Bumper crop

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The pending Canadian rail strike is shaking the markets and already there is talk of toilet paper runs (pardon the pun) at supermarkets across North America, again.
While I keep well stocked on most household goods and non-perishable foods, I don't consider myself a hoarder. I think of it as a hedge against inflation. And since my bank accounts pay a losing interest rate, it's smarter to change my money into consumables that I know I will eventually use anyway.
Such as Tide laundry powders in $19 boxes that have just gone up to $22 a box. I keep 4 or five of them stockpiled and buy more as I use them. I've noticed it is now a targeted item in market thefts.
You might say I'm diversifying my portfolio.
Supply chain disruptions can cause shortages of everyday items you would not think important. Until there is none to be found on shelves.
So it sparked my interest in rationing during the last World War.
https://home.nps.gov/articles/000/victory-gardens-on-the-world-war-ii-ho...
Very informative National Park article on rationed items before, during, and after the war.
Sugar was rationed before and for 2 years after the war and was restricted to uses such as canning and fruit preserves.
Up to 80% of most critical foods and materials went to the military and the war effort.
Of course, this was a major land war with tens of millions of military soldiers, sailors, and airmen, and support personnel in the field that needed the same things the front lines needed.
It's not likely the next big conflagration will require that many combatants in the field as most all our weaponry is standoff nowadays.
Apparently, joysticks have become the weapon of choice.
Nonetheless, shortages will happen with key items like computer chips, both basic and advanced, and rare earth materials needed to make them among many other materials that are completely different than what was badly needed during WW2.
My pre-Victory , or maybe-Victory garden is giving me a bumper crop of 250 lbs. of potatoes, 40 lbs of onions, and what looks like a massive crop of tomatoes, zucchini, beans, peas, and a few dozen ears of corn.
I've already made trips to family, friends, and neighbors. And two trips to the foodbank.
I don't mind at all giving away most of what I grow since it's kind of a hobby to keep myself busy and engaged.
And now, my son, still working full time, is growing a small garden successfully himself.
It's also a hedge against whatever the future holds in store.
Hopefully it doesn't involve some kind of victory by anyone.
So how are you preparing for tough times?
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enhydra lutris's picture

of truth, facts, reason and logic, particularly from government and the MSM. I cannot figure out how to hoard or even stockpile these commodities and am therefore, in a small way, attempting to seed them out into the community and broader populace. Beyond that, we have our fruit trees and meagre garden which we try to utilize as much as possible.

Beyond that I am simply trying to ready myself psychologically for whatever is gonna come, in large part by not slipping into the "that shit only happens to other people" mode and internalizing the fact that, yes, it's gonna hit me too.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

earthling1's picture

@enhydra lutris
would be the only way to stock up on those the items, EL.
The war on libraries will come next.
They did burn the Constantinople one once already.
Thanks for stopping by.
And thanks for the Mama Cass tune, had not heard it before.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

song appearance at the DNC convention.

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That's great news about your garden! And your lucky friends and family!
I have had a habit of buying food and home supplies in bulk for decades. Now, I have doubled down on it because I read constantly about some economic crisis looming. I also have a concern about our raging sanctions war with China. I cannot think of a store that isn't stocked top to bottom with products from China. Also, I agree with you that stocking up today saves you money when the same product will increase in price the next week.
I watch for sales like a hawk. My pantries and freezers stay full. I have 1 to 3 jugs of laundry detergent at all times. Getting laid off a couple of times in the 70s taught me a lesson.
Must get back to work.
Thanks for the OT, friend.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

earthling1's picture

@on the cusp
I've discovered at new scam with the Tide product.
Will fill you in when I get to my destination. Currently charging my car enroute.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

with Iran has been thwarted (at least for a while).

Meanwhile Hezbollah and Iran are working in tandem to keep Israel and the US in a steady state of high alert. !

The rest of the tweet:

Time is on our side and the waiting period for this answer may be long.

Currently, “Israelis” have to live in an imbalance, & Iran's response may not be a repetition of past operations, & the response scenarios are not the same, & our commanders have the experience & art of punishing the enemy effectively & are not prone to hasty action.

No attack on Iran's soil & assets has been left unanswered & the enemy must wait for calculated and precise strikes; Time is in our favor

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earthling1's picture

@humphrey
of their seats.
Until they eat themselves from the inside ou This long drawn out promise of punishment reminds me of my Mom telling me to just wait until my Dad gets home.
Waiting by the window was much worse than the punishment itself.
Thanks for the post.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

In no order.
Haiti

The United States has imposed sanctions on Haiti’s former President Michel Joseph Martelly over alleged drug trafficking, accusing him of playing a significant role in perpetuating the continuing crisis in the country.

The US Department of the Treasury, in a statement on Tuesday, said Martelly “abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States”.

The department said Martelly, who served as president of the Caribbean nation between 2011 and 2016, also worked with Haitian drug traffickers, sponsored multiple gangs and engaged in the laundering of illicit drug proceeds.

“Today’s action against Martelly emphasises the significant and destabilising role he and other corrupt political elites have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti,” Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in the statement.

Iraq

Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq are ending the truce that was meant to give the Iraqi government time to negotiate the withdrawal of US troops from the country, a high-ranking member of one of the groups told The National.

“The resistance factions in Iraq ended this truce and therefore all options are available to the resistance forces to target all US bases inside Iraq,” Haider Al Lami, a member of the political council of Al Nujaba Movement in Iraq, told The National.

Mr Al Lami said there was “procrastination and stalling” from the American side during talks with the Iraqi government on the withdrawal of US troops.

Yemen

A former Saudi official has alleged that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman forged his father's signature on the royal decree that launched the kingdom's yearslong, stalemated war against Yemen's Houthi rebels.
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earthling1's picture

@gjohnsit

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

enhydra lutris's picture

400,000+ Iranians Take US Government to Court Over 1953 Coup

A trial based on a class action lawsuit involving some 402,000 Iranians against six US nationals and legal entities over their suspected roles in the August 1953 coup has formally kicked off in a Tehran court.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240820/400000-iranians-take-us-government-to-...

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

earthling1's picture

@enhydra lutris

up
9 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

earthling1's picture

@enhydra lutris @enhydra lutris
Even though it will cost me as a taxpayer.

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8 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

and up popped a dozen articles about scams involving Tide, or poison, or fake Tide, with the first scam being in 2012.
That is just weird!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981