Top 10 Tips To Prepare For A Depression
Published on November 13, 2008 - 201 Comments
There is a chance that the world could be heading in to a depression, so it seems appropriate to make a list that will come in handy should that eventuate. We all hope that it won’t be the case, but there is no reason at all to not be prepared just in case. Hopefully at least one or two of these tips will be useful to you all.
It is a very good idea to get to know your neighbors well - even in times of a normal economy. Your neighbors can keep an eye on your home while you are away, they can feed the pets, and they can lend you a cup of sugar if you need one! In the event of a depression they can be even more useful - you can create a small community where you can share necessities that one may have and others lack, you can set up patrols (if the situation were so dire as to need it), and you can even have shared meals which can help to keep waste and costs down.
If you have a considerably large amount of money, you will probably want to consider investing some of it in metals - such as gold and silver (though these are already seeing massive price increases). Of course, if you have a fortune you probably already know this, but it doesn’t hurt to remind people. In the event of a collapse of your nation’s currency, you will need a backup - and precious metals have been shown in the past to be an excellent one.
If you regularly take medication, try to stockpile as much as you can. In a depression you may find that you can not afford drugs, or - in a worst case scenario, the drug companies may go under! Additionally, store up bottles of aspirin and other common over-the-counter drugs that we all tend to use from time to time throughout the year. As you use these drugs, be sure to use the ones that are the closest to their expiry date - to prolong the life of the others.
Right now. Begin saving as much money as you can. Cut down on all of your expenses (except debt repayment) and save every penny. If we end up in a depression, you are going to need it. This is also a good time to start thinking about selling any items in your home that you may not need. If it becomes very likely that a depression is going to hit, sell everything non-essential - that means the TV, DVD player, stereos, etc. I would recommend that you keep your computer (preferably a laptop in case you lose your home and need to move around) as it will come in handy when the depression ends.
You should try to get rid of as much debt as you can right now. While you can pay your mortgage now, you may not be able to in a month - and as banks are feeling the pinch, they are not going to tolerate even one missed payment. This can obviously lead very easily to you losing your home. If you think the recession now is painful, try suffering it on the streets! This is a tip to help you cope before the depression hits. If you find yourself in an untenable situation and the depression has already arrived, forget this tip and read the bonus item carefully.
If you own stock, it is now a good time to consider the types of companies that are likely to do well in a depression - these are the companies you should move your stocks in to. The companies most likely to survive and profit are dry food manufacturers, diaper and toilet paper manufacturers, and any company making products that are seen as essential to survive. “Comfort” and “sin” stocks like cigarettes, alcohol, etc. are also stocks that do extremely well during bad times as people rely on them to blot out their suffering.
Some trades are more in demand during a depression than others. For example, a baker, a handyman, or an electrician should be able to find work during the worst economic downturn, but a change control facilitator may not. Invest in some good old fashioned skills now and not only will it help you survive a depression, it may well be a complete career change for you in the future.
Right now you should be hoarding dried and canned foods. Also tablets for purifying water and other nice-to-haves like toilet paper, candles, and batteries. I know this sounds like preparations for a nuclear holocaust, but the effects could be horrifyingly similar. Keep all of your goods in a dry clean area. I would also recommend a book on the basics of cooking, so you can convert your flour to bread and perform other culinary miracles that require nothing processed or pre-packaged. This is a skill that will be invaluable whether we have a depression or not.
If you think you are in a job that is likely to not be needed during a depression, you should consider relocating to an area that has a lot of wildlife and land. If you lose your house, an investment in an RV now (not on credit!) could be your life-saver. You can drive it to a new town, find a private area where you won’t be disturbed, and park up while the depression rides out. Make sure you find an area where you can rely on plentiful fresh water and animals - which brings us to item one…
If things get so bad that people begin to steal off each other, this will come in very handy. You can use it to protect your family and belongings, as well as to kill animals for food. And if you really are in dire straits, you can use it to rob someone else! (Okay - I didn’t mean that - we should all try to help each other out - not kill each other). A gun will be most useful in hunting so be sure to buy one that is practical for shooting birds and larger animals. You will also want to buy a book on how to skin, clean, and prepare wild animals for human consumption.
Okay - this is going to appear very controversial - but this is about surviving a depression; this is a matter of living or dying. If you are about to go bankrupt, are out of work, and see no hope in the foreseeable future of correcting this situation, use your credit cards right to the limit to put yourself in a better position - whether it be buying food, or moving somewhere you might be able to find work. If we really do enter another great depression, you will have to be prepared to do things you would normally not do in order to ensure the survival of your family and yourself. Under any other circumstances, this would be a very very bad thing to do.
Related ListsTop 10 Tips for Beating DepressionTop 15 Tips for Spotting a Liar Top 10 Stain Removal Tips Top 10 Tips for a Great First Date |
SubscriptionsLike this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed to keep 'em coming, or subscribe via email: |
If you find this site helpful, please leave a donation so you can enjoy the spirit of giving too.
Email This Post
1. Twinkle - November 14th, 2008 at 1:49 am
i hope the economy won’t get so bad that I might actually find this list really helpful!
still, what a great list!
2. iloshky - November 14th, 2008 at 1:50 am
Good list =) … never suspected #1
3. sgvaibhav - November 14th, 2008 at 1:56 am
lol, pics look funny,, cant guess why they look funny.
But they made me laugh atleast
:P,
4. Avi - November 14th, 2008 at 2:10 am
I think a gun would help just in case things get so bad that my all white neighborhoods explodes into violence haha
5. Ducky423 - November 14th, 2008 at 2:35 am
The picture for hoarding food…are those cans of food? It looks like vintage motor oil cans. But I could be wrong. Good list and yes maxing out your credit cards is controversial and not a good thing to do. But whatever it take…right? Totally agree with #1. For those of us in America you might want to purchase a firearm before Obama is inagurated.
6. jajdude - November 14th, 2008 at 2:38 am
Space-barred guns on the list, g, although I was hoping it related to real depression, not a financial one.
Yikes!
7. jfrater - November 14th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Ducky423: I must confess - it is a photograph of what MY hoard will be - it is a room full of beer cans!!!
8. Phil - November 14th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Dont see any Lion Red
9. Ash - November 14th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Lol people will have to start buying guns if I don’t get any money.
I will be like a ravenous dog clawing at your pennies…
Great list
We’ll need it…
10. Alex - November 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am
OMG, only Americans could come up with a list like this. Buy a gun and move to RV.
Ever heard about working harder, not only eating? In times of great depression, unemployment rate was around 20-30%. Wich means that the best workers kept their job. Others were probably thinking about buying a gun…
No wonder the rest of the world think about You as retards…
11. luna1580 - November 14th, 2008 at 3:00 am
looks like this is a jamie list -and i know you’re a kiwi- but #1 leaves a bad taste in my mouth as an american.
reason? well, regardless of what is happening in the global economy (and bad things are happening) since the obama election all the right-wingers are rushing to buy guns like it’s the end of the world. they’re all so terrified that “democrat gun control” is going to rob them of their arsenals that gun sellers have said the sales figures are higher than the reactionary sales for 9.11 or hurricane katrina. that, coupled with the same redneck/closeted racist/open-about-it-racist segment of society constantly muttering “he’ll be shot within a month” is pissing me off.
now i agree that having the knowledge and fire power to shoot and eat game in a post-supermarket world would be a life saver, but the timing of this list is unsettling to me. my cousin just visited her southern baptist (white) farmer inlaws in oklahoma and they basically told her to expect a total failure of all society within ten years because obama was elected, it made me want to puke!
anyway, i still love LV and this is a great survival list, let’s hope nobody needs it any time soon.
p.s. you can see a humorous take on the gun-crazy thing on the nov. 13th daily show clip “baracknophobia!”
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
12. notherguitar - November 14th, 2008 at 3:11 am
See thats what I have been saying for years. GET A GUN!!! Because even if there is no depression you still need protection. And I’m not saying carry one every where you go but at least have one at home away from children that can be accessed in a emergancy. To put this in perspective the average police response is up to five mins. Thats alot of time for someone to harm your family.
13. KingofLondon - November 14th, 2008 at 3:17 am
The best way to get a country out of depression is to continue to spend responsibly in order to stimulate the economy. If everyone took this advice, decided to stop spending money, live as cheaply as possible, and not do anything productive then it would be the end of society as we know it. How will the depression ride out if we don’t do something to help stimulate trade and economic activity? Keep buying products responsibly, keep using the services of professional tradespeople, keep spending at a balanced and regular pace – these are the ways to stop a depression.
Telling people to max out their credit cards is plain ridiculous too. Perhaps better advice would be to suggest that people with big credit card bills to consider bouncing the balance over to a new card that offers a 0% balance transfer rate for as long as possible. Failing this people should consider getting unsecured loans to pay off credit card bills. Unsecured loans in the UK can still be arranged with an APR of around 7% - this is far better that the 16% – 20% you’ll be paying on a credit card. Plan your finances responsibly, come up with a decent financial plan, set a monthly budget, save money, stop buying things on credit if it can be avoided.
14. jhoyce07 - November 14th, 2008 at 3:31 am
you have a Tagalog (Filipino) advertisement?? “Ikariam”??
15. stormy617 - November 14th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Alex #10-Actually the guy that wrote this list is in fact NOT an American. He is from New Zealand.
16. sdggrant - November 14th, 2008 at 4:06 am
@10, alex
I don’t even think you understand what a depression is. You can be the best fucking worker in the world, but if your company goes belly up in a depression you are up shit creek without a paddle. In the first depression some people with high level college degrees were camping out in hoover-towns. My great grandfather lost his construction business when the depression started, but he barely scrapped by working at fishing docks up in Maine. Once the economy stabled again he started his business backup and made it highly profitable.
Having access to a firearm is always a good idea. Maybe you don’t realize it, but nearly the entire mid west and north western states are forest and rolling plains. Perfect place to hunt, if you know how to, considering that in some places in the mid west the damn deer breed like locusts. You give me a good tent, a durable rifle, plenty of ammo, and some basic camp tools and my family and I could ride out a depression. Not to mention the thousands of heads of cattle some of my family members own up in South Dakota/Montana.
And if you’re from europe then don’t even get me started on “hard work.” Half you western european countries are quasi-socialist ministates. I hope to god our country doesn’t follow europes lead with our new president who has a raging hard on for european style politics.
Oh, and for the record, Alex, this list wasn’t made by an american. If fact, the author is literally on the other side of the world.
17. sdggrant - November 14th, 2008 at 4:16 am
@luna1580
People are buying their guns now because two years from their either wont be able to, or the red tape they have to cut through just wont make it worth it. Say what you want about gun ownership, but it is protected by the constitution and those “rednecks” are doing nothing more than excercising their rights that were guaranteed by the founding fathers.
I also think that before Obama’s first term is up an attempt will be made on his life by some nutjob. Now I didn’t vote for Obama, and I dont like him much at all, but I hope to god he isnt murdered. The last thing america needs right now is a dead president. We have enough problems to deal with, lord knows we don’t need riots in every major city with a large black population. I mean shit, look at what happened to Los Angeles when Rodney King was brutalized by the police. Now imagine that x100.
18. Jono - November 14th, 2008 at 4:44 am
#7: “Cut down on all of your expenses (except debt repayment)”
#6: Get rid of debt
Wrong. Wrong. Double wrong!
It’s a completely stupid idea to increase debt payments before a depression. In a depression, you get inflation. Lots of inflation. Hyper inflation. The thing with inflation is that everything goes up. Price of food, price of fuel, price of energy, price of labour, price of materials. Everything except debt. Debt stays the same. If you remember the Great Depression (hypothetically speaking, because nobody alive then would be on LV, prove me wrong if you can though :p ) the value of money went down, so in order to buy a loaf of bread, you might may 100x or more what you paid previously (especially so in Germany). The benefit of not paying off loans before is that your loan then becomes worth 100x less as well. Pay rates go up (although not as much as inflation) and as a result of the numbers being higher (not value, just numbers) loans are a LOT easier to pay off. The bank can’t adjust your loan for inflation, if you borrowed $10,000 then that’s what you borrowed, if inflation goes mental and suddenly a bottle of milk is $500 and the hourly pay rate is $70, the bank gets ****ed, not you. That’s one reason they justify their relatively high interest rates. So basically a period of hyper inflation is good for your loan to be paid off, not before the inflation sets in. Obviously if your house is at stake, it’s a different matter, a house is a solid asset and you wouldn’t want to lose a solid asset during a time of economic turmoil.
19. vijaimanikandan - November 14th, 2008 at 5:08 am
A well thought list.
But does it not seem a little far-fetched???
I accept the situation is bad. But getting a gun, stocking up food, getting an RV all prove the insecurity of the western world…
But the list would be of great help, when the situation really does arise.
20. ScubaSteve - November 14th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Wow, that is a lot to go through just for depression. I would just take some Cymbalta or something. I also don’t think you should suggest someone with depression to buy a gun! Yeah, just goofing. Really good list.
21. cymraegbachgen87 - November 14th, 2008 at 5:32 am
A list of little practical help in the UK methinks…especially numbers 8, 3 and 2. Stopping spending will only increase an economic downturn/recession - spending, both public and private, is what is needed to reverse a recession. Still, decreasing your debt and learning a useful trade is good in any economic environment, as is getting to know your neighbours.
22. cymraegbachgen87 - November 14th, 2008 at 5:33 am
ScubaSteve - this is for an ECONOMIC depression…not the mental condition
23. cymraegbachgen87 - November 14th, 2008 at 5:34 am
wait…just read the ‘just goofing’ part…nm!!
24. nyys - November 14th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Well, I don’t think most countries allow people to have guns anyways.
At least in Korea they don’t.
25. kiwiboi - November 14th, 2008 at 5:40 am
i>if you borrowed $10,000 then that’s what you borrowed, if inflation goes mental and suddenly a bottle of milk is $500 and the hourly pay rate is $70, the bank gets ****ed, not you.
Jono - don’t forget that the small matter of interest-rate changes can apply.
Eg. you borrow your $10,000 @ 10% pa, to repay monthly over 10 years.
Repayment = $132 per mth.
Hike the interest rate to, say, 50%, and the monthly repayment increases to $420 per mth.
This equation is especially evident with credit card debts, whose interest-rates are typically variable.
The exception to the above is where you have a personal loan with a fixed interest-rate, which, in the UK at least, is relatively common. I’m not sure about the US.
In any event, banks are - from long experience - very smart. Always check the small print!
26. scarlet_tears - November 14th, 2008 at 6:15 am
ohh.. great list, but thinking about Depression, bad, bad, bad… i don’t want to experience a Depression..
27. sugen - November 14th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I call this survival tips. Interesting read. What about those of us who find ourselves in countries where credit cards are not used?
28. Steve - November 14th, 2008 at 6:42 am
You might want to be careful about using credit cards when it is evident that you are insolvent and would not be able to them back. A bankruptcy court could easily order this debt to survive bankruptcy.
29. BOLTRON73 - November 14th, 2008 at 6:50 am
#1 is the best!! how about handgranade…….
30. Lark - November 14th, 2008 at 7:07 am
this is really a ridiculous list. & not helpful at all. sounds like a child that doesn’t quite know what a depression exactly entails wrote a list of things he’d do.
this is a miss as far as i’m concerned.
31. Chichikov - November 14th, 2008 at 7:14 am
if you want a gun “that is practical for shooting birds and larger animals” you probably need two guns.
You shoot birds with shotguns. You shoot large animals with rifles.
32. Jessy - November 14th, 2008 at 7:28 am
I really hope I don’t need to buy a gun and subsist on Korean wildlife…thankfully rumour has it this whole thing will resolve in a year or so, and not blow up into a 1930s “Angela’s Ashes” ordeal for most people.
33. Callie - November 14th, 2008 at 7:32 am
The guy at number four looks like a giant tool. He’s so out of place in that factory and I can totally see him thinking of “you want my peice of wood? How about this lube?” jokes.
Nice list though. I always wanted permission to run up my credit cards
34. flgh - November 14th, 2008 at 7:40 am
How does one buy a gun if he/she does not live in America? Especially in my country where the penalty for owning just a single live round can be life imprisonment?
35. tobbytoy - November 14th, 2008 at 7:56 am
This list was a joke right? Just making sure…
36. badlist - November 14th, 2008 at 8:16 am
since luna(c) was so quick to crush gun owners and point out the true whack job rascists I suppose someone should point out to her that not all of the guns being bought up are civilization marring rocket launchers, uzis, and anti aircraft weaponry. There handguns and rifles. And maybe its me being a little bit cynical but Im part of that crowd thats making sure I have my guns(whether for protection or for hunting) before the restrictions on them are set in place. If you remember back to the brilliant idea of outlawing alcohol in this country that didnt work out so well did it. If criminals and generally shady people want to get a fully auto rifle or 15 shot handgun clip theyre going to get it. Drug runners and criminals arent going to start packing heat in the form of baseball bats, machetes, and slingshots just because their guns are now considered illegal. so when it comes down to it I would rather have the ability to defend myself and fight fire with fire rather than run to the police and hope they catch that mean man who just stole my wallet.
And just because I like my guns doesnt make me a “redneck” who hates black people. Im from a suburb of Toledo, OH. Trust me its far from southern baptist farmer, in-law country. But I do like to hunt and I would like to protect my wife and 2 sons. When an intruder smashes my back window and comes in in the middle of the night I would like it to be a fair fight. And dont tell me about odds or chances because it only takes once and when you win the unlucky lottery I know I would like to be prepared. Its probably hard for you to see that,though, with your “guns are bad” blinders on.
BTW I did vote for McCain. Does that mean I think Obama is going to fall flat on his face and destroy this country? No, not at all. Im going to suck it up and stand by the president until he gives me a reason not to. I didnt like some of his policies that’s all. And to be honest with you I think there are some crazy ass irrational rascists out there who wouldnt mind if someone made an attempt on his life. And god forbid if that time comes I dont think the assassin is going to be wielding a hatchet or bazooka he’s going to be using one of the recently outlawed guns.
There’s a reason felons cant own guns. They lost that right when they broke the law. Why should I lose that right? I never broke the law. All Im saying Miss Luna is dont punish me because some jackass decided to break the law.
Guns Dont Kill People. People Kill People. Lock Them Up, Not The Guns.
37. cymraegbachgen87 - November 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
wow…intense
38. adoh - November 14th, 2008 at 8:36 am
@badlist: Well said.
39. poonus - November 14th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Re: Badlist
Seriously, how many times does someone break into your house while you’re asleep and murder your children. Can’t say it happens to me very often. A thief is more likely to break in while you’re out of the house, and that gun you keep next to the kid’s room is a good target to steal. Where do you think the bad guy’s stolen guns come from?
If you’re that worried, buy a dog you redneck.
40. Peter - November 14th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Buy a freakin Gun jeezz what is wrong with you people. Its just an economic downturn, its not like the Zombies are battering down your door. I understand that Americans are fond of their money but for christsake buy a gun, get a hold of yourselves. Guns don’t kill people morons do.
41. Phil - November 14th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Lark- insert tongue in cheek.
42. james hellfire - November 14th, 2008 at 9:05 am
shit..buy why not buy something better than a gun..dickhead
43. vince - November 14th, 2008 at 9:09 am
this is stupid!
we are only scaring people! buy a gun???!!!
this is so wrong!!!!
44. GPinLV - November 14th, 2008 at 9:20 am
flgh said:
“Especially in my country where the penalty for owning just a single live round can be life imprisonment?”
A country exists on the planet Earth where this statement is true? Please elaborate…..
45. Canadian Dan - November 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am
How f’in stupid. I work for Americans, clearly this list was done by stupid Americans.
46. EAL - November 14th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Your bonus item is a big reason why a depression may occur in the first place. Two main reasons for the declining economy are that people are buying houses that are too expensive for their income range, and that people are racking up debt by making unneeded purchases using credit cards. It is a very similar situation to the depression of the 1930’s in which people bought stocks on margin despite the fact that they couldn’t afford them.
47. sam - November 14th, 2008 at 9:36 am
wouldn’t saving all your money help lead us into a depression? people need to spend money and keep the economy moving.
48. EAL - November 14th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I agree with you, Sam. Fear is what is going to lead to a depression. We can’t be afraid of a depression and start selling our stocks, because then the economy will continue to decline. I think that instead of bailing out the major corporations that are struggling, the United States government should send out stimulus checks to every citizens so that the ecomony can improve from the bottom up.
49. Hillery - November 14th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I also disagree with the “buy a gun” thing. I’m sure a gun is useful for hunting, but the people talking about defending their families forget that they’re not living in an action movie. The chances of someone breaking into your house and giving you the chance to pull a gun on them are very slim. I have never met a single person who defended themselves this way. On the other hand, I have known personally, or known the families of, nine people who have committed suicide by way of a gun. Seven of these people were teenage boys who took the gun from their parents. Their parents bought it to protect them, and the only use they ever got out of it was the death of their kid.
Also, enough with the American bashing. We get it, you don’t like Americans, they’re arrogant and stupid. Perhaps, though, before you launch into a tirade about the ignorance of Americans, you should check to see if the “ignorance” you are witnessing is even written by an American. In this case it is not. In fact, I see America bashing of non American blogs so often, I’m starting to wonder if it’s more along the lines of the “shopped” joke. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, though. Seriously, how ironic is it to blindly hate the entire contents of a single country because some of them are ignorant?
50. David - November 14th, 2008 at 10:06 am
#2… if preparing for a “Depression” involves spending $100K or more on a moving house like the one pictured… well, it can’t be much of a Depression, can it?
51. Phillies - November 14th, 2008 at 10:25 am
49. Hillery
It’s a shame that you’ve been personally involved with not just one, but NINE tragedies like that. That’s a shame for everyone involved, especially the families.
However, you make it seem like these boys committed suicide BECAUSE their parents had a gun in the house. When someone is in such a mental state that they want to commit suicide, then they’re going to find a way to do it, gun or no gun.
52. Phil - November 14th, 2008 at 10:28 am
lighten up you lot
53. Moineau - November 14th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Ok, so i’ll begin with this: i’m french, and i don’t want to get abused for what i’m going to say because we’re supposed not to like americans (for those who think we do, i suggest you stop watching foxnews).
Anyway, i read a few comments and got quite appalled! Jeez, why do you all rely on guns so much? Do you really think someone is going to break into your house anytime soon? And don’t you think that violence might come from the fact that so many people cary a weapon? Why do you live with so much fear about being mugged, violented, etc…
And I will add that carrying a weapon during this kind of crisis might not be the best idea at all: you’ll get into a never ending circle of violence once someone starts using his/her.
All the best to everyone
54. onwisconsn - November 14th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Chichikov, first of all, you can use one gun for hunting both animals and birds. A shotgun can come with a rifled barrel suitable for animals when outfitted for slugs, though admittadly it is generally reserved for large game like bear and deer.
Without #1, you are risking your ability to protect 9,8,7, 3,& 2 if neccesary, not to mention the food resources it would help you obtain.
When did owning a gun automatically make you a redneck? I know several white collar people who work in skyscrapers who enjoy hunting and gun ownership, some making 7 figures with MBAs and law degrees. Also, many consider shooting a gentlemen’s sport - just ask the wealthy in Great britian and other countries. Hardly rednecks, don’t you agree?
For all you non-Americans (as well as those Liberal Americans), the right to gun ownership is ingrained in our Constitution, as well as the country’s psyche. Also, hunting plays an important part in control of certain animals, as the alternative is generally population explosions followed by large starvations.Study ecology and you will find that every healthy environment needs a top predator, and in virtually all cases, this has become man. What is more humane for an animal, starvation or a quick death by bullet or shotgun shot? Also, lack of hunting can lead to dangerous interactions with humans, be it car/animal collisions, attacks, etc. In cities where hunting has been prohibited here in Wisconsin, for example, the deer poulations are actually higher per mile than in areas where hunting is allowed, and there are higher rates of deer/car accidents. Often these communities pay sharpshooters to come in to hunt the deer, at literally thousands of dollars a deer. Is this supposed to be extended to all areas? This would be neccessary if guns of all kinds were outlawed. I know this is a nonissue in most of Europe since centuries of killing and dense populations throughout have removed virtually all large wild beasts of from the countryside. Here in the US, we pride ourselves on managing our animals through humane population control. In other words, killing them as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Two final points: Since a person already committing illegal acts has no reason to worry about commiting another crime (possesion of a firearm), why wouldn’t criminals keep their weapons while law abiding citizens gave theirs up? The last thing a criminal wants is an even fight while commiting a crime, so their possession of a gun when it is improbable that their victim has one would only encourage them to commit more criminal acts. Finally, most guns here in the states are not obtained through theft; most are obtained through illegal purchases known as “straw purchases” where a legal buyer buys it new and immediately sells it to a criminal, or through private legal transactions between citizens of used guns where the seller is unaware of the buyer’s intentions (or doesn’t care). Outlawing them would just mean they would be smuggled in, giving criminal enterprises the profits rather than companies and their shareholders. Think the prohibition with guns instead of booze. In case you didn’t know, this is how the Kennedy’s made their fortune…
55. Cedestra - November 14th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Canadian Dan: Again, this list was written by a Kiwi, not an American. Damn, you are more stupid and lazy than Alex; he was the first to say it and you were just too much of an idiot to actually look at the previous comments.
18. Jono: I can. Anon, who lists here frequently, has revealed his age to be 72.
For those opposed to guns, as am I in this current time, they can actually be quite handy when things get very dire. Should you have the suggested stockpile of food, are you going to just let someone walk in, take your supply, and be chipper as your family STARVES? How about if you do live in an RV, near the woods: you now have something to hunt with. It really comes down to how desperate the depression is. Hopefully we will never see one so bad that people kill each other over food and shelter, but JFrater wrote the list with that probability in mind.
56. Cyn - November 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
list was not written by an American. America is not only not the only country this site is accessible in, it is also not the only country @ threat of economic troubles. there’s a reason why its called ‘a global economy’.
as a Texan..wish folks would stop w/ the America bashing or assuming every list or comment on this site is American. its the internet for chrissakes…the freaking world reads LV, k? geesh.
generally..i think any prudent person anywhere would be already preparing for more econonmic troubles. i do think things have changed across the globe in terms of becoming more realistic about how we should spend money. the party is over folks! time to pay the band. way too much excess for way too long.
as for guns..hell, i’m in Texas so not only is gun ownership not an issue ..if i could afford one, i’d have one!
57. Anon - November 14th, 2008 at 10:54 am
“Guns Dont Kill People. People Kill People. Lock Them Up, Not The Guns.”
Funny then, how in countries where fewest people own guns, fewest people get killed by guns, eh?
So logically, ever household and every law-abiding, responsible adult citizen in the USA needs, and should have, an efficient firearm to protect themselves and their family, if they have one. It is also their right. That’s how it reads. How many guns might that amount to, allowing for the odd multiple ownership?
Pardon my non-US doubt, but under that circumstance, might not a whole ton more of people get killed in error and even by the design of opportunity than if a really massive effort was made to eliminate and control firearms altogether, as far as possible?
And of course, let’s be quite clear that guns are ‘locked up’ BEFORE anybody gets killed. You can only lock up a person AFTER they have killed (with a gun). Rather cold comfort for the dead person.
Apropos, I enjoyed the *gun-happy* Marge Simpson episode.
58. Hillery - November 14th, 2008 at 10:55 am
51. Phillies
Certainly it is not the only way to commit suicide, but I do feel the immediacy and efficiency of gun death is tempting people who might otherwise not go through with suicide. For the people I have known, I won’t say I wasn’t shocked for every one of them, but some where more shocking than others. There were a couple I believe would have found a way, but for many of them, it was after the heat of an argument or a breakup- something that could have been resolved if they had taken more time. I am not completely against owning a gun, but if depression runs in your family, I wouldn’t take any chances. Even among inevitable suicides, it is an exceptionally upsetting way to find your own son (or husband,or best friend).
59. segue - November 14th, 2008 at 11:09 am
It’s not going to get as bad as a depression, but you can count on a deep and long recession.
Many of the suggestions above are good, while a few are pretty wacky.
My husband and I play by a set of very firm rules, which keep us financially sound at all times:
1 - We pay cash for everything. I mean everything. If we want to go on vacation, we simply save up enough money to pay for it before hand.
2 - We don’t eat out as a rule. In the last year, I can think of 3 occasions on which we dined out. This rule includes stopping off at a Starbucks for coffee, we can make coffee at home.
3 - We use utilities wisely. This is just common sense. Turn off lights when you leave the room. Same for the TV. Take short showers, etc.
4 - We make our own household cleaners. A bottle of ammonia, mixed with water, makes gallons and gallons of glass and surface cleaner. Bleach and water make a great mildew cleaner, better, faster and cheaper than anything you can buy.
5 - We do stock up on non-perishables, but not to the extent in the photo. I can easily make either a yeast or non-yeast bread. Rice is always at hand. Dried beans and peas are also in abundance for soups.
Like I said, just common sense stuff. No debt, money in the bank and in stocks, no debt, and a stockpile of food.
60. Moineau - November 14th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Onwisconsn, if i get you right, you’re saying that legalizing weapons is a way of controlling their selling? But, unfortunately, illegal weapons have been sold everywhere, whatever the time. We have bank- robberies wiyh men carrying guns in france all right, but still, far less people being killed by their use. i still believe that this is not the right solution. As for the american psychee, i am well aware of that (i graduated in american history, amongst other, so i know your history rather well), but that is not reason for it to keep going on. Not much more than a century ago, samurai were still carrying their katana in the street. As for who carry a weapon, be it an american, a kiwi, an aussie, etc… the result is the same everywhere, i think.
And hunting is all very well, but what about reintroducing natural predators?
61. Nick - November 14th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I tried to buy one of those $80,000 RV’s but my card flaked out at $199 NOW what do I do!
62. Henry - November 14th, 2008 at 11:50 am
This seems more like a list on how to survive an apocalypse, or a zombie outbreak.
63. Juliet - November 14th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Whew, just reading this list pumps up the old adrenaline. Always good to have a Plan B just in case the economy ever completely tanks.
64. andrew - November 14th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
hey frenchie maybe if a few more of you had guns when the nazis came us bad americans wouldnt have had to bail your asses out
As to the gun argument, I don’t really understand all the controversy. That is, I understand why gun owners want to continue to own guns, but I do not understand why others want to take them away. This is coming from a Democrat who has never touched a gun and hopefully never will. I just feel that there are two main problems that guns (not the gun culture)pose in America. First, they cause accidental deaths, more than they save in things like home invasions. Well to the best of my knowledge these instances are infrequent, and generally negatively affect the gun owners themselves. The second problem is the fact that guns are accessible to those who would do us harm, and I will just reinstate what others have already said, that these same people will find guns, just like people still find guns and get abortions. I honestly don’t believe that our founding fathers intended guns to be as accessible as they are today when they wrote the 2nd amendment, but let me just say that even so this is not an issue that should drive us apart.
65. Baxter - November 14th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Hey hick, maybe if you had fewer guns in your country there would be fewer gun-related murders. Maybe that’s why Britain hasn’t had a school massacre since the banning of handguns in 1994 and America has one every six months or so. And maybe if there were fewer ignorant rednecks spouting off about “frenchies” and the like then Nazism wouldn’t have been such a problem. And before you get all high and mighty about “bail(ing their) asses out”, just remember which country was playing the wilting violet across the pond for the first two years of the war.
66. Baxter - November 14th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Though I should clarify that I agree with what you said about the 2nd amendment. Got a little hostile there, didn’t I? Good thing there aren’t any guns laying around! :L
67. andrew - November 14th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
funny not sure what disliking the french for being bitches had to do with the rise of nazism but I’ll let that slide
the problem in america is the gun culture, not the guns, outlaw the guns and nothing will change. that is one way in which England surpasses the United States, the US has a culture which glorifies voilence and brutality, which is what really needs to be fixed
i find it funny that you call me a redneck because I can respect anothers point of view, didnt i mention the part about having never touching a gun? all i can say is that i can empathize with gun owners without sympathizing with them
as a liberal, i have encountered many hostile conservatives in my day, but I have encountered far more liberals who will not tolerate the slightest doubt of doctrine, which is pretty bad as well i.e. ever tried to debate against the legalization of gay marriage in an American high school, I have not and would not as I do not agree with it but I have seen someone try and he was not allowed a word in edgewise, essentially there was no debate and no one learned anything- that is what happens here when people start calling eachother rednecks
68. Anon - November 14th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
“hey frenchie maybe if a few more of you had guns when the nazis came us bad americans wouldnt have had to bail your asses out.”
Considering French support for the American revolution: considering the number of brave Frenchmen who fought and often died in both wars defending their homeland and doing their best, that remark is in pretty poor and xenophobic taste, regardless whether or not it was simply intended as provocative. So how about asking yourself what fucking use all YOUR guns or any other of your mightly weapons were when the fundamentalists came and YOUR homeland was attacked recently? It was the sheer sacrificial bravery of unarmed US civilian heroes that saved it from being even worse.
Well, at least you didn’t say “hey froggie”, I suppose!
69. GPinLV - November 14th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
The replies to this list are astonishing.
I’ll preface my remarks by stating that while I am an American, I have never owned nor fired a gun of any kind.
With Obama and a far-Left Congress set to take power in January, gun ownership by private citizens certainly faces the possibility of extinction. Obama has made no bones about the fact that he sees the Constitution as more a nuisance to be rewritten as he sees fit than as a document that should guide and govern this nation.
Owning a gun in uncertain economic times, whether for hunting, protection, or in the event of a total breakdown of society as an item of value to be bartered, should be at the top of anyone and everyone’s list who is comfortable possessing and/or firing a weapon.
The advice on this list is common sense, stuff most of us should be doing anyway, regardless of the economy. Having extra food/medicine/water/toilet paper/candles/batteries/etc. around in the event of an emergency (natural disaster, war, power outage, or a million other reasons) is a habit any sane person adopted long ago.
AN RV is something I can’t currently afford, but I’d love to have one.
Far from being a “joke” as some of you have described this list, it’s among the most important and valuable lists yet published on thie site.
70. Gilraen - November 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I am a gun owner, American, Texan. I am not a redneck. I am not a racist. I’m not even a man. I’m a middle-aged woman who lives in a not very good area. During one week at my apartment complex there were 3 domestic violence calls, one stabbing, and one shooting.
Now there is a sociopath murderer who is stalking one of the people I work with. He knows where she lives, and he can certainly find out where she works.
No one is going to take my gun away from me.
The U.K., you say?
People were killing with guns, so you banned guns.
Now people are killing with knives, and some are talking of banning knives.
Ha, ha, ha.
What’s next? Banning baseball bats and umbrellas?
It’s not the weapon, it’s the bad guy.
71. bigski - November 14th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Are you people that are raging against the American that wrote this list just plain ignorant ? J F looks like you would make a excellent American redneck.Come on over to the dark side!
72. jfrater - November 14th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I would like to just point out that I wrote this list. I am not American. The country I live in allows people to own guns as there is a lot of farming. I think it is a perfectly reasonable addition to the list!
73. BrotherMan - November 14th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I, and everyone else should thank you for the clarification on who wrote this list, Jamie.
And I, once again, appreciate your list very much. I think about this scenario a lot. And for the record, I feel that your list was not necessarily meant to create controversy so much as it is a list to make people think about the “what ifs” of a worst case scenario. Everyone needs to calm down.
Some of the people commenting on this list seem to make themselves look even more ignorant due to the fact that they assume that you alone create each and every list on this website. Those rogue commenters disregard which author may have contributed to this list. Add that to the fact that these comments on this list are becoming nothing more than finger-pointing, displaced blame and misdirected hostility.
Once more, thank you, Jamie! I do not say that in sarcasm, but out of personal respect.
74. Randall - November 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
GPinLV:
You make several ridiculous statements that bear rebutting.
1) There is no cause or evidence to support your blithe assertion that the Congress we now will have, post-Election Day, is “far-Left.” The Congress will be controlled by the Democratic Party, yes, but that is NOT the same thing. In point of fact, the Democratic Party has moved a substantial degree to the “center” in my lifetime, perhaps as far to the center as the Republican party has woefully drifted to the extreme Right. Social “issues” and “values” are not the only measure of this—there is certainly a world of difference between the ultra-left economic policies that often dominated the party in days gone by (in, for instance, the 70s) and the much more business-friendly, middle-class friendly Democratic paradigm of today. But even on certain social issues–for instance gun control/ownership–the mainstream of the Democratic party is, today, far from its overriding attitudes of the past. There is little call today for an outright and total ban on handguns, for instance, whereas it was once held as essentially a basic principle. This is not to say that many Democrats wouldn’t support such a ban if they felt the country was leaning that way; but the party has tended, in the last couple decades, to follow the tone and lean of the American public in general—as opposed to the Republican party, which, over the last two decades, has tended to follow a minority of that same public which is extreme Right, and often extreme Religious Right. Hence the situation today, where the Republican party has lost and lost big across most of the country, and has right-drifted itself into very nearly becoming a regionally-limited party. Whereas the Democratic party, in tending to follow somewhat more directly the broad leanings of the American people, has found success. This is the reverse of the situation that was predominant in the late 70s/early 80s.
Bottom line is, you’re way off base to refer to this Congress as “far Left.”
Next ridiculous statement: That “gun ownership by private citizens certainly faces the possibility of extinction.” Excuse me? What a load of utter nonsense. On what do you base this absurd assertion? Obviously on your totally mis-informed and skewed view of reality, which I’ve already addressed and debunked above. At any rate, you’re laughably wrong. There is no stated or suggested threat in the Democratic platform, that I’m aware of, which would indicate even remotely that “gun ownership faces extinction.” AGAIN, the Democratic party in recent years had moved to the center on this issue and there is no reason to think otherwise. For a very long time it has been quite obvious that the American public is open to some measure of limitation on gun ownership–but most emphatically NOT to the illegalization of ALL guns or even to most. Certainly there has been support for banning such things as private ownership of assault weapons. But as we know, the tide of the American electorate has, in an OVERALL sense, drifted back and forth across the issue of gun control, wanting at turns more control and less. This also, of course, varies according to region and between rural and urban attitudes. But it is CLEARLY obvious that there is no overweening support in this country for an out-and-out ban of private gun ownership, and politicians are well aware of this, and the drift of policy in recent years has reflected it. You have utterly nothing to go on, therefore, to support your silly and overblown fear-mongering. The Constitution is intact, as is the Second Amendment, and both parties are well aware of this, and aware that, for the present and the foreseeable future, this is how the American people want it.
Which brings us to your next asinine statement: that Obama has “made no bones about the fact that he sees the Constitution as a more(sic–’mere’) nuisance to be rewritten as he sees fit.” Where on earth do you get this from? My guess would be one of many absurdist (and outrageously distorted) right wing talking points spread around during the election. At any rate it’s explosively and sickeningly wrong. How someone who lives in this country and would presumably lay claim to responsible citizenship could believe such bilge is beyond me. It makes me fear for the overall intelligence of our electorate when people like you pop up on the web and lay down a stream of such utter crap, clearly believing his or her own words without the slightest hesitation of thought that, hey–it might be silly and stupid! But of course it is just that.
Barack Obama has never given any indication that he holds the Constitution in contempt or would rewrite it at will. One could safely argue that this is in opposition to our still-current president, George Bush, and his behind-the-scenes string-puller, Dick Cheney, who have BY THEIR OWN WORDS AND ACTIONS suggested quite clearly that the Constutition IS a nuisance to them, to be run over roughshod whenever they felt it served their plans and policies. Where you get off saddling Obama with that kind of outrageousness, when he repeatedly spoke out AGAINST the behavior of the President and Veep, is beyond me. Obviously from the same, dark, silly, lunkheaded place where you dug out your ideas about Democratic gun policy.
75. Linc Allen - November 14th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
This is the single worst list ever. You are a blatant scare-monger, and the idea that you would tell people to buy guns to protect themselves is the exact way hundreds of innocent people die every year. Guns kill many more people than they protect. Children accidentally shoot themselves and their friends constantly, especially when new gun owners don’t know how to keep their guns safe. And in a time of panic, such as right now, you are going to promote that?
Nice.
76. Cyn - November 14th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
this is just a list on a website! so calm down people.
i doubt seriously J or anyone is promoting anything here, k? geesh!
as for gun ownership…we can do that here in the US. its not only constitutional its cultural..especially in places like Texas. owning a gun makes perfect sense in terms of self protection not only against human predators but non human predators and vermin. so long as the gun owner handles a gun responsibly, i don’t see the issue. there are still vast rural areas here. hunting and fishing are huge industries as well as tourist attractions here…hence massive revenues to support government services. so this insistence on handguns only and human violence..just doesn’t make sense to me.
there are shotguns. there rifles. think in Texas we have all the varieties of poisonous snakes. we also actually have to occasionally ‘cull’ our deer population to keep it in check. and deer do carry the tick for Lyme disease, ’sides making right tasty sausage.
anyway..chill out.
77. Suskis - November 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I do not agree with some of his points. Metals have dropped down their value lately and if things get REAL bad, food will be the only thing people will look for. You can’t eat gold and nobody will trade food for metal.
Also buying a gun is something I think can’t lead to anything good. Thanks god I live in europe where people can’t buy guns so easily.
78. Blogball - November 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
After reading this list I was getting ready combine a dose of cyanide with a gunshot to the head.
Seriously though, there is some practical advice in this list providing that it actually gets to an every man for himself scenario.
79. Freid4ever - November 14th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
After reading through this list, and the comments following it, it seems to me that this is a very fought over list.
I am not one against speaking your mind, or any of that. What I find as truly rude is that when some of you were speaking your minds you were putting others down, and it seems to me that those you were putting others down for the sake of it and to win your agruement you were trying to inflate your otherwise overinflated ego!
Those of you on this site are from all over the world, so of course there is going to be a difference of opinon, hell that happens if it is just all from city! So, there is no point in yelling at poeple for there opinons and humour! This list, I am pretty sure, since I am not the writer was meant to be humourous!
All of you are being rude- including myself at this point- calm down, realize that it is not REAL, and stop being so damn mean. Now, time to follow my own advice,
Those of you who tried to stand up for the more man being beat sensless (figuritavely speaking) at least you realized that it was a stupid, moronic thing for poeple to get exicited. As the course of history goes, we often get upset at stupid things and start revolutions! Just think about it!
80. Jono - November 14th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
kiwiboi:
Most loans are fixed rate, at least for 2-3 years anyway, enough time for the hyper inflation to make it completely useless. Hyper inflation is classified as 50% inflation a month, far more than interest rates would ever reach, especially on a fixed loan as well.
81. PT - November 14th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Top 10 Tips To Prepare For A Depression?
looks more like Top 10 Tips To Prepare For The End Of The World!
82. Shade - November 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I just wanted to get a comment down as I warm up for my essay. 36, 54, and 74, jeez. Relax!
83. Csimmons - November 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
LMFAO! I immediately started laughing when I saw #1!
84. poonus - November 14th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
‘Folks are dumb where ah come from….’
85. conserv12 - November 14th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Wow..you folks need to CALM DOWN!!
86. BrotherMan - November 14th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Cyn: I agree with your view on firearms and animal population.
In Kentucky, currently, there are an abundance of deer. So, we are faced with a dilemma:
Shall we allow the deer to be hit by a vehicle rather than provide food? Shall we hunt them for sustenance? I prefer the latter. The same concept applies for the annual hunting of Puffins in Scotland.
In Kentucky my Native ancestors consumed meat in which to survive. Yes, I am recognized as a Native American. Shall we eliminate humans in order for the deer population to propagate? No.
I am not “proud” to kill anything, but if the need sustains me then I will fish for fish, hunt for deer and kill that which I need to sustain myself.
Overall, I give respect to that which I kill for food. Their life was sacrificed for you. The least you can do is give thanks to the animal itself.
That is just my take on things.
87. luna1580 - November 14th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
i just wanted to point out that my original gun comment (11) says right in it that “having the knowledge and fire power to shoot and eat game in a post-supermarket world would be a life saver,” so you shouldn’t all assume that i’m some anti-gun antichrist. i think guns for hunting have their place (my house-mate has guns for everything from squirrel to deer in the place where i live, he stores and uses them safely so i don’t care.)
i know the word “redneck” was inflammatory, sorry. i was implying that the racist gun-nuts were rednecks, NOT that all gun owners are nuts, rednecks, or racist (that would be stupid and untrue.)
my original point was my displeasure with how a certain segment of the U.S. population -who overwhelmingly already own guns and are rushing to buy more- has reacted to the election of obama. the comments themselves reinforce this observation. obama has never said he wants to “take your guns away!” it is true that he may favor a ban on combat-style automatic weapons, and other than a pure principle of some “right/freedom to bear arms without any limitation what-so-ever” being expressed, i don’t think anyone in civilian life should ever need one. if my house mate and his fiancee had a stack of those under their bed i’d want to move.
if you live in the states and are still afraid of the big O stealing all your guns away, you should remember that his own vice presidential pick (joe biden) said on tape on the campaign trail essentially “obama will never take my guns away!” here’s the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
obama is not stupid, he would never alienate the public at large by trying to ban all guns in all circumstances -it would be bad politics, and it will NEVER happen- so calm down
if you’re scared AND confused, please read randall’s excellent comment (74) for detailed clarification.
thanks
88. astraya - November 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Welcome back, Randall. You’ve been rather quiet lately, but you’re obviously still alive and kicking strenuously.
There is degree of self-fulfilling prophecy about all of this. If enough people believe that there is going to be a recession, then, hey presto, there’s going to be a recession. If enough people believe that there is going to be a depression, then, hey presto, there’s going to be a depression.
If any country had a reason to arm its citizens, it’s South Korea: officially still at war with an ongoingly argumentative neighbour officially vowed to its destruction. Nope. No private ownership of guns. All males (apart from a few in various categories of exemption) serve two years of military training, and occasional refreshers. And the gun death rate is tiny. And the crime rate is tiny.
89. Jessy - November 14th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Wow JFrater, betcha didn’t know what you were getting into with that “get a gun” aside!
One quibble for those who say they want to keep guns in their homes to protect their families in the event of home invasion:a) Home invaders, by and large, don’t break in while people are at home.
b)Even if it happens, most thieves aren’t killers.
c)What would you do with your gun assuming someone *did* break in? I believe in the USA self-defence only applies if there is an immediate threat on your life- so presuming you’re shooting to kill, YOU could be the one in jail. Even if you’re only thinking of wounding or knee-capping the guy, you could get into pretty significant legal trouble. Right or wrong, that’s how it is.
I’m from Canada. We have guns, and we have regulations on guns. It’s a very rural country compared to the United States, and people hunt. That said, except in the largest urban centres, there is fairly little gun crime (I’m from the capital city and every gun-related incident in that city makes headlines). Even Toronto, considered the country’s worst offender on that front, is joked to “look quaint” to people from Detroit.
I think this demonstrates that a wholesale banning of firearms is not the answer we need. I think if gun crime is indeed a problem in some parts of America, there are problems beyond simple access to guns- after all, you can access guns in Canada, which does not share these problems (at least not to the same extent). Seeing as the USA is not the only country that has legal access to guns, I think the big question is…
Why are they the ones with the problems?
90. Kessie - November 14th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Great list, jfrater! I agree with these recommendations, except possibly the credit card one. As for #1… seriously, people, all debates about the second amendment aside, having a good hunting rifle could save you from starvation during a severe depression. For most of the Great Depression, my grandmother’s family survived on the wild game that her father shot. It’s good advice.
(I say this as a college-educated woman who has never owned a gun.)
91. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I agree with 53. Moineau. Also, what does it say about the state of human kind(ness) that even before a crisis people are already deciding on ‘dog eat dog,’ and violence to get by? Are people really that awful/selfish/immoral that mass roiting, theivery and assault would be the inevitable outcome?
I am not an American basher, plenty of great things and people have come from America (And I think OBama will be good for the country.) but looking in from the outside you can see a paranoia and the tendancy to think, and so react, to the worst case senario. It almost seems that some people are so geared up to an apocalypse senario that they are actively wishing for it. (A kind of get it over and done with now attitude.) That coment wasn’t directed at people on this list. Last year I joined something as innocent as a Sims 2 site. The site owner was American and all seemed fine for a while. I pop on one day to messages about the end of the word, Satans mark being on the dollar, and we’re all doomed to certain Hell forever. I have encounterd this kind of end of the world thinking again on other sites run by Americans that are nothing to do with that subject matter.
I hope to God that nothing ever gets so bad we are facing an apocalyptic senario in any way. I also wish each and every one of you and your families a safe time now, and always.
92. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
*sorry, JF not, JR.
93. Shade - November 14th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Seriously,
“I hope to God that nothing ever gets so bad we are facing an apocalyptic senario in any way. I also wish each and every one of you and your families a safe time now, and always.”
10. Can I discuss other topics in comments?
No - you must stick to the topic - when comments go so far off the topic they cause people to lose interest and they add nothing to the list. Of primary importance is the fact that the comments are meant to enhance readers time on the site - not cause them to get bored with idle chit-chat.
Thanks for sticking to these rules - they make the site much more enjoyable for all!
94. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I asked Jeeves about a world depression. There were plenty of articals saying things will get bad, but recover. I also found this (It opens as a pdf document):
www.islandifa.com/We‘re%20Not%20Headed%20for%20a%20Depr…
Now I don’t understand anything about shares, markets, funds, ect, but I got the jist.
It seems things will get worse before they get better, but it’s a recession, not depression.
95. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
You having a dig shade? No problem. I’m not about to get arsey with some stranger over the internet! lol
I also find it funny that out of my whole post, you take umbridge to me wishing people a safe time. Lol! I think that says more about you than it does about me.
Oh well. Live and let live.
96. luna1580 - November 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
i want to add that my favorite thing about LV is reading comments from people all over the globe -not just americans like myself.
i like to hear the different perspective and we will never all agree, we don’t need to. it’s also worth mentioning that people in so many places bother to read and comment on a site that is english only (i’m working on a functional second language and it the hardest mental task i’ve undertaken -props to you bi-tri-& multi-linguals
)
so let’s not hate on people from other places and chill out a bit. debate is fun, name calling gets boring.
97. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
here here Luna.
98. Shade - November 14th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Kitty, my apologies for insulting your point of view.
99. Shade - November 14th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
No need to get snivy.
100. Kittykat73 - November 14th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Appology accepted Shade.
No harm done. Have a good night. 
101. Ane Krel - November 14th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Great list.
102. FairyGodmother - November 14th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Great list.
I would like to point out that godforbid if there is some massive depression there will be people that will resort to violence in order to survive. We already have excellent examples of this happening all over the world.
I can also tell you, that a person who is committing a crime against another person, does not care about the life or the emotional sanctity of the person being victimized. I have been a victim of violent crime, and the words “stop” and “no” might as well have been words of encouragement.
As a gun owner (this is partially because I have been openly threatened by my attacker since the crime occurred), I have no intention of killing or harming an innocent person under dire circumstances. Quite the contrary: I would be more apt to assist my neighbor, or help provide food and protection for the community. I would not be happy without having a gun, though, because as I said before: I would rather have food on the table, and I’m really not about letting criminals having the upper hand.
103. FairyGodmother - November 14th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I have no intention of killing or harming an innocent person ^even under dire circumstances
104. thunderchicken - November 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
List should be renamed: Top 10 Tips To Prepare For An Apocalyptic Economic Collapse.
Bonus Tip: Strap in and wait for Thunderdome to begin.
105. luna1580 - November 15th, 2008 at 12:05 am
second the renaming suggestion (104). i think living in a country where some of the people wait for “the (biblical) end-times” with bated breath is what really touched a nerve on this one in the 1st place -not the gun detail.
106. luna1580 - November 15th, 2008 at 12:08 am
meant touched a nerve for me.
107. Devon - November 15th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Great List..as a Canadian, we have pretty decent access to guns and I am personally armed with one handgun and 3 rifles…
But Lord knows if I have a clue about hunting and surviving off the land??? Oy….
I like Guns simply for home protection if the masses get out of control…..but I don’t have a clue of how to hunt? I do all my hunting at the Safeway meat department….
Man…I don’t even know how to grow a garden…I am so urbanized…
Scary times afoot it seems….
108. ali hayat - November 15th, 2008 at 5:54 am
10 alex : So true
109. badlist - November 15th, 2008 at 6:38 am
#39–I think its rather funny how the people who are so shocked and awed by the fact that rascism still exists (.39) and probably voted for Obama because “its time for change(a black president)” are the ones calling gun owners rednecks and hillbillies. And as for his comment about how often people break into your house while youre in it. It just takes one lunatic like Charles Manson. His ‘crew’ broke into houses that people were in. And if you need something more recent —http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/southside/article/police_suspects_break_into_home_assault_husband_and_wife/20363/
Hate exists because of ignorant people like poonus. In no way am I comparing being a gun owner with years of repression and rascism. But clearly its because of fools like that that I feel like I should have protection.
Is poonus a dangerous member of society? probably not. but the fact that he has anger toward a group of people just because they have an opinion he doesnt like, whether it be owning guns, abortion, same sex marriage, makes him someone that has to be watched.
And to be honest with all of you that dont live in the United States youre the exact same way. You cant compare your country to The US and We cant compare ours to yours. Getting Life in prison for owning a gun doesnt make guns bad it just shows how your government leaders want to control “their” citizens.
Would it be nice if everyone would just get along? Yah it would be awesome but thats not going to happen ever. And Im not saying at all, like Poonus suggested, that everyone should own a gun. Not everyone is responsible to own a gun. But that doesnt mean that because one ass hole is a detriment to society that I should have my rights taken away. Trust me I know a lot of people that have never committed a “crime” that shouldnt own a gun because because theyre an irresponsible jerk. And I also know alot of people that are incredibly responsible that dont own even a pellet gun or slingshot because they dont want the responsiblity.
Grow up and stop thinking that if you just pray enough and eliminate all the “bad” things then we can live in our own little paradise. Its not going to happen and that very depressing
Guns are only considered bad because people made them that way.
Grow up and stop living in fantasy land the world is dangerous and I would like to protect my children should anything happen. And that means both from the evils of the world and by being a responsible gun owners.
Make gun related crime punishments more severe whether they result in a fatality or not. Thats being responsible not pretending that overnight everything will be peachy.
110. badlist - November 15th, 2008 at 6:58 am
I have to reiterate if I didnt say it in my above post.
I DONT BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A GUN IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD.
That would be foolish and asinine. Not everyone is responsible enough to have that right we see that from the accidental shootings every year. What we dont see is the responsible gunowners who take their huge responsiblity very seriously because they know its a privelege and a right not just a right.
I think thats where alot of people tend to stop understanding and take the issue a little more personally and less objectively.
I really think this website, for as corny and cliche as it may seem, how responsible gun owners should and do act.—NRA.com—
dont get me wrong like every publication(im looking at you NY Times and Foxnews) there are some radical points of view. but if you care enough to be informed of the other side before you judge you might just learn a little about how “MATURE ADULT” gunowners perceive this right,responsiblity , privelege.
“Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to Suffering”-Yoda-
Its funny how a fictional character has nailed American society so perfectly. From gun control to religion to alternative lifestyles. Its what we dont understand that scares us into being someone we know we shouldnt be and going down a path we know we shouldnt walk.
111. Knewz Bicckie - November 15th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Q–>As a mother of seven I am worried that the value of my children may have fallen over the last year. My eldest daughter has been getting good grades at school but should I cash in now before her first GCSE year? I am also thinking that putting the twins into a hedge fund might protect against future market free fall but is it best to act now or hold on for a few months?
A–> Selling your children is one of the most stressful decisions a parent has to make. I would not want to advise further without knowing your social status. Working class children are changing hands for a pittance at the moment but the market may recover in the next quarter. Upper class children attract premium rates however so now is a good time to sell especially if it looks like there is a risk that they are an underperformer
Q–> Hi there. I am currently in possession of large amounts of booty, a chest of various trinkets, pieces of eight and doubloons. I have not invested this as of yet and I am unwilling to consider sharing these spoils with my men, who are a swarthy lot, dishonest as the day is long, but a finer more loyal crew ‘tis hard to come by. Any thoughts?
A–>I would not hesitate in recommending that you find a sandy beach and bury it all. A desert island with tax-exempt status would be ideal.
Do you have a question about debt and financial problems? Then email your credit card details and security code to our Nigerian office and we will make sure that money worries are a thing of the past!
112. Lilith Hel - November 15th, 2008 at 8:46 am
OMG, there are so many ignorant remarks being made, i don’t know where to begin.
Alex you don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking about. if getting thru a depression was as simple as ‘working harder’ then there wouldn’t be a depression b/c everyone would have jobs b/c they’re ‘working harder’. see how that makes absolutely no sense?
Moineau: if you want to know why we fear being attacked and want our guns, i have 2 really good examples for you: hurricane Katrina and hurricane Ike, the latter which effected me. you see, when the dregs of humanity can no longer make money b/c of job losses or b/c of a natural disaster, they decide to steal and loot. also when there’s a widespread lack of electricity, people get bored and start looking for ways of entertaining themselves. don’t act like this isn’t true b/c i’ve seen it and trust me you will want some sort of weapon to keep these assholes for using you and your property for ‘entertainment’.
As for all you Obama-hating jerkoffs; honestly, do you think Bush was doing a good job? the majority of the country in both political parties says ‘no’ and that we need major changes. however, you then want to vote for mccain who sided with bush 90% of the time? btw, this is a fact mccain has acknowledged so no one’s making it up. doesn’t make a shitload of sense now does it! i’m pretty sure our country needs more than just a 10% chance of ‘change’. i fail to see how obama can screw things up anymore than retarded ol’ W has already. you’ll support his ass even though you don’t agree w/ him and he’s turned half the world against us, but you won’t even give the new president a chance?! that screams ignorance and closet-racism whether anyone wants to admit it or not. and what makes any of you think that Obama alone can take your guns away? do yall honestly not know how our own government works?! the president doesn’t make all the rules. he has to get the approval of the house of representatives and the senate, providing the population calls for it! then it can be protested in the supreme court if some find it unconstitutional–which it is. you can’t just pull out a pen and rewrite the constitution no matter what those paranoid right-wing imbeciles on fox news tell you. there should be laws stating who can have guns and what kind they can have. people who’ve been convicted of felonies shouldn’t get to own guns just like they don’t get to vote. assault weapons and armor piercing bullets shouldn’t be possessed by civilians b/c they just get used against our police. i don’t know why anyone in their right mind couldn’t agree with simple laws like that.
113. Mom424 - November 15th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Badlist: I am not anti-gun. My niece is an international Jr. Muzzle Loading champion, I have many friends who are either farmers who shoot vermin, or hunters who shoot prey. That said, I still don’t agree with you. Half the reason that you perceive danger (unless I’m mistaken and you live in public housing in New York or Chicago or some other huge urban area)is because of the unregulated and ease of hand gun ownership. Sure we have hand-guns here too; that cannot be stored at home unless separate from both the ammo and the firing pin, and can only be fired at licensed gun ranges. If there are fewer guns in circulation, there are fewer guns available to steal. It is a fact, not an opinion, unless of course you believe Canadians to be inherently less violent than Americans. I don’t believe that and our comparable rates of other violent crime bears this out. The only real difference is the murder rate; our aggravated assault levels are higher but our murder rate is just a fraction of yours. Could that be because all other methods of assualt/murder just aren’t as efficient as a hand gun? I think so.
PS: If you are at all familiar with the Manson murders you would realize that a gun would have done them no good. The victims did not realize the threat until far too late in the day. A poor analogy.
114. Lilith Hel - November 15th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Mom424: i believe that Badlist was just using the Manson murders as an example of the unforseeable things could happen since many people are familiar with the crimes. i doubt that he/she was insinuating that a gun would’ve helped the victims.
115. Anon - November 15th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Gilraen, (70),
“The U.K., you say?
People were killing with guns, so you banned guns.
Now people are killing with knives, and some are talking of banning knives.
Ha, ha, ha.
What’s next? Banning baseball bats and umbrellas?”
Just addressing that as an argument, regardless of the practicalities of banning guns, knives, etc., or not. Holes have been shot in your argument (good metaphor?) from at least two perspectives long before now. I believe in one instance against Prince Phillip, who made a similar ironic comment. But I’ll repeat them here.
1) Please name any knife killer who murdered about 14 people in the space of a brief few minutes and then committed suicide with said weapon. If you can do that, match it with baseball bat and umbrella mass-killers.
2) Let’s imagine you’ve got an unhinged kid or person in your school/workplace/community who is about to go on a killing spree. You are lined up as number one victim, but let’s suppose a fairy godmother gives you the power to choose whether he is armed with a gun, a knife, a baseball bat, or an umbrella. Which are you going to choose? Now think very carefully, your life is on the line and let’s also allow that you CAN run faster than the killer.
116. Bulldada - November 15th, 2008 at 9:53 am
A gun is useless without bullets. Stock up on bullets. They can be bartered with and you can kill people who try to steal your salts and flour.
117. NicoNico - November 15th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I agree with the credit card thing. When my health went downhill, I used them to move to a place where I wouldn’t have to spend as much, then bought tons of canned food when I got there. The companies are bugging me now, but I can pay them off when I get disability.
I won’t own a gun. I won’t say other people need to, but I grew up in