaning heavy on God here, but it is my right as a man, and a warrior, and it's my God given responsibility to be a man and protect and defend those that I am responsible for.

I can hear the snowflakes screeching now. This beast is a barbarian! So be it. We are losing our society. Some people would say we have already lost. I'm one of them. If we do not get up off of our fat, lazy, stupid butts and take this bull by the horns, then in a generation or two, we will not even recognize our neighborhoods, our society, or our culture. Don't think it can't happen, because it is happening, while we sit and watch TV, laugh as we watch the perversion, and stuff our fat faces with Cheetos. Read your history. It has happened many times before, people have lost their cultures by idly sitting by. Once you lose, you lose.

It's raining at my house today. A good day to sharpen your kitchen knives. A good day to sharpen your skills. Just look around Ladies and Gentlemen, 90% of the people will never fight, 1-2% of the people will fight. King George had the overwhelming majority of people on his side. If you don't know who King George is, then you should. He had the overwhelming support of the people in the colonies and 1-3% of the people overthrew his local government and his trained military. These were tough people in a hostile environment. Do not believe a word our government says. You know we need leadership that I do not see stepping up. Our last president, Mr. Obama, said that we are not a Christian nation, he was wrong and is wrong. We ARE Christian and we are in need of those 1-3% of the people to do what the majority will not do.

I refuse to surrender. You should refuse to surrender also.

A shift here. You've got to have food and water. You have got to have shelter. It is imperative that your head is screwed on right. You need the ability to protect yourself. You've got to have water.

Next. Quit trying to change the minds of people that you're not going to change. You're wasting energy. I have tried for YEARS and the government and the media has convinced the people that everything is just fine. So quit wasting time trying to get other folks to see it your way. Be very careful who you do trust because through the kindness of their own heart they may tell someone what you're doing and that person may not be a kind, gentle person. I have heard people in church stand up and ask for prayers for when they go on vacation for two weeks. Great. They just told a whole church full of people they'll be gone for two weeks. If one person, in light conversation, mentions that to the wrong person, their house could be empty when they return. 

It's time to quit talking and thinking about telling people what you're going to do. A veteran street fighter knows that when someone tells them what they're getting ready to do, it's not going to happen. A veteran street fighter never tells someone what they're going to do, they just do it. Trust me. Remember the last presidential campaign when Mr. Trump said we are going to quit telling the enemy our plans? Word to the wise.

It was me or that pig. I chose me. I am the person responsible for my house. I choose life over death. Our mindset is strong. Plan to feed those you can, but if you can't, don't worry about it. Do not put your family in jeopardy for the fool next door that didn't prepare. It's your choice.

Choose wisely.

We'll talk more later, Frank

Do You Follow God or the Government?

Hi Everybody, Frank here.

I ran across a real interesting article I would like to share with you. This article has nothing to do with a homestead, what we're feeding our pigs, or what is happening around here today.

It does have something to do with what we have talked about many a time. Here at Thoughts From Frank and Fern, we have talked about the moral decay and collapse of our society many times. We have talked about the educational system lowering it's standards on a regular basis. We've also talked about systematically tearing our military apart. And we've talked about the banking system, the collapse of the world markets, and many other topics, all of them leading to one basic conclusion. Our way of life is under attack from multiple different disciplines. Anybody that takes the time to move out from in front of the television can see it easily.

We are under a full frontal attack upon every established discipline. We are losing the battle, folks. So, where is this going? Here's where it's going. The Southern Baptist Convention had their annual meeting the last couple of days in Columbus, Ohio. The president of the Southern Baptist Convention is Dr. Ronnie Floyd. He had some things to say that are going to, or should, raise peoples' eyebrows. You see, Ronnie Floyd has taken a stand, and so has the Southern Baptist Convention. My hat is off to them for having the courage to stand for what they believe is right. Not legal right, but what is right from God's view. This is not a long article, and it is a news article about his comments. I have not been able to find an unedited version of Ronnie Floyd's speech. 

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Southern Baptists: Supreme Court Is Not 

Final Authority on Gay Marriage

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Ladies and Gentlemen, please read this article. It is time that we all take a stand. After you read it, discuss it with your loved ones. Because if we don't take a stand, we're are going to go down one by one, and they will have won the ultimate battle. Who is they? They are the vast majority of our politicians. If they don't take a stand, then that means that they support the anti-God, anti-Christian views that are not what our country was founded upon.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we at Thoughts From Frank and Fern wholeheartedly support the views and beliefs Dr. Ronnie Floyd expressed in this article. We believe in freedom, and that every individual has the right to choose what they want to be. But we also believe that marriage is ordained by God between one man and one woman. We will continue to support these views, and defend them until Hell freezes over. Thank you for your time.

Frank & Fern
 

Divide & Conquer

Hi Everybody, Frank here.

Well folks, we have had a busy period for the last few days, but the main thing that has kept us busy has been the weather. All across north Texas, southern and central Oklahoma, we have had one severe weather system coming right behind the one that just left. As of this writing, about 9:00pm,

we're having another one. There is also one forecast for tomorrow and tomorrow night. But this is what we do here, we listen to the National Weather Service, watch the radar, check on the elderly and know where the kids are. After the storms pass, we check and make sure everybody is okay. Besides things that come out of the sky, we have to pay attention to creeks and low areas. I saw on the news where the Oklahoma Highway Patrol had shut down a section of I-44 running through Tulsa. Here we teach kids, turn around, don't drown. But the good news is, we are forecast to have a whole day and a half of no rain, then it's forecast to rain for five or six days after that. We're thankful for the rain, because in the past, there have been long stretches when we didn't have enough. So, I am thankful to have what I have.

On a different note, I want to bring something to your attention. A couple of days ago, I ran across two separate articles I would like to share with you. The first article is: When The Elites Wage War On America, This Is How They Will Do It. It is an intellectual piece, done by a gentleman well known in the alternative news circles. Brandon Smith writes thought provoking material on a regular basis, and this one caught my eye a little more than most. In this piece, Mr. Smith brings to our attention how groups or governments can divide and conquer the population, at the same time convincing them it is for their own good. We've all seen the types of techniques that he writes about, but it's even more interesting to read about them being used right now, on us, The People. I encourage you to read his article. I'm fairly sure that after reading it, you will have some questions to ask yourself and it might provoke a stimulating family discussion.

The second article I ran across was Starnes: School Teaches 5-Year-Olds About Transgenderism. You see, I am a retired educator, and I'm also a retired principal. I have had teachers that taught in a very progressive style, or you can call it liberal, or extremely left wing, and most of them had no desire to work for me any longer. This article just about scrapes the bottom of the barrel. It's a short article with a short video. You see, for a teacher in a public school to teach little kids about transgenderism, that means that this curriculum had to be approved by a principal. That means it had to be approved by a superintendent, and it probably had to be approved by an elected board of education. That could be the end of people that needed to approve it, but, maybe not. This curriculum, or book, probably came from a national publisher. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the state department of education approved this curriculum. The state department of education also has a governing school board, and in most states an elected state superintendent of schools. Now, let's take a look at the food chain here. Look at ALL of the people that had to give approval for this type of curriculum, so that it could show up in the hands of a teacher instructing those 5-YEAR-OLD KIDS. Does this give you a little bit different idea of the mindset of the people running our country? It's okay to teach 5-year-old kids about transgenderism, without the parent's knowledge or approval? Now, for those of you that are not actively involved in your child's education, can you imagine what other things they are teaching the children? 

Wakey! Wakey! Folks! This kind of grossly permissive education has been going on for years. Right under our noses. It happens everyday. I just don't know what else to say. The same thing is

happening to our military. The government is putting shackles on ministers and religion. Our financial system is a house of cards. And nobody does anything. Nobody cares. Our politicians, as I stated a few days ago, if they are talking they are lying. But it's okay. I've got my burrito in one hand and a Coca Cola in the other. Life is good. If you can't see that we have lost the battle, then I am sorry. All we can do now is plan for a recovery. The first article I asked you to look at is a little bit lengthy, but it is an eye opener. I would encourage you to read it. The second article is real short, but it should bring to your attention some of the filth and trash, lies and deception, that are happening everyday, everywhere in our society. 

I'm mad. And I don't mean insane, like Edgar Allen Poe. I'm mad because I get lied to everyday. I'm mad because I've watched society give up on itself. You know how hard it is to find someone to do good, honest work? When is the last time you heard a young person say, "You're welcome." when you handed them money at a check out counter and said thank you. You know what you get now days instead of, "You're welcome."?

That young person more than likely is going to say to you, "No problem." What do you mean no problem? I just gave you my money and said, "Thank you.", and you respond to me with, "No problem."? I've watched our educational system over the years skew data, falsify data, so that it could justify some new testing technique. We have destroyed the minds of our children. I'm sorry that some groups can't perform as well as other groups, but the way to make them equal is not to lower the bar of those that can achieve. Excuse me for being mad, but I have watched our government systematically and intentionally destroy our society. And now we're teaching 5-year-olds about transgenderism? It makes me want to puke, and it should make you want to puke, too.

We need to find a way, somehow or another, to stop this scourge. I don't know what to recommend or how to do it. I'm going to go get ready for the next round of bad weather. We gotta stop this stuff. Now.

We'll talk more later, Frank
 

Winter of Our Demise

Hi Everybody, Frank here.

A month or so back, Fern and I were driving down some long, lonesome highway somewhere, going to a place that I can't remember where we went. But while we were traveling, I observed some of the changes that occur during the seasons, and at that same time, it dawned on me that

there are lots of seasonal changes. Plants in the garden for the most part grow one year and are gone. Some come back the next year and some don't, but there are other types of seasonal events that happen. In my neck of the woods, folks grow and harvest pine trees. They just seem to have a longer season, somewhere between 20 and 30 years. There are also people. I'm approaching 66 years. I might have 10 more days or maybe 10 more years, God willing. But see, my season started with conception, and my season will end when I take my last breath. Let's guesstimate and say 70 years. In 70 years, I'm a spring chicken compared to some in the tortoise world. So, you get my idea here. I've read about some insects that only live a couple of days. That's their entire season.

Now, so much for the trip down memory lane. What I'd like to talk about is the season of our demise. You see our country, like all other countries, is controlled by a beginning, a middle and an end. Like some fruit flies that live for two days, and some trees that live for hundreds of years, everything has a beginning and an end. I raise goats. A good, solid, productive goat will produce somewhere around 10 years. I've seen baby goats born, and live 10 years, and I've seen baby goats born that never see another sunrise.

So, in the history of our developed world, our country, the United States of America, is a relatively young, thriving nation. I know some would question that, and in a moment I'm going to explain what I mean. But as nation, we are showing growing pains. Like me, we're starting to show our age and things are starting to slow down. That is part of the process of being mature. One of the things that I have accepted is that someday I am going to die. Sad as it is, someday our great nation will cease to exist as we currently know it. 

Let's step back in history a little bit. Not many of us around today actually remember the Great Depression. There are a few older folks around that still do, but not many. I would venture to say that most folks under 30 know very little about the Great Depression. Like the depression we're in right now, back then there was a debate as to when it started and when it ended. But have no doubt, we are currently in a financial depression. Play any word game you want, or do the semantic shuffle, but we are in a depression, because we have been in a severe recession for over six years.

Let's get back to the Great Depression. What caused it? Who knows? Who knows what's caused the depression we're in right now? Remember, the winners write the history books, and we are only taught what very influential people want us to know. But are you aware that in our great nation we have had multiple severe depressions? Actually it's really no big deal, because most people

back a 100 or so years ago, were extremely poor. This affluent society that we live in today, and you quibble, "We don't live in an affluent society!". You might say, "I only have one SUV in front of my house." Well folks, 100 years ago, let's say 1915, there were no SUVs. If you had a covered type chariot for daily transportation, you were wealthy. Now remember 100 years ago, 1915, few, very few people had electricity. That same few did not have running water and there was no such thing as a Wal-Mart Super Center. Credit was unheard of for the most part. Few, few people owned firearms. You can see the pattern here. By the way, in 1915 we were in one of those severe depressions.

What do you think got us out of that depression? It's the same thing that got us out of the Great Depression. It's called war. But right before we got into World War I, a private group of the very wealthy and influential folks created the Federal Reserve banking system. You hear about it

occasionally on the news now days. Ever heard of quantitative easing? Or liquidity? Have you ever heard that the dollar has been devalued to just about nothing? Some people think this is a direct result of the creation of the Federal Reserve system. Which, by the way, the word Federal is just a name, like Federal Express is just a name. It is convenient, though, that it was started right before World War I. Okay. A depression before World War I, the Great Depression before World War II, and I don't know what history will call the depression we're in right now, we'll have to wait and see on that one. But can you guess what's coming? Good guess. Let's back up one more time.

While Europe was fighting, back in the late 30's and early 40's, the United States became the industrial base for the world. Remember the winners write the history books, and we were the good guys, along with western Europe that we were providing war supplies to, so that they could fight the bad guys. You know, Hitler and the Nazis. During this period before we were involved in World War II, our industrial base was ramped up to full capacity. But the war in Europe didn't go too well. 

A little history here. We had huge convoys of supplies leaving our ports and going to Europe as fast as we could make them, and as fast as the supply ships that we were building could carry them. Well, remember those horrible Hitler Nazis? They took out full page ads in our east coast newspapers advising the American public that they were going to start sinking those supply ships. And they did. But they warned our country multiple times. Remember we were supplying western Europe with bullets, beans and bandages. So they did start sinking some of our ships. Soon the war cry went out and we sent our good, homegrown, American boys to Europe, and we helped defeat Hitler and the Nazis.

Let's skip over to the Pacific now. We all know that the Japanese government bombed Pearl Harbor. Did the American government know that Pearl Harbor was going to be bombed? History now shows that yes, absolutely, they knew. But do you know why the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor? It's because we put an embargo where the Japanese could not import oil. Japan was a quasi modern, industrial nation and we shut off their oil supply. We know what they did. It's called Pearl Harbor. 

Okay, now we have a war on two fronts. Our industrial base really kicks in now. Everybody is working. My mommy worked in an aircraft plant. All the men, or most of them anyway, went to fight in

the war. My dad and his brother went to Europe, and my mother's two brothers went to the Pacific. Why all this history stuff? Because this is the beginning of the "spring" of our nation. We destroyed, and I believe rightly so, the industrial base of most of Europe. What we didn't destroy, the German's took care of before we got there. The same thing happened in Japan. So, World War II is over, all of our soldiers are coming home, and everybody needs jobs.

Jobs were there. We had passed the Rural Electrification Act, so all those back woods, country, hicks could now get rid of their icebox and get a refrigerator, and every other modern convenience that their citified cousins had. At the same time we're also rebuilding Europe, Japan and England,

which Hitler pretty much took care of destroying. Let's take a look at things now. The British economy along with it's infrastructure and industrial base, was pretty much destroyed. The same with most of industrial Europe and Japan. Britain was the reserve currency, but now their economy was in shambles. The reserve currency now becomes the U.S. dollar. This means that most international trading is done with dollars. At that time the United States had beyond a doubt the strongest economy, the strongest industrial base and the strongest military. You say, "What about China?" China was still closed to outsiders, so at that time, they did not figure into the picture. 

Guys like my daddy are now helping build appliances, or automobiles, or any of the thousand items that our new, blossoming industrial base can

produce. The good folks in Europe and Japan want these products also. People are leaving farms by the droves to go get the citified jobs, so they can live and work in a town, buy a little house, which they're building by the thousands, which means more jobs, so the cities are expanding, infrastructure has to develop, neighborhoods and streets need to be built. Don't forget your rural country cousins that now have electricity, they're in the process of getting water and sewage to every house. Times are great. Times are wonderful. Everybody is working and everybody is happy. We are coming into the "summer" of our content. 

Southern California is growing like a weed, the valleys of California have been turned from desert into the most prolific producers of food the world has ever seen. Highways are being built, along with hydroelectric dams, and now the common man can get credit. You see, everything is growing. Except the farm population, that is. But, no big deal. The farmers now 

have larger pieces of equipment, stronger credit, which means companies like John Deere can produce more jobs. The growth just never seems to stop. The whole world is trading in U.S. dollars. Europe is getting back on their feet. Japan has made some shifts from their Imperial based society to a more democratic based system. Japan is ready to take off on a financial venture that has never been seen or replicated since. But in the modern world, as of today, Japan's financial system is in serious dire straights. They are the fast track of what we are. Their economy will never survive.

But, back to the good Ole' U.S. of A. During all this time, we the happy Americans, are becoming a huge consumer based society. We now have more junk than we will ever need or use in our lives. We bought so much stuff from Japan that they had to outsource their work to the Philippines and then Malaysia. Japan can't produce enough, fast enough for our insatiable desire for consumerism.

Something we haven't talked about yet is that during and after World War II, we are the largest oil exporting nation on the planet. Imagine that. We were the largest oil exporting nation on the planet. It's not that our oil production abilities decreased, it's our oil consumption increased. Even though we're still producing huge amounts of oil, we have now become an oil importing nation. Most of that oil comes from various countries, but primarily Saudi Arabia. Things are still good, things are still happy, but we should start seeing a pattern here. It was about 1957 when we shifted from exporting to importing oil. As mentioned earlier, credit had opened

up for the common man, but things were still not growing fast enough. Our currency was based on the gold standard. The same gold that in 1933, President Roosevelt legally and conveniently stole from the American people. But, in a brilliant financial move, President Nixon removed us from the limitations of the gold standard, and the U.S. dollar was now free to grow as fast as it could. We're looking at the end of our summer season here.

Going off of the gold standard, with the unfettered dollar, the common man, through changes in banking policies, now could comfortably put that piece of plastic in his wallet. We are still a consumer nation. We need more, we need to feed that addiction toconsumerism. Madison Avenue has now

become experts at convincing us that we need more. Don't worry about it, you can pay for it later. Just put it on your credit card. But everything is still LOOKING good. We not only have one SUV in our driveway, we now have two! Suburbs are growing at a phenomenal rate. People are now escaping the cities, that 20 or so years ago, they were leaving the farm to move to. More expansion, more infrastructure, more roads, more electricity, water, and so forth. Don't forget, since 1945 up to the mid 60's we had a huge population growth in this country. Why not? Life is good, we are living in the lap of luxury, and we are the envy of the world. But there is a sickness brewing. We are addicted to consumerism. I want more. Everybody has two cars, and a big, cheap house out in the suburbs. Gasoline is cheap. I can drive anywhere I want to. I have earned that right. Debt just continues to build. 

I can remember in 1978 when economists said that the Dow Jones would never cross 1000. Well, obviously, they were wrong. That phenomena hasn't changed any. For the most part, economists are just talking heads. You see, we're starting to go downhill. Abortions are now legal. Marriage is starting it's decline. Man is rich, he doesn't need God anymore. We start to see financial bubbles coming up and collapsing. We get involved in the

Vietnam War. Remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? Supposedly some of their little bitty boats fired on one of our ships, and Johnson agreed to escalate our involvement in Vietnam. Ten years later, about 79,000 of our soldiers are dead, and who knows how many of the Vietnamese we killed. We find out later that the Gulf of Tonkin never happened. It was a lie. Or as Hillary Clinton would say, somebody misspoke. It never happened. The Vietnam War tore our country apart. Some think that's when the rapid social decay of our nation started. Remember Hanoi Jane? To this day I don't understand why she is not in prison for treason. 79,000 young men and women died for some unknown reason. But we do know historically, that the Gulf of Tonkin never happened.

The military industrial complex made fortunes, and it did provide jobs in this country. The undertones from the Vietnam War left an indelible mark on society. During this time we saw the Civil Rights Amendment, which in theory was probably the right thing to do. But in application, it's the Civil Rights Amendment that is now allowing same sex marriage in our country. 

So, be careful what you wish for, because I expect pretty soon, we will see sisters marrying sisters and fathers marrying daughters. You see, it's their civil right to do so. We got the peace and love movement, the suburbs are still packed, society is decaying at a phenomenal rate. We have a couple of little crashes here and there in the financial sector. A lot of retired folks get their 401k wiped out. But, ironically, the first chance they get, they put their money back into another 401k, because they're going to make a fortune. Now everybody has three SUVs in their driveway. Ten year old girls are wearing $50.00 blue jeans that make their hips look curvy, not to mention their skin tight t-shirts, then people at church sit around and comment about how pretty they look. 

You see, ladies and gentlemen, we have entered the fall of our society. It's been a good ride. My grandfather got to leave the farm, and go to work for an aircraft plant building airplanes. At that time

women earned their place in the workforce, even though there is no one home to raise little Billy now. So we have a new industry pop up called daycare. Everybody after World War II has a good job, if they want one. Everybody works, and we are going to have growth forever. Well, anybody with a half a lick of sense knows that is impossible. Our infrastructure is now decaying. Water lines and sewer systems in every major city need to be completely replaced. That's never going to happen. Our electrical grid system is a fossil just waiting for a collapse. Our schools have become institutions of putrid vile. Our industrial base we have effectively crushed by sending our jobs to other countries. 

And I really hate to say this next item, but if you believe that our government is working for us, The People, then you are delusional. Our elected officials, for the most part, are the most corrupt group of people ever assembled. But most people don't care because things still appear

to be good. Look at the crime in our cities. Look at unemployment. Look at welfare. Turn on that great educator called the television and compare it to 50 years ago. If you can't see the progression of filth and trash, then you are taking way too many psychotropic drugs. Look at the way mother's dress their little girls. Listen to what comes out of little boys' mouths. If you are a decent individual, you are a minority. If a person tries to live a humble life and raise their own food, then they are labeled a terrorist. Can you imagine that? Our government has systematically managed to associate decency with terrorism. 

Let's review. We had a spring. It was a good time after a long-term bad time. We had a lengthy summer. Now we have crept into the fall. We are a mature nation, and some day we are going to

relinquish our world domination to some other country. This is a natural progression. Are we going to do this peacefully? History would say no, we're not. Is our government going to become more tyrannical? Absolutely. We had better learn to accept the fact that martial law is just around the corner, because if you believe that your life is private, then you're both delusional and taking psychotropic drugs. As usual, the future is not here yet. But it's coming. 

Let's take a look at some things that we do know and can forecast with some degree of certainty. Are our schools going to start teaching American values? Well, actually, they are teaching American values, because we have allowed them to teach trash and filth. So the schools are going to continue doing what they're doing. Is our obvious moral decay going to make a turn around? No, it's not. The answer to that one is obvious. Is our economy going to improve? Well, that depends on who you listen to. If you think rising unemployment is an improvement, if you think more people

being serviced by government social programs is an improvement, then yes, it's going to improve. It's been improving for years. Do you think our corrupt government is going to start telling the truth? I don't think that's possible, because if our politicians were to tell the absolute truth about what's coming in the future, then we would have anarchy in the streets. They can't tell the truth. But that doesn't mean that they are still not corrupt. And that is only going to worsen. What about our financial system? How are they going to continue to feed their need for more of our money? You can only tax so much. So why don't they just take our money? You say that will never happen? I would have never thought that a man would let an

airport agent feel up and fondle his wife while standing right beside her. But that happens everyday. They also do the same thing to his teenage boy and daughter, and that's okay too. Because remember, Roosevelt stole gold and silver from the people. If you don't think that our government will not take all of our savings, then you're not paying attention to history at all. All they have to do is issue you a debit card, or an EBT card, or whatever name they want to call it, and try to convince you that your money is now secure with them. 

Okay. So. Now we know a little bit about what to expect in the future. How are we going to get out of this conundrum? War. We've been at war for the

last 20 years. But I'm talking about big war. People fight different than they used to. A fellow sitting in front of a keyboard can shut down a plane in mid flight. I'm talking about a commercial jet liner here. They can shut down our banking system with the punch of a key. They can shut down our power grid with the punch of another key, and it can't be stopped. This next war is going to look a whole lot different than the last few wars. I'm not sure that some of those keys might not be punched by our own people. It wouldn't be the first time they've done it.

Folks, we're getting older, our time is expiring. Hold your grandkids, hug your spouse, keep your powder dry, for winter is at the threshold. It is inevitable.

We'll talk more later, Frank

You Need to Read This

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Yesterday Patrice Lewis of Rural Revolution posted her weekly article at WND, World Net Daily. I enjoy reading Patrice, whether she's talking about canning corn or planting a tire garden, she always has something thought provoking and entertaining. But her WND article this week struck a cord, and I'm going to encourage you to read it, then I'm going to encourage you to read it again. Her last sentence summed up the entire thought quite well.

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The Simple Secret to Surviving Any Crisis

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Ladies and gentlemen, we as a society, our big boat is taking on water, and most of us are not going to survive. If you have a family, then it is your responsibility to prepare for whatever comes. When you decided to have kids, they are now your responsibility. Not the government, but you. If you take on the responsibility of aging parents, same rules apply here. You, not the government, are responsible for their well being. I am responsible for my immediate surroundings, and you are responsible for yours.

Please read the article by Patrice Lewis, because our ship is taking on water.

We'll talk more later, Frank.

Am I Right or Wrong?

Hello, Frank here.

A while back we switched from paper milk filters to cloth milk filters. This was an excellent move for many reasons. A couple of reasons, not in any particular order, are that cloth filters are reusable and that the milk filters faster, therefore allowing us to chill the milk quicker. There are many other

positive benefits as well. We had been using paper filters for a number of years, and for the most part, they work fine. But the purpose of this post is not pro or con, cloth or paper milk filters, the purpose for this post is, "Why didn't we see this a long time ago?" We've read about it for years, on other folks blogs. Why didn't it sink in? Why didn't we see it? We've read for years that the first stage of filtering raw water is to use a t-shirt. Years ago, we used to filter old house paint through discarded panty hose. But again, how come we didn't see the benefits of filtering milk through cloth?

Then the question comes up, which is the real question here, "What else is right in front of us, that we can't see?" Why at this time, were we allowed to see the cloth filters? I know it seems trivial and insignificant, but are there other small issues that we just can't see? What about large, much larger issues, that we think we do see? So, does that mean many things that we currently see, like the paper filters, are like other issues directly in front of us? An example: The perceived collapse that appears to be coming. Am I wrong about these issues also? I ask myself again, "What am I not seeing?"

This morning I did a simple move on my computer while Fern was watching. She said, "Gee, I didn't know you could do that so easily!

I go through this step and this step and this step." Fern is much more advanced in technology than I am. No one wants to believe that what they think or see may be wrong. I have believed for years that our school systems have been doing an injustice to our students. And having been a school administrator, my complaints were written off as foolish or out of touch. And now that I'm retired, it just continues to get worse. So my question is, "Am I seeing this right? Or are the schools actually improving our society?" So, am I wrong in the way I see things? 

Speaking of society. As I continue to get older, I choose to live farther and farther away from mainstream society. So, is my belief that society as a

whole is going downhill or backwards wrong? When I see lying, cheating and stealing as part of everyday life, is it because I want to see this to confirm my beliefs about society? Or am I wrong? Is society getting better and I can't see it? Some believe that society should listen to classical music, but it sure seems that rap is a lot more popular. Personally, I don't care for either one. But the issue is, am I wrong? Am I wrong in how I see things? Are schools getting better? Is society collectively progressing?

Another issue is government. Most days I believe that government is unrepairable. That our political leaders are not out for the good of the people, but instead they're out for self interest. So for me to believe that

the vast majority of our elected politicians are actually just white collar criminals, is this view wrong? Have the books that I've read influenced me to think this way? Or am I right? How can I live in a world where the world tells me everyday that I am wrong? And I have to ask myself, "Am I wrong?" Am I wrong to believe that our government is going to turn on the people? Or should I say, has turned on the people? It seriously saddens me to have these types of thoughts. And is the way I see all of these issues tainted? Do I need to adjust the way I see things? That's a good question, isn't it?

The questions I've just asked affect millions of people everyday. Some going left, some going right. Everybody thinks that the other person sees things wrong. I don't think I'm wrong. I know I'm not wrong. Our schools are going downhill at a phenomenal rate. This Common Core project, may be the last nail in the education coffin. Just walk into any Wal-Mart and tell yourself that society is improving. No doubt, our society is also going 

downhill at a phenomenal rate. And our politicians? Please don't make me laugh. Some of these people will look you right straight in the eye, or the camera, and tell you a blatant, bold-faced lie, and in their world, that is perfectly okay. And in my world, it is not. There are many, many other things that I see that I can't mention here. What I do see is that every discipline is being attacked, and there is little or no resistance. Just pick any one, whether it's health care, religion, education, society, gun control, or pro-life. 

Our monetary system. Ladies and gentlemen. Our monetary system cannot recover. I know it looks like right now we are walking through high cotton, but it's all an illusion. I wish I could explain here what is happening with our world economics, but this little spot is not big enough to discuss our world economic problems. It is just one more reason to pay attention. 

Folks we are in very serious trouble. If you can't see it, then you are not paying attention. Am I wrong in the way I see these things? No. I am not wrong. It is too late to save this ship. It's going to get real, real messy, and no one knows what the next ship will look like. Prepare now.


We'll talk more later. Frank

What Is Truly Precious?

Hello, Frank here. 

We received a comment on Tangible Assets about our thoughts on gold and silver. Frank would like to respond to this gentleman’s thoughtful ideas about the future of society.

I agree to a certain extent to the three phase recovery process. Where I disagree is the presumption that the three stages will be recoverable in a short period of time - from the beginning of phase one to the middle of phase three, a few years. 

What I see coming, phase one (collapse) will last decades, moving

into phase two (adapting) where it could stay for a period of time, that we can’t predict. Certain bastions of wealth, education and security will be isolated in regions all across the world. These will not be accessible to the vast majority of the people. This is where the gold, silver and libraries will be maintained for their security. Deep in the cellars of what we think of as large castles. Depending on how these castles function and survive, they will have great influence if there ever is a phase three (reconstruction). 

We have developed into an extremely complex organism or society,

as we somehow like to give ourselves credit for being social creatures. I wonder how Webster's will define society 500 years from now. Being the society that we are right now, we presume that all work for the common good. Any complex organism, has parts of the system that will fail over time.  

 

In our highly developed organism we have large numbers of people that don’t produce or contribute to the common good. Yes, there has always been a part of society that doesn’t contribute - the sick, the lame and the infirm. But today, we have a large group of healthy, strong, robust individuals that will not contribute, not can’t contribute, but will not. Is

this group at fault because they will not work? Or are they a byproduct of a throw-away society with the delusions of opulence? Men used to work and be proud, but now it seems that work is a scorned concept. It is easy to blame government for the obvious decadence that has permeated all levels of our perceived society. But is government the real problem? Does government actually lead, or does government follow the desires of the society we see in front of us? There are questions in the above mentioned statements that can be discussed at length, but this is not the issue here. 

The issue here is whether precious metals are something we should

attempt to store. The luster and glitter of gold and silver has seduced many for centuries, when the commonalities of food, shelter and family have been overlooked. I hear some say, we need to get back to the basics and I fervently agree. But I don’t believe this is going to happen by choice, because our society is traveling in a different direction. But it will happen. We will get back to the basics. We will see food, family and shelter as wealth. As for the bastions or castles mentioned earlier? These will survive and they will continue to do anything necessary to protect their precious items, and here is where the conflict will lie forever.

We’ll talk more later. Frank