2012 what are you doing about it?

[dirvish]

Hey Folks

I can have a lot to say... it is from living experience. I have nothing if not enthusiasm and motivation for the continued enjoyment of all our lives. It is ours so fight for what is yours. I believe in people such as Robin Scott and Colourwheels,Emma,Cenobite,Apachii, and so many many others who make my time more enjoyable just playing a game. There are so many more homeless people than from previous years just down the street. I have gotten to know some of them and they are good folks. I know that they would be very happy to just play when the day is done. For real, I was born in Wyoming and grew up in Colorado in the USA. I am not young anymore. It is hard but I do rise and fight those who would diminish our way of life through unrepresented taxation, banks that go through the loops created by those who would support these unrepresented taxes. This is international and does have consequence on all our lives. I have a lot to say I guess... I won't quit, I won't stop. In every country and on every continent you will help won't you? Create change! What are you going to do?

---d

[Tidus44]

Thank you Tidus

Being happy can take a lot of work does it not? How are you going to accomplish this? While the aristocrats and politians continue to erode away the very happiness that you would provide yourself and yours? btw- You can shoot a rifle and a pistol at the same time with the reins in your teeth.. I have done it. I say let them fill their hands. Hail to the Duke. What shall you do?

with respect

---d

 

I seem to be unable to fully grasp the concept of happiness requiring work, or even how someone can overly affect my state of happiness.

I realize that there are those who believe the route to happiness is in having the right “whatever” and that there is a fairly large segment of the world that does seem to be focused on this particular methodology of gaining happiness. It just seems somewhat impossible to me that anyone could ever achieve happiness in that manner and I don’t think I have ever experienced a sense of unhappiness because I didn’t have some “thing” or other – or at least I do not recall such a situation. Admittedly, there are situations, circumstances, conditions and even persons whom I am not overjoyed with, but I am not specifically sure how any have an impact on my overall sense of happiness or for any extended period of time.

 

I suppose that one could go about “tilting at windmills”, but for me there are not that many “giants” about that need to be dealt with and even less that I would care to take on as the effort and the results would be more expensive and for naught in the long term. And really, the few minutes that such giants enjoy before the wheel turns is nothing in comparison to the time one has.

 

As for taking one’s shot with both hands and the reins in their teeth, I have learned, sometimes much to my regret or chagrin that such actions tend to result in less than anticipated or beneficial results. Not only does one tend to miss at what they are aiming, but more often than not it spooks the horse and/or deafens it.

 

One can only do what one can - and that is what I will continue to do.

[Vagrant0]

Nothing. Either things will continue as they are and possibly improve, or they will go to total hell and it really doesn't matter any more.

 

If the world comes to an end, if all hell breaks loose, it really doesn't matter much from my perspective. Every one of these doomsday predictions comes with this notion of how people will survive afterward.

 

But the reality is that if the world crumbles back into a pre-industrial state, as much as 70% of the remaining worlds population, except for those isolated farming communities, would end up starving after the first couple of months simply because most of the world does not produce enough food to feed their local population without the use of machinery. The remaining 30% will likely be cut in half from the initial string of violence over the remaining resources within the first 6 months. Within a year, of the remaining 15% of the population, 2/3rds (mostly the young, the old, or women) will likely die due to illness, medical complication, infection, or simple exposure. Leaving only about 1 in 20 people to try and egg out some sort of stable existence. Even then, the prospects for them aren't too great since it could be as long as several thousand years before there is enough timber, oil, and other raw materials available in order to make it back to a technological state similar to what we have now, and those advancements would likely only be present in small nation-states. Provided that something really bad, like a comet doesn't just smack into the Earth before any sort of prevention system is put into place.

 

Even if you're all gung-ho military survivalist out in the middle of nowhere... life will probably suck ass throughout the majority or your remaining life. Most of the preparation that anyone could really do would only do any good during that first month, and probably not that much due to the looting, violence, and general lawlessness.

 

 

And yes, I hear people saying "But Vagrant, we're much more technologically learned than we were 300 years ago." But what they forget is that on the individual level the majority of people don't know how anything works on a technical level, even though they use those things daily. In a group of 80 or so you may only find one or two people who would know how to generate enough electricity through a manual or semi-automatic means from raw or scavenged materials in order to power a light bulb, nevermind knowing how to make a light bulb. Meaning that the entire understanding of pretty much every form of power generation is reliant on either the handful of techs out there that survive the initial chaos of the first year, or most of the books of any depth on any useful topic surviving and ending up in hands that can see them as being useful beyond kindling... Given the pattern of how powerful groups tend to prey on weaker ones, most would likely be prisoners, killed in raids, or doing everything they can to remain secluded. And that's just related to electricity... Nevermind the couple dozen other fields (most pharmaceuticals would expire after a few years, and few doctors know how to prepare a drug from the raw herb) which the average person is utterly clueless about. Even construction; while most could probably secure a collection of boards together into some sort of crude shelter, most would not know how to prepare a clean and dry foundation, insulate it particularly well, or make sure there is enough air circulation.

 

Generally speaking those areas that would survive best would probably be those parts of the world which are mostly self-sufficient already, but they also would be the least likely to work towards any sort of technological or cultural advancement, so you're still looking at hundreds of years of stand-still as long as the land can still be farmed.

[Ghogiel]

ahh.. Ghogiel,

but yet you have responded to a complete stranger who is not living comfortably. You have affected someone... me. Can you not reply to an idiot politian or businessman in power and have affect? It only takes one to affect. Are you comfortable knowing that these people who are in control and will affect your life? What will you do?

Much respect,

---d

In the realm of politics no one cares what I think, imagine me trying to tell a scumbag businessman and a couple politicians that it's just wrong to exploit this, that or them? They do not care about people, they will use them and any resources to fulfil selfish goals at the expense of anyone and all things. Their response would be like "but look at the profit margins!" and "Millions would created in the economy!". Money they eventually amassed and offshored in tax havens which ends up hurting the origin economy anyway :\.

 

I get the impression for the most part that is the world we actually want too. I'll probably never get it.

 

Sure I affect things and people... but in the grand scheme of things, wars, economies, and idiot politicians are not in my sphere of influence.

[dirvish]

To continue

perhaps there might be good folk with incredible ideas who because of circumstance have had to start all over again in much smaller and degraded positions. Circumstance created by more often than not the wealthiest. Ideas such as a place in the local mall where people can go to vote on every issue and every legislation being looked at to be presented to the legislative branch. The peoples interested in casting their voice and vote must present a learned and comprehensive knowledge of the subject they are interested in looking at and/or taking action upon. I know a few people who gave this place a name... Uncle Sams Voting Booth. Shops in England, Greece, Germany, India, Spain, Japan, South America ,places for all the good folk from Russia, the Middle East and certainly China where an individual can have voice. I could have simply said globally but my friend says to brushup on my grammar 101. How am I doin? How ya doin? Good to see ya! Hehehe. Same idea, aimed at large business that some have dubbed the Merchants Inn, a place where any intelligent individual has say on who get to make the Board regardless of stock ownership or people that they would know. Based again upon a demonstrated and comprehensive knowledge and history of the person in question. Actually it was M'Lady who brought that idea to the table. I presented an idea at our own little conference table. The idea that if someone who has obtained a position over a large workforce, who conducts large volumes of monies based upon their knowledge and experience, education and the people they know and who has already made so much monies... why give them more? If that particular individual has reached a position of such power and vast amount of monies they should be able to orchestrate and fulfill their needs with what they already have. In my humble opinion, the position they have achieved is the prize. Any more than that is just commonly called greed. Many of the major and minor sport organizations have installed salary caps but few of the actual owners have any cap, they own the team. Is that not the prize... what the heck? Don't these giants have enough peanut butter, bread and jam in the cupboard? The yachts and warehouses full of cars and other priceless artifacts... I'm certain some of the things they have in their cupboards have got rotten because they don't even remember that purchase. To the point... in my humble opinion, just how big does the so called 'Brass Ring' have to be? Won't you get up from your chairs and set aside the idea that monies hold so much over your life... you are larger than any monies owed to someone you don't even know. Become that small merchant. I myself would rather come to your establishment for my peanut butter, bread and jam and simply walk by the giant (as we here do fight the giants in this manner, it is much less expensive) ... you could try and find some way to attract more people like myself who would certainly direct others to your place. Just keep an eye on what the real prize is... you are the owner. You did it. When you make enough monies to take care of your future, the future of your children and theirs... you don't need anybody or yourself to pat your back ever again. Get up folks, I know there are so many doing things that only get them by and you good sir and you wonderful lady will never know your true happiness. Time fir gears and beers folks... but it is my turn to handle the gears so there will be none of the other tonight... there it is. Have fun, be safe out there! What are you going to do?

---d

[Vagrant0]

It doesn't work.

 

The vast majority of human society (with few exceptions) almost always follows a pyramid-like structure where you have a very small ruling class at the top, and a very large worker(slave) class at the bottom. In absence of technological or economic well-being, the slave class is usually quite large in order to produce enough goods and food for everyone else. Those places where things do not fit this pattern are usually those areas where there is a very low population density and people are barely able to make enough food to survive on. As soon as there is excess, there is wealth and power. Without that excess however, there is no room for cultural or scholastic improvement since everyone is working themselves to death and have no energy to spend on developing anything else. This is why advancements in history were quite slow before the age of empires (Roman, Chinese, Egyptian) and why advancements in Europe ground to a major halt after the fall of Rome.

[dirvish]

Yo Vagrant

I will and have been one of those exceptions. One out of ten listen and are affected by making good change and by strong family men such as myself. I am not militant in anyway but thank you to those military who have provided their lives for the chance to write this out of my own volition and freewill. Some pretty serious history. That's just it, it is history. Me, I learned my lesson as a child and won't touch that hot burner again. Won't you? Things such as greed are like a fire. It will burn itself out when there is nothing left to burn. Then the people turn on the ruling classes and then they become the ruling class and everything begins all over again. Are you comfy sir? House paid off? Car paid off? Anybody have interest in your business, monetary interest that is. Do you have someone you care for who is not so comfy because of this repeating history? Create change... it only takes one.

 

 

What's happening Folks,

Everybody good?! Lets begin...

Let me tell you about myself. I'll do it through the life of my son. I have a 13 year old kid. He is a kid who would rather find a good book, a real book that he sits and reads. He really does not care much for those giant plasma louder than life multimedia thingamajigs cluttering up the natural beauty of the art and paintings that we found from various local artists in our living room. I know this because he told me so.I think he is this way due to the fact that his dear departed mother had owned and run a small book store and he would go there after school. He educated himself a great deal by doing so... which kept me on my toes. Many times he would come to me and ask about things he had read that day. I found myself reading many of the same books he did. Him and I developed a certain before bedtime routine wherein he would ask me a question about this or that and I would do my best to answer or tell him I would find a better opinion or answer for him. I am in another of the best relationships I've ever had with another human being, in my son. We, M'lady, myself and my son, frequently go on outings. Hiking, fishing, hunting or out on a putt ( a putt being a ride out on the Harleys). Once in a while our friend and neighbor asks if we would like to take the horses out. My son says "Last one there gets the old mare!" He knows how to find water or food and how to shelter in the Grandest movie theater of all, Mother Nature. We go surfing and snorkeling but I must confess that dear ole dad here agrees with a boogey board much more these days. All of these things are here in the local vicinity and they don't cost much. In comparison to a family night out at the movie theater. The boy gets and maintains "B" averages in school though he did get a "c" but I think that's really because he started to like girls, Kendra in particular. I think I'll sit with him when he does that particular homework from that class. He has an exceptional relationship with m'Lady as he and I both realized our need to move on from his mothers death right about the same time. It was around six months after we all moved into this house that he came down for dinner at the dinner table and he asked "'tasha, can I call you mom?". Her and I looked at each other and I saw the glint and shine of a mom in her face. She walked over to him and said "can I call you son?" I could never have imagined finding love as sure as I had with my son's mother. I will go to fisticuffs or even more extreme measures if some poor fool tried to bring harm to mine. I think my son is going to be even more even-tempered and understanding with the same "I' don't make promises I do what say I'm going to do" attitude but he'll draw the same line as I. This afternoon he came in and asked if I wanted his help in rebuilding our neighbors old shed and part of their garage after a tree fell on it. He said he'd call and see if the new carburetor was ready for my Harley... my neighbor and I traded services during a poker game and a good bottle of whiskey and some beer. Its what neighbors do Occasionally we like to all get together and have at it in cards or we do a big BBQ. Anyways, I think I'll let my littleman drive the old Chevy pickup over to the neighbors this weekend... he would truly like that I think. He's built up a lot of confidence for himself these past years. My son has had to defend himself 1 time from one bully at school and well... he kicked that kids ass.Many of the other children and even a few parents came forward and put account that that kid was a bully and he deserved what he got. I blame that kids parents for not instilling the correct measure of friendliness, thoughtfulness and helpfulness in their children. Might be over exposure to violent multimedia stuff as well...they are good surfin' buddies now. I do know that my boy is going to be just fine and the people around him will and do benefit from his presence. I know m'Lady and myself are going to be just fine. We will en-devour at a small business start-up and I know the good folks where we live will support us.. We hope to be able to hire a couple of homeless blokes, in particular that retired veteran. The man has bigger callouses on his hands than I do... says a lot to me. Oh by the way, I did marry that fine Lady she's the only other one I felt truly confident about. Confident, self reliant and independent. Takin' her dancin' tonight. Little advice to all you guys... learn to cut a rug. Only three things for sure.. death, taxes and that Lady over there wants to dance. How are you Ladies and your kids? How is everybody? These are good times folks, make it happen. Create change even if it takes longer than you thought. Have fun be safe out there. If you ride a motorcycle.... pay attention, watch those folks turning left in front you especially. Maybe I'll tell you about that and health care? What are you going to do?

---d

[dirvish]

Hi Vagrant

Are you one of those who can find the actual materials and stamina enough to create working tools by building a forge and tools necessary to create this crude shelter? Could you create that shelter? Do you know about the local plants and insects that would do you harm or good or how to administer first aid? Do you possess enough charisma and knowledge to help those that are in need of your help? Do you possess any first aid knowledge at all? Even in a dire situation can you save lives for all your technical knowledge before an EMT can arrive? I can and I would. I actually live less than 5 miles from a city with a population of over 3.7 million people. I will protect and help any of them from harm in any fashion. I have had to lift the still beating heart of an animal in distress while the Dr. untwisted their digestive system so that that animal would not die. I would do the same for you. For all of your assumptions and somewhat presumptuous commentary... I'll make you a snack... see those apples on that tree grab 3 or 4 for us and fetch me that 2 lb. iron skillet would you please? Can you start a fire? Alright I'll get that. I saw some sage and a honey comb not far back I'll get that too. I'll make you one of the finest snacks you've ever had but first I recommend a nice Lady and a dance for you good sir. :laugh: I recommend a good jig for everyone. Does the heart and body good. Not to mention the spirit. I'm sure your one... it only takes one. Create change...

Thank you Vagrant. ;)

---d

[HeyYou]

Hi Vagrant

Are you one of those who can find the actual materials and stamina enough to create working tools by building a forge and tools necessary to create this crude shelter? Could you create that shelter? Do you know about the local plants and insects that would do you harm or good or how to administer first aid? Do you possess enough charisma and knowledge to help those that are in need of your help? Do you possess any first aid knowledge at all? Even in a dire situation can you save lives for all your technical knowledge before an EMT can arrive? I can and I would. I actually live less than 5 miles from a city with a population of over 3.7 million people. I will protect and help any of them from harm in any fashion. I have had to lift the still beating heart of an animal in distress while the Dr. untwisted their digestive system so that that animal would not die. I would do the same for you. For all of your assumptions and somewhat presumptuous commentary... I'll make you a snack... see those apples on that tree grab 3 or 4 for us and fetch me that 2 lb. iron skillet would you please? Can you start a fire? Alright I'll get that. I saw some sage and a honey comb not far back I'll get that too. I'll make you one of the finest snacks you've ever had but first I recommend a nice Lady and a dance for you good sir. :laugh: I recommend a good jig for everyone. Does the heart and body good. Not to mention the spirit. I'm sure your one... it only takes one. Create change...

Thank you Vagrant. ;)

---d

 

Keep in mind, those 3.7 million people are all going to be hungry, and in search of resources, and you are not going to be able to help even a small percentage of them. The rest, will come in and take what they want, and then you won't be any help to anyone, as you will be dead.

[Vagrant0]

as you will be dead.

Either dead from violence or exhaustion or disease. The thing you are forgetting is that if a crisis were to happen according to these beliefs, it would be global. Meaning that any of the usual emergency response teams would be stuck at home trying to help out locally. Hospitals would be the first places where things would break down completely as they would be over-crowded and the staff would be working non-stop and trying to do something about the lack of space, piles of bodies, and cross-exposure of people remaining to be treated. Even if the crisis isn't disease based, you still have many people with infectious diseases roaming around a city at any time. Even those who have some medical experience but aren't employed by a hospital might be called into service to try and tend to those who are sick or wounded. And all it takes is one addiction riddled psychopath who has a gun and is in need of a fix, or even days without being re-supplied to send most of what is already a strained system crashing to its knees.

 

Don't get me wrong, wanting to help out and save lives is admirable, and very natural... But during that first few weeks when the loss of life would be its greatest, you're really not accomplishing anything beyond just putting yourself at risk physically, emotionally, mentally. If you actually have all those skills that you claim, you're really best off waiting and trying to stay out of the path of destruction until things start to calm down and they will REALLY need trained individuals to not only help a settlement, but to help pass on that knowledge to others. Not that humanity would probably ever really recover from such a situation (given that whole part of humanity not having enough energy available to advance beyond an agrarian society), but atleast you would feel good to know that you were saving lives on the off chance that some level of recovery were possible.