[Schöneboom]

Re the OP's question: yes, I have stocked up on non-perishable food, but not nearly as much as I'd like. I also have a hand-pump water filter that can purify water anywhere. In the event of catastrophe (anarchy & looting), I might choose to flee rather than dig in; my girlfriend owns a flat in Italy, which at least would provide a change of scenery.

From what I've read, what lies ahead is not "just another recession" but the next Great Depression. I don't believe the usual remedies (bailouts, tax & spend, interest rate tweaking) will turn it around. And when times are hard, demagogues come out of the woodwork. The '30s are nothing to be nostalgic about.

I have hinted (at other websites) that we could one day face another civil war, not necessarily over secession like the last one, but for control of the central government, as in the Spanish Civil War. I advised my best friend in Arizona that if he intends to stay for the long term, he better practice shooting. My thinking is, if you own a gun, you must become proficient with it, or else you're just a danger to yourself and others.

Buona fortuna!