PLAN for the worst, Hope for the Best

[jjftw]

Quote from Fractals 'R Us:

Thanks, stories like that can be more instructive than textbooks. What do you think of all the people on ET that think it can't happen in the USA?

What I've experienced was in small city in a small country, during extreme political changes plus once in a century earthquake, I hope USA will never see anything like that, but you have to remember that the Soviet Union was a very powerful and rich country and not many of its citizens ever imagined the things that happened.

Even with more than half of his money gone due to inflation when I asked my grandfather why won't he just take the money out of the bank and spend it before it gets completely worthless he told me that it will never happen since the money was in "Central Bank" (government bank) and it will never be worthless and he needs to leave us some money for his funeral, unfortunately when he died although the funeral cost only a couple of thousand dollars the money he had left behind was not enough to cover it.

 

[achilles28]

Quote from TraderZones:
How about Colombia? Your assessment is ludicrous and based on completely speculation. Why do you think so many Latinos are trying to get into the USA? Because you know more than the 12+ million of them?

It is so bad, people from Central America are trying to get into Mexico, bad as it is. If the world falls, a banana republic is the last place I would want to be. Ever see their drug trade? Ever see the corruption at all levels in these places? You pay off police and others to stay healthy and alive. Mexico, Peru and others have militant subgroups who fight it out with the govt. ever see the criminal activity in Brazil? You know what Argentina has been like since 2001? See what it was like the last 10 years when the world economy was GOOD? If things get bad, they will be hell-holes.

Complete speculation?

Perhaps it appears that way to the brainwashed idiot.

There's a reason why the President has warned of an impending WMD attack on US soil for the past 8 years.

And there's also a reason why the Southern Border was never closed, in spite of the Police State control grid going up around us.

Suggesting the 12 Million Mexicans who have no internet, tv or the literacy skills needed to read a newspaper would somehow be abreast of current events "rich" Americans (like you) can't even grasp, is laughable.

Yes, the people who live in piles of their own shit are very savvy when it comes to "international affairs".

If you want to stay in the US, go for it. America will be the next Brazil or Argentina. Except with bio-nuke attacks, military on the streets, Martial Law, food riots, and a high-tech surveillance grid tracking and tracing everything you do.

During the Great Depression, the US was far more agrarian. Perhaps 20% were self-sufficient on family-farms. Nowadays, America is probably 5% self-sufficient. Hardly any small farms.

You want to see social breakdown? Take away food and watch what happens.

You can trash talk these 3rd World Countries all day, but they're mostly agrarian. They can put food in their belly come hell or water. We can't. Its all relative. America will breakdown harder than a Brazil or Columbia. And then our Military will crack down harder than theirs ever could!

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Fractals 'R Us:

Minimally, people could loosely organize just in their neighborhoods, grow food in their back yards and watch out for interlopers.

Those evap water heaters use horrendous amounts of electricity afaik. I wonder if there is an all-solar version. Gardening can be done with very little water if one knows how, getting the water from evaporation would be great if water supplies dried up...

Sure, if neighbors are like minded, it could work.

But most Americans these days are inculcated to be loyal sycophants for Government. More than likely, they'd drop a dime on "suspicious" activity in the neighborhood and then the Military would pay a visit. After all, you were "stock piling" Guns !

Another idea is to capture rain water. Although California is trying to make that illegal! Apparently, we don't own the rain water that falls on our homes. The Government does!

 

[murray t turtle]

Quote from Fractals 'R Us:

'ya know what, in the great depression urban people were hit hardest and a lot more people were rural in those days and /or had gardens. Think of our inner cities when the free cheese runs out. I'd have a gun, I'd be doing some gardening too, at the very least.

================
'R US;
Homegrowm tomatoes, walnuts,turnip greens taste fine.....;
reguardless of circumstances.

Assuming cheap & plentiful food in a bear market,/or eco-shocks
well i wish,
but its been trending the other way [up]since 2007.

Rice eaters, Egyptians ... have already rioted much in 2007;gentleman in Argintina article noted only ''the most narrow minded would assume police protection''

And people in Argintina are much more literate than USA;
i have one of those little lamps you can burn olive oil in

 

[dandxg]

Quote from Susannah:

Actually, in Argentina, I think things did get somewhat ugly, it wasn't all-out war, but crime increased.

This post from a guy in Argentina detailing what did happen from a personal perspective and what did help was very enlightening and useful:

http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic14183.html

Interesting article. I have never heard of that side of the collapse in Argentina.

 

[peilthetraveler]

Quote from jjftw:

What I've experienced was in small city in a small country, during extreme political changes plus once in a century earthquake, I hope USA will never see anything like that, but you have to remember that the Soviet Union was a very powerful and rich country and not many of its citizens ever imagined the things that happened.

Yes...Most people under the age of 30 do not even really remember that the soviet union was our equal in the world. Only reason it fell was because Reagen knew we could "outspend" the USSR, as a communist country is not as stable financially as a capitalistic country. But look what we are doing today. Our financial system is in near ruins and we are just spending more money than ever. Its like people dont remember that the soviet union was doing the exact same thing near the end. Printing more and more money which is why their money kept losing its value. People think oil prices have dropped from 147 to 57 dollars, but you gotta remember...oil prices have not dropped that much for the rest of the world. Only because our dollar has temporarily gained strength is it like that. When we were paying 147 per barrel, in europe it only felt like they were paying 110 per barrel. Gold is practically the same way. On march 17, 2008 gold was 1,000 dollars per ounce. Today its $744 per ounce. On March 17, 2008 Gold was 497 British pounds per ounce. Today its 496 British pounds per ounce!!! The same price! Almost the same is the Euro. On march 17, 2008 at our height the euro was 641 euros per Ounce. Today its 590 Euros per ounce. Not a big fluctuation as say going from 1000 per ounce to 740. Indian rupee...same thing it was 40k per ounce, today its 37,000 per ounce...only a 7.5% drop vs our 26% drop.

You have got to see something is wrong with the US economy when the rest of the worlds major economies are staying pretty stable with gold/oil/food and the US is jumping around like...well like someone is manipulating something! Its like two guys sitting on a see-saw with a 1,000 pound ball in the middle. You can make the ball go one way for a bit, then the other way, but if that ball gets up any momentum, its going to crush one guy and throw the other 100 feet into the air!

 

[dandxg]

I was just thinking about the whole pistol vs. revolver argument on peak oil. I went revolver after 911 in case of civil unrest because it is idiot proof and can't jam, but his comment on suppressive fire has me thinking about adding a glock. Just never like the polymer guns, so light they are not as accurate IMO.

 

[piezoe]

Quote from peilthetraveler:

...soviet union ...only reason it fell was because Reagen knew we could "outspend" the USSR

It wasn't until years later we learned we really couldn't afford it. Wish we could take back all those Reagan deficits. We sure could use the money (and the interest!) now!

 

[rothschild]

Quote from piezoe:

It wasn't until years later we learned we really couldn't afford it. Wish we could take back all those Reagan deficits. We sure could use the money (and the interest!) now!

There has some expertise to slow down bankrupcy, consumption and extreme individualism.

So some areas will be hell and some will be clean.

It depend how your mayor is managing crisis, with whom he is surrounding, how does he talk with the homeless.

Where does your food supply comes from?
Is there some arable land from suburb around, where house could be demolished and large farm created?

What is the level of communication of the policeman back there?
Are they serious but empathic? or cynical and opportunistic?

 

[jprad]

Quote from peilthetraveler:

Only because our dollar has temporarily gained strength is it like that. When we were paying 147 per barrel, in europe it only felt like they were paying 110 per barrel. Gold is practically the same way. On march 17, 2008 gold was 1,000 dollars per ounce. Today its $744 per ounce. On March 17, 2008 Gold was 497 British pounds per ounce. Today its 496 British pounds per ounce!!!

I suppose I could get into carry trades, currency exchange rates, LIBOR and the twice daily price fixing of gold that occurs over the phone for the GBP, EUR and USD.

But, I don't want to be held responsible for frying your sole remaining neuron, you're going to need it to find your way back to the asylum...