tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post7972237643924006904..comments2024-03-28T08:06:43.198-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: The Big QuestionSiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-37733581395165384712011-08-26T19:22:55.264-04:002011-08-26T19:22:55.264-04:00Ausprepper, you raise a good point, and a good one...Ausprepper, you raise a good point, and a good one to consider.<br /><br />We are the world's "reserve currency" until the groups (like the BRIC) trying to change that succeed. We wouldn't be given that honor today; no group in their right mind would make the most indebted country in history the reserve. A country that takes in 2 Trillion/year and spends 4 (rough numbers, obviously)? <br /><br />The recent downgrade to AA by S&P might end that itself. If not, it's another straw on the camel's back. When that goes away (not if) that will hasten the collapse.SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-886681328595635102011-08-26T07:23:57.674-04:002011-08-26T07:23:57.674-04:00Yet you can't compare The U.S. to Argentina or...Yet you can't compare The U.S. to Argentina or even Japan. They are not the holder of the world's (failing) trading currency. Japan has a work ethic and patriotism that the US has largely lost and Argentinia was never a land of the free to begin with. There are no precedents for what's to come. Bet your bottom dollar that it will be "World Order or Bust".Ausprepperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14265367520081363009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-35838989473765233602011-08-24T23:56:26.705-04:002011-08-24T23:56:26.705-04:00I'm reminded of an old sci-fi story, Poul Ande...I'm reminded of an old sci-fi story, Poul Anderson's "No Truce With Kings". After the collapse, half the army marched to war with bows and arrows, but they still had rockets and television. I suspect we'll see something broadly like that; tech used, but not universal due to the expense.Beaumontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-19463427425719507492011-08-24T20:07:04.819-04:002011-08-24T20:07:04.819-04:00Anon 19:23 yeah. I found it tough to explain why ...Anon 19:23 yeah. I found it tough to explain why in a short "aside" so I just left my kinda crude wording. <br /><br />Thanks for the link.SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-63764793046274525442011-08-24T19:23:57.120-04:002011-08-24T19:23:57.120-04:00You know "collapse" in this context mean...You know "collapse" in this context means "the yen is now worth more", right?<br />Here's the 5 year history against the dollar, euro, and pound:<br />http://www.google.com//finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=Linear&chdeh=0&chfdeh=0&chdet=1314227941672&chddm=1755251&cmpto=CURRENCY:JPYGBP;CURRENCY:JPYEUR&cmptdms=0;0&q=CURRENCY:JPYUSD&ntsp=0Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-87535930153952280092011-08-24T18:49:27.748-04:002011-08-24T18:49:27.748-04:00Jason - for the stranger in your house in the midd...Jason - for the stranger in your house in the middle of the night - absolutely. Here in Florida, my understanding is you have every right to assume someone in your house intends to kill you and deadly force isn't even questioned. The LEOs will take the information, call ambulance as needed and say "have a nice day".<br /><br />I'm thinking of the kid who runs up to you in the parking lot at work or shopping. There's no shortage of lawyers who love to play the race card (Eric Holder just filled the justice department with them), and no shortage of prosecutors who will try to get re-elected by trying you in the court of public opinion. I would bet someone will try the "rich guy just trying to find an excuse to shoot the poor little child" argument. <br /><br />But I'll admit I get that from Ferfals' stories...SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-83947246217149168812011-08-24T16:49:06.333-04:002011-08-24T16:49:06.333-04:00Or, we could go the way of Greece...Or, we could go the way of Greece...Tony Muhlenkampnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-23780377561971114742011-08-24T11:47:53.689-04:002011-08-24T11:47:53.689-04:00"If you do have to defend yourself physically..."If you do have to defend yourself physically, you'll probably have to defend yourself in court."<br /><br />I do not see this particular problem in the US. Largely I agree any troubles would resemble Argentina more than any other model. We will still be America however. I don't see the model self defense laws of Texas, for instance, changing in any real way even in a collapse. Of coure people in Chi-town are still pretty much helpless but, again, no change there. Bottom line, a shooting today or after a collapse will be handled the same. In vast streaches of the American heartland the Popo might even be a little more tollerant; not of domestic violence or anything like that of course, but of out of town people stealing and robbing. Local man helps complete stranger/burglar achieve room temp in his kitchin in the middle of the night...Come on Bro.Jason M. Rogersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-83393622297689437272011-08-21T11:35:44.399-04:002011-08-21T11:35:44.399-04:00I haven't read "The Day the Dollar Died&q...I haven't read "The Day the Dollar Died", but it sounds like I should. I expect a future more like FerFal talks about than Rawles; of course, he says he exaggerates stuff to make a more exciting read, and to get more concepts into the book. <br /><br />And not to quote myself too much, but last October I did a multi-part series on why I love technology. <a href="http://thesilicongraybeard.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-praise-of-technology-part-2.html" rel="nofollow">Part 2</a> included this: <br /><br />Readers of JWR's Survivalblog and some other survival literature tend to discuss complete collapse of civilization: The End Of The World As We Know It - TEOTWAWKI. While there is always a possibility of a complete end, my personal belief is that won't happen. I believe the most likely scenario is an economic collapse like Ferfal (Surviving in Argentina) describes here (I've highlighted things that I believe I've already seen in my travels): <br /><br /> If lucky you’ll still live in that same house, Main Street will still be called Main Street, kids will still go to the same school, with a bit of luck and hard work you’ll keep your job… but employees may have to accept a 20% reduction in salary so as to save the company. Your kid’s school will have fund cuts and some classes may be canceled, the infrastructure may suffer for lack of maintenance due to low funds. The school quickly looks dirty, clearly needing some paint and repairs. As time goes by Main street is full of holes and no ones patches them. Stuff at Walmart is now more expensive. Little by little the packages, cans and bottles start getting smaller (yet the price it higher than before) , you see less and less of those mega super value 50 unit packs. There’s less variety too, they no longer import or produce locally the expensive brands anymore. Too expensive to do so. Crime is getting worse too. Home invasions in towns where it had never happened before, even people getting kidnapped. As more senseless violent crime becomes more common and criminals realize that the poorly paid police, with not enough patrol cars, not enough gas and not enough manpower is just a shadow of what it once was, armed robbery slowly becomes a fact of life across America, and those that don’t want to accept it suffer the consequences.<br /><br />That's Argentina today. Us in three to five years?SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-13994261097258281182011-08-21T04:03:27.734-04:002011-08-21T04:03:27.734-04:00Interesting that you should post this, SG, as my t...Interesting that you should post this, SG, as my thoughts recently have been running in the same vein. To a certain extent I have been prepping for a Rawles-style event, but I have been coming around to the understanding that it just isn't likely. I expect something closer to John Galt's "The Day The Dollar Died", with ever more severe repression, theft of my 401k and savings, a new currency removing any value from what cash I've saved, barter and use of silver or gold made illegal, and an attempt, at least, to completely disarm us.<br /><br />My preps won't hurt. When the stores are empty, or we are restricted as to what is available, I'll be doing all right. Shelter, food, water, and even a limited amount of transportation are all covered, along with the means to protect it all. I even have a small community of friends here - and in various parts of the country - where mutual defense is possible. I can even outfit a few more if/when that becomes desirable.<br /><br />But, I am expecting more of Argentina, too. Claire Wolfe's statement about it being too soon to shoot the bastards is what is going to make it difficult. I don't think it ever got down to resisting corrupt law enforcement in Argentina, but then Latin America has lived with that as a cultural norm for many years, so the difference here might be significant. It will likely get to the point where I will find it necessary before the general 2A population does. <br /><br />I fear we will discover how that shakes out before my life ends by natural means, anyway.Reg Tnoreply@blogger.com