For those who can consider alternatives; in this time of transition the book was written for the ones that can sift through information and not necessarily come to conclusions until later. My task as a writer will be complete if the reader adopts certain views and rejects others. Because of my birthday I characterize it as, John the Baptist finds Walden Pond in the desert. Over the decades I've learned to trust my senses and, especially, that still, small voice that speaks softly from within. But reality is far more complicated than K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) can account for; often I could not cite references to back up my assertions. In these instances know that my inner being brought forth the words. Writing is therapy and - at once - a habit with me. This work is the product of twenty years of note taking and two years devoted to compilation. Because of current threats of societal collapse, I thought that others might find it relevant to our age.