So, Duncan, although we can follow the hints, a lot of us are intellectually and indeed, time challenged on here. What makes you certain of this doom scenario?

I am not certain of anything.

Of course, I used to know it all when I was in my twenties, but over the past foty years I must've gotten dumber and dumber.

I am concerned enough to prepare for some serious stuff because of our running out of exploitable petroleum products (in the long run) and the fact that we could slide into a depression (in the short run).

I'm on the verge of getting a generous pension from my empolyer as well as social security from Uncle Pig. This could very well go away, and I would have to continue working some of my other jobs -- and my wife will have to continue her job as an RN -- to keep things going.

With a situation like that, it seems pretty obvious that the less I am tied to things like grocery and utility bills, the better off my family and I will be.