Time to start posting observation posts again I guess. The last time we were forced to live under a racist, power grabbing, Femocrat, economic idiot I would routinely post my observations from all over the US I witnessed.
I witnessed miles of paved roads being chewed up into gravel, bridges and other infrastructure falling apart or closed, an uptick in street corner beggars, entire towns falling from being cut off from government resource flows, the growth of Food pantries complete with a those who needed food donations driving up in BMW's. Entire building project simply abandoned due to financial reasons. Etc.
Well this time around I do not travel much but I think it is important to chronicle the changes all the same and try and gauge just how far down the steps of collapse we have come.
I can tell you on a local level we are seeing a huge boom in vehicle repair customers. Makes sense with the massive inflation I know but it is also bringing with it a long term issue of vehicles not being picked up after completion. This has always been a cyclical issue that pops up of course but it has reached a size greater than I have ever seen before for us and for just about every local repair business as well.
Over the years I have gotten to know most of the other places and employees who trade around of course plus I see many of them often as they come to pick up parts so comparing notes is easy.
So far I have not seen large signs at dealerships declining trade ins of SUV's nor a run on people getting rid of their gas guzzlers like I witnessed back in 2008 and 9 during O;bummers first fiasco.
I have a few theories on the SUV market however as it has long been my observation that around here the only people buying such vehicles either needed them for work, like construction guys or farmers and their trucks OR government supported employees for the SUV buying. This particular down turn towards collapse does not seem to be effecting the pampered and pensioned government welfare (paycheck or hand out all the same) types yet.
Lately I am seeing a slight increase in small scale home moving along the roads too.
I make it a point to keep track of household moving items by small private vehicles and remember how common they were during the O'bummer years. I also keep track of the numbers of abandoned vehicles left along major roadways too.
Another thing that seems different this go around are product shortages. They are very specific this time with companies making obvious choices of what they are shorting to force a consumer into a specific and planned avenue of substitution. A lot of it seems more local or regional as well probably to adjust the old just in time inventory to fit the new normal better but with a bit of ingredient changes to make it more profitable. Real sugar items are becoming increasingly harder to find while sweetener substitutes are being pushed more than usual. Items once pushed more as organic or natural seem to also be drying up.
My gut tells me most people are still in complete denial and refuse to admit things are going to get bad enough where they will need to make lifestyle changes.
Actually I hope they are right and none of us will have to.
Keep Prepping Everyone !!!!!
You are right, we are going to see a resurgence of the 30's dust bowl, people moving to what they think is a better place, only be disappointed and stuck once there, no money, no family, car breaks down, no one cares and dangerous as people are not going to help like it was back then. I know it will be epic, no skills, no survival or even camping skills to fall back on. It will be harsh.
ReplyDeleteCederq - Definitely. Even now it is obvious several very competent people I see regularly are just not mentally prepared for living without an easy safety net. I hope the steps down come slow enough for them to adjust.
DeleteIn the early spring/late winter of 2021, following an ice-storm, we spent a week without electricity. Even though we still had running water, some heat from our fireplace, alternative lighting, and food that I could prepare by lighting the propane stove manually, our lives changed drastically.
DeleteSince then we have taken several steps to address some of the issues we faced. People who have never considered the ramifications of no power are in for a rude awakening should that happen. And the shock they're in for when the grocery store shelves are empty -- beyond what I can imagine.
sbrgirl - We had a massive ice storm way back in like 08 or so. Everyone in the area was out of power for over a week but our house. At first due to the generator we have but later because we are in a border area of two power companies. We originally were on an old county coop but every house built since the 1940's out here were on a big company out of ST. Louis. Guess who did not get their power back on within a few days... NOT US!!! ours was back by the second day.
DeleteHistory shows the "Steps downward" always catch the willing blind by "Surprise". Generally, a lot suffer and die thusly. Look to the folks that choose to "Ride Out" a Cat 4 Hurricane. If it wasn't for a LOT of decent folks showing up to RESCUE them the death toll would be horrific. Normalcy bias is a real problem.
ReplyDeleteEven my beloved bride talks about "but don't we have enough"? as she complains how much more our electricity bill is even though we used less electricity than that month last year.
And she often surprises me by pointing out situations I missed in mass media (when they accidently tell a truth). So, she's not willingly blind but still prefers a little normalcy bias.
I try to explain that an economic and social Cat 4+ hurricane is coming. So far, she only sees an unstable Stock market and tunes out my showing her the even BIGGER and more important Bond market issues. Are you aware of this am the Fed sent Switzerland over 6 Billion dollars to support THEIR Bond Market?
As all the "Central Banks" are interrelated (Remember Leaman Brothers crash?) that Band-Aid that was 2.1 billion just a few days ago is to prevent contagion crash.
Given that famous comment of John Rham of Obama fame "Never let an emergency go to waste, if needed create that emergency".
The panic over loss of retirement funds will "Allow" issuance of E-dollars to SAVE us all. And then the control freaks can turn your bank account on or off as needed due to your social behaviors.
Praying for wisdom
Michael - Mine is the same way. She refuses to see even though the steps are right there and as obvious as they were when Obummer was pulling the strings. Seem a little more urgent and more world wide oriented now after another 10 years or so though. Well maybe with all I have done we will survive long enough for her to see.
DeleteHave you given thought as to how poorly a normal American home will do in a chaos event? What in my house will stop even a 22? My home with windows shattered becomes a poorly heated tent at best.
ReplyDeleteThus, my earth sheltered Tractor Shed as emergency shelter. Nice for keeping small livestock sheltered also. With my beloved's normalcy bias it was a slight disinformation as to not freak her out.