Last week, we discussed inflation and specific non-food items (like backup-heat fuel). We should store both for our own use and as trade items. Severe inflation and hyperinflation episodes up to and including economic collapse happened many times in history with examples in ancient China and Rome, through Napoleonic France, messes after wars from civil wars through World Wars I and II (even winners had troubles while losers collapsed), and into the 21st century with Zimbabwe and Venezuela. Virtually all episodes resulted from government policies like deficit spending and socialism. An episode is likely should the 1.6 trillion “infrastructure” and 3.5 trillion communist-takeover bills pass-that's 5 trillion of mostly deficit spending.

When economies break and civil disorder reigns, bargaining and barter becomes common. This week, we'll discuss more items useful for barter in bad times for those not government insiders-election fraud plus taking care of top party members and army keeps dictators in power.

Trade items are things we may have that are useful and desirable to others. Under the right circumstances, almost anything may have trade value.

Visiting Russia in the 1990s, while the Ruble was troubled, I saw people lined up outside Moscow metro stations holding things they were trying to sell. At one station, they all sold similar potato salad. At another station, it was clothes from their closets; ingrained conformity from their communist past made them sell the same things at each station rather than mixing things up with both food and clothes vendors at each station. This exemplified what people do when pensions rise far behind expenses-they sell or trade for a bite to eat.

In hyperinflationary episodes like Zimbabwe 2008, Austria 1922 and Germany 1923, currency issued by, or bank deposits in, other countries (like Switzerland) held value-although some governments banned open “dual pricing.” The 2008 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar bill represented their third currency with 12 zeroes already lopped off in three rounds of bill reissues; Zimbabwe then “dollarized,” abandoning their currency by adopting currency of sound neighbors. Foreign cash, both coin (especially silver coin) and paper, may be good for trading.

Many hyperinflated countries once issued silver coins-as the U.S. did before 1965, when 10 90 percent silver dimes weighed 0.729 troy ounce. During severe inflation like the U.S. during the Revolution and Civil War, hard-silver or gold coin “specie” was valued much higher than paper money. At a current price of $23.30/ounce, $1 face of silver coin is worth more than $15 in today's paper, an amount useful for “everyday” transactions like hamburgers or bagged potatoes. Since large value change may be difficult, gold at $1,769/ounce would be difficult to trade for groceries, being more useful for major trades like houses and cars. While gold and silver are available in “paper” form at stockbrokers, physical, coined, metal (including copper coins) on hand is likely much more useful for trade. Be warned-some governments have seized, not just taxed “gain” on, “paper” gold and silver and ordered surrender of coins.

During some hyperinflationary episodes, including Austria 1922 and Germany 1923, farmers realized food would get a higher price (often double) next week than this week, while cash rapidly lost value. Farmers soon sold only enough for taxes-causing city food shortages. Austria issued weapons to city dwellers and sent them foraging-pillaging rural areas. Food is likely a great trade item.

Many people drown worries with alcohol or marijuana, or feed tobacco additions. While I don't store either, alcohol and tobacco are good trade items.

In the 1990s Yugoslav civil war when matches got scarce, one man refilled common, normally cheap, disposable butane lighters-refilled lighters had high trade value.

Over-the-counter medicines may have high trading value; prescription meds are likely to have even higher value but storing them for trade is difficult because needs and prescriptions vary-your meds are not my meds.

Pick things likely to have high trade value and stockpile.

WuFlu

In Taiwan, vaccine deaths now run ahead of WuFlu deaths.

Results now in on health-and-religious vaccine exemptions: teleworkers in the Los Alamos labs are being fired, and in one large city, 800 workers requested exemptions but NONE were granted due to sluggish bureaucracy and strict dictates; police and others are quitting. In Texas, Southwest and American airlines plan firings of unvaxxed despite the state governor's bar on mandates-leading to rebellious workers forcing cancellation of 2,000 Southwest Airlines flights over the Columbus Day weekend.

A small study just released showed a 40 percent reduction in hospitalization and reduced deaths with outpatient ASPIRIN, from its anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory modes of action. Aspirin remains cheap, easy to get, and an effective fever reducer.

Counts

Oct. 19, 2021, 9 a.m. 241,293,510 infected (4,908,879 dead). U.S. 45,052,861 (726,274 dead); India > 34.09 million; Brazil > 21.65 million. Delta in the last 28 days: 2.84 million in U.S., 1.04 million in UK, 808K in Turkey, 590K in India. Colorado 710,142 (8120 dead) almost all India/Delta B.1.617.2. Fremont County 8,137 (state), Fremont County shows 7,920 (217 in seven days), 4,586 in community, 3,234 in prisons, six in hospital, 87 dead. Neighbors Chaffee 2,186, Custer 348, El Paso 97,962, Park 1,335, Pueblo 24,167, and Teller 2,744.