Prepping My Boat for the End of the World

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hpeer

The problem with revolutions is that they paint with a broad brush, lots of collateral damage.

In the US we have a lot of states in financial trouble, the federal government keeps extending unemployment, now past 99 weeks. That starts to border on permanent. But it can't go on forever. Another financial fiasco and I'm afraid the whole house of cards will fall, and it could go quickly.

But whats the alternative.... Michelle O says "Let them eat Cake.."
The starving fight much more fiercely than someone on 'Grit n Greens'... nothing left to lose...
Unlike the 'Rent a Mob' in London...

[hpeer]

I don't think there is an alternative. Why does there have to be one. After my post I found this on another site. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/city-pen ... d=12366160

Basically it says within 5 years Philadelphia will not be able to meet its pension obligations. NY and Boston within 8. How will the ever helpful city employees react to such news? My life may become interesting sooner than I thought.

Bug out boats are about personal options and alternatives, not for the masses.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I don't think there is an alternative. Why does there have to be one. After my post I found this on another site. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/city-pen ... d=12366160

Basically it says within 5 years Philadelphia will not be able to meet its pension obligations. NY and Boston within 8. How will the ever helpful city employees react to such news? My life may become interesting sooner than I thought.

Bug out boats are about personal options and alternatives, not for the masses.

LOL... sounds like BREAD to me.....

[kenny chaos]

This thread left me feeling odd so I called the paranoia hot-line and they aske me to hold while they traced my call.

[perchance]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The bible will be needed at the service to marry one of those nubile virgins

However, you might have problems finding a minister of the cloth, but should be plenty of bankers around, they always seem to survive, just like cockroaches.

Pete

You forgot to mention bringing along a Lawyer in case said marriage fails to work out. I hear they make a good substitute anchor if the need arises.

[Southern Star]

These 'Chicken Little' discussions always make me laugh. In the late 50's, early 60's it was the virtual inevitabilty of a nuclear war. By the late 60's, early 70's many had moved on to pollution and the imminent destruction of not only our environment, but life as we know it (remember movies like Soylent Green, predicting a dead planet by about 2020?).

Following that there has been the fear of imminent plagues (eg. Aids, a flu pandemic), the imminent risk of terrorist attacks in your home town and yes, now the imminent risk of the total collapse of the global economy (something which people in the great depression experienced first hand - and survived). C'mon people, you can run, but you can't hide!

Yes, the economy is on shakey ground. Yes, there is massive debt that will have to be dealt with sooner or later (although interestingly, the USA is in a better position than most countries in that you are currently taxed far less than any other developed nation and hence have more 'wiggle' room to arrange for repayment, all without taking a sledge-hammer to services/infrastructure).

Individually and collectively we are an amazingly resilient species. Many of us go through tragedies in life that shake our faith in our ability to carry on. But the vast majority of us do. There is a fright/flight tendancy in virtually everyone - it is part of the most basic of our instincts, the instinct to survive. But when dealing with a world problem, rather than a local one, where do you run to? And when one considers the history of this planet, what are you really running from?

Take a deep breath. Plan an evening with a loved one and enjoy a pleasant dinner (no doubt made from international ingredients unavailable to previous generations). Uncork a nice bottle of wine (ditto). Put on some relaxing music ( no doubt on a sound system that was unimaginable even 30 years ago - and from a selection of music that was unavailable even 15 years ago). Bring out some family photos (no doubt taken on a digital camera that makes photography easier and more accessible than at any time in the past) and re-live, or at least remember, some good times past. Reflect on the fact that you own (or are at least able to aspire to own) a boat capable of cruising, perhaps even to distant shores. And reflect upon the fact that until this generation (or at least the last one) ownership of a cruising boat was limited to the very wealthy.

Then go to bed with the one you love and don't just have sex, but make love. Fall asleep in each other's arms, knowing that there will always be one place where you will be safe, satisfied, comfortable and content. And knowing that your world really isn't such an awful place.

Brad

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

These 'Chicken Little' discussions always make me laugh. In the late 50's, early 60's it was the virtual inevitabilty of a nuclear war. By the late 60's, early 70's many had moved on to pollution and the imminent destruction of not only our environment, but life as we know it (remember movies like Soylent Green, predicting a dead planet by about 2020?).

Following that there has been the fear of imminent plagues (eg. Aids, a flu pandemic), the imminent risk of terrorist attacks in your home town and yes, now the imminent risk of the total collapse of the global economy (something which people in the great depression experienced first hand - and survived). C'mon people, you can run, but you can't hide!

Yes, the economy is on shakey ground. Yes, there is massive debt that will have to be dealt with sooner or later (although interestingly, the USA is in a better position than most countries in that you are currently taxed far less than any other developed nation and hence have more 'wiggle' room to arrange for repayment, all without taking a sledge-hammer to services/infrastructure).

Individually and collectively we are an amazingly resilient species. Many of us go through tragedies in life that shake our faith in our ability to carry on. But the vast majority of us do. There is a fright/flight tendancy in virtually everyone - it is part of the most basic of our instincts, the instinct to survive. But when dealing with a world problem, rather than a local one, where do you run to? And when one considers the history of this planet, what are you really running from?

Take a deep breath. Plan an evening with a loved one and enjoy a pleasant dinner (no doubt made from international ingredients unavailable to previous generations). Uncork a nice bottle of wine (ditto). Put on some relaxing music ( no doubt on a sound system that was unimaginable even 30 years ago - and from a selection of music that was unavailable even 15 years ago). Bring out some family photos (no doubt taken on a digital camera that makes photography easier and more accessible than at any time in the past) and re-live, or at least remember, some good times past. Reflect on the fact that you own (or are at least able to aspire to own) a boat capable of cruising, perhaps even to distant shores. And reflect upon the fact that until this generation (or at least the last one) ownership of a cruising boat was limited to the very wealthy.

Then go to bed with the one you love and don't just have sex, but make love. Fall asleep in each other's arms, knowing that there will always be one place where you will be safe, satisfied, comfortable and content. And knowing that your world really isn't such an awful place.

Brad

I feel safer already...

[atoll]

read a great book years ago written by a 70's end of the worldy type yachty.
was called "SAILING THE FARM" had some great ideas for self sufficiency,dont know if it is still in print but well worth reading.
he advocated tools and gold,which i whish id bought when it was around $600/ounce.

[goboatingnow]

he USA is in a better position than most countries in that you are currently taxed far less than any other developed nation and hence have more 'wiggle' room to arrange for repayment

egh you might want to check your facts there, The great triumph of US government was and is convincing its own public that thet are far less taxed, more free and have smaller government then anywhere else on the planet, like lots of things it doesnt bear proper inspection. But it always amuses me when Joe American tells it too me.

When I lived in teh states, it had more laws, more police, more taxes, and huge beaurocracy, much more then in some countries I have lived in.

WHat teh US does have going for it is SIZE. too big to fail etc, ( where have we heard that before..)

Dave

[Southern Star]

Hey, I just made a suggestion that things are rarely as bad as they seem and that this is far from the first (nor I suspect the last) occasion when people have been making plans for some form of actual, or economic armageddon. Delmarrey, if you served in Vietnam then you are old enough to remember the cold war. I can still recall air raid drills at school where we were told to hide under our desks with our hands folded over our heads. I can remember frequent testing of our 'early warning system' for such a war on network television. I can remember visiting a model bomb shelter at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto as a child ( I believe it was 1960) and our family recieving free plans for converting part of our basement into our very own bomb shelter in case of nuclear war! I remember the Cuban missle crisis.

Was their reason to worry? You bet. Is there reason to worry today. Ditto. But as I said, experience has taught me that things are rarely as bad as they seem. Experience has taught me that I have much to be thankful for. Experience has taught me that, as I said, you can run but you cannot hide. If the global economy collapses (and that is one very big 'if'), some of you may believe that you will be able to escape and remain safe on your boat. I don't share that view.

If I offended anyone by expressing my own views and by making suggestions about an alternative outlook on, and approach to life in these difficult times - well so be it.

Right now I think I am going to take myself up on my own advice and enjoy a nice, quiet night at home with the woman I love. And I am pretty confident that I'll sleep better than those who sit and silently (or not so silently) fume about the state of our economy, the loss of individual freedoms and their sense of impending doom.

Cheers!

Brad

[hpeer]

I'm sure there are a wide range of views and needs. In my case we live in a large east coast center city. If things were to go South it might be very hard to get out of the city and the city may not be a place that you want to be. Neighborhoods change rapidly. So, if you feel insecure in your home, how do you get out? Knowing I have a reasonable way makes me feel better and helps me sleep at night.

Where would I go? Don't know but I have some ideas. Maybe I just sit out in the bay for a week until the fires die down.

And if it all doesn't happen? Great, then I go off on my merry retirement.

I see no down side to thinking about this and being prepared. Sorta like carrying a drogue with you on a crossing.

[delmarrey]

Life is only one day at a time.
Only the plans one makes may determine ones future. We'll all die eventually but when, where and how are relative.

I remember the Cuban missle crisis.

Do you remember we were just minutes and a decision away from a war.

[boatman61]

SouthernStar... Enjoy what sounds like a very pleasant evening...
As for the Global Financial Crisis.... its a joke.... when it gets real bad everyone will devalue and write off debts.... print loads more notes and start again... none of the Powerful 'Haves' will be any worse off... its all on paper anyway...
Follow the USA's lead on the printing at least..
Common guys... moneys just something that was invented because its easier to carry in your pocket than a goat or a couple of chickens... do you honestly think everyones gonna start running round killing coz the banks are bust or the country's broke...
Thought you guys were seriously civilised 1st Worlders....
Oh.. I forgot.. most of you live surrounded by concrete and float on plastic... in more ways than one... so no chickens or eggs to barter.. just stock portfolio's and share options... ahh well.. things aint changed much since the 30's.. still a lot of window ledges around for the faint hearted.

[hellosailor]

"its easier to carry in your pocket than a goat or a couple of chickens... "
ROFL!
And you know the real problem is that ATM's only dispense goats, so if all you need is a chicken and you can't get any change...And its bad enough when the ATM eats your card, if the goat gets a bite of it....
Don't you hate when that happens?!

Hooray for paper money!

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

do you honestly think everyones gonna start running round killing coz the banks are bust or the country's broke...

It's not the banks I would worry about but being over run by the lenders wanting their money back and what measures they will take to get it.

Being w/o debt and owning as few material objects as possible is the best freedom one can feel. So far, there is no control over the wind and water. So that's one place to jump. And if no need to jump then one can just enjoy it. It's a two option course.
Anchors aweigh!