The BIG QUESTION

[ahab]

We wanted to blast the world free of history.... picture yourself planting radishes and seed potatoes on the fifteenth green of a forgotten golf course. You'll hunt elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center, and dig clams next to the skeleton of the Space Needle leaning at a forty-five degree angle. We'll paint the skyscrapers with huge totem faces and goblin tikis, and every evening what's left of mankind will retreat to empty zoos and lock itself in cages as protection against the bears and big cats and wolves that pace and watch us from outside the cage bars at night.

[ahab]

Always figured I would first try to insure that crazy fucks don't destroy libraries and to make every effort to preserve knowledge.

even if they do, our collective knowledge will be out there, somewhere, just waiting to be found...

http://rosettaproject.org/

[Wes]

My plan is to get Bart, Blake, Matt and Q to move to torrent. That is like the equivalent of a small army of Macgyver's....

[charlie]

I'm doing like 4 people's jobs. As long as the bars don't close I'll be fine.

[Meadows]

In school for a 2nd degree.

[rhunt]

Paid off all my debt and never plan to own a house. I can stand to take a 5k pay cut when I eventually lose this current job. So no worries.

[pigsteak]

rhunt, I know you started years ago getting your financial house in order. nice job!

way to be proactive, and not whine when things slow down.

[Clevis Hitch]

I really see things going bad. Way bad. beyond anything that we can imagine. It's O.K. caribe if you want to scoff and say that the way things are will continue in perpetuity. ( you kinda scoff at alot of things). I firmly believe that the we ar e in the sunset of the Amerikan way. We have traded our future for a modicum of security today. that security is fading and fast! It's wise to have supplies in case of some natural disaster. Its wise to have supplies in case of man-made disaster. It's just wise.
I've made everything mobile. I can pull up stakes and move in a matter of hours. I'm Tornado,Fire,Flood,Riot and Earthquake proof! The only thing that would give me any trouble is a prolonged seige.
I have a shortwave radio, 11 meter two way. I have a way to generate heat, light, cook and refrigerate off of the grid. I can go about two years as it stands and never make the first trip to Wal-mart. I feel pretty good about my family and my personal immediate future. It's my childrens future and the landscape of the world (political,social,financial,ect.ad nauseum) that I worry about the most.

[Wes]

Man, there are people out there making a lot of money right now. Recessions / downturns are the incubators of many very successful entrepreneurs. The key is having enough assets, credit, and backers to get the right ideas going. Rent is down, people will work for cheap, interest rates are down, people have money they want to invest in something outside stocks. If you are in finical position to buy a house, you can get great deals, great rates, and an 8K tax break.

That said, many, many people are not in position to do much more then hang on best they can. Kinda like us. But, we can always work to be in better position for the next opportunity. Many great things are born from chaos...

And, as for the total collapse of western civilization, don't think that is very likely. But, being able to supplement your food with a few deer and an elk or two, veggies from a garden, etc. can't really hurt. Ar-15's and 5.56 prices have come back down from last fall when everyone though Obama was coming for their guns that they are reasonable to buy for your zombie, mass rioting needs. As much as we (US) like to think we are better, if there was a hati sized disaster nearby, there would be at least a temporary breakdown for society.

[ynot]

eh when it all goes to hell ,I'll croak and they will put me in the corner under the redbud tree, everyone can say goobye one last time and watch the horse standing out on the point like he always does. I quit worrying about stuff years ago.