After The Math

[curt]

....or, how to deal with the inevitable aftermath of the approaching collapse of the US and with it, the World economy. We had a thread like this going good over at the first RBC...remember, the one we all moved to from other cyber places like The Smirking Chimp and Project for the Old American Century ?? Those were the days. We were hot on convincing people the USA is fascist. Life was rough. Nobody listened. We screamed our lungs out, some of us. Still, nobody listened. The Bush bashing took the front seat of most every discussion. No time for reality. No "Blick in die Zukunft" (view in the future). Tough titty, too late, the train is gone and now we have to look around for "a place to sleep". (after a personal experience as a young GI in Frankfurt. Life sucks when you realize you blew it big time by not listening to people's warnings)

Quoting Bo......(from a mini crusade he was on today);

"Well, here's your future discussion topic: The USA is dead.

The body's been burned to a crisp, hung from a bridge, and the limbs are falling off.

The RBC is now making plans to survive the aftermath. That's the reality we need to prepare for now."

So bring 'em on, those survival techniques. Copy & Patse from the other other RBC too. What good will it do us o'er there when the damn place (TribeNet) collapses ?

[Mouse]

Aha....
This is where I was yesterday:

[curt]

...could it be Peony ? The leaves don't quite match.

Bindweed. Yes, spoke with the spouse about it early today. She agrees with you on that.

Do tell, what is the clacking about ? Noises are not all unfriendly.... as many serve to scare the flying dinosaurs (certain species of birds, such as crows) and keep them from moving in or even visiting.

[hannah j]

didn't we talk about this dissing kansas thing???
if you were coming from ark city that's exactly how you would go! maybe next year? you are always welcome to visit! but you gotta get rid of your bigotry about kansans. every single state, country has awful and wonderful people. prejudices divide, and keep people trying something new.

[curt]

I'll keep that in mind, hannah. Good point. I really should return. One last time.

[waldopaper]

fits here just fine, LOM... that's exactly how we're gonna get thru all this... moving between the "natural" environment and the peeps. Just dug up a 30x14 plot... in addition to the 10x10 raised experimental no-dig (where i creates me own soil) and me ass is draggin. Homie don't "work out" any more... and aint used to physical labor. Don't mind it tho... in fact, kinda dig it if i can go at me own pace. Spect as i practice labor more, will be able to do more in less time.

wot guage shells you need, BO? i done fair amount of shootin with both a 12 and a 20. for a while, the shoosguns were out of favor with me because of their short range. but now have decided if it's more than 100 yds. (one block) away, i can hide from it. bow-pistol range is 25 yds. carbine/ .22cal range is 100-150 max. yeh- it's quite possible to reach out to 1000 yds and beyond (depending on wotchoo got)... but then yer just showin off.

truth is... id ruther have a 20 ga. properly loaded than wot most urban gangstas got... 9mm pistols that they generally dont know how to shoot and cant hit shit past 30 feet (10 yds). by "shit" i mean the classic paper plate... target about the size o yer head or vital area. usually loaded it shot-slug-shot-slug-shot. shot for speed... slug for accuracy/ long range/lethal. sheesh... weird discussin this shit in the same thread as sweet baby birds.

if ye got a 12 ga., it tends to be big and clumsy... altho not worth (yet) cuttin' it down because ye can get in SERIOUS trouble for that. my very limited (but nonetheless, potentially lethal) "self defense" distances broke down to 1. across the table, 2. across the room, and 3. across the street (3, 10 and 50 ft.). The grunions pack the pistols because they are quick and effective at 3 ft. When I check out noises at night in the house... i have a medieval-style dagger. much faster than a pistol and it makes no noise (not a concern at home- but is elsewhere at table-range).

as old and weak as i am... would opt for the dagger (20 yrs fencing practice) over most other things. HOWEVER... the best thing for table distance for most folks (in me weak opinion) is the 16 oz. framing hammer. far more utility, and it dont freak the kapos out. Main question... how important will "quick draw" be during zombie time, ie- going from looking like you're unarmed to totally lethal as fast as possible? sheet- would much rather think about baby birds.

ok- will keep ye updated on how much dumfuck "knowledge worker" (ie- dont know how to do anything REAL) makes out with experimental attempt to grow food.

[curt]

waldo, how to grow food ; spill some seeds and forget about it for a while. Try to block it out of your mind. Ignore the little green things when they come up. Tell them to go away.

[Mouse]

That is very funny, going from looking like you're unarmed to totally lethal as fast as possible.

Reminded me of what I didn't tell you about, and I won't, but I will admit to having been walloped on a regular basis at various stages of life. Not for a long time and never again I trust. What I found helped most was relaxing. Honestly. Just relaxing.
Things hurt less when you're relaxed, and you bounce better if flung.

I do not dare think thoughts of violence.
My mother prided herself on her ability to kill by ill wishing. She often told my brother and me about her power, and the two men she believed that she had killed on different occasions. She would boast of how long one of them took to die, a week, after his plane crashed. He had hurt my father's feelings.
Later, answering a question in a garden one summer's day, it suddenly hit me, the similarity between that death and my brother's near survival of his plane crash, waiting in the wreckage. They say anger begets anger.

The noise on the video is something in the camera which I have not managed to identify. I have a movie camera, but I'm afraid of learning how to use it. Technophobia, the clenching of the heart in the presence of new technological techniques.

And it is a rose, they are all roses there, lovely old ones I bought from Peter Beales years ago. But I parcelled them up and took them to the West of Ireland with me, only to find that we couldn't stay and the wild goats would have eaten them anyway. When we got home again life was very complicated for a while, and the best I could manage was to plant them all together there. In time I shall make them a firm support to help them enjoy the air.
I think that one is Ferdinand Pichard.

So that's what you've been up to Waldo, gardening. Doesn't it take a lot of time. Best done slowly. It's bound to give us a much better intuitive understanding of things in general. Like how carefully to remove the bindweed, so as not to damage the smothered victims further, wondering how we extricate ourselves.

[Mouse]

Golly, just saw what you wrote, Curt.

Spill some seeds and forget about it for a while. Try to block it out of your mind. Ignore the little green things when they come up. Tell them to go away.

Well that method seems to work very well in every other sphere of life.. and indeed as someone said, at what point does metaphor become reality?

You were very good with the tomatoes. Must turn this off and wander out amongst the bird song. Infiltrate the greenery past the wrought-iron gate...

[littleoldme]

Seems a little off kilter to be speaking of shot guns, baby birds and gardening all at the same time.
The gardening will get easier, Waldo, as you continue to do it, and there's always the bonus of picking the fruits of your labors, speaking of, don't neglect fruit trees.
Heavens, I can't remember the last time I watched the boob tube. I spend a few minutes in the morning deleting the "news" papers and the petitions from my e-mail. One does get tired of bad news and that seems to be all that's written in the papers, so I've decided I can do without.
I do so love roses and I'm really fond of my belladonna, such a sweet fragranced bloom. Odd how something so sweet can be so very deadly.
Today I'm taking the grandson swimming. I spoke to my oldest friend this morning about getting old. See, back in the day, we would have gathered her brood and mine on Friday morning, and we would have been off to the Cape, for a long weekend of camping at Nickerson State Park. The hubbies would have met us there after work. They would have driven down on the motor cycles. We would have driven the "green machine", a panel van, with no windows, with only two front seats, and the shift on the column. Children and camping gear scattered about the back. Lots of laughter and "are we there yets"? Now our children are scattered, she's divorced, the "green machine" has gone to the great junk yard in the sky. Those who are still here, are working and there's not enough money to pay the park fees. Some times life sucks and then ya die.

[curt]

Dad says, "life's a bitch, and then ya die". Dad also says "plan on plantin' maters.....talk with curt first". He also says "better to be safe than sorry" and "a handgun in the wrong hand can kill, the same gun in my hand can save my life". Last I checked, Dad got rid of all the guns. 22s, 410s, and his prize 12 guage. Grew up with guns. Know the smell of burnt gunpowder real good. Also had a few experiences I won't tell ya about. Not yet. Dad also says "never underestimate the power of your mind.....mind over matter, it works". Don't forget karma. Pagan. Witchery they called it, not so long ago. Rule No. 1 ; cast not a spell for which you have no cure....when it comes to haunt you, and it will come back, they always do. Hatred breeds hatred. Same with evil. Same with killing. Live by the sword........

....almost died by the sword. Almost killed myself once. Total stupidity. Non-intentional. Saw one person almost kill another, at close range...with a 12 guage. Told ya after all. Some things are better released. ...."and she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers....". Once saw a car full of people not worried about going in to get the booze. Wondered why they hesitated to go in ...where Dad was, getting his. Memorized the plate, forgot it six minutes later.....was able to rewind the film and watch it all happen again....three days later, down in the office no one knows. The FBI agents were pleased. I was confused. Attempted murder. 5 went up the river. No paddles available. All my fault. I try to forget, to no avail. In less than three weeks, I ride. Ride through their land, a changed man, a man at last. No longer the child, no longer the innocent bystander. These days, I act without thinking, think without acting. Still......one thing stays on. I felt something was about to happen. That's why I memorized the plate. I can still feal...in advance. Try not to but it won't go away. Drinking only helps it get better. Smoking too but gave that up, almost. The birds in the trees were quarrelling.....spatting, fighting over a piece of straw. Looked up and thought to myself, please make peace, more straw over there, go get it my pretty bird, let the other one go. It worked, or so I thought. That was 1976. Sweet 16. Turned 48 just last thursday. Thanks in advance. My how time flies.

I wanna go home but I can't. Home is gone. Home is no more. Home is here. Home is .......a lost cause unless you can carry it with you.

Seeds. Sleep.

Time to bring them back to life. With that, a circle closes and it all begins anew.

Breathe ....my son, don't forget to breathe......................

"Breathe deep the gathering gloom;
Watch lights fade from every room.
Bedsitter people look back and lament;
Another day's useless energy spent.

Impassioned lovers wrestle as one;
Lonely man cries for love and has none.
New mother picks up and suckles her son;
Senior citizens wish they were young.

Cold-hearted orb that rules the night,
Removes the colors from our sight.
Red is grey and yellow white,
But we decide which is right,
And which is an illusion."

P.S. powers linger on...generation after generation. We may choose to ignore them. It's our choice.

[littleoldme]

Oh how I love the Moody blues.

[curt]

don't we all...........