"Look Ahead"

My wife Elaine and I were fortunate enough to be invited to fly out to the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis for a few days back in 2009.

We flew from San Diego's North Island out about 125 miles into the Pacific and did that whole "trap landing" thing and all.  Kinda' wakes you up to catch a retaining wire at 150 mph and slow to a stop in 50 feet.  

The Captain of the boat, CPT Johanssen, served as the tour guide for our small group of purportedly "influential" civilians.  I was happy about that, regardless of our personal lack of influence.  It was a glorious visit for a yuuge military buff!  As a military vet, I could not believe the extreme dedication of the more than 6,000 sailors and pilots on the Stennis.  This ship is 1,184 feet and 94,000 tons and 4 and 1/2 acres of BADASS!  It's 6 squadrons of 84 planes can rain down death on anyone or anything, anywhere!  The whole purpose of an aircraft carrier is to project our power to virtually anywhere on Earth.  My patriotism got a "B-12 shot" from that trip, as if I needed it.  I've written about our visit before, but for all you newfers, I promise to do so again in the near future, okay?

Until then, the subject for today's lesson, fellow Patriots, is:  We should all "Look ahead."  That was the motto of our fleet, given it by our long-serving and now departed Senator John C. Stennis of Alabama.  He was almost singularly responsible for forcing our Navy to adopt strategies and tactics enabling it to see "over the horizon."  Well over it, as a matter of fact.  The technology thus produced by our mil/indus complex was superb.  Our aircraft carrier groups now possess the capability of "seeing" as much as 120 miles distant.  The flying AWACS support provides a net overhead, the subs provide protection under the water.  And the cruisers and destroyers and tenders flush out the 11-ship Carrier Group.

That visit to the Stennis was one of the great moments of my life.  To those of you who understand, no need to explain further.  To those who don't, I won't bother trying...

The Stennis' having forced us to "look ahead" militarily, I suggest we do so personally.  The U. S. Army worked hard to teach me how to "look ahead."  And then to develop strategies and tactics to exploit any advantages thus gained.  We, fellow Patriots, can do the same, I say.

For instance, a little search will inform us that fully three-quarters of all the neon gas produced in the entire world is made in Ukraine.  In Mariupul, in fact, the city beat to s**t by Putin's warships.  And the factory that produced it was forced to shutter on the first day of the war.  Why should we care about a gas only used in beer signs in roadhouse bars?  Well, Pilgrim, because this insert gas is the fuel in the lasers that produce microchips!  Those little buggers that are in nearly every damn thing we touch these days!  Including cars!  That's why there are now acres and acres and acres of brand-spanking new automobiles, just sitting out in the altogether.  Awaiting their very own microchips.  So they can be sent to a dealer near you.

Now, pay attention all you naysayers: the immutable laws of supply and demand are still in effect.  So, a reduced supply of cars at your dealer will increase their price.  And the price bump is not limited to the new ones.  Your old car is now appreciating faster than your house.  

What should you do about it?  Recognize that you can either sit on the situation, as is, knowing what's causing the kerfuffle, or you can run out and buy a new car or truck, using your old beater as a trade-in, at mucho more than it's worth.  Yes, you'll have to pay more for the new car, but you'll be paying for it using tomorrow's deflated dollars.  Dollars that O'Biden's inflation made worth less.  

And hopefully not worthless!

Another "look ahead?"  Sure, Grasshopper.  Did you know that Ukraine produces more than 20% of all the wheat in the world?  They were the folks who supplied most of the wheat to Eastern Europe.  And they have not planted so far this year.  What do you think will happen?  

And did you know that their 2021 wheat harvest is still sitting in warehouses in Mariupol?  They cannot get it out.  All 30 tons of it.  Putin's warships keep on shelling the harbor.  It sits, potentially moldering, feeding no one, taking with it much of Ukraine's national wealth.

Proof that Putin is using food as a weapon.  

And did you know that Russia is responsible for producing 30% of the world's wheat?  And they've promised to use food as a weapon going forward, selling only for rubles, and only to "friendly" countries?   And did you know that Ukraine and Russia together produce some 24% of the world's fertilizer, and Ukraine has not been shipping any fertilizer since Putin attacked?  Robbing Italian dairies of nearly 50% of their fertilizer, and thus playing hell with milk production?  And prices?  Oh yeah, and WE import upwards of 30% of all our fertilizer.  Without it, we're likely going to forego at least one growing season a year for some crops, and possibly two.  Possibly bankrupting some smaller farms.  And reducing our food supply alarmingly.  

What all this can portend is a sudden, rapid-onset, and long-lasting, world-wide famine.  This whole rapid run-up in the price of food is not going to abate any time soon.  It will affect us.  It will also affect Europe, the Middle-East and Africa the most, but it will quite likely force a recession there.  And perhaps a depression.

And possibly one right here at home.

What can you do for your family?  Buy food that will last.  Not necessarily "prepper" food, mind you, but food you can use to make a meal with in the event of shortages.  Learn to bake.  Learn to make much of your own food, if you can.  Stock up.  Six weeks' worth would be good, I'd say.

And keep a few $Thousand on hand.  Just in case.  Not predicting a run on your local BofA, of course, but "looking ahead" couldn't hurt.

BTW, I'm also an Explorer Eagle Scout, and thus a firm believer in "Being Prepared."  Always have been.  Always will be.  I was like that before the Army tried to beat in into my head.  I was more so upon my departure.  Everyone in the past 35 years has lived with what's come to be an artificial sense of security.  That security is now over.  We're back to a New Cold War.  One I fear will be involve us much more here at home than did the last one.  

So, I'd suggest some of that "being prepared" is a good idea.  It requires a whole new outlook on life, to be sure.  A whole new way of thinking.  You might want to try it.  Couldn't hurt...