Daily Briefing For Friday, June 27, 2014

Lessons In Road Rage


I'd like to share my road rage experience with you.


This morning, I was heading to lunch at the University of Texas Club, located in the UT stadium.  The stadium and club entrance are in the far left of the map below.  The parking garage which I entered is not on the map, but it's located in the corner of the intersection of Littlefield and Dedman, across the street from the police department.  The top of the map is north.


Prior to the incident I'm going to describe below, I made a right turn on red to head west on Littlefield, towards the stadium.  A few seconds after making the turn, I heard someone blowing their horn.  It's an urban environment, and so people are always blowing their horn at something, making it difficult to determine if the horn was meant for me or someone else.  I did notice a pick up truck - old, faded and missing paint - in my rear view mirror, with two male occupants.  From my quick glance, they didn't seem to be upset or troubled by anything I'd done.  I continued the short quarter mile trip to the parking garage, turning left off of Littlefield into the garage entrance.





As I stopped to get a ticket to enter the parking garage, the pick up truck screeched his tires and pulled in behind me, stopping about 20 yards away.  The driver jumped out and yelled at me as I got my ticket:


"IF YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE LIKE A WOMAN, YOU'D BETTER SQUAT WHEN YOU PISS, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" 


I didn't acknowledge his existence.  I took the ticket, the gate arm rose, and I drove on into the garage, cautiously monitoring my rear view mirror to see if he followed me inside.


That's it.  That's the story.  Thankfully that's all of the story.


I share it with you so that we can discuss what we might be able to learn from my experience.  Here are some of my thoughts, in no particular order:

• Road rage is completely unnecessary and can be hazardous to those who engage in it.  How does road rage improve anyone's driving or life for that matter?  It doesn't.  It certainly didn't help me, seeing how I am still not certain what I did to offend this person.  (And if I did, I'd tell you...I can only speculate that he didn't like the fact I turned right on red, despite the fact he also had a red light just before I did so.) 
  
  I certainly want to be a courteous driver, and if I inconvenienced him or anyone else for that matter, I am truly sorry.  And I would have said so if need be. 
• Getting out of your vehicle to confront another driver is a bad idea.  I am reminded of those Capital One credit card commercials where the spokesperson says "What in your wallet?"  You never know what another driver may have in their pocket, console or glove box.  Why on earth would you willingly go up to another vehicle (especially in Texas, when that other vehicle is a 4x4 pick up truck) and threaten or berate another person?  I have no desire to harm a soul, but I'm not going to endure injury or death so that an irate driver can have a sense of justice.  He had no idea what tools were accessible to me should he have pushed the issue further. 
• Likewise, I would have gained nothing by getting out of my truck, either.  It's a two way street.  I lose the protection of my truck if I get out of it.  Why give up a tactically superior position just so I can pretend to be a bad ass?  I give myself points for not engaging the driver in any fashion.
• Even though that was a relatively mild incident on the threat spectrum, I felt the adrenaline dump.  We can all train as much as we want, and yet we're going to get juiced in situations like that.  Adrenaline is a gift from God, but we have to realize the limitations it creates for us when we're under its influence. 
• This took place on a major college campus, in front of a police station.  The stadium, the police department, the parking garage - this place has more cameras than Best Buy.  It's Surveillance City.  And yet the other individual involved decided to push a bad position, despite the fact he was being watched and recorded by multiple security cameras.
  
  We live in a surveillance society now.  With lots of security cameras and smart phones able to record videos, there's a high likelihood the entire encounter was caught on video.  When deciding what action to take in a situation like that, you must be mindful of the fact your actions will be recorded and, if possible, used against you.  To the extent you can, you want to video footage of your engagement to be a highlight reel of what to do rather than what not to do.  To do that, you'll need to get more training - beyond your basic CHL class.
  
  And in case you didn't catch that the first time - I could have stepped out of my truck, picked up a small rock, and hit the police station across the street.  It's that close.  Don't think crime and bad things happen in "good" areas, like in front of a police station?  Think again.
• People who engage in road rage have much larger issues in their lives.  I can't imagine getting that angry every time I perceive someone is being a bad driver.  And given his comments, he clearly has issues with women.  People like that aren't mad at you, particularly - they have other anger issues in their lives, and you just happen to be a convenient target for that anger. 
• Let's discuss what I could have done better or differently.  There's no teaching; there's only learning.  I don't have all of the answers.  So what could I have done better?
  
  
  My driving - I'm not a perfect driver.  Yet my radio was off, my cell phone was in the drink holder and was not in use, both of my hands were on the steering wheel, I wasn't rushing to get to lunch, and I was paying attention to the other vehicles around me.  I truly wish I knew what I'd done to upset him.  If I made an error in driving, I want to know about it so I can avoid doing so in the future.  If he's simply being a jerk, I can't fix that.  But I can continue to focus on being a safe driver, no matter what.
  
  My decision not to engage him - had he closed the distance, the thing for me to do would have been to drive on into the garage.  Or would it?  It would have been very difficult for him to get up to the door of my truck, as I was stopped right in front of the ticket kiosk.  That could have provided some protection.  On the downside, driving off would have been seen as me attempting to avoid conflict - something I'd be glad to see on the surveillance footage.  That call could have gone either way.
  
  Do you have a word track to help de-escalate situations like this?  In the CHL class, we call this "nonviolent dispute resolution."  The word track I suggest to my students sounds something like this:
  
  "I am so sorry.  Please forgive me.  What can I do to make it up to you?  <<Depending on the situation, you can offer to do something - like move your vehicle if they are complaining you took their parking space.>>"  This is not the response they are expecting.  Bullies want you to either fight back or cower in fear.  When you are rational and apologetic, yet calm and firm, you aren't any fun to play with anymore.  Saying those few words can save you a lot of trouble and cost nothing to say.
  
  Managing the moments after I pulled into the garage - I give myself a C on this.  I kept watching my rear view mirrors (which I had started doing the moment I heard the tires squealing).  That was good.  I should have picked up my phone and started to dial 911 in case he followed me into the garage.  I was too fixated on where I should park to avoid further conflict and not focused enough on being able to get help there should I have needed it. 

Be safe out there, everyone.  It's a crazy world.

Suburban Dad Survivalist Field Day Weekend 2014

Suburban Dad Survivalist Field Day Weekend 2014

Date: Saturday, August 2, 2014

Time: 8 AM to 6 PM

Location: KR Training, 1166 CR 145, Manheim, TX 78948

Cost: $50

 

 

 

 

Many of you have expressed an interest in attending a preparedness field day.  Are you looking for some hands-on experience with the latest preparedness gear and an opportunity to learn some new skills?  This field day is just for you.  This family-friendly workshop will give you an opportunity to meet fellow preppers as well.

Instructors from a wide variety of organizations will be on hand, including:

• Texas Parks and Wildlife
• Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Lone Star Medics
• The Human Path
• Generac Generators
• Team Rubicon
• KR Training

and other area instructors will be on hand to do presentations on such topics as:

• Chainsaw usage
• Solar cooking
• Fire extinguisher training
• Medicinal herbs
• Rainwater collection
• Ham radio usage
• Reloading ammo
• Map reading and orienteering
• First Aid
• Trapping and Snaring
• Electric generator usage
• Bug out bag gear demonstrations

And much more!  This will be a hands-on experience, where you will get to see and use the gear. 

 

On Sunday, August 3, Caleb Causey of Lone Star Medics will present a day long class on Dynamic First Aid.   Cost for the course is $160. 

Register for these events by clicking here.

 

Daily Briefing For Monday, June 2, 2014

Jordan's Annual Hurricane Preparedness Memorandum


Lifelong Miami resident and friend from my law school days at The U, Jordan is an attorney in the Miami area.  He's previously penned hurricane preparedness advice based on the various storms he's endured since his childhood.  This is his 2014 message to the Suburban Dad Survivalist Nation.  We thank Jordan for his contributions to preparedness.

Paul asked me to pen a guest column about preparing your home and family for the arrival of a hurricane.  I can claim a little personal experience in the area, having spent virtually my entire life in the suburbs just south of Miami, Florida, having lived through four direct hits (Andrew in 1992, Irene in 1999, and Katrina and Wilma in 2005) and having gone through the drill many other times only thankfully to see the storms veer away at the last moment.  My hurricane plan is the product of many years of thought, trial and error, some research, and liberal borrowing from others’ plans.  This column is NOT a recitation of my plan.  Instead, I will try to hit some highlights, which hopefully are not new to you; if they are, hopefully they will augment your already-robust hurricane preparation plan.

First, two very general, but important, concepts about storm prep:

1. Make certain you have sufficient quantities of the necessary supplies (batteries, food, water, etc.) before any watches and warnings are posted.  This especially applies to any needed medications; always make sure you have a week or more supply at hand.  Also make certain is that you have the appropriate charging attachments for your current phones, tablets, laptops, and other portable devices and that you have sufficient battery-powered chargers or the like for them.  We tend to get new phones and tablets at frequent intervals but do not keep our battery-powered charger and backup devices updated to what we currently have.  I recently went through ours and pulled out most of the adapters, which were for devices we long ago stopped using, and replaced them with ones for our current phones and tablets.  Also, well in advance of any storm make sure all required equipment (drills for installing or removing shutters, lanterns, fans, etc.) works and is charged or has sufficient batteries to run for an extended period.  If you stay prepared throughout the year, hurricane season involves no big gearing up, except maybe for throwing a few extra bags of ice in the freezer.  If you do not, make sure your list is all checked off by the beginning of the season and ensure that you keep an eye on the level of needed consumables (replace what you use). The absolute last place you want to be right before the storm hits is out on the streets fighting the crowds for the scarce supplies left.  We’ve all seen those images on TV and they are never pretty; don’t be one of those poor, unfortunate souls shown to the world on CNN. 
   
   
2. Create and have in place a methodical, organized plan for prepping your house, both inside and out.  Order your activities to conserve time and effort.  If you have the manpower, divide up the activities.  For example, my general plan is as follows: (i) plug in all needed devices (phones, tablets, laptops, chargers, etc.) to charge; (ii) close the accordion shutters that cover most of our windows first, quickly securing the majority of the openings, (iii) clean off the patio and clean out the yard, placing the items inside the house, (iv) install the panels over the windows and doors on our patio; (v) put up the panels over the other doors (always leave two exits, one of which can be a garage door you can manually open); (vi) do one last sweep of the outside and (vii) help with the inside prep my wife and kids have already started.  Naturally, the order of your house prep needs to fit your situation, including manpower available, size and complexity of your living arrangements, and time available before the storm approaches.  Start your prep as far in advance as practicable; we usually start once the storm warning is posted.  You want to be fully completed, inside and out, at least an hour or two before the first outer bands reach your area so you have a bit of time to address any unexpected issues. 

 Here are a few things I highly recommend you add to your storm prep plan if they’re not part of it already:

1. Fill up at least one automobile’s tank with gas when a watch is issued for your area.  Most people wait until a storm warning is issued before jumping into action.  The lines at the gas stations once a warning is issued are long and the patience of those in the lines is short.
    
2. Take photos of your house, inside and out, AFTER you have completed your preparations.  You now have a record of your property’s condition right before landfall and proof that you put up your shutters and did all other things required by your windstorm policy (read your policy to be informed as to your obligations).  Keep the camera charged and ready for the “after” photos, in the event your house or any of your property sustains damage.  Take photos of the damage as soon it is safe to go outside, to help preserve your claim.  I would also take photos of any emergency repairs you need to make as well.
   
   
3. Keep PDFs of all important documents (insurance policies, etc.) in an easy-to-find folder on your PC. Before the storm hits, place that folder on portable storage media (CD, DVD, SD card, flash drive) and store it safely (preferably in a waterproof container in your “go bag”).  This involves scanning and properly filing the docs as they come in; I scan all important documents because I’m more likely to find the PDF on my PC than the paper original in the stack in the corner of my office.
   
   
4. Clean up your house.  Run the dishwasher.  Run the washing machine.  Pick up stuff off of the floors.  A clean house is easier and safer to navigate in the dark (you don’t want to trip on a toy left out and turn your ankle while the storm is raging; been there, done that).  Most likely you will be without power for several days; piles of dirty dishes and dirty clothes begin to stink pretty quickly in a hot and shuttered house (trust me on this one). 
   
   
5. Charge up all needed electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops) and leave them plugged in as long as possible before the storm hits. Make sure all battery-powered devices (radios, lanterns, fans) have good batteries and work after being in storage for months.  Keep an old corded phone handset and plug it in the phone jack in or close to the room where you intend to ride out the storm; our modern cordless phones stop working once the power goes out.
   
   
6. Pick out the few (very few) plug-in devices you will use during the storm while you have power (we use one TV and one laptop) and then unplug all the rest from their wall sockets.  As soon as power goes out, unplug the few you were using as well.  TVs, computers, etc. can’t fried by a power surge if they aren’t plugged in.
   
   
7. Turn your AC down really low and run it constantly for several hours before the storm hits.  Getting the temperature inside as low as possible will keep things comfortable for a bit longer once the power goes out.  Don’t worry about the added electrical usage; you’ll probably recoup it and more for the few days you’ll be without power.
   
   
8. Keep a “rabbit ears” TV antenna in storage.  Most of us get our TV programming through either satellite or cable services, both of which are susceptible to disruption by a storm.  While you may not be able to watch your favorite premium-tier programs over the air, you will be able to keep informed about recovery efforts, local alerts, etc. after the storm until your provider gets things back online (which could take weeks if you have a downed dish or cable line).  Having the antenna handy also helps out if, as once happened to us, your provider and a local station get in a contractual squabble (we lost our local FOX affiliate for a week on DirecTV during the NFL playoffs but I saw the games in beautiful HD using my antenna). 
   
   
9. Once the lights go out, don’t use an electric lantern in each room.  Find the place in your house (usually a hallway) where one decent lantern will provide ample light to safely guide the way for the areas where you need to be (mostly the bedrooms).  Have everyone carry a flashlight, just in case they need to go off the lighted path or the primary lantern fails.  Have a backup lantern ready. Using one lantern at a time stretches your battery supply, which, given the current state of our electric grid, you may need to last for a while after a storm of any strength.
   
   
10. Put a cooler with ice, bottled water, sports drinks, etc. in a convenient spot in the house and use it once the power goes out instead of opening and closing your now-dead fridge and freezer.  You’ll have to ditch everything in your fridge and freezer anyways (leading to a really interesting post-storm smorgasbord meal cooked on the grill), but keeping the doors closed helps preserve the food a bit longer.  We also keep many frozen water bottles of different sizes, which we stick in the fridge to help keep it cold longer once the power goes out.  They also work really well cooling you down when applied to the back of your neck, a welcome feeling after hours of cutting up and moving downed tree limbs and other debris the day after the storm.

Here are a few things I recommend that you do not do as part of your storm preparation activities:

 

1. Don’t throw your patio furniture in the pool.  It may sound like a good idea but really it is not at all.  Just think about having to drag it all out of the deep end of your pool a few days later in the pounding sun only to find a bunch of it was damaged by the pool chemicals or the actual fall into the pool (or debris landing in the pool on top of it).  Find a spot for your patio furniture in your garage or elsewhere in your house where it will fit and store it there.
   
   
2. Don’t tape up your windows.  You should have hurricane shutters and/or impact windows (every inspector I have talked with recommends shutters over impact windows because the windows will break and are usually harder and more expensive to replace).  Making pretty patterns with tape on your windows offers absolutely no protection and makes a complete mess of your windows that is very hard to remove, especially after being baked on by the sun for a few weeks or months (because we all know first thing after the storm you won’t be out scraping the tape off your windows).
   
   
3. Don’t have a “hurricane party.”  Once you’re hunkered down, waiting for the inevitable, do not give in to temptation to get plastered.  So much can (and very well may) happen during a storm that you will need your full faculties.  A hurricane is not the time for poor decision-making due to alcohol or other impairing substances.  I’m not saying you can’t have a post-prep beer or drink, but keep it light, for yourself and your family.

The news folks prattle on as to whether this year will be a good or bad hurricane season; I firmly believe that the definition of a “bad hurricane season” is when a storm hits you.  So, I wish everyone a good hurricane season and hope you don’t have to put any of the above into action.  However, it is always important to be prepared, because odds are it will be a bad season for at least some of us.

Daily Briefing For Sunday, June 1, 2014

First Impression Product Reviews - Sangean DT-400W and Grundig M400


My wife complains I carry too much stuff with us when we travel.  (Today, she also complained that I am too detail oriented when I clean the refrigerator, further proof that I am an exemplar for all American husbands to emulate.)


It's true I carry unusual items with us when we travel, including small radios.  I like radios.  I like being able to get news and information when I'm away from home.  The advent of the smart phone has radically changed how many of us consume information; arguably, it has almost replaced the need for small transistor radios.  Almost.


So before I share my thoughts on my two recent radio purchases, let me make the case for small radios as part of your preparedness gear.

1. Smart phones don't run on AA, AAA or 9V batteries.  When your smart phone is drained, unless you have a way to recharge it on the go, it's basically a Steve Jobs paperweight.  Small transistor radios run on cheap, plentiful batteries you can get almost anywhere.  And good quality batteries - I personally prefer Duracell for alkaline - are reliable and hold a charge well for long periods of storage.  Further, if used judiciously, a good set of alkaline batteries in a small radio will run for a long time.  Try running your iPhone 5 for four hours sometime.
   
2. When cell/data signals are tango uniform, commercial radio signals can still get through.  I'm not having to rely on my cell provider or the local wifi hot spot for info when I can pull out my handheld AM/FM radio.  If I'm on the road when a disaster strikes, I don't want to be beholden to my smart phone for news and weather information. 
   
3. Even if the grid is down where I am, the radio can pick up stations in other towns which are still up and running.  If you're stuck in a town when a hurricane or earthquake hit, and the local radio stations aren't up and running, other stations down the road can still be transmitting into the affected area.  Try getting your smart phone to work in that environment.

Having said that, let me tell you about two new toys I've purchased to replace ones that no longer work very well.  First up is the Sangean DT-400W.  You can read more about the specs, features and pricing here.  This radio will replace the small weather radio I keep in my truck.  About four inches tall and two and a half inches wide, the Sangean takes up little space.  This particular model has AM/FM band reception as well, unlike the little Radio Shack weather radio it's replacing.  AM reception leaves something to be desired - anything beyond local stations is beyond the Sangean's capability.  FM reception is good, and it comes with a flexible FM antenna to improve performance.

The weather radio feature is the main reason I purchased this unit.  I haven't tested the alert feature yet, but I have already determined it gets good weather band reception. 

I'll be traveling with it over the summer for more testing.  If you want a detailed review and have twelve minutes, check out the review from The Urban Prepper:

Next up is the Grundig M400.  This replaces the Grundig Mini 300 I've used in my travel kit for over a decade.  It's about the same size as the Sangean, except it's much thinner.  More details about the radio can be found here.

This radio is a AM/FM/shortwave radio (it does not have weather band feature).  The reception on AM/FM is fantastic - when I put this radio and the Sangean on the same AM frequency, the Grundig blows the Sangean away, especially for out of town stations. 

The shortwave feature is nice to have, although I will confess I mainly use it for AM/FM function.  If you really need shortwave reception, you're better off with something like this Sony model which I have and really like.  But for a shortwave radio that fits in your pocket, this is a good option.  I would consider getting a clip on antenna to attach to the telescopic antenna already built into the radio if you need better shortwave reception; I used the clip on from my Sony on the Grundig and saw a marked improvement in reception.

I'll start driving the radios harder in the coming weeks and will have more thoughts for you along the way.

Daily Briefing For Saturday, May 31, 2014

The Convenience of Conflict


I'm going to say what no one else wants to say. Conflict is convenient.


When we choose to adhere to a mainstream set of political beliefs, in many ways we free ourselves of  having to think or do our own research.  Choosing to be a Democrat or Republican, for most people,  means that their positions on  various issues are  already decided for them.  And conveniently,  by choosing one side or the other,  it gives us a much needed target for blame and perhaps our enmity - "idiot Republicans" or "kook Democrats." It also decreases our need to be aware of current events –  the recent cable news ratings for the month of May demonstrate that a)  people are consuming less information on political issues, b) are turned off by the base level of discourse that has become cable news, or c) both (a) and (b). 


There is nothing in the preparedness manifesto that requires someone to choose a particular political party or belief system.   in the last few years, I've met  a number of folks from across a wide spectrum of political beliefs , all of whom believe  we need to be focusing more on  self-reliance, sustainability, and decentralization of  political  and financial  power.  These are pickup driving  conservative gun owners,  left-wing environmentalist homesteaders, urban dwelling African Americans, rural elderly, straight women and gay men.  From a cultural perspective,  these groups share little in common.  However,  many within this movement have demonstrated a willingness  to set aside their differences and to share ideas and conversations … and in doing so,  many have found common ground with those much different from them.


When we are willing to reevaluate our own  positions and beliefs, great things happen.  Since 2005, our nation has made great strides in the reduction of homelessness in America.  Utah  – a state  whose political leanings peg the GOP litmus test meter -  expects to end all homelessness in the state by 2015.  Utah leaders were able to do this by re-examining he data and their previously held notions  about the causes of and cures for homelessness.   I think it's worth noting that a large portion of the population of Utah belongs to the Church of the Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) -  a denomination which puts a high priority on both spiritual and temporal preparedness. 


I do not have any data which suggests that  the preparedness mindset of many in Utah led to this positive change in policy towards homelessness.  I would submit to you, however, that the fundamental changes that need to happen in our society will come not from the leadership of the establishment political parties, but from people like us – people who are willing to set aside their preconceived notions, build relationships with others who may not be like them, and find common ground.  Our movement is particularly adept at that, and as such, we need to be mindful of the fact that preparedness is not just about being ready for hard times –  it is about finding workable and perhaps unconventional solutions to everyday problems.


To that end, we cannot  fall  prey to the convenience of conflict.  This business of engaging in ad hominem attacks does nothing to  improve public policy and our nation's level of preparedness.   It merely fuels  the coffers of the interest groups who stoke the flames for that very purpose.

And so my challenge to you this month is fairly simple –  start reaching out to people who are in a different demographic than you are.  Build relationships with them. Find common ground. And if they are not well prepared for basic emergencies, be a good ambassador for our cause.

Daily Briefing For Sunday, May 25, 2014

Coming Clean


We're not big Memorial Day travelers/party goers.  For the last few years, I've observed the holiday in the same fashion - cleaning gutters and doing yard work.  Today was no exception.

Running the leaf blower and mower, unclogging gutters and bagging lots of dead leaves and grass really gunked me up today.  The SPF 50 sunscreen and bug spray mixed with my sweat, allowing lots of dirt to stick all over me. By the time I was done for the day, I resembled the Pig Pen character on Peanuts.


Lately, I've been experimenting with low flow showering, as we may very well install low flow shower heads into the house we're planning to build in a couple of years.  I figured my filthy state would be a great test of how well someone can clean up taking a shower under austere conditions.  Afterwards, I'd fill the bath and  soak, just to see just how much dirt I missed from my grid down bathing exercise.


Some observations:

• First and most importantly, you need to try doing this from time to time.   Growing up out in the country, our "city" water went off on a fairly regular basis, and so we learned to how to bathe using water heated on the stove.  While it was very Appalachia of us to do that, it has served me well since then to know that I can get reasonably clean with just a pot of warm water.
  
  Austere showering, or even low flow showering, does require a bit of planning.  One of the things I've learned is that the more you can simplify your bathing routine, the better off you are.  To that end, I'm a big believer and hoarder of generic baby shampoo.  I use it not only for its intended purpose, but also as a basic body wash.  It works really well for both purposes and is dirt cheap.  I know many of you plan to make your own soap during an extended crisis.  For me, stocking up on cheap baby shampoo relieves me of the need to play with lye.
  
• Scrub.  A lot.  I didn't get as clean as I would have liked during my crisis shower.  I didn't scrub as well as I should have.  Lesson learned.
  
• If things get bad, I'm shaving my head.  My hair trapped a fair amount of dead leaves, grass, and other cooties from the clogged gutters.  When I re-rinsed my hair in the tub, it was immediately evident that I missed a lot of debris when I showered.  I'd plan on rinsing a second time, water supplies permitting, if I was that dirty.
  
• In an extended water outage, I'd plan on taking a shower in a large dishpan of sorts.  We live in Texas.  We're in a drought.  If things got to the point that we're taking crisis showers, I want to catch the grey water so I can use it for other things, like flushing the toilets.  (If you don't know how to flush a toilet when the water isn't working, you need to learn.  Just pour a bucket of water in the tank and flush.)

Interest Rates and Debt and Stuff

Your Federal Reserve is contemplating how to raise interest rates in an environment where the financial system is awash in cash.  Before we go full-on doomer about this, let's remember that rates are at historic lows and have been for some time.  Rates must go up.  There's no real room for them to go anywhere else.


The question of course is a) how high might they go and b) can the Fed really constrain rates once the velocity of money picks up steam.  I don't know the question to the former, but the specter of the latter gives me cause for concern.


Meanwhile, food prices keep going up.  This is especially true with pork and beef.  Again, without getting full bore doom and gloom on this, a growing population competing for food during a drought will put upward pressure on prices.  This, in turn, will encourage others to invest in beef and pork production to take advantage of the higher prices. 

Finally, The Hill declared today that "Bankers exhale as Tea Party power fizzles."  From the story:


“The fact that [Sen.] Ted Cruz [R-Texas] will not have a whole lot of new allies is very encouraging,” said one senior financial industry executive.
Let that sink in for a moment.  Regardless of what you think about the tea party, the truth is that its fortunes rose from the bailouts of these same big banks.  For many in the political cognoscenti on both sides of the aisle, the tea party represents the unwashed masses of politics who are simply too ignorant to understand that big banks and corporatism are necessary to "get things done" in America.

What might we make of all of this?  The things we've been talking about here and elsewhere - the specter of inflation, the bullish outlook of the ag sector and the false choices presented by the red/blue political paradigm - these issues are still alive and aren't going away any time soon.