Hoping for the best, planning for the worst

       Now the title is an old time expression that may apply today. But, and also, the dilemma is seldom as easy as black or white, but usually is the grey area in between. Hence you own judgment and circumstances where you live is key. After all, the world is a big place.

            So as I plan in the USA I imagine three near term options, or things that might happen. One is that Obama is voted in, and depends on his hired minions to help him. Two is that he is voted out, but declares some version of Marshall Law (like King for life), and we have a civil war. Three is that his opponent wins, and inherits a bag of worms from Obama and his minions.  There is an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal just on the financial stuff, and I provide a link for those interested, and then make up your own mind:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303561504577497442109193610.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

            Now all is not doom and gloom, but planning ahead will be to my and your advantage, I hope. By the way, where I live we are having a good soaking rain for about two days, which portends good things for my springs later as the water filters down through the earth, and in this rural area to boot, though I 40 and the local town of Monterey are nearby, like within walking distance.

            The tipping point, to me, and in my way of thinking, is if and when people quit loaning us money, and we have to live on our own taxes, which are considerable by the way.  Until then, if it even ever comes to pass, we probably will just muddle through and band-aid things.  In both guesses, I think I will be an unhappy camper for at least five years.

            After all, I suspect the dinosaurs resisted their demise as best and as long as they could, and so will we I suspect.

            Last, there is good news, at least to me.  There will probably be a new national party that does well in the 2020 elections, maybe earlier. This party will be some kind of combination of today's Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Until then the effort is more of a movement, kind of like the hippies in most people's experience, than some organized national effort.  And the sunspot cycle will be more to our human advantage for weather and food growing, worldwide.  And even if a mother nature event happens, or some kind of regional wars (that may go nuclear with all the attendant down range impacts) break out, all that should be sorted out in the next half decade. Even where I live and count tree rings in very old dead trees, the Krakatoa volcano (today's Indonesia) in 1883 also affected the growing season here in east Tennessee, like reduced it.

            It's the next five years that won't be fun, in my guess. And I am a crummy farmer, but better get better at it, I suspect. Or die cold and hungry. Bummer.

            And in hopeful fairness, during WWII, we Americans grew around a third of our vegetables in our home gardens. Most of the farm output went to our soldiers overseas.  Well, if they could do it, I figure I can, too.