[Revi]

Here's an article from Zero Hedge about how as the central authority devloves, local solutions develop.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-pos ... n-localism

[Pops]

I've daydreamed about that type of relocalization since I was a kid and posted about it here dozens of times, but what's funny is for a couple of days I've been working on a post about deglobalization and the relocalization of manufacturing to the US a la Jeff Rubin

[Pops]

Another quick thought, since the story mentions WalMart.
We took a roadtrip through the southeastern US over Christmas and I gotta tell you, the decay is rampant, sad and scary. On the way home, in order to avoid snow, we drove through the Bentonville, Arkansas area, home to WalMart. The idea came to me looking at all the new money thereabouts, that all the juice had been sucked up from all those mom&pop stores in all the little deserted towns we'd passed and a speck had kinda dribbled from the corners of the Walton's mouth and spilled on NW Arkansas.

[Revi]

Wal Mart's warehouse on wheels could have trouble with high energy prices. Wal Mart is just the latest of a series of retailers that have captured the market and then failed. Think of Montgomery Ward and Sears, followed by Ames and K mart. Wal Mart is a big corporation, but it could all come down quickly.

[Newfie]

Interesting ideas but I have yet to see relocalization work in my travels.

In the 1960's there was a very active movement to push people out of the 'outports' and into larger towns. They were told they would be better off. The process continues to this day although it has slowed greatly. They still shut the odd town every second or third year, and folks are moving into St. Johns while the 'out ports' shrink.

What is counter to this trend is that now there are some folks who have gone to the 'mainland' and are retiring or buying vacation cottages back in their ancestral towns. A few towns are making a bit of a comeback but are still not sanctioned. Exploits Island is the best example I know of. The only government support they get is bouyage of the harbor.

Closer to Philadelphia we have discovered a small town, Delaware City, hidden behind some refineries and not over run with 'development.' The town center exists but it is very, very difficult to have any kind of business. They have a barber shop, bar, restaurant, coffee shop, and two store fronts. Another two store fronts are occupied by a volunteer swap shop trying to keep doors open and to look busy. In some respects it is a success story, the downtown is down but not out. However I am not seeing any 'relocalization' there, but then again it may be too early in the cycle.

Recently Home Depot and Lowes each closed some stores. It would be interesting to look up some of those closings and then scan the hometown newspapers (if any of THEM are left) for stories on how the areas are now coping with the loss of the big guys.

[Heineken]

Very interesting stuff. I think relocalization could occur but not without partial dieoff first. It won't happen easily, or consistently. Some areas will die completely; others will have natural characteristics that ultimately, after much pain, strife, and death, support this sort of reorganization built around small towns with their own cottage industries and agricultural belt. The likeliest model for me continues to be feudal Europe.

[Revi]

I am thinking of moving to an "outport" for at least half of the year. It's a small island off the coast of Maine and if I had to I could live there pretty cheaply. I think a lot of people are thinking like that. A lot of big places are only there because of jobs and industry. When they go away a lot of people move back to little towns and try to make a meager living.

[Pops]

For whatever reason I'm not getting around to finishing my long winded post on relocalization. Instead, here is a great talk by Jeff Rubin about deglobalization. It's 45 minutes but it is the best synopsis of the situation I've heard and he really packs in a lot of info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... qeRaBaPRmk

[Revi]

I saw him speak on Charlie Rose the other day. He says that over $150 a barrel Globalization stops.

[Serial_Worrier]

Very interesting stuff. I think relocalization could occur but not without partial dieoff first. It won't happen easily, or consistently. Some areas will die completely; others will have natural characteristics that ultimately, after much pain, strife, and death, support this sort of reorganization built around small towns with their own cottage industries and agricultural belt. The likeliest model for me continues to be feudal Europe.

I agree. Many cities and communities will experience 100% die-off, while communities that already are partially self-sustaining will survive. When TSHTF, the thugs will loot the food reserves but those will run out and they will die too. The only ones that survive will be those that can defend their doomsteads from zombie hordes and then have the ability to continue producing food after the zombies are dead.

[SeaGypsy]

Fricken ZOMBIES again, OMG.
"Defend your DOOMSTEAD or DIE! (Rahahaha!!! )"
Got a precedent for that serial?
My studies show that when people get very hungry, fighting is over pretty quickly, as the insect and weed eating nomads skirt around the edges and the fighters get tired. The meek will inherit the earth, like it or not Mr Powerfull Bunker Dude.

[Newfie]

I thought some here might enjoy this series "Land and Sea" from the CBC. Just so happens that the most recent program was on Exploits Island. They don't talk much about resettlement, and don't mention how it is now redeveloping, but it is a nice story of a lovely place.

You might also be interested in the episode on Greenspond.

http://www.cbc.ca/landandseanl/

[Revi]

I love that Land and Sea. When we visited Newfoundland about 10 years ago, I thought that it was a like a huge version of Swan's Island, which is where we have roots. I think those outports have a chance of making it as a kind of doomstead. Very hard to get to, but then there are pirates.

[SeaGypsy]

As every intrepid sailor knows, "It's the pirates ye welcome aboard is the ones ye must sleep with one eye for".

[AgentR11]

GDI! Who stole my booze!

[AgentR11]

Wal Mart's warehouse on wheels could have trouble with high energy prices. Wal Mart is just the latest of a series of retailers that have captured the market and then failed. Think of Montgomery Ward and Sears, followed by Ames and K mart. Wal Mart is a big corporation, but it could all come down quickly.

I've been thinking about this since you posted it, couldn't quite figure out how to put my response till now.

WalMart's problem is not its warehouse on wheels, the problem is its customers. As much as I am *ABLE* to ride my bike to Walmart and buy a tool or some groceries or a shirt; that kind of traffic is insufficient to drive the volume that stores the size of the Walmarts require. To move the needed volume, the customers need to come in powered, trunk wielding vehicles.

But who makes up the bulk of Walmart's sales? Lower and middle class folks. If the trip to walmart costs $1-$2, that's really not a big deal even to the bottom. If the trip to walmart and back costs $20, that's game over. And to make matters worse, that price is one of those very high price sensitivity prices. How many people know what the cost of a 12pk of Fanta Orange is, today, at the grocery store. How many can tell you within 5cents what the price of gasoline is currently at their corner filling station? And the further down the ladder people are, the more they know that last number, and don't know the first. [$ = US$2012]

This equals the death of the big box concept.
The low end is crushed by customer transportation cost; the high end destroyed by upper and upper middle class folks having a better shopping experience on BuyMyFoodOnline.Com and AmathongAnonymous.com.

That said, we're still ok for a while; gas is still cheap, poor people still find a way to drive to the store, and I still ride my $1500 bicycle to get groceries and fast food.. lol.

[lowchance]

Thanks for clearing my mind, i read your all posts and ending with happy smile because understood..

[Keith_McClary]

Researchers solve biological mystery and boost artificial intelligence

The team discovered that evolution produces modules not because they produce more adaptable designs, but because modular designs have fewer and shorter network connections, which are costly to build and maintain. As it turned out, it was enough to include a "cost of wiring" to make evolution favor modular architectures.
...
To test the theory, the researchers simulated the evolution of networks with and without a cost for network connections.
"Once you add a cost for network connections, modules immediately appear. Without a cost, modules never form. The effect is quite dramatic," says Clune.

[Tanada]

For whatever reason I'm not getting around to finishing my long winded post on relocalization. Instead, here is a great talk by Jeff Rubin about deglobalization. It's 45 minutes but it is the best synopsis of the situation I've heard and he really packs in a lot of info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... qeRaBaPRmk

I finally got around to trying to view this video and discovered it is private access only, does anyone have an unlocked link too it>?

[Shaved Monkey]

heres a shorter version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smRo7UFUuwM