A learning experience is unfolding in Texas

[TWP]

The effect on the entire country related to oil drilling, refining and delivery after hurricane Harvey.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2017/08/27/harvey-forces-major-texas-refineries-shut-raising-concerns-gas-price-hikes

Of course the big oil companies won't try to gouge their customers... No wait, of course they will, what was I thinking?

[TWP]

I'm seeing two actions which fall within our prepper advisory guidelines:

1)  Price gouging is going on:

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article169921137.html

2)  Cash is being used, not electronic money:

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/fed-is-ready-to-truck-cash-to-harvey-devastated-areas-richard-fisher.html

With respect to the push to use cash, I find it more than enlightening that it is the US Federal Reserve which is doing this...  Since the brick and mortar banks are now, literally, underwater and the electricity and computers are offline, cash is the logical choice.  Gold and Sliver transactions are simply not built into the public awareness at this time.

I wonder how long it will take for those who were pushing for the removal of all cash transactions to try this again?  People forget quickly, so as soon as the computers are back on and internet access is available, look for a renewal of the "war on cash".  After all, it has worked so well recently in India: http://theconversation.com/why-a-cashless-society-would-hurt-the-poor-a-lesson-from-india-79735

This is an example of the prepper advice to keep some cash in your prepper stockpile.  Looking at the price gouging, The amount of cash you have stored may be insufficient.

[TWP]

If you've read much dystopian fiction, particularly those which portray a post-SHTF world, the theme of armed confrontation is very common.  With good reason.

Welcome to mid-Harvey Texas:

http://www.wdsu.com/article/cajun-navy-members-met-with-gunfire-by-apparent-looters-in-texas-group-says/12109436

Welcome to reality.  Nobody said it was going to be easy.  Plan for this...

If your life philosophy is preventing you from preparing for this kind of situation, my advice is to find a prepper group whose members are not ignoring this factor of human nature.  They may be willing to protect you, in exchange for your other skill sets.  Note that I do not exclude NNPG from being among those groups.

If you lack those particular skills which center around self-protection, please start learning those skills, now, rather than later...

For those who are new to this forum, you may have noticed that we don't address this particular skill set IN THE FORUM.  Don't assume this means that we lack that set of skills... We just don't talk about it on this public soapbox.  If this skill set matters to you (and it should) DO contact some of the members, privately, with your concerns and questions.  This is called OpSec (Operational Security) or more plainly, keeping a low profile where it matters most.

'nuf said?

[WolfBrother]

Austin had blue sky starting 2P yesterday (8/28)

Looking at the same radar (Wunderground) now (1330 8/29) I suspect Houston and to the west will start seeing patches of blue late in the afternoon today.