A Note About Food Security and Solar Flares

I’ve mentioned before that a large cut in food stamp benefits begins on November 1, 2013. Depending on where they live, various people in the know have begun to sound alarms about the potentially severe impacts of these cuts — not just on those who can’t afford to buy food, but also the ripple effects into the communities. Hungry people with hungry children can behave in desperate and ugly ways. If you live in the US and are in a position to donate food to a local food pantry, church, or soup kitchen, the month of November — especially early November — would be an excellent time to do so.

Here in Goshen, several of us began talking about food security in late Spring, but we’ve ramped up our efforts in tangible ways that now involve a council of church leaders, the main soup kitchen in town, the college social work program, a low income housing program, the farmers market, and many other groups and individuals coming together to address holes in our community safety net. If you are at all able, I strongly urge people to begin networking within your own community, helping to raise awareness about the value of keeping well stocked food pantries as a way of keeping the peace and building community in these wild times. You’ll likely meet some incredible, like minded, caring, trouble-shooting people you wouldn’t otherwise have known exist, and who knows, those people could become good friends or part of your tribe.

Obviously, if you have the means to do so, please make sure you have some non-perishable food supplies available for your own use as well. In addition to the food stamp issues, we’ve got some wild space weather predicted for November, including one of the top astrological economists sounding the alarm about how November 13 — when the US government just happens to be having a comprehensive, national grid down scenario drill — shows the strongest likelihood of a solar kill shot he’s ever seen in hundreds’ of years worth of charts. Though not a guarantee of grid down, his accuracy in other areas, as well as similar nudges and synchronicities to be prepared for widespread power outages, is enough for me to pass along another suggestion to stock up on food, water and cold weather essentials. Another high solar kill shot date is December 19, 2013, plus or minus two days on either side of each prediction.

I debated whether or not to post the video/audio interview with Arch Crawford (the astro-economist) and have decided to do so. It’s a fascinating interview, although the sound quality’s not quite balanced, and Arch does share some potentially alarming details. No guarantees, and, of course, being prepared is not the same as freaking out! I’m not.

However … I did take this interview as yet another synchronous message along the lines of: “We’re all safer, happier and healthier if we live in a community that cares for each other and that recognizes a need for people to come together to address and begin to resolve areas of vulnerability.” For most communities in the US right now, the glaring vulnerability is food security. Grocery stores keep 1-3 days worth of food on hand, and we have millions and millions of people on food stamps. People who live EBT payout to EBT payout usually do not have more than a day or two of food on hand. Any disruption in the infrastructure, for any reason at all, could cause some serious food shortages and the possibility of riots. Even people not on food stamps often live paycheck to paycheck without putting away more than a day or two of food. After Hurricane Sandy, people began looting and rioting and claimed to be “starving” after only 3 days. Hard to believe, yes, but there you have it.

Knowing these facts, we can do our best to shore up supplies, communication systems and community networks so that a small or even large scale emergency reveals just how well we all work together instead of how badly FEMA can fail yet again. In NYC, after Sandy, the Occupy Movement was more organized and did a far better job distributing food and water to those who needed it than the Red Cross or FEMA.

However you feel about Occupy, they stepped up during and after Sandy. How were they able to do so? Because they already knew each other. They already had networks in place. They knew how to organize events together. They knew how to talk to neighbors and regular people down on their luck. You don’t need to join Occupy to participate in a similar way in your own community. Part of the evolution offered to us at this time is to find ways to support ourselves and support each other — ways that preempt and make obsolete the global New World Order that would love to take advantage of (or even cause) any and all crises headed our way.

Forewarned is forearmed. As the Hopi say, “this could be a good time.”

“You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered . . .

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.”

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time!”

“There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly.

“Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

“The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from you attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

— attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder

Hopi Nation

Oraibi, Arizona

The Arch Crawford interview follows: