Messages

1

Geopolitics / Re: To Disobey and Get Away

« on: April 09, 2015, 03:33:47 PM »

"The only thing that will bring the machine to a halt is running out of the energy needed to keep it going.  The complexity of the globalised system, with all its interdependent sub-systems, will then cause cascading systemic failures, which nobody will want and yet is unstoppable.  The Tragedy of the Powerdown.

Once the population has been reduced through war, famine and disease to a level that is sustainable without further trashing the planet, and held in check by famine and disease the way Nature intended, the whole damned cycle will begin again, although it will never reach the heights we see today due to lack of energy."

This is pretty much where I am at as well.

2

Geopolitics / Re: To Disobey and Get Away

« on: April 09, 2015, 09:33:26 AM »

""It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle,
than it is for a richman to gain the keys to the kingdom of
heaven"

These are ineffectual words that placate to the unaccomplished both physically and mentally feeding off of primitive emotions and serve only to further divide man against man. Heaven is an illusion meant to pacify the less fortunate.

How are we ever going to change things when we keep thinking within the social and mental constructs that were embedded into our psyche long ago by those slightly smarter and more conniving than the rest?

3

Geopolitics / Re: To Disobey and Get Away

« on: April 09, 2015, 08:12:00 AM »

"All we need to do to tear down the current power structure is to take as much as we can while giving back as little as possible."

Oh no, that doesn't sound selfish and ill-thought out at all.

The system is the disease (that keeps the human population booming), no matter who is running it or how equitably it distributes resources. It will require much more than simply changing leadership/ownership.

4

Geopolitics / Re: To Disobey and Get Away

« on: April 09, 2015, 06:57:15 AM »

This article seems rather fantastical in some ways. I agree with Eddies example regarding the squatters and the public property. But this article does not accept the reality of human nature when it talks about not needing police officers (or a publicly elected enforcement officer). It focuses on capitalism way too much which gives it a narrow platform. Any industrialized system that does not respect limits will inevitably create inequality, whether it be for people, animals, or the environment.

There is no mention of over-population which as each day passes, only adds to the inevitable inequality.

Revolution does not always lead to something better. Our situation today is much different then it has been in the past. We are at the end of the line resource and waste sink wise. Even if we were to overthrow the government, equitable distribution of resources would turn the planet barren over night.

We need to do more than overthrow the current paradigm. We need to build the new one along side it, independent of it so that when it finally crumbles under its own decaying weight, we will have something to hold us up. If you just tear down the current power structure with no alternatives, you are inviting disaster. And you would rightly deserve it.

5

Podcasts / Re: Parade of Lies

« on: February 04, 2015, 03:40:32 AM »

Thanks for the link. I was wondering if it was just me not seeing it. Tried Chrome and Internet Destroyer.

6

The Kitchen Sink / Re: Disease! :(

« on: April 17, 2014, 12:36:53 AM »

Looks to me like some sort of scale insect....

Thanks!

7

The Kitchen Sink / Disease! :(

« on: April 16, 2014, 02:50:02 AM »

Anyone know what these critters are?

This is on my dwarf lime tree, it also causes it to 'sweat':



These pods were on my goji berry plants:

8

Doomsteading / Re: Community Owned Doomstead

« on: December 13, 2013, 08:41:38 PM »

Excellent to hear. The wife and I are saving to eventually move somewhere 'out there' but in the mean time we continue to make our current 'doomstead' more efficient. Depending on how long the economy holds up and how much money we have saved by the time this thing is good to go, we may be interested. What is the latest on this effort?

We established a Non-Profit 501c3 called Sustaining Universal Needs and Launched our website SUN4Living.

We are working on getting our financial system working after having some issues with a Phishing attempt on our account.  We are working on Education Software to add to the SUN4Living Website to assist people developing their own solutions.

You should read through the S4L website and add any additional questions you have over there.  This aspect of what we are doing is transitioning over to that website now.

RE

Awesome, I will head over there and check it out. I have been reading the articles on it (SUN) but have failed to find a link.

9

Doomsteading / Re: Community Owned Doomstead

« on: December 13, 2013, 02:40:26 AM »

While this is an awesome idea, I would only be interested if the land was being bought outright, not through the pranking system. Oops, I mean Banking system.

We have evolved a ways from this period of discussion.

Land acquisition will come either from Donations, Lease Purchase or straight Cash transaction.  Banks will not be involved.

RE

Excellent to hear. The wife and I are saving to eventually move somewhere 'out there' but in the mean time we continue to make our current 'doomstead' more efficient. Depending on how long the economy holds up and how much money we have saved by the time this thing is good to go, we may be interested. What is the latest on this effort?

10

Doomsteading / Re: Community Owned Doomstead

« on: December 12, 2013, 02:32:54 AM »

OK well that is positive enough feedback for me to share the full idea here.  Since I am from western wisconsin and grew up on a farm near there and know the area ect.  i will work up the initial business model for that area.  I have seen several favorable properties in the 45-150k for this type of project. 

I'll blow my cover on this project too as I am actually going to be reaching out to a much larger audience than DD'er.  I plan to finish my business plan and video tape my pitch to potential participants.  Just give me a couple of weeks, literally in the belly of the beast, the power plant I am employed at is going to be coming online after a generator failure and significant other work.  Its going to be interesting for me as I am expected to  startup two new systems which I have been thrown in on the last two weeks...

I think I can round enough participants of the right type to have a good shot at this.  From my experience both in corporate hierarchies and communal doomsteads though the devil of such a venture is in the organizational structure and expectations.  I'm going to give that a good amount of focus in my proposal.  In the meantime maybe you guys can draft up your thoughts on how best to manage a "doom tribe".

While this is an awesome idea, I would only be interested if the land was being bought outright, not through the pranking system. Oops, I mean Banking system.

11

Science, Inventions & Techology / Re: Thermodynamic Musings on Mans Place in Cosmos and Current Predicament

« on: November 21, 2013, 09:21:46 PM »

Those ingredients might not be readily available in a post SHTF scenario. I imagine the sulfur and charcoal might be easy enough but the Salt peter? Is that something that you would find in a bog or swamp? Or maybe you could distill it from urine?

Sulfur is the hard one.  Saltpeter you get from combining lye (potassium hydroxide) with nitric acid.  You get lye by running water through wood ashes.  Nitric acid you can get by heating air to very high temperatures and running water through it.

Oh yeah, and don't believe everything you see on Mythbusters    You definitely need to know what you are doing to make black powder, but it is possible.

How would you collect the Nitric Acid?

12

Science, Inventions & Techology / Re: Thermodynamic Musings on Mans Place in Cosmos and Current Predicament

« on: November 21, 2013, 09:19:16 PM »

I never looked into the black powder guns because I thought it would be difficult to make the powder. Is it not that difficult?

Making black powder is an art as well as a science. It is made from three common chemical substances, which were widely available in antiquity. Salt peter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal (C₇H₄O). Having the correct charcoal is key, from what I understand. It ain't rocket science. You can do it.

(The writer of this comment offers the standard disclaimer that he is not responsible for any injuries or deaths caused by anyone choosing to mix up the afore-mentioned substances.)

Those ingredients might not be readily available in a post SHTF scenario. I imagine the sulfur and charcoal might be easy enough but the Salt peter? Is that something that you would find in a bog or swamp? Or maybe you could distill it from urine?

Remember the Star Trek episode with the Gorn?  Where Kirk makes Gunpowder and fires a Diamond to knock down the Gorn?



Jamie and Adam on Myth Busters tested this one out and it is darn hard to make black powder that will burn fast enough to generate a blast.  That is if you even can get hold of all the ingredients.

I suggest a Potato Gun, air compressor etc.

RE

I think the compressor (with power) would be much harder to come buy in a post SHTF scenario. But yes, I do remember that episode.

13

Science, Inventions & Techology / Re: Thermodynamic Musings on Mans Place in Cosmos and Current Predicament

« on: November 21, 2013, 09:05:24 PM »

I never looked into the black powder guns because I thought it would be difficult to make the powder. Is it not that difficult?

Making black powder is an art as well as a science. It is made from three common chemical substances, which were widely available in antiquity. Salt peter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal (C₇H₄O). Having the correct charcoal is key, from what I understand. It ain't rocket science. You can do it.

(The writer of this comment offers the standard disclaimer that he is not responsible for any injuries or deaths caused by anyone choosing to mix up the afore-mentioned substances.)

Those ingredients might not be readily available in a post SHTF scenario. I imagine the sulfur and charcoal might be easy enough but the Salt peter? Is that something that you would find in a bog or swamp? Or maybe you could distill it from urine?

14

Science, Inventions & Techology / Re: Thermodynamic Musings on Mans Place in Cosmos and Current Predicament

« on: November 21, 2013, 05:50:42 PM »

I never looked into the black powder guns because I thought it would be difficult to make the powder. Is it not that difficult?

15

Science, Inventions & Techology / Re: Thermodynamic Musings on Mans Place in Cosmos and Current Predicament

« on: November 21, 2013, 04:36:42 PM »

Excellent response! I actually own the same model shotgun in that picture (I put a collapsible stock on it). My next weapons acquisition will be a crossbow for that exact reason. It is much easier to make arrows than bullets and the string can be made from sinew.

Personal drones? lol

This is my SHTF collection. Can you believe I used to be anti-gun? lol

Details 20130902 210716 Small

20130902 210716 Small

Yes, the dog is actually a SHTF tool.

But really she's a big baby. She's a cross between Pit and Collie. She's a real sweetheart.