• Whatever happened to your Bug Out Location – Retirement Home?

It is going great! I am loving working on it. I usually go there for a couple weeks, work, and then return home for 10 – 14 days before going back. Yeah…wife likes to have me around…go figure. A lot of people have asked me to post articles about it, including pictures. Well, that would be OK with me if enough people would like to have that included here on the website. So take the poll below and I will abide by your wishes.

• On another website you have gotten flamed pretty badly by a couple of people. What’s up with that?

It is perfectly normal. Some people will agree with what I say and appreciate it. Some people will have no opinion, not care, or simply not respond to things they don’t agree with. And then there are some (3 – 5%) who seriously disagree with what I say and make it known…sometimes through bad language, etc. That’s OK. I think they are good, well-intentioned people who simply don’t think that what I am saying is right. It upsets them, they get angry, and then they get vocal.

Sometimes I try to talk with them via posting but it almost never does any good. Once a person has dug in their heels in opposition they rarely change their mind. I move on since nothing constructive or productive comes of it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion…even those that disagree with me.

• OK, touchy question…do some people confuse emotional with spiritual? Meaning, do some people think they are having a spiritual experience when they are actually having an emotional experience?

Yes. Emotions are powerful, very powerful. At times they can be overwhelming. Spiritual experiences can be the same, the scriptures are full of those experiences…powerful and life-changing. And it can be very hard at times to know which is which.

One Sunday I was teaching a Sunday School class. I started relating a particular story of one of my ancestors as it related to the class topic. I got very choked up and started to tear up. However, I recognized it as emotional not spiritual. On other occasions I’ve read passages of scripture and clearly felt a spiritual prompting of the truth of what I was reading…or a special insight to a verse. That was clearly spiritual in nature.

The danger can be not recognizing the difference. Normally emotions are physiological reactions based on what is in our head, be it past experiences, beliefs, love, hate, etc. Spiritual experiences are far, far more than that. Spiritual experiences go beyond our head, beyond our hearts, they go to our very soul. Many refer to it as “the still small voice.”

You are always 100% correct following and acting upon spiritual promptings and inspiration. Acting on emotions can sometimes get you into danger, grave danger…or at least get you into trouble…but not always. So there is the challenge…knowing that there is a difference between spiritual and emotional…then recognizing it within ourselves. That will lead you to be able to make far better decisions on when to act, on what to act on, and how to act.

Thank you!!!  That was a great question, one that I enjoyed pondering and responding to more than most.

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• Is the economy terrible or is there anything good about it?

If there ever was a dichotomy, the economy is it…or is it? Some parts of the economy are doing very well, and continue to improve (i.e. job growth, stock market in Jan/Feb 2019, labor participation rate, etc.). There are some parts of the economy that are really not so good (i.e. HUGE federal deficits and MASSIVE out of control national debt, increasing interest rates, growing gap between rich and poor, home affordability, etc.).

So, it is easy to make a case either way…the economy is GREAT…the economy is TERRIBLE. However, in this case…both are true. Yup, it isn’t actually a dichotomy it is a false dilemma. Both views of the economy are correct…not opinion, fact. Bottom line…how you view the state of the overall economy is based on opinion; your view is based on your bias.

• Would you buy precious metals right now?

I am no financial or investment advisor to be sure. No, I would not buy precious metals right now. That’s for me personally. Unless of course you believe lead/brass to be precious metals. In which case I always advocate to “buy!” However, I would not buy gold or silver right now. Well, there is one exception, maybe two.

If you have everything you could possibly need for preparedness…and I mean EVERYTHING…and you want to preserve wealth then go ahead and buy some precious metals. Notice I didn’t say invest in gold or silver. Precious metals should NEVER EVER be looked at as an investment. They are strictly a wealth preservation move. And tenuous even at that. Precious metals have little to no intrinsic value. Gold has zero intrinsic value. other than some limited use in jewelry, electronics, and military components. Silver marginally more so. Their value is purely emotional and historical especially gold. People believe that precious metals are valuable and hence they are…until people lose that belief.

When might people stop believing in the value of precious metals? I really don’t know. But, if you are hungry, I mean really starving, and you have 100oz of gold…and someone has a 100lb of food…who holds the more value?

In a TEOTWAWKI, or hard grid-down, situation common calibers of ammunition will have FAR more value than gold/silver. And food will have FAR more value than ammunition. And seeds will probably have more value than food, or at least its equivalent.

What you didn’t ask, “Would you sell gold & silver right now?” Yes, unless I have everything I could possibly need for preparedness…and I mean EVERYTHING. If I had a gap in my preps I would sell precious metals to purchase those items that I need to fill the gap(s).

• Does it bother you when people really criticize you?

Yes. How’s that for honesty!

My single goal is to make sure people are prepared for emergencies, disasters, and grid-down events. If someone gets caught up in criticizing what I am saying they either don’t believe in emergency preparedness to begin with, or they have found fault with some detail I am using.

I would rather everyone be prepared for emergencies, disasters, and grid-down…so when people find fault with what I say…or outright reject preparedness…then I feel I have failed…and that bothers me. Yes, I am adult enough to know I can’t make everyone happy. But, it still bothers me.

Yes, there are a few folks that simply don’t like me and object to anything I have to say. OK, I understand that. I am sorry they feel that way. And some of it is justified due to my writing style and personality. Hopefully not so much now, but in the past I feel I was more provocative than I needed to be, or should have been. And that is on me.

• What are the top three problems the USA faces today?

#3 – Tribalism

We have fractured ourselves into to so many divergent groups it is virtually impossible to work together on much of anything in areas of politics, race, economy, border security, etc. And as long as we maintain that tribalism we won’t be able to find much common ground. On the flip side…tribalism is a good thing when it comes to preparedness…taking care of our own.

#2 – Politics

We’ve entered an era where we have primarily two extremely different political views of our country…the right and the left. The left believes in big government, police state, welfare state, victimhood, Marxism, Socialism, Communism. The right believes in big government, police state, world’s policeman, nation building, crony capitalism, etc.

Then there are a few folks (almost no politicians) that actually believe in the Constitution, our Founding Fathers principles, Natural Rights, Common Law, and eternal truths. That is very small federal government, small standing military, limited taxation, USA first, non-intervention, liberty/freedom/rights over national security, etc.

The first two groups right/left are tearing the country apart…very successfully! The third group is virtually powerless on the national, even state level, because there are simply too few. The first two groups both want power and authority over others. The third group wants to leave each other alone…and for the federal government to leave everyone alone.

#1 – Godlessness

Yeah, you weren’t expecting that were you! Let me make myself perfectly crystal clear…the USA is becoming more and more godless. And as a result of that godlessness trend we are seeing the fall of the United States empire.

If you look at the decline in church attendance vs. events in recent US history you will notice an interesting correlation. And if you compare church attendance in 1952 to church attendance in 2012 you will notice a startling exponential drop. Now, consider where this country was in 1952 overall…strong, moral, religious, and united…to where we are 60 years later. It is clear, crystal clear, that the USA’s #1 problem is godlessness.

And before you get all riled up and claim church attendance doesn’t measure belief in a God or the moral virtue of a person. Well, you are dead wrong! The “macro” measure of church attendance is a clear indicator of religious adherence and practice.

Our Founding Fathers knew, clearly knew and acknowledged, that God and religion had a place in the founding of our country and keeping our country a Constitutional Republic. But you already know that so no need for me to convince you of that.

So there you have it…America’s #1 problem is simple…godlessness. Not by all, to be sure, but an alarmingly growing percentage of the citizenry.

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What is your take on Trump’s 2019 State of the Union speech?

Ah yes…loaded question! I am going to try and take a slightly different tack…I want to comment on what the state of the country actually looks like based on the reactions of the Congressmen to two things Trump said in the State of the Union speech. Yeah, novel approach.

Statement #1 –

Trump’s call urging lawmakers to pass legislation that bans late-term abortion (includes live-birth abortions). To the best of my observation…Republicans cheered it, Democrats hated it. And that my friend is a clear indicator of good vs. evil in our country today. Democrats hate the idea of saving infants from death. Democrats approve of infanticide. Evil at an unbelievably new depth. I applaud Trump asking for that legislation. And, we all know there is ZERO chance it will be introduced…let alone passed.

Statement #2 –

Trump’s statement that “America will never be a socialist country.” Once again…to the best of my observation…Republicans cheered it, Democrats hated it. And yes again, that clearly shows that Democrats have come completely out of the closet and are now the advocates for, and supporters of, socialism.

I would love to think Trump is right in what he said. Unfortunately we already know he is wrong…America has embraced many aspects of socialism and is moving closer to socialist/communist goals every single day thanks to our politicians, especially Democrats. It is only a matter of time until we’ve fully embraced it. The problem with socialism, and its cousin communism, is the mass murder in the 10’s of millions that go along with those systems of government. If you look back over history…EVERY major country and most minor countries that have ever embraced socialism/communism have murdered millions of their own citizens through “cleansing” and other social programs. The more minor countries that have embraced socialism-light aren’t done yet…let’s see where they end up. And remember, the end goal of socialism/communism is “totalitarianism”…the ultimate dream of Democrats.

Summary –

The reactions to those two statements alone clearly, unequivocally show you where we are as a country. Or, maybe better stated…where the Democrats are as the marketers of evil in America.

Is there hope to turn this situation around? No, there is not. At least not till the Lord returns. But that is not to mean that there is no “hope” at all! What I am getting at is this:

• You can become a better person, and should.
• You can grow your family closer together.
• You can be a help to those in your congregations and communities.
• You can reach out and be a great person full of compassion and willing to help others.

You see, we don’t need the government for us to be good people, for us to be good spouses, for us to be good parents, for us to be good neighbors…we can be that person without, or in spite of, the government or any politician. We just have to do it!

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• Why are you such a Trump Hater?

Well, well, well…here we go. Your premise is wrong…I am not a Trump hater. First off, I don’t know the “man” all I know are his actions and the outcomes of those actions. And that “know” is seen through the prism of my bias. Lastly, I try not to “hate” anyone. I may not like what they do, or what they represent, but I try to avoid hate since it is the exact opposite of what the scriptures ask of us.

That being said…yeah, you knew that one was coming didn’t you! Trump does some good, some bad. The outcomes of his presidency is what matters to me. Some of the outcomes of his presidency are good, some…not so much. So, some of the economy is doing well, there are more people employed, etc. On the other side home ownership is more difficult, interest rates are going up, public and private debt are going up, etc.. What bothers me is when people go on and on about how great Trump is AND ignoring the bad actions/outcomes he is responsible for. When people become blinded to the downside, or justify it, that really worries me. That begins to enter the realm of “cult/people worship.” When that hits critical mass we end up in very dire straits as a country. I try to maintain balance in my views of a person’s actions…see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And I love the line, “He beats the alternative!” Really? So you would rather get shot with a .22 cal rifle than a .308 rifle? “Getting shot by the .22 beat the alternative!” That’s known as a false narrative. An assessment should not be between a bad/worse option. I try to assess something/someone against the principle of what is right. Take theft…someone steals change out of a Coke machine…they are a thief. Someone takes $10,000 via identity theft from a checking account…they are a thief. Both are thieves, both run as the only candidates for town mayor. You vote for and elect the Coke machine thief as Mayor of your town. You now make the statement, “He sure beat the alternative!” Ah, but he is still a thief. It goes back to the saying, “I voted for the lesser of two evils.” What???  You still voted for evil! My view is…look at the support, or violation, of principles by a person/politician. If he violates good principles = bad. If he supports good principles = good. If he does both = untrustworthy and unreliable (go find someone who supports the good principles…ALWAYS!)

And then there are those that would say, “But, this is politics…there has to be compromise!” Really? You are willing to compromise principles? Let’s say you agree with that statement. So, test your position. Example: Your spouse says they’ve been cheating on you and have had sex with 10 other people in the last year. You are outraged!!! Your plan is now to leave them at once and take the kids with you. After hours of negotiations the two of you compromise…they will only have sex with 5 other people per year vs. the 10 they originally intended to. Everything is cool, you are back to a great loving and trusting marriage and all is well. The perfect example of marriage for your children. Yes? So compromising principles is a good thing in your opinion?

• Why am I getting so many emails from you and your website?

I am rebuilding the website and apparently every time I post an article or new page of information you will get a notification of that action. Also, I am posting the daily journal entries for “Escape from Tucson” every other day, that adds to the email notifications.

• You seem so pessimistic, is EVERYTHING going on now bad?

First, let me apologize to you. I don’t mean to sound so pessimistic. Especially so when I feel so extremely optimistic about what is going on in the world. There is more good in the world than bad. However, right now…the bad stuff that is going on is really bad and negatively affecting virtually everyone. The good stuff that is happening tends to be very localized…as in specific to individuals. So, there is a lot of cool/great stuff happening and you should rejoice in it…I do. I will try to lighten up a bit but I try to make sure I point out those things that “could” be of such magnitude that might negatively impact everything/everyone.

• Does everything fall apart in 2020 because of the election?

Ahhhhhhhhhh, maybe…maybe not. There you have it!!!! That is my prediction for 2020. And I will be 100% right!

OK, seriously now… maybe…maybe not. A couple of article ago I wrote about Trump and the 2020 election. If he loses the Democrat Party (the communist/socialist party) will run wild. And the country will become far, far worse than it already is in terms of good vs. evil. If Trump wins the Democrats (the communist/socialist party) will go absolutely crazy. They will try to get the election results nullified any way they can. Knowing that won’t succeed I could them then trying any other means to remove Trump from office…any other means. So the 2020 election gives us a “no win” situation at this point. Granted, the situation could change in the next 1-1/2 years but I doubt it.

There comes a point when the lid gets blown off the pot. Objectively said…we are under far worse regulation and taxation now than before the American Revolution. And, as a country, we have not been this divided since the Civil War. There comes a point, will come a point, when a group of people in the US says, “enough is enough!” At that point we will see a violent problem. And just a further note of information…remember, throughout history, the Democrat Party is the party of violence.

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