Am I naive, should I not be shocked to learn our federal government is the biggest money launderer on the planet, that 9 trillion dollars have disappeared, unaccounted for, from its budget?

This is a long (1:24, with Q & A) lecture, and some of it is greek to me, but I think the message is urgent. We will soon wish we had done more to get ready!

I didn't jot anything down the first 3/4 wherein she was describing (from her vantage point as ex-assistant secretary of HUD during Bush's first term) the amazing outright largest-in-the-history-of-the-world-fraud embedded in the government. But here are just a few snips from the rest ...

snips:

"One of the best investments you can make in this environment is personal self sufficiency." (at 42:47) Create the network you need for good and services. Barter networks. Where is it safe to bank? One that circulates money locally. Precious metals. Gold and silver are recognized as money all over the world. Natural resources, healthy places. Enterprises that are excellent at real solutions. Financial permaculture.

Replace dependence on big corporations and big government with a local network of trust where you can secure essential, quality goods and services.

1:05. Protect your time. Budget a couple hours a week with family and community and identify how to access essential services and goods locally. Finance a local farmer. Reduce your dependency on any large org. Identify ethical people you know in every aspect of your life, your bank, farmer etc.

Stockpiling non-perishables will have a better after-tax yield than any financial investment you could make now. Take time to invest in making sure you've reduced your dependency on any large organization. Replace them with local networks of trust.

The good news is you're the leader. The bad news is you're the leader. Nobody gives you power, you take it.

Big guys are subsidizing themselves by raking it off the little guys.

end of snips

And if you need help figuring out where to start, Sharon Astyk is really laying it step by step with her food storage ideas, such as this one. (But do a search on "food storage" for more great ideas.)