GUEST, Froth? Consarned? Yep, I thought that was you again!

You know, there are places in Michigan, northern Idaho, or eastern Oregon where you'd feel right at home.

Now, as to your advice about various kinds of firearms and your battle-tactics suggestions;   let's look at the advice of someone who's been there and done that, to compare it with how your advice holds up in the real world.

Sgt. Alvin York, Medal of Honor winner for his heroism (and an extraordinary number of enemy troops killed) in World War I, was discussing effective "sniping" with a group of fellow soldiers. Many of them were fixed on the idea of taking out the group leader first. York pointed out what was obvious to anyone who takes the time to think about it. It' like goose hunting, said York:    "If you shoot the leader, the rest will spook and scatter. Shoot the last one in line. The others may not even notice. Then shoot the next. And the next. They may not even notice what's happening behind them, and you might be able to get them all!"

So much for shooting the group leader first. You'll just have to deal with the others later, and they'll be more wary next time.

Okay, since I am among The Ancient Ones, I remember the "Great Depression." I was a little kid at the time, but I saw a helluva a lot. I was too young to understand much of it at the time, but I did understand it later.

The most valuable thing you can have during something like the Depression is not an arsenal (nobody came to round people up an put them into concentration camps, and nobody sent out the troops to kill off the surplus population, or people picketing and protesting—the soldiers wouldn't have done it anyway), or a stash of gold bullion (when what everybody wants is food and a few other necessities), although a cash stash may turn out to be handy to have. What really will save your butt, and the butts of your family, is a skill that you can sell—or barter.

Been there. Seen it in action.

Don Firth