Only time I have a problem with that is when the nut is on the bottom of something and I'm reaching down and around a bunch of obstacles from the top. Then I have to remember that CCW for the nut is CW when viewed from the top. And that's after 15+ years working on a farm (first 8 years weren't that productive :-) ) as well as various machinery work after getting out of college.
Really like your sig.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough
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You are ignoring the psychological shock inflicted on the survivors which might cause them to re-examine, and then discard, the underlying assumptions propping up the existing socio-economic system. For example, exactly from whom would they take direction if almost all the leadership of the Federal Government, Wall Street, et al., are killed within a half hour? Given that the currency is based solely on the faith and credit of the United States, and not any real assets or values at all, and that the Federal Government is suddenly decapitated (actually, worse than merely decapitated), why do you suppose things would just go on -- business as usual? Run the backups, get out the paper records, find the Secretary of Agriculture and swear him in
-- he happened to be in Iowa at time -- and everything will get back on track in a day or two? The geezers will still get their SS checks, the welfare checks will still go out as usual (I know -- the EBT cards will be refilled), people will still dutifully file their 1040s, the money will still be as valuable as it was, or even half as valuable as it was? Assuming that seems to me to be overly optimistic. The economic shocks from 9/11 cost the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars, and that was trivial compared to a multi-city nuclear attack.
I'm sure you're right in that a good faith effort would be made to maintain something close to the status quo ante, but I doubt it could be done.
| Whether they read newsgroups or not, they're likely planning all | sorts of nasty little surprises -- and probably a few really big | ones. | | Fact of life anymore: They're here. They're weird. We have to deal | with it.
I'm aware of these things. I'm also aware of the extent to which a free society is vulnerable, and how very little it would take to (quietly) take the lives of tens of millions of innocent people.
My carefully considered choice is to provide neither confirmation of effectiveness of any ideas they may already have - nor to suggest new ideas for their consideration.
I would not even consider asking you to not address these topics - my suggestion was that you consider the possible consequences of doing so in this (global) public forum.
This is what I don't understand. When I was coming up, your house looked *abandoned* of you didn't have the garage door open. Everyone in my neighborhood had their garage open all day long...it signified someone was home...someone actually lived there. Kids were always playing hoops above the garage door, or girls were jumping rope with friends in the driveway. Or if you looked up in the trees, there were kids plotting all sorts of mischief.
Nowdays, I drive through a neighborhood, and all the doors are closed. THAT is what looks ugliest to me.
It really is hard to say, but I do know quite alot from direct personal observation about how people react when their lives are totally disrupted, homes and jobs completely gone, communities devastated, loved ones missing, hurt or killed, little or no news from outside, etc. I'm willing to rely more than you appear to be on the basic resiliency of the American character in the face of adversity, as well as in the basic robustness of our social, economic and political systems.
As for the large scale economic losses, we've been down that road before, and not just in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Prosperity isn't just centered on Wall Street, it's built on Main Street, as well. There's a lot of fat and fluff in the American economy and lifestyle, and most people can manage to do with far less than they think, and they can rebuild and overcome faster than they think, too. Crises have a way of evolving into new opportunities. It's would suck big-time, to be sure, but it wouldn't suck forever.
And no, I don't think "everything will get back on track in a day or two," but I do think most things will get back on track eventually, in many cases faster than you think. Some things will, indeed, change or be lost forever. But a new "normal" will soon be established, perhaps different than status quo ante, but not all that different.
I know -- what kind of person can actually park a car in their garage without moving at least one piece of heavy equipment? It's just not right, I tells ya'! It's important for me to have a shop, and I'm looking forward to teaching my kids how to make stuff.
I agree. I think it's sad that fewer people make stuff with thier own hands. Not that it's required to get by anymore... you can buy a lot of stuff so cheaply that there isn't a big reason to make your own stuff any more. And a lot of stuff has gotten so complex that it's far cheaper to replace it, or take it to a specialist if it breaks.
Well, I'd have to say that yes, they do. The world is changing. People who can fix things are still needed, but not to the degree they were before. There just isn't the same demand for, say, a room full of machinists when they can be replaced by a CNC machine or two. There is a demand for people who can do a good job designing things, though.
Most people can figure out how to make the stuff they deal with work well enough to get by... Maybe it's not perfect, but it's good enough.
Personally, I wish they had more shop classes in school. I think the most useful class I took in high school was metal shop. It was fun, and I Learned a whole lot about how to make things work. But my personal desires don't have much to do with the current economic reality of off-shoring manufacturing and competition with China.
It's disapointing that in the four or so years that I've had a shop in my garage, not one kid has asked me anything about it.
Just so you know, you can get five quarts of synthetic oil for about $12.00 at WallMart. If you go for the name brand stuff it's about $20.00 for five quarts.
I hadn't thought of that. My neighbors always pop in to see what is going on (65+), but never a kid from the neighborhood. I can remember as a child, going to the garage that was making the most noise. Grinding sparks could draw me blocks! I always wanted to weld, but didn't try it until I was over
Damn I was missing some fun.
I also spent MANY summer days watching the construction of the homes in my area. I am sure I bugged the crap out of the guys, but there is not a construction project I won't take on because of inability. I have done everything for a large addition. Including digging for the footings by hand!
Ok, to prevent some of the backlash--- I was in no hurry, and I could only get something that was 3½ feet wide in the backyard, so I dug it by hand. And for the rest of you--- my community allows homeowners that can show competency the option of pulling a "homeowner" permit for all phases. So I had to do that for footing/stem wall, rough framing, rough plumbing, rough electrical, final plumbing, and final electrical. Damn expensive for all those permits, but I did it legal.
Kudos for going the legal route....As a remodeling contractor, I have to play by the rules as well. However, I am curious as to how you felt when all was done. Did you get your moneys worth for all those permits??? Were the inspectors helpful or a PITA ???
I have seen em all ranging from the electrical inspector who spent more time finding a place for the Passed Sticker than he did looking at the wiring (he was there about 15 sec.)
Had another one walk thru the door and ask "who's gonna take the heat....??" I think he was kinda pissed afterwards when he found nothing wrong.....
I'll bet these two guys have no tools in their garages...
I have also worked with plenty of inspectors who know their stuff AND are nice and helpful with any questions. These are the guys who don't have the Power Trip Ego thing goin....Cause they don't need to prove themselves when the knowledge is apparent.
That's true for any people, look at the way we (I'm English) reacted to Germany's bombings of London and other major cities, or how we reacted when the IRA destroyed the centre of my city (Manchester), or when our home grown Islamists butchered people in the subways of London.
The foundation and rough framing was very uneventful. I may not have even been around? Electrical was a FAST run by. Slap the pass sticker on, and out of the house. Never looked at the connections back to the breaker box, never checked the wire runs in the attic (that was ok).
The plumbing was completely different. I go to the offices to show my plans and prove I know plumbing. (Golden Rule-- shit don't run uphill), and for him to approve my plans. I wait as he reams out a contractor. I actually thought the guy might cry. Holy crap he worked him over. So......next up is little ol' me. Show him my plans, talk about what and how I plan to do this.....blah, blah. In no time at all he is redrawing my plans and showing me a cheaper and easier way to do the DWV. What I had was text book, but what he showed me was legal and much easier. Guess what.....I did it his way. The plumbing inspector ended up becoming a customer of mine (Banker in real life) long after the job was over.
The long and short of it is.....show me someone who is logical, creative and has good common sense, and I will hire that SOB right out from underneath you!!
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