How then, do we move backwards? How does a society, with most of the people having no clue of future events, move from being dependent on a vast and intertwined network of goods and services produced by the indigenous people of whereever, to a local resource and renewable energy based society, and do so in the timeframe available (20-30 years using the most liberal extimates, 10-20 with resonable estimates, 5-10 with worst case scenarios), all the while prices on everything increasing, world politics getting more militaristic, governments continuously reducing civil liberties, shortages of goods on the market and weather patterns resembling bad Hollywood movies?
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
When I was at the hardware store last week, I noticed that the spot on the shelf for gas cans was empty. Wonder if people are stocking up?
And then at Mal-Wart, I noticed there were no more house-sized safes on the shelves. I asked a sales clerk about them and he said, "those things sell like crazy."
Joined: Oct 16, 2004 Posts: 1365 Location: Appalachian Foothills of Virginia
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
Serial_Worrier wrote:
Welcome to the apocalypse. If you didn't get ready for it by preparing 6 months of food, then you shouldn't complain. Also did you drive there in your big-arse SUV?
Joined: Mar 07, 2007 Posts: 288 Location: Houston, TX
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
For the first time in my life, I saw a well dressed guy riding a small Honda bike going to work early in the morning. You can tell he has a professional job. Dressed with dockers pants and a nice shirt, nice pair of shoes yet he was driving a very small bike.
It was hot like hell outside and this is June in Houston early in the morning. Supposedly we have the cheapest gas in US, yet look at what people are driving. Although it was the first person I have ever seen, it is still a surprise to me.
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
misterno wrote:
For the first time in my life, I saw a well dressed guy riding a small Honda bike going to work early in the morning. You can tell he has a professional job. Dressed with dockers pants and a nice shirt, nice pair of shoes yet he was driving a very small bike.
I amazed me when I visited Italy about 8 years go to see a customs official, a middle aged guy, riding around on a scooter, and later I saw a younger nun riding one too. Doesn't fit the civil servant or nun image somehow.
Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 23 Location: north texas
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
I wouldn't say SHTF just yet here in north Texas but there are some subtle differences if you care to notice. I spoke to the manager of the local homeless shelter and she said the number of people they are housing is up. Also meals on wheels is asking for more volunteers to deliver meals in order to spread the high cost of gas around, the county is also baulking at the idea of delivering to distant areas which they did before, I suppose those people will just have to find food elsewhere. The local walmart has been low on many items, though I have been hoping they are just letting stocks get low on seasonal items in order to have room for the next season.
These things aside, I have noticed an inordinate amount of angry drivers in large vehicles, I'd love to ride my bike to work and save some money but if people aren't afraid of running into a full sized vehicle what would happen to someone on a bicycle?
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:22 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
misterno wrote:
For the first time in my life, I saw a well dressed guy riding a small Honda bike going to work early in the morning. You can tell he has a professional job. Dressed with dockers pants and a nice shirt, nice pair of shoes yet he was driving a very small bike.
It was hot like hell outside and this is June in Houston early in the morning. Supposedly we have the cheapest gas in US, yet look at what people are driving. Although it was the first person I have ever seen, it is still a surprise to me.
I'm an old guy and I have been thinking about one of those scooters. I don't have to be anywhere at any particular time so it might work out. My car's ac is broken and I haven't had ac in four summers. 100+ mpg and insurance at half the cost. Hmmmm..... _________________ A man should never wear a hat that has more character than he does.
Joined: Jun 20, 2008 Posts: 67 Location: Quebec/Ottawa, Canada
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
There's a scooter place next to where I work, and they've been very busy. I saw LOTS of boxes being opened the other day. Compared to the car dealerships it's night and day !
Keep in mind with scooters and motorbikes that the opportunities for injury and death are MUCH higher.
I've been thinking of an electric conversion for my bike. Around here they are legal on bike-paths.
Regarding SHTF in my locality, not TOO much to report here in Ottawa, Canada area. Gas thefts are up, metal thefts are up, like everywhere.
Canada losing lots of truck and SUV assembly jobs, Air Canada announced 2000 layoffs, Alberta oil is BOOMING.
Housing market is down a bit, but not too bad. Lots of new construction around here, but that will probably ease with rising gas prices. $1.32 per litre currently about $5.50 per gallon with currencies close to par.
Probably lots of things hard to notice now, at least in my busy with family and working world. I'm wondering if my local Burger King closed due to gas prices and lower disposable income ?
Still PLENTY of computer technology jobs permanently lost in the Ottawa area since Internet Bubble bust of Nortel and others. There are good, qualified people that haven't worked in the field since 2002.
Although Canada is somewhat more socialist, we've followed the US pretty well in the relative decimation of the middle class that existed in the 50s-70s. So although things are "not too bad" here, in a way things have gotten worse for the average working person the last 20-30 years or so.
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
A local Amish farmer told me this week that the cost of groceries is beginning to bite them too. He has been going to the grocery about once very 4 to 6 weeks, but has cut that back to once in 3 months to save some money. He said that if food keeps going up, they will eat entirely off the farm, except for salt, sugar, coffee, etc. _________________ Local fix-it guy..
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
Yorkshire, UK
In my area we have a large indoor and outdoor market. You would have thought in hard times these would be thriving because people need to buy cheap. But no, several of the traders have had calls from the bailiff (debt collector). It seems the council (who took over the markets) keep raising the rent to be “inline” with other local markets they run - and it’s hurting the town's market traders badly.
The local paper predicts rising numbers of empty market stalls. Shame on the council – and they’ll get zilch in rent when no one's there.
Actually I've noticed that the stalls have been increasingly full of cheap tat from China rather than local produce. It's no surprise they are not as busy as they once were. I mean how many pink wrist watches - and inflatable santa claus do you need in your life?
The 260,000 Hampton Roads customers who use Virginia Natural Gas will see a 35 percent increase in their bills starting July 1, the company announced this morning.
The increase came because the wholesale price of natural gas is approaching levels not seen since hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast in fall 2005.
But unlike those price spikes, there’s no sign these increases will go away any time soon, said Ann Chamberlain, the company’s manager of gas supply. That means customers should brace themselves for high heating bills come winter, she said.
Don't you wonder how the Average Joe can take these hits? Higher commuting costs, higher grocery bill and now higher heating bills...
Joined: Dec 26, 2006 Posts: 241 Location: Eastern Washington
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
I've traveled through most of the state (WA) this year and the incipience of TSHFT isn't happening. It's clearly not beginning in the communities in eastern washington (Grant, Chelan, and Douglas counties are booming with large commercial infrastructure investments and large corporations purchasing and building facilities from Moses Lake to Wenatchee.
Grant county also re-signed a contract with the federal government to maintain the management of two of the columbia river dams (as well as a secured 3.7million to fund the wanapum damn upgrade).
We're well insulated from the crap storm out here.
_________________ "Those who long for exaltation look upwards, but I look downward for I am the exalted."
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:45 am Post subject: Re: SHTF IN YOUR LOCALITY
Jesus H C,
Just look at the business headlines today on Ireland's main broadcaster.
Quote:
New manufacturing low as orders slump (09:17)
BMW to miss targets after H1 drop (08:29)
GM loses $15.4 billion in second quarter (12:25)
Competition Authority to probe Heineken deal (13:2
Turmoil almost wipes out A&L profits (08:5
Push to secure new national deal (07:15)
Late breakdown in British Energy talks (08:05)
No evidence of campaign against HBOS (11:56)
Factory gloom for euro zone, UK (11:21)
German retail sales slump in June (11:54)
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