"One Shock Away"

Selected global food price average, Jan. 2011

"We are one shock away from a full-grown crisis." That was part of the testimony heard at the recent spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) held in Washington, DC. The speaker was World Bank President Robert Zoellick, and in this event he was specifically talking about food prices and supply world-wide.

Zoellick was referring to a problem that is becoming more difficult to ignore every day, at least in the rest of the world. But observant American grocery shoppers are slowly beginning to see the handwriting on the wal as welll. Simply stated, potentially severe food shortages are coming, and the United States is no longer in a 'most favored nation' position, thanks to our morally rudderless leadership. Our political leaders, spurred on by deep pockets and big business, have over the past 60-plus years driven millions of family farms out of business. This has put more of the nation's food supply into the hands of agricultural mega-corporations, which reduces independence and the safety factor of redundancy, while increases costs due to speculation, marketing and transporting product.

As though that weren't bad enough, water shortages caused by the environment or political back-room deals has shrivelled up fields, while plant blights and the mysterious mass disappearance of honeybees in many regions have crippled major crops, and the resulting rise in prices have put greater stress on a finite food supply.  And let's not forget that our ill-considered use of a huge portion of our corn crop for fuel is putting further strain on the rest of the world as well as our own supply (most people are unaware of just how ubiquitous corn is, from sugars, to medicines, to plastics, to cattle feed and much more).

I cannot urge every reader strongly enough; time is short; start stocking up on an emergency food supply for your family now. Buy in bulk when possible; long-term storage foods and easily-prepared foods are best, (and don't forget emergency water and cooking fuel supply). And don't advertise your stockpile.

US corn supply estimates, Feb 2011

To be honest, I have little use for the global micromanagement of the IMF or the World Bank (or any other globalists), but we have learned in recent years that some of the most condemning evidence of the intrinsic and systemic failure of socialism comes from their own mouths and pens. You have to learn to read between the lines and see the chain of actions that lead to the disasters.

Lest we forget, however, unbridled, unprincipled (at least by morality) capitalism is an even greater threat, because the allure of wealth in combination of minute control of the lives of "ordinary" people is an irresistible intoxicant to some people. Thus the damage caused is not due to mere ignorance nor the worst effects from the best of intentions, but due to the deliberate machinations and manipulations of people who think they know what's best for you, even if it is the absolute worst for you. And of course, they would never think of subjecting themselves to the sort of restrictions and hazards they easily impose on the rest of us. Fellow serfs, meet the new noble class.

Consider, for example, what is in the process of becoming the greatest theft in history. The Federal Reserve - which is a confederation of banks, not a government agency - is setting itself  up to rake in additional trillions of dollars, much of it at the expense of American taxpayers. Those doing the scheming - the likes of George Soros and others - are not concerned with your well-being, or with your survival. Their personal histories and methods bear this out.

Then there are those friendly population-control folks; the ones who have no qualms about sentencing tens or hundreds of millions of people to slow starvation, wars or mass execution. Oh; you thought that particular sort of evil ended with World War II? Think again, because you could very well be within their target groups.

But there are other shocks coming as well, especially to us here in the US. According to one report, with the able and subversive assistance of regulatory czar Cass Sunstein, BATF is studying how to make virtually all legitimate gun ownership illegal through legal machinations. (It should be noted that "legal" - an administrative term - does not automatically equate to "justice" - which is a moral term.) Thus the government makes the people vulnerable and fearful - in time, the hue and cry will be for government to "protect us" instead of allowing us to protect ourselves.

The effective disarming of American citizens would be a cause for general alarm because, as history has repeatedly shown, it would be the equivalent of declaring open season for criminals to act against honest citizens. This would be even more acutely felt in our southern border states, especially since illegals have been emboldened by the reported ordering of law enforcement officials to stop arresting them. The new orders will encourage even more cross-border excursions by heavily-armed drug gangs (partly enabled by the BATF) from Mexico as well.

Another shock to the system (or at least, the relative peace) is the rash of mass protests being deliberately provoked across the country atempting to capitalize on the "Egypt effect". Among these are a planned massive rally in Harlem being set up (in every sense) this Saturday by the New Black Panther Party.  In addition,it is beginning to appear that black and Hispanic youths are being encouraged to lash out against the "oppressive whites," which has led to a rash of spontaneous and brutal attacks on generally unsuspecting members of the new minority - European-descendant white people.  Don't fall for the lame atempt at deflection when you hear claims that racism and hate-crimes are only one-way. American cities are being turned into a built-up version of African tribal warfare.

Every American - regardless of race, creed or color - must resist the temptation to fall for the race-baiting and class warfare, because the passions and emotions and natural competitiveness of youth is being exploited. There are also many adults who have been raised with racial hatred. The powers-that-lie-behind-the-curtain need us to lash out, to provide the excuse to drop the hammer on all our civil liberties. We need to disappoint those people.  As much as possible, be ready for any situation that may suddenly pop up. Be aware of your surroundings, try to defuse belligerent confrontations, avoid exposed or entrapping situations, and be prepared to stand and defend yourself. But if at all possible don't fall into the trap.

A little too smart phones? An article in Computerworld magazine should make a lot of people suddenly feel less than smart for what they carry with them everywhere, every day. Apparently, there are a growing number of smartphone apps that monitor the sounds and sights around you, and then send the data upstream for advanced analysis. Ostensibly, the data (developers claim that the apps do not record actual conversations or videos -- at this time) is used to manipulate advertising and to enhance social network performance. But it is amazing and scary  how much information can be gleaned and developed from even the limits the technology currently has on it. How long will it be(if it isn't being done already) before the government gets into the act with hidden app features that provide near-continuous monitoring of every nearby conversation, background noise, imagery, and electrronic contacts? After all, when was the last time you heard of a government seeking less control over the people? Last time I can recall was...1789. And obviously, that one didn't last long.

The Hope.  It is Good Friday as I write this, the most horrific day in the Christian calendar. Traditionally, it is the day we commemorate the illegal arrest, torture, and crucifixion of Christ Jesus. Jesus (the Son aspect of the triune God) was falsely accused of sedition against the State, but He was actually preaching against the intrinsic fallen nature of mankind (today He would be labled a conservative whacko). His mission was to save us from our virtually unavoidable tendency to sin against God (the Father aspect of the Trinity). His death cleared the way for the Holy Spirit aspect of the Trinity to look after His repentent people. so serve as a sort of shepherd for us, and His ultimate sacrifice freed us from the bondage of sin that would otherwise block us from receiving redemption from the penalty for our sins.

On Easter Sunday - Resurrection Day - Jesus proved that death has no dominion over Him by arising after three days in the tomb. He predicted the chain of events in numerous New Testament passages, including John 10:18 -- "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." (It should be noted that in the ancient Hebrew idiom, it was customary to repeat things threefold for clarity and emphasis.)

From the point we truthfully (you cannot successfully lie to God) repent and accept the gift of salvation provided by the sacrifice of Jesus, we are saved. However, if we continue to sin without repentence, it should be obvious that the sin remains, and we shouldn't fool ourselves.

Now, I realize that what I've described isn't going to be believed by everyone. After all, each religion - by definition - believes they have the ultimate truth. Mine is simply based on what the Holy Bible says, when you study it in context. That doctrine has caused hundreds of millions of people to rethink and recommit their lives to something greater than themselves over the past two millenia. I believe it because it makes sense, it has logic. I believe it because if I'm wrong,nothing is lost and I will still have lived a better life than I did before I believed. But for the disbeliever, if they are wrong, it means the possibility of winding up for eternity in a place they would certainly rather not be. Your choice. Choose wisely.

"I call heaven and earth as wienesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;..." - Deut. 30:19,20

May you and yours have a happy Easter (Resurrection Day).