I received an email from Charlie Two Crows. Both he and I have discussed that we are normally upbeat positive people, but we worry… are we fooling ourselves? Whistling through the graveyard so to speak?
As predicted last winter, when we got a bazillion acre tons of snowfall in the upper Mississippi river system, that there would be terrible floods this spring. The floods are starting and there is no clear idea when the farmland will be available for planting. The following is a copy of a email that I received from Two Crows:
Ernie
It is estimated that the recent US floods will remove 3 million acres of farm land from growing this season. Bill Doyle of Potash corp. a fertilizer company that tracks ag trends. Has noted that last year the world consumed 7 times its normal grain usage. Drawing down US reserves to almost zero. Midwest farmers need a bunker crop to keep up with demand. The floods have changed that!
Ernie I'm not a doom and gloom person, but I do follow the markets close because of my gold sales. I don't think people really realize what's coming. The other day I was leaving a big box store and Home Land Security was handing out readiness kits. With lists of thing to have; 3 months of food and water. Also to have cash. And two backpacks ready, one at home and one hide on an escape route away from home. And six months of med.s . What are they trying to say? And are we ready for what?
I remember when we were in the 1960's we had civil defense and were ready for the cold war. The high price of gas in the US is directly related to Cal-Per s retirement fund. Cal Pers is the largest investor in gasoline futures (through hedge funds) in the US. They’re not satisfied with 8% return. Cal Pers wants 30% return. Some days Cal Pers invests over a Billion in gas futures, driving the price up by $1.50 a gallon retail. And most of your Blog readers will blame Big Oil unjustly. But more than gas, food will be the big player.
I know everything seems ok in everyday life in So Hum. But things could change in the blink of an eye. For reference check Bill Doyle Potash corp. And Home Land Security's home page. Sorry for the Rant.
Two Crows.
I forgot to give reference for Cal-Pers. They invest through Pimco Bonds and Hedge funds. Just to prove I'm not lying. C2c
Charlie,
I understand and share your fears. Sadly our politicians are owned by crooked corporations, and we are their last concern. I think that it is a good idea to have a large supply of food on hand, but I don't know how we will protect ourselves from the chaos that will ensue when it all falls apart. I see us heading up to that precipice. Our political system is not the same as it was in the sixties, back then it worked, and was responsive to the people.
I was just talking to the sheriff of Humboldt County, Mike Downey a few weeks ago, he said that he was going to have to lay off most of the deputies and close the Garberville sub-station completely if he was going to meet his projected budget. Wednesday I talked to the Mendocino Sheriff, Tom Allman, and told him of our plight. He said with his budget that if he laid off ALL of his deputies and closed the Sheriff’s office he would still be hundreds of thousands of dollars short of meeting his budget. He has notified the CHP in Sacramento who are now, also, the State Police, that they will have to take over law enforcement in Mendo. I talked to my CHP buddies and they say that the CHP has closed their academy from lack of funding. If we are heading into chaos, aren’t we going to need cops?
I hate to be gloom and doom, but what should we do as individuals to be prepared? On top of all of this, what would happen if we also had a major disaster. Earthquakes are way overdue along the west coast. The fire danger is greater that ever with all the brush that is coming back after the logging heyday. I'm sure that they are going to cut Cal-Fire funding, because there is NO money. Not even the Governator Schwarzenegger could solve the funding problem.
I’m running out of reality here. What’s our options?
e
Friday, May 13, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
27 comments:
well, i can think of a few things right off the bat. legalize pot and you wouldn't need those extra lawmen and with the money from taxing pot you could hire some lawmen to go after real criminals. 2nd. no more movie actors or ceo's as governor. when will we learn our lesson.
3. i heard that the almond crop this year is the biggest in history and there is plenty of farmland in california to plant crops on if they have the water, which they do this year. 4. i heard from an environmentalist buddy that obama is removing the logging restrictions in northern california, so tune up those chain saws boys that is if they will hire anyone that isn't mexican. 5. i read about the early history of the matolle and all the oil wells they used to have up there. start drillin if you want to keep fillin those extra cab diesel trucks y'all drive around in up there. you know, or buy something that gets over 10 mpg.
I hope California farmers are smart enough to plant big this year. We may be the only ones to pull off a good crop.
the real money maker would be to put the bin laden killing on pay per view at $100 a pop. which just might be a days pay for most folk in the world. they just might be able to balance the budget or at least get some of the money back that fool bush spent bombing the wrong country.
i don't think we are wrong about big oil or big money. time to give the oil and the money back to the little people. you and me. government take over. nationalize the oil companies and the banks and no more problema. that means problems for you northern folk that don't speak mexican yet.
I look forward to revisiting this post at the end of the year when none of this fatalistic nonsense has happened. Go outside and take a walk. It's nice today. Don't be one of those grumpy old guys that has nothing good to say about anything and can only lament about "how good it was back then".
Spy.........With all do respect to you, I don't think government owned Banks and Oil Company s will solve our problems. The US. Government has a bad (Track) record making a profit or just breaking even. Case in point Amtrak,just celebrated 40 years of loosing money. Reference: bloomberg.com/amtrak
Charlie Two Crows
i may be sentimental but i would love to see them restore the railroad between willits and eurkea along the eel. i wouldn't want no high speed rail neither. i would rather see my government waste our money in our country than pakistan or any other such foreign country that doesn't seem to do us any good at all. you can go to england and ride the train anywhere. you don't need a car at all. same thing in japan and europe. it seems to work for them. of course, they aren't superpowers like us that spend all their money trying to conquer lower slombovia or any other potential hot spot of terror. i learned in business school that it's all about making money. so i agree with your perceptions of what makes good business sense. but my dad was the worst business man i ever knew. he existed on the barter system. something that might be a reality in our near future. so i'm not afraid of the gloom and doom. i believe in community. i believe that the local community will prevail come no rail or high water.
my dad was born in kansas in 1908 and my mom was born in covelo in 1911. my aunt doris just celebrated her 99th birthday yesterday. she has two younger sisters in their 90's. i was raised with the values of a different time. i totally respect your point of view mr. 2 crows. but it seems to be really hard for people to know where i'm coming from because they have no personal frame of reference. in their day, the jones were just another family. not the standard we are all supposed to live by.
Spy,,,.I was raised very similar to you. I don't want you to think I'm one of those money hungry capitalists. My oldest son and I prospect with hand tools every day. We sleep in a tent 200 nights a year.We know how to live off the land and wish more people would take a closer look at their surroundings in case of natural disasters only connection we have to the outside is our cell phones. I'm not a fatalist just concerned. As our government closes off more public lands.We believe we'll have to pack in with pack goats and wear moccasins so no one will follow us. In the desert valley where we live their's a dairy with 16000 cows that's correct 16000 cows. If any disaster happens we know where the stakes are.C2c
I'm stuck without internet again, so I'm blogging on my cellphone.
I wasn't preaching gloom and doom as much as pointing out that maybe we should pay more attention. I had a friend that completly predicted the financial mess that we are in. He made a fortune in the stock market proving his theories. It's hard to argue with success.
Well, the good news is that demand for corn is down as ranchers use less and farmers plant more.This should ease prices in the short term. Currently there is a 24-day supply, though 30 days is the comfort level for most investors.
Relative to the plight of most on the planet, I'm not squirming just yet.
Hasn't the sky been falling on Allman for the last 3 or 4 years? Hot air.
Mr.ANON. I like the reference to HOT AIR! You left some important information out of your corn quote. You failed to inform everyone that the price of corn at $7 a bushel is three times the price of a year ago. And the price of grain has doubled. I would call that (Asleep at the Wheel)! Reference: minyanville.com
Food prices 2011-2015
With all do respect you know!
The factor that has affected world grain prices the most is Goldman Sachs' gambling on commodities. The "free market" has turned essentials into a big stakes parlour game for capitalists.
And Spyrock, like most of us, may not want to spend money in Lower Slombovia, but important Washingtonians may see Slombovia as an "asset."
Mr. ANON 6:51 am. I agree that food prices are being manipulated by wall street.
My question to you is when will you have had enough? When a box of cereal is ten dollars. Will that be enough Sir?
“Go outside and take a walk. It's nice today. Don't be one of those grumpy old guys that has nothing good to say about anything and can only lament about ‘how good it was back then’ ".
That statement by anon has been grating on me since I first read it. Anon obviously doesn’t know me, there is nobody that enjoys life more that me, nobody more appreciative of
a fine day than me, nor nobody more appreciative of a good friend than me.
After far more reflection than I should have given the comment, I remember my younger years, when I was busy laughing at my friend who I though was mired in gloom and doom. (The man who made a fortune figuring out what the stock market was going to do) How could he have been so foolish, America was the wealthiest nation in the world, we were number one in manufacturing, cars, electronics, food products and agriculture. We were the touchstone to judge the rest of the world. How could he be so foolish, indeed.
Yet, look at us today, we have essentially robbed our grandchildren’s piggy bank, printed money that we can’t back-up. Sold our bonds, and our souls, to China. Houses in Detroit are selling for as little as $400.00. That is if they can get a mortgage. I can only assume that our “Pollyanna attitude” of all-is-well has not born us up very well.
My one great hope is that we will not look back upon today as “the good old days”.
that's really cool. we live near a place called humbug creek. its about the only creek around with no gold in it. most of my relatives share your concern and like to talk about these things. i choose not to because i believe that the observer (me) effects the outcome of the experiment (whatever it is that you are checking out). so i take the high road. i know the low road is there. i just choose not to travel it. i try to be part of a better outcome for myself and everyone else.
my people were dairy farmers back in the day of mom and pop and the kids get up and milk at 4 am. my people were also partly responsible for bringing the hereford breed of cattle to america. we brought this bull named domino from near brighton where our family's 800 acre ranch was. so we always kept the herefords around to eat and left the dairy cows alone for milk etc. in a pinch all you need is a bucket and a stool and strong fingers.
Hey Ernie....Anon reminds me of PL employees living in scotia houses in the 70's.
You know the type, new trk, new car,and all the toys.
Good pay low rent, and no idea that a fox had shuck into the hen house and taken their retirement and their perfect lives away. Yea this does remind me of Anon's out look! Sir I do feel sorry for you!
We must stop using food grains (corn, etc) to make fuel. Period.
Ben...I like the word Period. It does need to stop now. Americans subsidize every gallon of corn E-85 with $1.85 of our tax dollars. Switch grass and hog fuel have a better gallon per ton recovery over corn. A company in florida has created a enzyme to break down hog fuel and convert to alcohol. The hog fuel they tested was (Tan oak). This would really help ernie s area. The home of Tan Oaks. Conversion rate on tan oak was 110 gallons of alcohol per ton oF hog fuel.
To get past the gloom and doom.
Check out the pictures on Kemps blog. She has great pic's of her world in sohum. Its a real pick me up. Makes me miss Humboldt.
Not even the Governator Schwarzenegger could solve the funding problem.
I’m running out of reality here. What’s our options?
just a reality check. the governator you voted for in the last two elections has admitted that he has a 14 year old child with his housekeeper. so it's no wonder the state of california is in such dire straits with that poser at the helm. your options?
Spy.......WE just have to stop electing governors from the Predator Movie. Who's next? The Columbia girl. Now I get it she was the housekeeper.
No more movie actors,seals,cowboys,monkey co-stars, or dirt bags. No matter what the party is!!!!!
You mean like Thomas Jefferson?
yeah, wouldn't be surprised to see jose schwarzenegger running for president 20 years down the road. after watching the kennedys on cable tv, you have to feel sorry for the kennedy wives who have been putting up with this type of behavior for decades. even mel gibson seems to have more character than arnold. this country is being destroyed by a bunch of greedy pigs. time for a good old fashion donner party barbeque.
not that i would partake. this metaphor describes someone who canniblizes someone else's livelihood and gets rich off other people. if arnold had told the truth, he would have never been elected govenor. he terminated california with his inept performance. he should be arrested and made to reimburse the people of california for all the money he cost us. they should seize all his assets just like they did that banker bernie maddog.
well i was watching ted nuggent on cnn last night and he made me feel a little better about this stuff. he's exactly my age and i think we probably went to the draft board in oakland the same day. he was 1-y which is something you get if they are considering 4-f. so he never joined the army or went to nam. so i got 2 years on him. then he thinks we should all be able to carry concealed weapons and i agree with him. i have nothing against people owning guns and it always amazes me that people automatically assume that i'm anti gun. too much fox news to get you to vote for the pro oil/big money candidate. then he's getting loud, cussing up a storm, talking about stringing people up. and i can totally see his point. then he starts talking about how much he loves the moose lady and oh well, nobody's perfect but me and ted are really a lot alike. i don't care about his long hair. mine is short. but a cowboy he isn't so he shouldn't be wearing a cowboy hat. maybe one of those elmer fudd hunting hats. that would do. anyways, me and ted are cool.
Post a Comment