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Guest Post - Rethinking the Concept of Retirement
Rethinking the Concept of Retirement
By Mrs. Cog
Cognitive Dissonance: Lately Mrs. Cog and I have been thinking about the expected fallout of the unfolding global financial/social/political crisis. Slowly but surely we are visiting, and re-visiting, the concept of 'retirement', something we were both sold on as 'real' all our 'working' lives. Considering many of us are depending upon various retirement income streams, especially those income streams not based upon actual cash in hand but rather on promises made by private corporations and public entities, it might be in our best interest to revisit our basic assumptions and premises. Simply put, we're not in Kansas anymore.
Mrs. Cog shares her thoughts on this subject below.
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It’s a funny thing how certain concepts have permeated throughout our culture and are just simply accepted as ‘normal’ without question. Even when faced with the reality that a given ‘normal’ situation is in jeopardy or worse, may all together cease to exist, we as a society still measure and plan our lives based upon what we thought was supposed to happen. If we feel we are entitled to it, then not only do we cling to it, but we do so with anger and righteous indignation.
One of the most brilliant public relations campaigns launched in modern times is the concept of retirement. The idea of working hard all our lives while carefully saving and investing so that we may spend our twilight years financially independent while relaxing, playing and enjoying all the things life has to offer as a reward is romantic and hard to resist. The people who believe this is still the norm will be the same ones who claim “I did everything right. I played by all the rules. It's not fair. I was robbed.”
To add insult to injury, those of us who will not benefit from this version of the bought and sold concept of retirement were a party to watching the generations before us experience precisely that. In the world’s greatest recorded wealth cycle and bubble of all ages, where the world eventually levered over a quadrillion dollars in bets, the wealth effect has been tremendous and many in the Western world were able to jump on for the ride. Overdue for the boom to go bust, the latter generations will not enjoy the picturesque golden years in style and comfort as sold to us in the retirement brochures.

Even as the more aware and savvy among us understand the wheels are coming off the economic bus presently on a worldwide centrally planned disaster tour, the continuity bias is astounding as I watch those with assets address this as an “extra rough patch” to get through rather than the clear paradigm shift it has been telegraphed to be. Furthermore, even those who see what is now underway and acknowledge this as a game changer think they can game the system, escape the worst of it or hedge enough to have one of their winning bets fall somewhere solid.
No, it isn’t fair. But blaming the generations who prospered before us or the central planners and bankers who we enabled will not bring back that comfy old age experience we had hoped and planned for. As painful of a time as this will be, perhaps this is a good time to think about "if not retirement, then what”.
For a brief time it may appear that working a low wage job in a position perceived far beneath our qualifications is the only future the system has left for us. And it may very well be so if we still allow the same system that sold us on ‘retirement’ to define what we will do, or be, without it.
Perhaps it's time to give deep consideration to rethinking any concept that depends upon the way the system is supposed to work. Public and private pensions, social security and annuity payments will not be getting the job done. We fully expect IRA and Roth retirement investment vehicles will be largely forced to convert some or all holdings into U.S. Treasuries……for your own safety of course. Capital controls and changing the financial and social rules will become the new normal. Cash and any residual savings can simply be ‘bailed in’ to ‘bail out’ the big boys through the banks and brokerages that hold the funds.
Finally even if these retirement vehicles could be liquidated and placed in currency stacks before us, after we pay outrageous penalties and taxes of course, there is no sure way to preserve it. Certainly there are no ‘good’ (read relatively ‘safe’) investments to grow it. The overt and stealth creation of money at the Federal Reserve will continue to erode the purchasing power of all who depend upon the money to be there when it matters the most.
If we put all emotion aside for the moment we can see that the government, while seeing itself as separate from the people, will gladly point out that it is of and for the people. So whatever the ‘collective’ needs to sacrifice in order to keep it going is the right thing to do. There is logic to this viewpoint if one believes the alternative is chaos and anarchy and lives in fear of those scenarios. Many involved in public policy setting do not think people are capable of governing themselves, let alone protecting themselves. This now seems to include planning for their elder years, both how one might live as well as die.

So what is the alternative? How might we view our elderly future? What can be done?
With our eyes wide open, questioning everything is a good start. Rethinking our needs and wants, reevaluating our priorities, and assessing what we might really value versus what society has told us is important. These are no small tasks and indeed can be a most humbling process to consider, but the upside of doing so could make all the difference.
While Cog and I continue to question and rethink our plans, these are the ways we have gone about replacing the concept of retirement with a different type of perceived security.
1. Getting our money out of money has perhaps been the most difficult step to take. The world still operates with money and the US dollar still spends. Sure, things cost a bit more, but nothing has spun out of control on a day to day basis to change the function of money just yet. But because the US dollar ‘trigger event’ and its timing will remain unknown to us plebs until it unfolds, we are erring on the side of caution and assume there won't be time to re-jigger our finances then.
What does this mean? We begin by only keeping enough cash in the bank to cover bills and immediate shopping and spending needs. Savings accounts and money markets don't earn interest, so they were eliminated.
2. Minimizing our counter-party risk was similar to a Wild West shoot out. Everywhere we looked targets had to be taken out. The rules for musical chairs (Calvinball style) say that whoever doesn't possess a seat when the music stops loses. And furthermore the rules can be changed at any time. So as we looked at just where our assets were distributed it turned out that most, if not all, of them were dependent upon a third party (oftentimes several layers of third parties) to do (or be) something in order to return the value of our investment to us.
Most obvious to us were brokerage accounts and safety deposit boxes that we closed out. Eliminating counter-party risk involves taking possession of any assets and items that will store earnings and wealth. Taking possession of precious metals, aka stacking gold and silver, is the most common way discussed. More contrarian ‘experts’ are now coming forth to say farm land, useful tools and investing in the knowledge of an valuable trade or skill are some of the best assets one can possess, none of which depends upon another party.
3. Arranging not to be at the mercy of rising interest rates is a key element to forwarding our plan for independence. This means getting rid of any debt which may be subject to rate increases. Ben Bernanke may have stated that interest rates will not rise in his lifetime, but he has been mistaken and/or disingenuous in the past. I cannot adequately express the personal relief it has brought us to not be subject to credit card interest or the worry about resets on mortgages with an ARM in five years.
When the day finally arrives when interest rates begin to raise substantially, certain costs will go up in tandem. Government entities on the Federal, State and local levels will get socked with rising interest payments payable on new or reissued bonds, and all taxes will rise accordingly. The same is true of corporations that depend upon debt issuance such as utilities. Supplying ourselves with alternatives at today's prices may be a bargain in hindsight.
4. Creating streams of income not reliant on a collapsing job market or an employer with constraints is providing us continuity in a rapidly changing landscape. Charles Hugh-Smith has recently written about the emergence of a new type of entrepreneur he has labeled Mobile Creatives. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-01/meet-new-labor-class-mobile-creatives That article is a fascinating analysis of an emerging class of workers; this idea seeks to eliminate income dependency upon the state and corporations.
5. More self sufficient living arrangements was an essential step in preparing for our second half of life from several aspects. We collapsed previously diversified ‘retirement’ funds into a home with some land that has no debt as well as resources and tools that supply us with the ability to feed ourselves. By doing so, we now enjoy a much healthier lifestyle while converting our ‘money’ into tangible assets that will retain value for us.
6. We have taken charge of our health (care) because the current system is so dysfunctional and the previous methods for doing so (a good health insurance plan and reliable medical care) are now largely obsolete. Cog and I have made the decision to take complete responsibility for our own wellness. What this translates into is no dependency upon prescription or regular over the counter medicines. Nature provides far more potent remedies including powerful antibiotics and anti-cancer substances. We have elected to maintain our high deductible ‘health insurance’ policies in case the need for emergency medical treatment arises. Most important we do not mentally or emotionally rely on the members of the medical profession to keep us well or ‘heal’ sickness. I personally feel this has been the most empowering of all the steps we have taken to become more self-reliant.
Without question there are things we cannot provide for ourselves. No man is an island. As we get older, we recognize that we may need help with things and act accordingly by trying to assist others in the spirit of the Golden Rule.
There is little doubt that the years ahead bring promises of drastic and unknown changes. By addressing our future years and making changes while we are able, we are both less dependent upon our community and have an increased ability to contribute. It is never too late to reevaluate the way we take responsibility for ourselves.
Mrs. Cog
07-10-2014

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Fuck retirement. This is your life NOW. Spending your entire working life doing something you hate waiting on something that may not even happen? No thanks.
What are you going to do? Sit on your 20' tall beer can thone in front of the lietube and die 5 years later?
I'm not saying you shouldn't plan or save someway but seems a little ridiculous all the people in a rush to get over 2/3rds of there life. Hell you might get killed before you ever get there.
Then there's the real idiots..............the ones that think they're going to live forever or at least that's how it sounds when listening to them.
I have a neibghbor that gets wasted almost everynight and can't even use the stairs at work and all he ever talks about is retiring in 10 years.
People are just so stupid I can't believe it sometimes.
I have always wanted to live forever. I'm planning to give it my best damn shot too. What's the worst that could happen?
You might be choosing to repeat 3rd grade forever?
LOL. Most people don't want to die........that are around me anyway. It's just listening to the ones like my sisterinlaw that seemingly have everything planned out for the next 1000 years and think that everything is peachy king and there's absolutely nothing wrong with our state of affairs. There's no arguing with her because she's educated as well and she'll tell you that many times. And not just her I run into these types all the time seems retirement is a really big buzz word. She didn't look so educated last friday night when I had her on the back of my 4 wheeler going nearly 60mph down a country road with a beer cooler strapped on the front and an AR-15 strapped on the back after I coaxed her into drinking a couple jager bombs. Now that's living bitch. Granted we had to put her to bed at 10pm. It was well worth it lol. Kinda like the episode of BigBang when Penny got Leonard's mom drunk if you seen that one.
Say to yourself, several times a week, "If I can't take it with me, I ain't gonna go!"
Good article! I'm not sure why the idea of getting away from the system is such a difficult thing for people to grasp. Even if financial Armageddon wasn't lurking just over there, I would still be working towards it myself. I think the steps the Cogs have taken are a fine example of planning for retirement in style!
One thing I would like to suggest, that is becoming a more pressing issue up in the great white north, and I suspect in many places, is the failing infrastructure. This is something that seems to be overlooked, probably due to the fact that we generally haven't had to worry about it until this point. The winter here was especially harsh last year, ice storms ravaged hydro lines followed by extreme cold. This is a tough scenario to deal with in the best of times, I'm not sure what it would be like during the worst, or even somewhere in the middle. But being aware is the first step to being prepared. Here are a few observations I made during a 7 day blackout I had the pleasure of experiencing.
First of all, modern homes are not built to handle temperatures below -30 C for extended periods of time when the heating system IS operating. Never mind if it has been debilitated for some reason. A secondary source of heat is a must. Wood stoves, fireplaces, even a small generator with space heaters is better then nothing. Depending on the size of your house you may want to have a plan to block of unnecessary rooms. I like the idea of those rocket mass heaters as well, but I have yet to actually build one.
Second losing your water supply is much worse then you might think. No toilet, dish washing, or teeth brushing is a problem, or it was for me. It's one thing to go a day or two, but a week is a whole other ball game. Simple precautions like filling your bathtub before a storm, or keeping a few gallons of drinking water in storage will help you maintain your humanity. Take my word for it, as simple as it sounds, this is a must!
Third it is a good idea to be aware of the drainage/sewage systems around you. The build up of ice/or even lack of maintenance can have huge repercussions for a home, especially if your surrounding landscape isn't natural. It's good to note and not difficult to see which way water will head if a particular drain or ditch were to backup. A plan to reroute or even pump clear would never hurt.
One may never have to deal with any of these scenarios but when you do, it becomes quite clear how good it would have been to have a plan or even just an idea of something that may help. One thing I'm quite sure of is the services we take for granted, are going to continue to diminish, the infrastructure that makes daily life so easy is going to continue to crumble. Hedge accordingly.
Mrs. Cog: Nice to hear from you! I gave you a 5.
Thanks GW! Sometimes it feels like an emotional fatigue has set in across the board while we wait for (?). Perhaps constant radical change is just our new normal and the "reset" is relearning to pace ourselves. We sure appreciate your constant diligence and digging.
Mrs. Cog is gonna give me hell if I don't finish the kitchen tear down and rebuild SOON. A hot plate gets old real fast. ;-)
FWIW My lessons learned on my kitchen remodel:
1) More outlets!
2) If stripping down to studs, plumb & square walls, especially corners. When you install cabinets or tile, you'll be glad you did.
3) Estimate the time you think it will take then triple it. Manage expectations (Mrs Cog if you see this, please pretend you didn't)
4) The finish work, i.e. trim, paint/stain is the only thing big momma will see when you are done. Screw up in this phase and guess what? You ain't done yet :)
The master of drywall:Laurier Desormeaux
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ryVyTboWQA
Master of Cabinets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PzqlJgj4FA
Master of Tile: TileMasterGA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbeD1CoJm2U
Cog says to tell you (in a voice coming from our rapidly dismantled kitchen) thank you and he was once a remodeling contractor. He asked me to relay to you that our walls are literally stacked logs and I shall have no extra outlets lol.
Too funny - you think it's him that needs to manage expectations lol.
get him to put in in a direct DC circuit to use the extra sunlight.
sorry Cog
Lol log walls - waaaay outta my skillset! My head hurts just thinking about it. It's not an every day occurance when you find a chainsaw could come in handy in the kitchen!
Master of steam powered chainsaws!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygyuWg12i2A
omg you have no idea... We DID cut through an interior log wall to create a large new pantry and Cog threatened to use the chainsaw but in the end did not lol. He says (as he is still dictating these words from the kitchen) only because there were bolts in the log wall holding it together that would have ruined the chain.
You cannot know what lies ahead. You can eat what you now believe is healthy and still need major medical interventions. You can raise all your own food and have goons take it away. You can trust in your hidden gold and silver and have no way to use it because of the total failure of society. In the end, all you have is yourself, your abilities, your cleverness, your lack of trust in any one or thing. Whose moral rules will you live by and survive with?
In Nature, you or other animals survive, when they adapt to the changed environment and/or have prepared a hidden cache. The survival rules in Nature's world are never trust, never fight unless corned, never have no way out, never threaten because you might lose and pounce by surprise.
Any Brave New World will be the same old Jungle. The Golden Rule is the fantasy that others will heed your example. Others will do unto you what they think is in their best interest and you must be prepared.
In the end evryone is dead. The question is not how long one survives, but what one leaves behind. when one dies. Those who live like animals will leave behind only their genes, if that.
Those who believe humans are more than animals will leave behind a way of life that is distinctly human, whether they leave any genes behind or not. The struggle of most human societies had been to keep those motivated solely by animal nature in check and let human values flourish by ensuring that animal nature contrary to human values does not offer an existential advantage. However, some societies decided to let the animal nature be unleashed rather than contained. But by directing the most debilitating of them towards those outside the society, they have managed to benefit those within the society, if only temporarily. That phase now coming to end, the choice is again clear: build a human society that encourages adherence to human values at indivdual level as well as societal or become another animal on the landscape. Different people will make different choices. Who will prevail remains to be seen.
I believe we are spirtual beings having a human experience. I believe in Jesus, the Christ, as my savior and Lord. All this other stuff is at God's pleasure, but it sure is fun! Even the bad times aren't bad if you love God.
Reaper
Uncertain times are not new. You can choose not to be a victum while still being subjected to the sh*t. Respect the experiences of others from inferior nations who have survived - that's one tip. Second, reclaim your brain and your family - use the ponzi scheme as best you can to prepare for yet another new "normal", this does require a re-adjustment of what we each think is important and our friends will think us a bit nuts.
In the end everyone is NOT dead - rethink this!
We live a very long time through misery so for a moment drop the "we're all going to die" meme. Its grand fatalistic philosophy but not so grand when it comes to living and creating a healthy, happy, survival opportunity for you and yours.
Accept uncertainty, do your best, find a way to appreciate the re-thinking we must all go through; never forget we are all, no matter how well informed, at times shocked by whats going on around us -this indicates our humanity and human spirit is alive and well. That does not die, it lives inside us and is passed onto those we care for.
The human spirit may not die, but societies, moral systems, economic systems, political systems and localized systems do. The world as we thought we knew it will soon be gone.
You just have to die before your assets are gone.
Being one of those "Contarian Experts", I would say that farmland, farm animals, and a large storage of fuel (>8000 gallons) would be in order.
Although underground tanks are normally illegal in this day in time, a borrowed backhoe and a doubled walled tank makes for an interesting alternative to getting in line for your turn for 10 gallons of gas at $100.
Good luck with your alternative lifestyle, soon it won't seem so alternative.
News flash; Engine fuels such as gasoline and diesel have a finite shelf life. For modern gasoline its about one year. After that it seriously degrades, losing most of its ethanols and tends to deposit a "varnish" type material that gums up fuel pumps, injectors and carburators. Diesel is a bit better, but not by much. After about 14 months it degrades also, developing a "waxy" surface coating that clogs up pumps and injectors. You may "treat" fuels with additives to prolong their shelf life, but after a few treatments it just stops working. What you are left with is junk.
Two words:
Fuel stabilizer
While I fuel stabilze all the fuel I cache here on the homestead that only works for one-two years at best. So I make sure to rotate my stock into the various engines around here and replace as needed.
If there ever is a situation where the system just shuts down completely, we've made sure we have a full complement of hand tools to make do with. We even know how to use them. :)
Diesel has a much longer storage life, but... I don't have a diesel..
Didn't know whether to upvote you for the diesel comment (spot on!) or down vote you for not owning one!
=]
Horses
Agree to almost all in the article, but at
What this translates into is no dependency upon prescription or regular over the counter medicines. Nature provides far more potent remedies including powerful antibiotics and anti-cancer substances.
this seems to drift off into fantasyland, as I take this as an approach for now and not only after a collapse.
Why wouldn't I take antibiotics in case of severe illness (fever!) and/or stock up on some for SHTF times?
Even with no health insurance you will find a doctor to write you a prescription for a handful of bucks when you're sick, and pay for antibiotics at the pharmacy, so unaffordability is bogus.
malek, if you think antibiotics are cheap, you have not purchased them lately. Our dog's last round of antibiotics (Baytril) for a recurrent urinary tract infection cost $600. This is not unusual. Maybe some antibiotics are cheap, but the ones you need won't be. Sure we could have bought them cheaper from an online pharmacy if we wanted to give our dog counterfeit meds (and at that price point things get counterfeited).
And, per my post above, antibiotics have real limitations. Our dog was on three different antibiotics, but it was only because of d-mannose that we ended the series of UTIs; the bacteria had burrowed into her bladder wall and were not reachable by the antibiotics. In that circumstance doctors and vets just keep giving antibiotics on an ongoing basis, preventatively. How cheap is that? How healthful is that? How likely will you be able to get those antibiotics, ongoing? This will become more and more of an issue.
I'm not opposed to antibiotics, but they have real limitations. Stock up, but for gods sake learn about back-ups.
gave my dog 35 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide dilluted with water. kills any infection on the planet.
http://www.calvetsupply.com/category/Antibiotics
It's the same thing you get at Walgreens. No prescription needed.Buy a couple of pounds for long term needs.
Unfortunately they do not carry Baytril (Enrofloxacin). I'm familiar with buying from these sorts of sources, and they can fill a need, but they would not have filled our need, since we needed a second tier antibiotic. A lot of people are going to need second or third tier antibiotics, I'm afraid.
Here's a real issue. Supposedly, per the lab tests, our dog's E. coli was treatable by some of the antibiotics that are sold on the site you listed. However, they did not in fact work. The bacteria are more complex than you'd think. So we had to use a broad spectrum antibiotic. These are not cheap and easy to get.
The same parties that own big pharma also own the banks. Do you think the bosses of the developers of these antibiotics (which are over prescribed and now bacteria are becoming reistant to) really are benevolent and have your best interest at heart so you won't need them any more? Fantasyland? You do understand that the medical profession is now the third leading cause of death in America?
There are natural antibiotics which I do urge everyone to stock up on. Clinical studies show raw honey and cinnamon are often far more effective than whatever you can pick up at the local pharmacy when combatting the real nasty stuff like e-coli, MRSA and many types of food bourne illness. This is an approach to be well, not just to withstand a collapse.
Like your articles.
re natural antibiotics: my favorite right now (has proven to work better than anything else) is oregano oil. Can also make oregano tea.
Avoid prescriptions, esp. antibiotics.
Hi Mrs. Cog,
all of these points -which I agree with- don't change the fact that antibiotics is still the best available tool in the pouch against bacterial infections.
Note: Resistance against any substance is guaranteed to occur sooner or later.
I advise restrained use of antibiotics, but when as an adult you have a sudden fever of 102+F (39C) you better do something within 24 hours to not die an idiotic death of pneumonia or similar.
Mrs. Cog does not shun antibiotics. In fact we have a small cache of saved antibiotics. She was talking about becoming dependent upon antibiotics with no alternative available and already experimented with. Of course we should have pharmaceutical antibiotics available for serious issues. But what if they are suddenly in short supply and rationed? Do you have an alternative to reach for?
First I don't see how one can become dependent on antibiotics unless one is in end-stage HIV or similar.
If standard antibiotics become rationed, that is a full blown SHTF scenario.
I have a small cache myself. If that is gone and I can't find someone to trade some of his/her cache with me, it's prayers only - or for wounds I can try to put moldy bread on them.
My wife and I are on the same path, though a bit more modest due to funds.
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine Third Editionhttp://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Natural-Medicine-Third-Edition/dp/145...
http://www.naturalnews.com/index.html
30 Most Popular Herbs for Natural Medicinehttp://wakeup-world.com/2013/10/28/30-most-popular-herbs-for-natural-med...
Fukushima Countermeasures to share with your community...
http://freedomguide.blogspot.ca/2011/05/farmwarsinfo-countering-radiological.html
This is what us Gardeners Need to detox soil and ourselves
calcium bentonite clay
http://www.oasiscolonics.com/2011/03/protection-from-radiation-calcium-bentonite-clay.html
The DETOX I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Especially for people 0-45 and over 55.
http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Detox-Plus
BUY Bentonite in Bulk, the half life of this stuff is longer than ours.
http://www.bulkapothecary.com/raw-ingredients/clays/bentonite-clay/
Big fan of calcium bentonite clay here. Not only does it remove metals and radiation from our bodies but it has a high alkalizing effect which most people need these days to offset our acidic lifestyles. It seems many dis-eases can be prevented by achieving good pH levels in our systems. (It is also a great natural teeth whitener to swish with and/or in homemade toothpastes.)
Thanks for all the links scrappy. :-)
Good reading in "New Answers to Old Questions" by a Dr. Hershey. Concerns free-radicals and how to keep them at bay. The missus and I have been taking resveritrol for about 20 years now - great phenol-scavenger. (Red wine does the same thing.)
I'm sure you're familar with Max Gerson
http://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Therapy-Results-Fifty-Advanced/dp/0961152621/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405036893&sr=1-1&keywords=max+gerson+a+cancer+therapy
and Colin Campbell (not the oil dude, the China Study dude)
http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405036977&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=thechina+study
Gerson, was actually kicked out of the AMA, Campbell is well respected. The one twist - Campbell said Gerson was "pretty much right."
It's not a radical thought to think that nutrition is the most fundamental element to health. The problem is, we've been "hanging around" for a long long time. They say some ape species can recognize and eat over four hundred edible plants. These days, we eat GMO soy and high fructose corn syrup, we breathe toxic fumes - and that's just the carpet, and have been spewing filth (regular and special) into our environment for some time. We've deforested the land, destoryed much of the water table, infected what's left, and let war corporations patent, control and genetically alter what we put in our mouths. And you're right Mrs. C, Medical Big Business is now pretty much the same bunch of evil bastards whose last priority is your health.
Great stuff Davey. Not only is Gerson's therapy effective against cancer, but his 90 year old mother recently fell and shattered her hip. In our modern reality, bones don't heal at that age, but low & behold... http://naturalsociety.com/carrot-juice-cure-cancer-unreal-90-year-old-woman-healed-broken-pelvis-way/
Thanks
Have you seen this?
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/what-if-a-spice-could-safely-destroy-nearly-every-type-of-cancer
It's funny how the medical industry goes apeshit over the Gerson method calling it "deadly." They of course forget the footnote that includes the number of people who die each year in traditional treatment or just from taking their prescribed drugs.
Edgar Casey also had some interesting things to say about apricot pit extract and cancer. Yeah, there's a lot we don't know, but we're getting there. Big-pharma is in it for the money, like every other business; however, if they don't produce usable end-products they will not make a profit, so in some monetaristic symbiotic way, they are in it for you.
Everyone who has cancer should look into ketogenic diets.
Keogenic diets work. Absolutely true but it's for life not for just a few months.
Dear Mrs. Cog,
Please put d-mannose (a simple sugar you can buy on Amazon) into your cupboard, in case you get recurrent urinary tract infections. 90 percent of UTIs are caused by E. coli. They burrow into the bladder wall, and antibiotics can't reach them; you test your urine and you think you're fine, but then the infection comes roaring back because it was hiding in bladder tissue.
E. coli LOVE d-mannose; they latch onto it in the urinary tract and are urinated out. It is similar to the sugar that is in cranberries. Here is a clinical trial, showing that d-mannose works BETTER than prophylactic antibiotics for preventing recurrent UTIs:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23633128
I would not recommend using d-mannose to treat a UTI; there are no clincal trials on that (due to the danger of it not working; the UTI could get into the kidneys). However some people use it that way.
I learned re this because of my dog. There is a dog cranberry product that works well (Crananidin). But I figured out that it works well, not because of the cranberry in it, but because it is mainly mannitol (similar to d-mannose)!
Funny thing, that planning for the future. There are a million "what ifs" that can't be foreseen. A full financial collapse, if the hungry hordes don't over run you, the Government just may take everything you have. As for me, I see every new day as a gift with no promise for tomorrow. Good luck with your "future" plans.
For all of you worried and/or complaining about never being able to retire: have you quantified any of this? Or is it just random bitching? Random bitching is fine, I'd even say it's one of the hallmarks of ZH.
Try sitting down and figuring out how much money you really need in retirement. It's not that hard to do. As long as my mortgage is paid off, I'm looking at about $2000/month. Bare minimum monthly for me is about $1700, so if I've got about $3k/mo coming in, I think that'll do it. Now obviously inflation will change that number over time, but the math behind all of this isn't hard.
But if your idea of retirement is splitting time between Rio and Paris, good luck to ya.
If my plan doesn't work just say hi as you're entering Walmart.
If you are assuming that your expenses are predictable you are nuts. Property taxes and medical expenses are going up like crazy. You are assuming no currency debasement, no bail ins, a nice healthy Social Security and pension and bank system. You are assuming that you won't need a lot of home health aide help. Basically, you are assuming that things stay the same as they are. More continuity bias. Well, I hope you are right, but I don't think you will be, from looking at economic history.