I think it's time we accepted a general collapse as a real possibility.

[Tyler Durden]

We here and in other venues have had a long, long history of the "Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow...It'll be better than before..." mentality. There is a good chance it will be much, much worse.

First, make an intuitive leap:

-Fossil fuels are declining, and besides they are destroying the climate,
-Global famine just keeps on truckin', and people like "Big Corn" Archer Daniels Midland want us to use food as fuel,
-The national debt is over $9 trillion, going up $1.5 billion a day, and is at $30,000 per CAPITA,
-The mortgage crisis has now outpaced the Savings and Loan debacle of the 80's and 90's,
-Our manufacturing centers are being torn down or converted to shopping malls (see Pittsburgh),

I think that's enough evidence, and I will ask the reader to assume that the chance of a general collapse is better than 1 in 5.

Now a question: if the chances of your personal involvement in a World Wide Depression combined with disastrous climate change and deepened world wide hunger were 20% and you could DO something about it, wouldn't you? Immediately?

So, what do you do?

The government has proven itself DEAF. We on the Democratic side of the aisle have proven that our capacity for being conned is only exceeded by our inability to actually DO something about it when we finally wake up and smell the fire.

Are we really this stupid, or is delusion more common than dandruff?

Again, what do you DO? I don't have any real answers, this is a question; but I would make one suggestion, and that is a Tax Revolt. In California and in Michigan it worked in certain areas during good times...why not during bad?

My suggestion: the Government is a drug addict, the drug is MONEY, and it's time WE as the Guardians of the Government sent it off to forced rehab. Personally though, I don't think anybody can fix things: that sign receding in the rear view mirror said "YOU HAVE JUST PASSED THE TIPPING POINT."

[SpiralHawk]

1. UN Warns: World food stocks dwindling rapidly

UN Warns: World food stocks dwindling rapidly

By Elisabeth Rosenthal – International Herald Tribune
December 17, 2007

ROME: In an "unforeseen and unprecedented" shift, the world food supply is dwindling rapidly and food prices are soaring to historic levels, the top food and agriculture official of the United Nations warned Monday.

more...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/17/europe/food.php

[Tyler Durden]

3. Moving North, building greenhouses, raising wind generators.

Buying ammo.....That sort of thing.

[SpiralHawk]

2. Basic food security - join or start a CSA

"Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers a way for every human being to be directly involved in the care and healing of the earth, while also ensuring a supply of clean, healthy food for their families and their neighbors."

http://www.chiron-communications.com/farms.html

[Tyler Durden]

4. Doing that, too.

Lots of land in Northern Michigan.

[Tesha]

5. And yesterday, our fine representatives voted to turn even more food into fuel.

They called for (IIRC) a tripling of the amount of
Ethanol being used as motor fuel.

"Ethanol -- the negative fuel"

Tesha

[Tyler Durden]

6. Whenever I seen an "ETHANOL" ad, sign or positive story, it makes me ill.

I am certain Archer Daniels Midland is just ECSTATIC, though.

Put your FOOD in your GAS TANK. My God.

[Wcross]

18. Don't forget, ethenol is also killing sea life in the gulf of mexico.

All the fertilizer not used by the corn has to go somewhere. Nitrates deplete the oxygen in water.

[SpiralHawk]

7. That's republicon knee bending to Big Corporate AG

As usual. Republicons screw the citizens of the USA, and toss the meat to their corporate cronies

[Tyler Durden]

8. When the knee bending becomes all of the legislators...

Then where is the difference? All serve the new corporate masters.

[shadowknows69]

9. K+R

I think were almost to "Soylent Green" levels of collapse. Judging by some of the "food" we have to eat due to our budget I'm not so sure we're not there already.

[Tyler Durden]

10. Have to find a use for all that wasted protein, don't we?

One day, it will be just us, the algae and the dole yeast. And we'll deserve it.

[shadowknows69]

11. That's it. My wife has a green thumb, we need to start a garden in the spring

I'm not eating until then. B-)

[Tyler Durden]

13. Harbor Freight has a decent 10' by 12 ' greenhouse.

Usually on sale for around $600, which is about 1/5 of what a similar one goes for with most other vendors.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93358

We're planning to make room for 3 of them up north, each with its own wind generator to run 12 volt heaters, exhausts, and hydroponics. We might do some chickens too for eggs, but I'm not sure about that one. Maybe Barter will be the way to go with that.

I own one of these:

http://www.mikeswindmillshop.com/wgenerators.html

I'll be looking into making/buying more very soon, Springish.

[soundguy]

12. Right On The Mark

I think it has to start with accepting your original premise as fact. Only then can a solution be found. I agree with your position. However, I think the likelihood of a collapse is in direct proportion to what we as Americans do in the next election cycle. You know at first glance, I thought corn fuel was a good idea. But, when I got to the end of the equation, the answer was a negative. I think the handwriting is on the wall and and our supposed leaders do not have the courage to give an honest interpretation of it. Wonder why money isn't being spent in N.O.? They already know it is lost. They only pretend to not believe the science. We need to work on new ways of using the planetary energy that already exists. I think we as a Nation need to look forward and not back-wards. No new fossil fuel permits. How about updating our transmission grid to become more officiant? And here is the one that takes the cake. They have been quietly building a petro pipeline across the country, allowing it to be put in easements. Not unlike the power companies did with their lines. Since when should a private company be allowed to do this? And for god sake you would never de-regulate them...And if all of this is a matter of national security it should be handled by the government. I like the idea of being able to hold a finite amount of my representatives accountable than an infinite amount of corporate suits.

This is not socialism in the way neocons would sell it. Funny how when water and sewer lines came to our area we were assessed as "we own them." what? Can I take them with me when I move? Did our property value go up 20k...Hardly...Didn't go up an inch in the appraisal. So corporate socialism got us for 20K. In our society the difference socialism and capitalism is we have the opportunity to create new and better ways to do things. And those who create are allowed to make an infinite amount of money by selling their inventions. This one of the things I like about Edwards he is right on. They will not willingly give up the power they have acquired. They aren't patriots. They are profiteers. However, I don't think he as president, could get it done. Now as a vice president? Hmmm intriguing.

[The Stranger]

14. Overpopulation is one place to start.

Long term, there are too many people on the planet to support. Less people means less to feed, less carbon emissions to burn to feed and transport them, less fight for natural resources, land, even religion.

[Tyler Durden]

15. I hate to say it, but I think that one will take care of itself.

Famine and disease have a funny way of dealing with overpopulation.

[The Stranger]

16. And, unfortunately, the religious cults frown upon birth control and birth control education.

[Tyler Durden]

17. All part of the same Criminal Cabal that is causing the collapse...

...FOR PROFIT.

[Tyler Durden]

19. One kick. No more.

I get the feeling that more care about the 16 year old pregnant Spears Spawn anyway.

[Sugar Smack]

20. GloriaSmith & I are going to set up a still

and make wine to trade. If that doesn't work, can I move in with y'all?