KB> Some months ago we discussed various natural or manmade disasters KB> and how to cope with them. As I was fairly new to the KB> subject at that time, there is a great deal that whizzed by KB> me, not understood... KB> I feel, that the largest disaster coming up is an economic one KB> (considering that this is nationwide, not just local). How KB> can, for instance, NAFTA and a tax and spend mentality put KB> more money in our pockets to improve the economy? It can't. KB> KB> Economic crisis could conceivably face us all. How do we cope KB> with this? How do we cope with the fact that the same fate KB> could effect all our neighbors and friends, too. KB> Sorry, folks, to ventilate like this, but recently a good friend KB> got her pink slip from the phone company...she is going to be KB> layed off. She has twenty-five years with the company. She KB> is one of many. It can be a tough row. I made sure that a major part of my income is derived from services to the wealthy. There'll alway be rich folks, no matter how bad the economy gets, unless there is a complete collapse of civilization. I got into a line of work that allows me to purchase equipment wholesale, including survival equipment and military surplus. As part of things I have a 'police cruiser' type car with a reinforced body and front end, and a large amount of police equipment in the car. I'm certified by the state as a good guy, including a CCW ticket. I'm authorized to posess machine guns in South Carolina which is a non Class III state. We have an alarm company, security guard company, a store that sells military surplus, survival gear, police supplies, weapons, and a class III dealership with demonstration weapons that we use to show the local departments how to use machine guns and what to buy. Now my method was a bit extreme - but then I've been in the security industry for over 20 years. And the opportunity came up to move to semi-rural South Carolina and get into this sort of business.... Went from a 4 bedroom ranch type house in West Phoenix with the Volvo in the driveway to a small house on a big lot in a one traffic light speed trap. We have a garden, can food, dehydrate some.... working on energy independance now. We have access to the family 'farm' of about 200 acres - only about half cultivated now - but there is a 14 acre lake and artesian water. There's a Mitsubishi jeep ready to go in the drive, and is uses the same motor as my wife's Chrysler minivan. My cruiser was bought at police auction and rebuilt and radio equipment mounted. There's a steady brain drain to the big city from the rural areas. Thus, anyone with half a brain can quickly advance in just about any job. There is a career in convenience market management if you are willing to take a cut in pay. But, one job leads to another, cost of living is less, stress is usually less (didn't work for me because I ended up managing _all_ of the family businesses), food is cheaper at the farmer's market, there are equipment and tool auctions all the time, the local cops get to know and like you... there are just so many advantages. But, you have to be willing to jump out there into a low paying job to get started sometimes. And you have to be willing to put up with the difference in culture from the metro area you are used to. And... you don't have to go to the extremes we did. 8-)