Like the illusion of Wall Street, with its vast and powerful investment banks, now shuttered, China too is an illusion perpetuated by the Globalists that gave us the 15,000 mile Caesar salad, poisoned cat food and lead based paint on babies' pacifiers. Like the illusion that money would come from thin air to always push housing prices higher, China has spent a generation pursuing its illusion. Pursuing an unattainable dream to be like the West, while 6000 years of its carefully shepherded top soil blows into the sea.
Joined: Oct 15, 2005 Posts: 1634 Location: Portland, Oregon
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:47 am Post subject: The Ant and the Grasshopper
You all have probably heard the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper. In the story, the winter's coming and the ant is busily spending the summer working hard and storing food. The grasshopper spends his days idly rubbing his legs and singing and playing all summer.
The Grasshopper says to the ant "Why spend your days working so hard? Enjoy yourself. Sit back and relax."
The Ant replies "While you're just spending your days making songs and relaxing under the sun, I am storing food for the long winter to come."
The winter arrives and the Grasshopper comes to the ant's home hungry and cold. He asks for some of the ant's stores. The ant looks at him and says
"When you had a chance to work and store food, you did nothing. Why would I help you now, when I have stored just enough for me."
The Grasshopper leaves and ends his days wishing he had not just played all summer long.
Now obviously this fable has some paralells for Peakoilistas. We may call ourselves Ants and the rest of the "Sheeple" grasshoppers. But I'm wondering- perhaps the life of the grasshopper is smarter. The winter that is coming is never going to end. Perhaps instead of spending every waking minute thinking about and preparing for The Long Emergency, it would be better to just give up...enjoy the good times we have now- drink up, eat at the best restaurants, fly to the Bahamas for that vacation, smoke the best cheeba, etc.
I'm an ant- but sometimes I wonder if I should be a Grasshopper...
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1136 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:28 am Post subject:
I posted this Aesop fable soon after I joined po.com.
I wonder if a search would turn up that old post?
The link I gave probably doesn't work anymore. Just browse the web using keywords "The Ant and the Grasshopper" and I'm sure you'll find variations of the fable.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Quote:
"When you had a chance to work and store food, you did nothing. Why would I help you now, when I have stored just enough for me."
The Grasshopper then snips off Mr. "Smarty-Pants" Ant's head, & enjoys the Ant's home & food all winter long.
There... fixed that for you. _________________ "When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F Roberts.
Praise HawkMan
Last edited by Aaron on Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
The power went out for 2.5 hours yesterday here where I am. Even with my awareness of the things to possibly come, I'm still painfully unprepared.
My sump pump is a huge issue, and during those few hours I closely monitored the level of water building up. A few years ago we had a power outage and my basement started to flood. I've been repeatedly telling myself that I need to figure out some system to manually pump water out, without having to resort to buckets, but still it's not done.
I've been meaning to get a wood stove, so I have a means of heat and a way to cook and boil water if needed. Instead I sat for those 2 hours listening to my crank radio, wondering how the hell I would of cooked my food or boiled water.
If these events happen quicker then many of us suspect, I think even many of us here might get caught with our pants down too. Three months of food in my basement isn't even close to being prepared.
I guess that makes me more of a grasshopper then an ant. I'm hoping to find the ant in me soon though, but that's what I said last year.
Joined: Mar 26, 2007 Posts: 30 Location: L.A.'s suburban wasteland
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
chakra wrote:
Three months of food in my basement isn't even close to being prepared.
That's the very point that grinds in the back of my head:
How much food is enough? When will things be stable enough to move from horded food to bought or grown food?
When it comes to providing for the winter (known duration), I'm an ant. With the "long emergency," the unknowns would drive me crazy if I tried to be an ant.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
thuja wrote:
Perhaps instead of spending every waking minute thinking about and preparing for The Long Emergency, it would be better to just give up...enjoy the good times we have now- drink up, eat at the best restaurants, fly to the Bahamas for that vacation, smoke the best cheeba, etc.
I'm an ant- but sometimes I wonder if I should be a Grasshopper...
If you have children, it gives you a new kind of perspective. I know that I must plan, prepare and work not just for me but for mine too, even if giving it up for today's gratification feels tempting. _________________ "The progress of civilization:
bondage --> spiritual faith --> courage --> liberty --> abundance --> complacency --> apathy --> dependence --> bondage." - Alexander Tyler
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
chakra wrote:
My sump pump is a huge issue, and during those few hours I closely monitored the level of water building up... ...Three months of food in my basement isn't even close to being prepared.
Sorry Chakra... I'm the kind of guy who notices these things and that made me laugh, the image of food stores being stored where they can get flooded... But don't get me wrong, I understand it is difficult to prepare for everything... And I'm sure you know, if you are going to keep storing things there you might want to get a battery sump pump, some water proof containers, or an outside shed
chakra wrote:
I've been meaning to get a wood stove, so I have a means of heat and a way to cook and boil water if needed. Instead I sat for those 2 hours listening to my crank radio, wondering how the hell I would of cooked my food or boiled water.
Another thought could be to start with being prepared on a smaller scale. Basic camping skills, supplies and stuff like that. Instead of making your house into a fortress of self sufficiency. Get a shed with a cheap wood stove and call it your workshop. A laptop, marine battery and a solar trickle charger can provide loads of entertainment when the power is out. I had a similar system and during power outages in College so I could always work on my papers...
Or get some things like a portable tent, a small stove or tent heater and maybe a small cart. Even just a tent set up inside a cold house is a warm place to sleep. And if you are cold, you have a place to warm up. If you are hungry, you can cook. If you have to Bug Out like the residence of New Orleans, then you can take more then just the shirt on your back, like food. Just some things to consider, trying to bullet proof a Mc Mansion against peak oil may be the wrong way of thinking about the problem or at least the wrong way to start.
This simple thing may look funny, but it can solve a lot of problems.
EDITED
With alcohol fuel it can warm a tent (with ventilation), nice when you are wet and not (a major) Carbon Monoxide hazard (as opposed to other fuels). (See next post for full clarification)
END EDIT
Outside it can burn wood or charcoal, it even has a grill top for hot dogs and it fits in my backpack... My suggestion would be to list what you are worried about and just try some things.
I'm sure with a little thinking you can find comfortable solutions to the problems you described. By the way, I have heard the sump pump question on these boards before, you might be able to search the site for that. Also what kind of budget do you have to fix that problem? If you have you considered moving you could give the problem to someone else, hahaha!
Some thoughts...
Last edited by steam_cannon on Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:36 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Thanks for the suggestions Steam. I too noticed that little problem while I was writing the original post. I do have all the food stored higher up on resin shelves though.
I've been meaning to find information on low powered pumps that could possibly work with much less power then a 1/8th horsepower sump pump. Maybe a small solar panel and a small pump could do the trick, or maybe some kind of foot pump. I really don't know the answer to that question yet.
I didn't know there were fuel types that burn without leaving harmful fumes. If you burn alcohol indoors it's safe? Can you buy alcohol heaters? That might make a great substitute for a wood stove in a pinch. Thanks for the suggestion.
I do have the money to make the preparations needed. I'm just being very careful because I've been very strongly focused on paying down all my debts instead. I'm now debt free with only 45 months left on my mortgage but this kind of focus doesn't leave tons of money for huge overhauls.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Chakra,
I'm just a bit confused. My first priority in your case would be to move to a house where I wasn't relying on a mechanical device to stop my house from being destroyed.
On the heating side. You can get a flueless indoor gas heater which can be useful. We have one and it has been a life saver on cold nights when a powercut has hit. _________________ www.askaboutenergy.com
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Sorry, when I wrote my first response I used the word flood, which is a pretty strong word. I do get extra water in my basement which is diverted to a pool which is drained by a sump pump. Most of the year though, the sump pump is barely active at all. It's just during the spring when the snow is melting where you might see some build up, but nothing even remote to destroying the house.
The basement used to be dungeon like, and a little water didn't matter. Since then I've finished off the basement though, so I just don't like the over spill getting the bottom of the walls wet downstairs.
I live in the middle of the Great Lakes and there's a ton of water surrounding this area. Even many newer homes use drainage because of the abundant water in this area. At least I'm lucky enough to not have to worry about fresh water. I could buy a home that wouldn't require drainage, but this house is almost paid off. I figure spending some money to fix these problems would be a better solution then getting myself in debt again, especially when a crisis can be closer then first imagined.
Thanks for the suggestion on the indoor gas heater, I googled some and the propane gas heaters look interesting, especially since propane keeps for a long time under pressure. Once I get closer to paying this house off though, a wood stove is the way I want to go (since the fuel source is more abundant around here).
Joined: May 15, 2005 Posts: 4142 Location: THE MATRIX
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Hmmm first came the tents and bug out basics, then books and seeds, then some nicely secluded acreage mostly wooded.
Followed by communication breakdown, you know how the ants sometimes wonder off or seem uninterested, then all the tiny cracks of insincerity began to show while the S.S. antvillage went down in magnifying glass induced flames.
Number one suggestion for the "army" ants and Mantai in the crowd, do not choose companion ants just because they are relative or friendly ants etc etc find other ants already doing what "army" ants do and then maybe invite your family and friend ants.
Some ants appear like "army" ants but are really just Piss Ants.
Some of us are neither...
Mantis _________________ It is easier to enslave a people that wish to remain free then it is to free a people who wish to remain enslaved.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
chakra wrote:
I didn't know there were fuel types that burn without leaving harmful fumes. If you burn alcohol indoors it's safe? Can you buy alcohol heaters? That might make a great substitute for a wood stove in a pinch. Thanks for the suggestion.
I should modify my statement about tents a little. (To be on the safe side...)
When using any flame heat source you should have a "Carbon Monoxide Alarm" nearby.
"First Alert Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Alarm With Battery Backup
$25.88" http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=4868
Burning alcohol is pretty safe and standard used in boat heaters/stoves (safer then propane space heaters). Combustion of alcohol still produces CO, but less then propane. Also some alcohols like Ethanol burn especially clean. Never the less, alcohol boat heaters carry the warning that they still produce CO and should not be used in poorly ventilated spaces. I am planning some experiments of testing tents of different sizes and monitoring CO levels to get a better idea of how safe they are in tents... So before I do that I probably shouldn't be recommending alcohol for tents without disclaimer.
Alcohol stoves are cheap! Basic Alcohol Stove - $2.99
"The Easy Alcohol Stove cooks with inexpensive 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, that can be purchased just about anywhere.
It is ideal for camping, picnics, emergencies, etc.
You can also burn Fire Starter Sticks,
Esbit solid fuel tabs, Sterno canned heat (gel),
or twigs, if that's all you have.
A must have for emergencies."
And used as space heaters... Heat Pal 5100 Alcohol Heater - $130
"Simplicity and safety, plus a respectable 5,000Btu make this a good non-electric heater. The absorbent material soaks up the alcohol fuel to prevent spills. Remove the lid and use the Heat Pal as a single-burner stove to heat coffee or warm food."
http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/5100.htm
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
chakra wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions Steam. I too noticed that little problem while I was writing the original post. I do have all the food stored higher up on resin shelves though.
Yeah, I didn't really think you were piling bags of rice on a wet floor, it just sounded funny...
chakra wrote:
I do have the money to make the preparations needed. I'm just being very careful because I've been very strongly focused on paying down all my debts instead. I'm now debt free with only 45 months left on my mortgage but this kind of focus doesn't leave tons of money for huge overhauls.
Wow, it sounds like you are good at planning ahead! You're a lot more prepared then most people, even many people here!
chakra wrote:
Thanks again for the tips.
One more: Sump Pumps --> http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic25713.html
You may have checked it out already, they posted some good info on sump pump brands and experiences...
Last edited by steam_cannon on Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
thuja wrote:
the Ant and the Grasshopper.
I think my style is that of a happy ant. Always be prepared for winter, because great depressions, dust bowls, wars, economic disaster... These things all happen to countries. Personally I am hoping peak fall out will look like the collapse of the Soviet Union. That would be possible to prepare for. Worst case though is that Peak Oil ends like the Famines in Ukraine, genocide directed by the Stalinist government of the time...
From the look of things though, the US is preparing for Peak Oil like bees. Money, power, control of grain stocks, oil and water... Are together a rich honey controlled by elite. And worker bees are usually shed when winter comes. At least that is one scenario.
Here's another:
VERONICA
If you inherit five million dollars
the same day aliens tell the earth
they're blowing us up in two days,
what would you do?
J.D.
Probably just row on out to the
middle of a lake. Bring along my
sax, some tequila, and some Bach.
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: Re: The Ant and the Grasshopper
Madpaddy wrote:
On the heating side. You can get a flueless indoor gas heater which can be useful. We have one and it has been a life saver on cold nights when a powercut has hit.
Madpaddy, you and your easy solutions
Well, chakra he is right; gas and propane heaters are cheap, popular, easy to install and they produce a lot of heat. I don't like them so much as steam or alcohol heat, but they are worth mentioning. You can buy a couple tanks of propane and be set for a long time very easily. Great for cooking too! Most of the stoves and heaters in camping sections use propane.
And for camping you can just put up a few of these around your tent...
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Sorry Chakra... I'm the kind of guy who notices these things and that made me laugh, the image of food stores being stored where they can get flooded... But don't get me wrong, I understand it is difficult to prepare for everything... And I'm sure you know, if you are going to keep storing things there you might want to get a battery sump pump, some water proof containers, or an outside shed 
