tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post1965769583154637999..comments2024-02-28T22:03:57.237-05:00Comments on The Automatic Earth: December 27 2010: A Spectre Still Haunts Europe ... and AmericaIlargihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09698428009501267664noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-59142075373015555152010-12-29T17:21:46.986-05:002010-12-29T17:21:46.986-05:00New post up.
2011 : Ready Or Not, Here We Come!...New post up.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-29-2010-2011-ready-or-not-here.html" rel="nofollow"><b>2011 : Ready Or Not, Here We Come!</b></a><br /><br /><br /><br />.Ilargihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09698428009501267664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-11954685351507748742010-12-29T17:11:56.553-05:002010-12-29T17:11:56.553-05:00@ the Board (Many wise words)
Nice to have that pe...@ the Board (Many wise words)<br />Nice to have that personal touch. <br /><br />Scavenging is an absolute go if you are at a city center, but cities could get pretty nasty too. City areas have 2-3 orders of magnitude greater eco-footprints than their domestic biocapacity. Yes, there will be lots of stuff to scavange, but there won't be enough food by a long shot. This could make cities quiteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-89900146605249199272010-12-29T16:36:32.283-05:002010-12-29T16:36:32.283-05:00@ Ruben
I too, agree with your post, there must b...@ Ruben<br /><br />I too, agree with your post, there must be mountains of inventory of just about anything you can think of, so awash are we in the plenty of our western lives, couple that with a retrogressive attitude towards technology - as per JMG - e.g. CD back to Tape, ( I can live with that when the time comes) and the landing might not be as hard as we imagine, initially anyways. "zanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15352619368764868819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-45760414379514900292010-12-29T16:16:55.976-05:002010-12-29T16:16:55.976-05:00Acquiring or improving skills that allow some pers...Acquiring or improving skills that allow some personal control over the necessities of life, directly or by trade, must be a priority. Its not just economically profitable, but mentally beneficial. Otherwise, given drastic decomplexification, if people remain physically and emotionally reliant on the products provided by unstable logistical complexity or the care provided by central authorities Gravityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09126443076478406015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-3363912284883377092010-12-29T16:06:13.324-05:002010-12-29T16:06:13.324-05:00RE: What should younger people do?
I agree with m...RE: What should younger people do?<br /><br />I agree with most of what has been said here in terms of learning useful skills, but do not think we should aim for an earlier era's technological level (at least not initially).<br /><br />We have watched our manufacturing base disappear over the last two decades, and unfortunately it is not coming back. But simple, local manufacturing is Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03081291842118351730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-18321838406679571162010-12-29T15:17:41.886-05:002010-12-29T15:17:41.886-05:00I think it safe to say that very few people will b...I think it safe to say that very few people will be making any kind of living in the traditional trades that have been suggested here, in the immediate future. But, that time may not be as far off as Ruben has suggested.<br /><br />His thoughts on reusing existing manufactures does suggest another possibly more proximate trade. I mean, of course, scavenger. Gather and stockpile things that more Phlogiston Água de Beberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16269917130349144430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-69272162844216954962010-12-29T14:42:35.056-05:002010-12-29T14:42:35.056-05:00Ruben,
I take your point. Those just happen to be...Ruben,<br /><br />I take your point. Those just happen to be the practical skills I have. I realize they might not be the best ones. I hope to be able to rely on writing and speaking skills for a while to come :)<br /><br />Rob,<br /><br />How about making <a href="http://www.jumaka.com/moccasins/Books.html" rel="nofollow">mukluks and moccasins</a>?Stoneleighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15099878430757036461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-55838277704931894922010-12-29T14:33:27.986-05:002010-12-29T14:33:27.986-05:00Well, actually perhaps NY to the northwest is a bi...Well, actually perhaps NY to the northwest is a bit too far for my calfskin...EBrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02894676347259218501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-53792125811930586642010-12-29T14:32:13.718-05:002010-12-29T14:32:13.718-05:00Ruben,
I heartily agree with your posts. I rea...Ruben,<br /> I heartily agree with your posts. I reached similar "conclusions" about the likelihood of total collapse vs. bumpy descent a number of years ago. There is an incredible amount of so called crap lying around, at least in the US of A, that can be repurposed into useful function. On the off chance that I'm wrong and we do go through a total collapse of all shipping EBrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02894676347259218501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-59670836060418784062010-12-29T14:24:24.447-05:002010-12-29T14:24:24.447-05:00@ Stoneleigh
Great! The local shoemakers and cobb...@ Stoneleigh<br /><br />Great! The local shoemakers and cobblers will desperately need your tiny stitches. <br /><br />We have a lot of people skilled in animal fibers here in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm glad for that. On the other hand, keeping people's feet dry and safe from a sharp hoe requires an economy that's a couple orders of magnitude more complex. It's a bit daunting Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13622686214689145455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-6917307020228231702010-12-29T13:50:44.060-05:002010-12-29T13:50:44.060-05:00@Usman
I think Redbriars answer was very smart. I...@Usman<br /><br />I think Redbriars answer was very smart. I think it will likely be several generations before there is much need for the old skills like smithing and wheelwrighting.<br /><br />The Archdruid's notions on a salvage economy are very important here--I think we will go through years of welding scrap before we actually need to smith anything.<br /><br />Think of the big box Rubenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08391623908501295326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-34852172494671442432010-12-29T13:23:17.599-05:002010-12-29T13:23:17.599-05:00Rob,
I can sew very small stitches :)
Personally...Rob,<br /><br />I can sew very small stitches :)<br /><br />Personally, I can imagine a future of sewing, clothes design, tailoring, quilting, spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, all over which can be done with no fossil fuel inputs. <br /><br />I already have the fibre animals (sheep and alpacas), just not the time. I did knit mittens over Christmas though. I can practically do that in my Stoneleighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15099878430757036461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-89211552270988404782010-12-29T12:59:14.205-05:002010-12-29T12:59:14.205-05:00I'm a 30 year old Web developer, and am learni...I'm a 30 year old Web developer, and am learning shoemaking on my spare time. It's very, very hard to do. Materials are scarce as well. <br /><br />Fellow young people, I will need cattle farmers, dairy farmers (calfskin), good vegetable-tanned leather, leather splitters, high-quality linen thread for welting, fine thread for the upper part of the shoe, steel shanks, metal eyelets, fine Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13622686214689145455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-13438861426923570622010-12-29T12:25:57.831-05:002010-12-29T12:25:57.831-05:00Military Industrial Complex Speech Party
Karl Wei...Military Industrial Complex Speech Party<br /><br />Karl Weissenbach, Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, observed: "Eisenhower is consistently placed among the top 10 in presidential ranking polls, and I believe the foresight he expressed in the Farewell Address is a contributing factor."<br /><br />Susan Eisenhower, public policy analyst and granddaughter of mistah charley, ph.d.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06303695341246058680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-30149220282736974382010-12-29T12:17:05.321-05:002010-12-29T12:17:05.321-05:00Re.: worrying about the future of younguns
Its al...Re.: worrying about the future of younguns<br /><br />Its all about being mentally prepared for change.<br /><br />Change is good. Embrace change. Don’t wallow in self pithy. Practice makes perfect. <br /><br />Every change should be considered as a chance to improve and activate rusty skills.<br /><br />Skills of the “trade” a mostly “tricks” that have been acquired from repeatedly applying jalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16969819389823705458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-41243481937807403342010-12-29T10:44:53.063-05:002010-12-29T10:44:53.063-05:00As Ilargi has reiterated, this is a primarily poli...As Ilargi has reiterated, this is a primarily political crisis. And as I know from attending the event with Stoneleigh in Rockville, MD, this summer, the DC area has a fair number of readers of this blog. According, I hope it's not too off-topic for me to mention a party that everyone is invited to:<br /><br /><b>Eisenhower's Farewell Address - 50th Anniversary Celebration - FREE FOOD</mistah charley, ph.d.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06303695341246058680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-86977851698109269792010-12-29T10:07:46.684-05:002010-12-29T10:07:46.684-05:00@ Luis D.S.
Hi.
My thought on deflation: people ...@ Luis D.S.<br /><br />Hi.<br /><br />My thought on deflation: people do not accept that we have hundreds of TRILLIONS of dollars in credit and debt, for which there is NO underlying REAL value. (Hyper)inflationists believe that the "printing" of money (or simply adding digits to reseve accounts at the FED) will lead to events that are "inflationary"---costs, currency Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02629934080871994373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-12239303253739311772010-12-29T09:18:31.045-05:002010-12-29T09:18:31.045-05:00agtcfc and Usman A,
Is it a fair assumption to co...agtcfc and Usman A,<br /><br /><i>Is it a fair assumption to conclude that most of TAE participants are older than 35-40??? (let me know what you think...Stoneleigh & Ilargi are quite a ways away from us younglings). </i><br /><br />I am in my forties, but I do have a direct connection with your age group because I have kids only a little younger. I have told them for years that they need Stoneleighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15099878430757036461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-4801403768471707162010-12-29T08:46:07.158-05:002010-12-29T08:46:07.158-05:00@usman, @allgreatthings..., and all
[Just for t...@usman, @allgreatthings..., and all <br /><br />[Just for the record, I am 60 --the 1950 in my handle is my birth year.]<br /><br />Thanks for personalizing the comments today. It's sometimes easy for things to get very abstract here and for us to lose sight of the fact that it's "my life" that's on the line.<br /><br />Dimitri Orlov wrote a wonderful essay several years rcg1950https://www.blogger.com/profile/14528664922464338338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-20245287810612242332010-12-29T08:30:06.766-05:002010-12-29T08:30:06.766-05:00@I.M. Nobody - Thanks for the welcome. I agree th...@I.M. Nobody - Thanks for the welcome. I agree that cobbler-ing is another good trade to consider, as is tanning, as you point out. We may as well add thatcher, tailor, wheelwright, wainwright, butcher, baker, and candlestick maker too. Seriously, all the old surnames have much predictive value right now. <br /><br />@agtmfc - I don't say that blacksmithing would be easy in any way, or Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-40873387982011407002010-12-29T07:59:34.688-05:002010-12-29T07:59:34.688-05:00@ Usman A
re: choice of vocation
I am 60. My fat...@ Usman A<br /><br />re: choice of vocation<br /><br />I am 60. My father said to me years ago: "Make your living at what you are good at, and make your hobby at what you enjoy." It worked for me, all through the 70's and beyond - the great age of cheap oil.<br /><br />I would rewrite that advice slightly to say: "make your hobby at what might be useful when your work won'tRedbriarshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704624532225520527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-4289000197770069572010-12-29T06:50:06.876-05:002010-12-29T06:50:06.876-05:00@Luís de Sousa
There can be no "pure" p...@Luís de Sousa<br /><br />There can be no "pure" political choices now. Later in the game when there's a dictatorship/emergency gouv, sure, they'll print and give away; employ everyone to build dams for the future of the nation...<br /><br />Regards,<br />Paulp01https://www.blogger.com/profile/04396562841580952642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-81358675879292517572010-12-29T04:54:09.994-05:002010-12-29T04:54:09.994-05:00As we get fresh highs for gold and silver, 1070€ a...As we get fresh highs for gold and silver, 1070€ and 23€ respectively, in one of the slowest business days of the year, the deflationista thesis is questioned once more.<br /><br />This video sums it up quite well:<br /><br />http://outerdnn.outer.jhuapl.edu/rethinking/VideoArchives/MrJamesGRickardsPresentationVideo.aspx<br /><br />The problem with the deflationisas is that you are yet to Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08895745055248556694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-47207110060530194212010-12-29T02:54:13.427-05:002010-12-29T02:54:13.427-05:00Of the many notable Americans we lost in 2010...Ri...<i>Of the many notable Americans we lost in 2010...Richard Holbrooke, the diplomat who brought peace to the killing fields of Bosnia in the 1990s.</i><br /><br />Give me a break New York Times!<br /><br />If your really want to know a little about Richard Holbrooke, read what Noam Chomsky had to say about him. <a href="http://www.counterpunch.com/chomsky01282009.html" rel="nofollow">Obama's Nassimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014132282872515690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921988708619968880.post-16335792332498866282010-12-28T23:35:46.326-05:002010-12-28T23:35:46.326-05:00Massive declines in real estate prices globally. T...<i>Massive declines in real estate prices globally. The Australian and Canadian bubble are ripe for the picking. <br /></i><br /><br />VK,<br /><br />People have been saying something similar for so long that I have lost count. I hope it is so but the built-in momentum of the system keeps on surprising me.<br /><br />Right now, I am almost a persona non grata with my wife's friends and Nassimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014132282872515690noreply@blogger.com