Ask HN: Hacking in a SHTF world

Maybe it's that all the banks that are failing. FDIC fail. Stock fail. Foreclosure, Foreclosure, Layoff, Layoff. All this is so uncharted, nobody really knows what's ahead, but I can't help but want to be prepared. So I've been reading up on how to survive in a depression economy.

Everything I read says I need REAL SKILLS. Chopping, planting, shooting, fixing, cooking, building. Except I sit in front of a computer 12 hours a day-- and even my hobbies are kind of froo-froo (photography, film, working out).

All I keep thinking is that my very valuable skill set looks pretty pathetic in a prospective... "new new" economy.

During Depression 1.0 everyone seemed so nice. Men with little hats carried signs, "spare a brother a dime?" while everyone lined up nicely at the soup kitchen. That's a depression I could almost get on board with! But things have changed. Last night I watched a video of Korean militia defending grocery stores in the '92 riots. A couple months ago a fuel shortage rumor wiped out all the gas stations in Nashville and Atlanta for a couple weeks. My friend who works for Walmart replenishment has made it quite clear that the supply-chain is very efficient... and vulnerable.

I guess I'm kind of rambling because... I'm nervous. Does anyone have some MacGyver preparation tips so I can just start DOING something? Or maybe I just need reassurance?

How does a hacker contribute in a new new economy? Google just released their little money-saver database. Cool. If the future was green-tech and bio-tech, what does depression-tech look like?