Weather Report: The Economy — My, My, My and “Got Pantry” Revisited

THE ECONOMY–MY, MY, MY : Today, PrudentHome would like to discuss what’s being discussed on the news/business news television channels. The folks that anchor and appear on these programs are some of the “brightest and best” the U.S., and others, have to offer. Here are some of their recent observations as closely as we could note while watching:

“The nature of the problem is so severe and conditions so potentially devastating that “character” (as in, “Should the individuals proposed for key/critical government positions have non-payment of federal taxes as a disqualifier ?”) must be overlooked in favor of uniquely assessing their “ability”.

“The current stimulus plan is not a real stimulus plan at all but a social programs agenda with a little stimulus thrown in.”

“Banks want the government to buy ‘bad stuff’ from them at market prices, not at model prices, in order to break the ‘bad-to-worse’ cycle.” (OF COURSE THEY DO!)

And finally. this concerning the “fixer’s”: “THEY’RE MAKING THIS UP AS THEY GO ALONG.”

“GOT PANTRY” REVISITED : On 1/23/09 we posted a brief piece discussing the family pantry as the cornerstone of a “Plan B” (the fall-back plan for families when there’s no meaningful Plan A from the federal/state governments to meet “…a near apocalyptic world financial (and resource) crisis, combined with a possibly massive change in world weather patterns …”) and that families should have “The realistic minimum level of food and water stores for your family should be the amount necessary to get you thru the worst natural disaster that’s occurred in the last 100 years. If you think that this is too extreme. Remember Katrina and imagine the recovery process without state or federal help.”

Or you could just read the reports coming from Kentucky over the last several days and go from there: “Local officials were growing angry with what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” and this from Grayson County Emergency Management Director Randall Smith, “Smith said FEMA has been a no-show so far.” The foregoing was taken from a newsmax.com article on 1/30/09 entitled “Life After Ice Storm Dire, Getting Worse in Spots”.

Our point here is that you and your family are the essential elements in Plan B. Please don’t depend on others to come to your aid in a significant crisis. They may not be either able or willing (you and your family may not be a “priority”) to help you. It’s far better to assume that you’re on your own.

Note: Your “pantry” should include a basic medical kit and enough prescription medicine to meet specific family members needs for a minimum of 30 days. We’ve discussed this in the past and will again in the not-too-distant future.

Until later in the week then, keep your eyes on the horizon.