CAMPING ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS
One of the thoughtful, rational and unemotional loyal minions ( in other words, not a troll ) in the comments section has disagreed with my insistence that we are all going to die next week. To be honest, he is probably closer to the mark than I am although I think he isn't taking energy into account as much as economics. Which is fine, I'll let the trolls do the nit picking today. The question, which is valid, is why live like an animal if you don't have to. A fair question. Why engage in glorified camping if we won't see serious collapse for years?
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We can set aside the out of the blue surprise attacks. The nuclear wars, the EMP attacks, asteroid impacts, Straight Of Hormuz shut downs, Super Flu outbreak, etc. While any are possible, few are very probable and you can't live in fear of such limited probability events. Black Swan events rarely call for escaping the rat race and living ten miles out of town on junk land. Which leaves entirely predictable events. Such as economic melt downs and running out of oil. Both of which are happening now. But the sixty four thousand dollar question is timing. Panic now or panic later. It is quite easy for me to preach to panic now, since I keep scaring off wives and my kids live with their mother. I'm only accountable to myself as far as lifestyle goes ( financial servitude is another matter ). So why should you listen to me? I'm not forced to worry about high salaries, demanding wives, child care services intervening if running water and electricity isn't provided.
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The honest answer is, you shouldn't listen to me. You need to follow your own inner voice. I'm just here to make suggestions and try to offer affordable advise. Glorified camping is very affordable, but it is also pretty close to living Third World ( just without the hunger or disease ). I mean, most of the homeless guys coming in for services live better than I do in some aspects. They live in a tent and have no heat other than Maddog 20/20, but they also take long hot showers and get a great meal every day. They can hang out in our waiting room and watch movies. That translates into free winter heat most of the day. I have to come to work to get that. Of course, I can also buy a good book and they only get whatever romance novel they pick out of the trash. Not that I'm assuming many want to read, or can. As I've already shared with you, I'm living pretty much just one step above being homeless.
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Crapping in a bucket of sawdust ( or chemical toilet ), cooking on a camp stove, doing without refrigeration, showering from a used bleach bottle, keeping warm overnight with a huge stack of blankets to save on propane and using a five watt LED lamp as all my light save flashlights are all pretty much roughing it at least compared to the average American lifestyle. And I don't really mind at all. The worst is trying to bath while it is so cold and trying to get to work through snow or mud or heavy winds. But all in all it is not that bad of an existence. It might take a bit of getting used to, but it certainly is not that bad. I have total peace and quiet. I'm living as cheap as it can possibly get. I don't have to sweat grid collapse as it effects me, other than the big picture problems it presents ( like the rest of you it will effect me crime wise and economically but not as far as keeping the lights on ). I don't have to worry about the coming collapse as much as if I was still living a conventional lifestyle. So it doesn't matter if we are all going to die next week or next year. I still get benefits now.
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Which is what this all boils down to. How you want to live, the price you are willing to pay for the benefits you receive. If power at the flick of a switch, water to waste, cable TV and easy transportation are worth the stress of the rat race then for you it is all worth it. If you see collapse and chaos and calamity around every corner and you are tired of supporting all the parasites leeching off you then it is worth roughing it off grid. Hell, I truly hope we never see collapse and I'm living like this for no reason. I don't mind being wrong about something like that. But I'm still not suffering because to me, now, I still benefit from where I'm at. So, even if bugging out now to off-grid makes wonderful sense, you probably won't want to do it if you are giving up more than you are gaining. Why leave if you are just going to turn around and move back? Don't misunderstand me. I do think the sacrifice now is worth it and you are safer moving now. I really think we are all going to die. But I've been wrong before. I can see both sides of the issue. Just don't wait forever because you don't have that long. No one knows when it will be too late to move. Next week, next year, next decade. Don't let me get you too riled up, but don't become complacent either.
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46 comments:
Maddog 20/20
Now your talkin
BD
The only reasonable thing to do is figure out what the likeliest scenarios are, and prep for those, now.
If swine flu goes pandemic, are you in a position to go home, shut your door, and live self-contained for a while?
If long term unemployment hits, have you taken measures to keep the bills paid, maybe developed alternate income streams?
If the grocery store shelves empty, can you go home, or do you need to riot in the store parking lot?
And so on.
None of us can time these things, and that's sufficient reason for making your preps now.
I think the big advantage to living the lifestyle now rather than being forced to later is that you can get everything in place and see how it works rather than speculating.
I have preps but have i ever actually lived off those alone? No, so I don't know how things would play out in real life. James has the advantage of knowing exactly how he will be living post-collapse with the ability to adjust and change strategies now while he can. Maybe the collapse won't come but man, are there a lot of ugly storm clouds out there right now.
Dutch
I agree with Dutch, while Jims lifestyle is bare bones and quite tough and self imposed, he will hardly notice when TSHF, Just like the Amish around here, they will be glad to see no more cars...
Old Fart
Great post
Good post, but you need to stop the level-headed talk. It scares me.
Jim,
your blog is great I reed it every day.
I moved off grid 4 years ago its been one problem after another. The problems didn’t surface till we lived there year round. We are still working the bugs out , It takes time and seasons. I agree with Jim and the others. Get moved in NOW or ASAP. it’s a tough road ahead, it’ll be even tougher to iron out bugs when goods and services are not available, or even limited.
Great post, easy to understand, well written and to the point.
For those of you, like Jim, who are so sure of "peak oil", consider the testimony of Lindsey Williams. He was a baptist chaplain for the oil workers building the Alaska oil pipeline during the early 1970's. He has no dog in the environmental debate, but when "peak oil" became a hot button issue he wrote a book titled "the non-energy crisis". In it, he tells of a North Slope discovery so huge that it dwarfs all other single deposits in the Western Hemisphere. He gives his own first-hand account of being with the engineers and oil executives during the discovery. Richard Nixon immediately declared it a state secret. Williams recounts the engineers estimates that if all other domestic oil production and oil imports ceased, the discovered deposit would meet all the U.S. demand for 200 years (at 1971 consumption rates). Several years later, although he was not there to personaly witness it again, he sais that one of the same oil executives told him that they found an even larger single deposit. Again it was declared a state secret. The administration had decided on a policy of buying oil from foreign sources willing to sell. We would then still have our vast reserves. He claims that every single congressional committee chairman that oversees energy policy along with the presidents who have served since, know the extent of the North Slope reserves. The current North Slope fields and the much debated ANWR area are small potato's compared to other known reserves.
During the Cold War the U.S. recognized it's vunerability being an energy importing nation. The Soviet Union exports huge amounts of oil and natural gas. The U.S. declaring a huge domestic discovery a "state secret" seems quite plausible.
I've read elsewhere that in a single week, the oil fields in Alaska pump back a one year U.S. supply of natural gas into the ground. ( It comes up with oil and they have no way to transport it).
I believe it. How about you?
"Richard Nixon immediately declared it a state secret. Williams recounts the engineers estimates that if all other domestic oil production and oil imports ceased, the discovered deposit would meet all the U.S. demand for 200 years..."
I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE. HURRAH ! We're SAVED. thank god ! now we can get gas for pennies a gallon...wheee...
Their was also a rumor about a similar deposit in Colorado a few years ago. I'm not on the peak oil bandwagon but their are other reasons to fear for your family so much of the Bison Blog is still valid. I do tire of the whole oil issue though.
Much more important reason to panic right now. Haven't you all heard about the possible pandemic of swine flu out of Mexico yet?
http://www.drudgereport.com/
The fact that its 22-45 year olds dieing is the scary part much like Spanish flu. Still not enough info to call it a pandemic for sure but it doesn't look good. No firm statistics yet but some are floating around 6% death rate.
Panic now, and beat the rush.
Seriously, check out what Rawls at SurvivalBlog has to say about Cytokine Storm.
This sounds BAD!
Shades of the Umbrella Corp....
Do you think retroactive viruses will kill us all? Cytokine storms are theorical, not real. LIke maybe, like life on another planet, or UFO's or evil spirits. But, if its on the internet it must be true? right?
I don't think James moved to early.He has gained peace of mind in his daily life. Whatever the threat he's ready for it. Peak oil or swine flu or....?
"Cytokine storms are theorical, not real."
well that's what "experts" do instead of saying: "We don't know", they come up with some real elaborate nonsense instead.
"like life on another planet or UFO's"
there are a very large number of inhabited planets, many by humans and many more by extraterrestrials. what the means for "evolutionary doctrine" and "intelligent design" is shall we say "elementary".
"or evil spirits."
hum, the correct term is "mischievous spirits". people have a very loose conception of 'good and evil'. like it's 'good' to carpet bomb children of the 'darkies' to make schools 'safe' for the little white thong wearing ritalin snorting 'whiteys'....but it's 'bad' to smoke or own a gun.
"But, if its on the internet it must be true? right?"
gee, any newspapers left ? anybody can afford a newspaper anymore ? how about a magazine and not a comic or a spanky rag ? so the answer to "if it's on the internet it must be true !" is well the only other option was "you must have heard it on TV"...
yes, thank goodness we have OBAMA and the BUTT BOYS, because we is SAVED. were going to have high paying jobs, fast food galore, big suvs, and free government health care....you read it on the internet so it MUST BE TRUE...
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I have never seen a survivalist site up till now.
WOW, What a bunch of IDIOTS.
iT IS O.K. FOR CHILDREN TO PLAY THIS GAME, BUT , ADULTS??
Grow up, stupid imbecils.
I went to old posts and see how many lunatics are just waiting for their mickey mouse dosage of survival. ***BULL SHIT***
I can now see why women are leaving you. **dont blame them a bit**.
You are acting stupid.
Now go ahead, take me apart with your stupid comments and excuses to justify your ineptitudes.
Your certified stupidity is high in the annals (anally) .
I'm laughing, how old inmature assholes like you, read all this shit.
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Anon 7:18 (*******)
We read this "shit" because it's good "shit". Since you obviously don't agree, we won't be expecting any more of your comments here.
The ragheads are gonna nuke us.
Frozen Mark in Minnesota.
Anon 7:18 p.m.
I can now see that this good shit is tasty enough that some people eat it.
Some one like 8:03 p.m.
Bruce
Anon718----
These "idiots" are hashing and rehashing a lot of stuff I was TAUGHT as a grad student in the 70's at a respectable conservative midwest University: by prof's that did not have an axe to grind. Investigate and run the numbers on your own..good luck to you.
for myself--- on the ground reports like 951 are the type of things that make me go HMMMM???
More power to you Jim; we won't make the history books; but what the hey--- you take care of YOURSELF; ya help folks not as well equipped to take care of themselves and do minimal "harm" in the process. Your writing is good and ya just tain't stumbled across the right woman yet... they do exist but they are extremely rare.
......the used ones are going to come crawling back to you on their hands and knees, nekkid, subservient and slathered in wesson oil. Willing to be part of your harem and plant native crops with their bare hands they will struggle to be one of the pair that daily fan your brow and bring you cool drinks in the shade.
C57
"If you see collapse and chaos and calamity around every corner and you are tired of supporting all the parasites leeching off you then it is worth roughing it off grid."
An occasional Bison Cunt checking in. The above comment certainly sounds like me. I am sick, sick, sick of the parasites.
Anyway, Jimbo, I enjoy your particular spin on life and living. I have a lot more respect for you and your values than 95% of the other folks who live and die with conspicuous consumption ruling their lives.
Oh, and I think it's add to your site that you put up with the trolls. Most of them move on to other sites if they don't think they are getting under the skin of the webmaster. 50% of the value of your site, IMO, is your writing and particular spin, the other 50% are the comments. Don't change anything.
I still miss the Down In The Hills guy. I wish he'd develop some thicker skin and go back to writing. DITH, if your out there reading any of this, Hi.
"I'm laughing, how old inmature assholes like you, read all this shit."
actually, i am an old immature asshole, but that's besides the point. that's part of being an american and a baby boomer.
but it's much better to know that your just another stupid smuck, rather than put on airs and pretend your a self made millionaire, or some brilliant master of the universe trolling survival sites talking like a punk and forgetting to share your supposed wisdom...
hey! we got regular food recalls, superbug outbreaks, a simmering 'police action' down in jumping beano land, skyrocketing unemployment, homelessness, poverty, despair, and crime.
no i got a trailer and i'm looking for a camper top. screw the stimulus, and screw all the idiots waiting to get their ass wiped for them... never too late to save your ass, it's just a matter of how well off you'll end up...
You folks don’t have time to bicker, you need to start to prepare now! Buy my book; Parrots - Surviving the plagiarist collapse. So get busy with your preps, now! Every thing you need to know is in my book! Buy my book. Don’t forget BOOK BOMB day is this Friday. We are hoping if we all FLUSH the book on the same day, we can cause a national sewer disaster, the likes have never been seen, albeit.
IF you cant afford a book, by this time most second hand book stores are flooded with copies, usually found in the fantasy section, or some times in the free box on the floor with the romance novels!
So wait till FRIDAY 2 to 3 flushes should do the trick.
Paranoia has it's problems. In changing times, we have "Peak Paranoia" (or "PP" for short?). The times kind of remind me of the "Red Scare" in the early 50's or the "Atomic Bomb Scare" all through the 50's and 60's and beyond or the "Oil Scre" of the 70's. I think it's natural for people to think of alternatives when things seem to be getting out of hand. The "Swine" flu (which seems to be spreading at an unusual time of year and might be some genetically engineered product) adds to our economic fears. "Peak Fear"? No matter which way we run, it doesn't matter. It seems like a good idea to G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge). However, there are many problems in settling into a new life style out in the middle of no where... lot's of things you would never think of.
Staying put doesn't sound so great either. Roll the dice and see what happens?
Then that Mexican Archaeologist dying of Flu just after President Obama visits. An assasination attempt? God help us all if a U.S. president gets killed. What a world we live in.
I have to congratulate you MR. HO HO, you actually took the time to set up a spoof site.....
And it actually is decent satire.
But, I'm going to get off my ass and cook up some colloidal silver tonight. seems I AM PREPARED, but Mr. HO HO did you prepare ?
And POOR MILLIONAIRE did you prepare ?
BTW, what ever happened to HUMONGOUS and BIG BONE ?
Still here.
However I never name myself Big Bone.
Thats a title someone gave to me.
I'll use it and I'll drop Poor millionare.
Anyway, thanks for your concern.
I still surviving with a lot of class. It maybe ALL LOW CLASS but, its lots of class.
Ex poor millionare.
now. Big Bone.
Dear J,A,M,E,S, ASSuming a false identity is one of the last stages of co-dependant psychosis.
At this stage of your Bison Survival Blog addiction it would be best if you did not immediately withdraw from the site.
How about some Personal information on yourself? Like your home address, IP address (which I'll soon know), and how often you were raped in gym class?
ANON. 04:50pm
who the fuck are you the hall monitor. how do you know thats not his name? Your a moron!
Speaking of rape have you met Black Dog.
do you like HO HO's?........Do you eat the black black part or just suck the white cream from the in side?
I heard someone was looking for black with white cream. I can help Anon 4:50 with that!!!!!!
This place is starting to pick up!! A bottle of maddog 20/20, ho ho,s , and a fat white boy to fuck in the ass. On your knees and squeal like a PIG.
Hey you guys stop fighting. if you read my book you would know how to avoid getting raped.In a post collapse world rape will happen at times. As things go win some lose some. Buy my book anyways!
No, you don't want to buy the faux Rawles book, instead buy my book. In it you'll learn how to get rich beyond your dreams when the DJI hit's 30,000 in 2008.
http://www.amazon.com/Dow-2008-Different-This-Time/dp/1893958701
Robert Z.
Anon 2:52 PM
I have to congratulate you MR. HO HO, you actually took the time to set up a spoof site.....
Sorry,Ho Hos Man is not Black Dog.
Thanks for being concerned about me.Yes,I'm prepared for a collapse.
Ho Hos Man
Does anyone know where a guy could go and live out the back of a pickup for a spell. I'm in southern Wisconsin. I could get enough gas for maybe a thousand miles. Just need to get away and not be bothered for 6 to 12 months.
I may sound desperate but I have about seven hundred books from garage sales I would like just to escape from society for a while to read them and do nothing else.
I'm not some weirdo, just want to have a break from it all. A place that nobody would care if you parked there and could have a fire is what I would want.
Anon 6:47
Find the nearest national forest. Its legal to camp there just follow the forest roads till you find a spot you like, build a fire and camp. it does'nt even need to be a campground. I like to find a dead end logging road and set up camp there. Its public land for your use.
6:47 p. m.
It sounds great but it wont work.
You're living in an era that have too many regulations and everywhere way too many nosy people.
Where ever you go, people will fear to see a person isolated by who knows what.
Is that person unstable?
neighbours have kids, wives, sisters, moms, and they will have some sort of fear when they see a stranger.
I dont think you will ever find that paradise. But the best of lucks if you do. Let us know.
Big Bone.
confirmed outbreak locations...
in U.S.: California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas.
Russia banned meat imports from Mexico and several U.S. states, although World Health Organization officials said there is no sign the flu spreads by contact with meat.
The federal government is releasing 12.5 million courses of its emergency stockpile of potentially effective antiviral drugs to states that need them.
Exactly how the disease is spread remains a mystery, though it is known to be able to move from one human being to another. The virus is made up of genetic material from swine, bird and human viruses. Often, it triggers only mild symptoms.
Mexico City, epicenter of the outbreak and home to 20 million people, looked like a ghost town. Church services in this heavily Roman Catholic country were canceled -- the first time anyone could remember that happening. The Mexico City archdiocese told its faithful to pray for the city and for the flu victims.
Most restaurants and movie theaters closed their doors, city parks looked desolate, and normally bustling streets had only a few dozen cars. Soldiers handed out blue surgical face masks on the streets. Professional soccer matches in Mexico City were played in front of empty stadiums but broadcast on TV.
"The city is paralyzed, what are we going to do?" asked Marta Robles, a housewife who went to a local pharmacy to buy a surgical mask. The pharmacy was sold out.
1. Avoid close contact.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick.
- If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4. Clean your hands.
- Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits.
- Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
The North half of Wisconsin has lots of National Forests. Miles and miles woods and some roads.
Jim, just a came to me.
Remember judyofthewoods.??
Well. GO FOR IT!
You're lonely, she is lonely.
Both of you think alike.
Man, what a pair!.
go jim go.
If you cant, remember there is always VIAGRA.
Dear Black Dog,
I was wondering if you could give me some advice.I have this smelly putrid greenish discharge leaking out of my penis,I've had it for quite some time.I am experiencing a burning sensation when I urinate.I am still able to have sex ,no problem there.My girlfriend Lisa says I shouldn't worry about it.What do you think ?
Seymour Wiener
Fresno CA
Dear Black Dog,
For several years I've been suffering from genitial warts.I can't get rid of them ,they are driving me crazy.I am still able to enjoy sex,thank God.My girlfriend Lisa says I shouldn't worry about it.What do you think ?
Ben Dover
Fresno CA
Dear Black Dog,
I have several open sores all over my genitials,the sores are about the size of a quarter, sometimes my genitials stick to my underwear and it's painful to remove them.If I'm not careful when I remove my underwear the sores break open and bleed.My girlfriend Lisa says I shouldn't worry about it. What do you think ?
Harry Butz
Fresno CA
Hey James,How about an update on Elko ? What are your plans for the future ?
PLEASE ! PLEASE ! RESPOND ! PRETTY PLEASE ! OH ! COME ON ! PLEASE !
-Ho Hos Man, a thoughtful, rational and unemotional loyal minion.
Watch Natsha Naked!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASilZYe3dn4
like your blog but allowing these trolls to post anything makes this comment section unsafe for work
Trolls and other nutty sounding comments are indications of rogue government agents trying to discredit any and all criticism to their narrow point of view. PSYOPS. Think about it. Also think about:
http://jollyrogerrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/04/if-you-sell-crack-join-gang-or-rob-mob.html
This site suggests the peculiarity of 40 micro-biologists dying since 2001, most deaths by violence. But I am sure it has nothing to do with a peculiarly configured swine flu that's going around. Yeah, sure. Nothing to see here, move on. Nothing to see here...
Now go and figure out who's going to win National Idol, keep track of your home team, and figure out what's happening to that hot actress while the economy falls apart.
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