Through the muck.

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I did end up staying awake. I could say, obviously, but with the weird way my sleep patterns can track, that is not necessarily the case. It was a tough haul, sitting around stupid tubing mostly. Sounds easy enough. It is amazing, however, how much eye lids can weigh. Sleep will be easy. What seems to be the problem lately is staying asleep. My days seem to be splitting as I work my way toward daytime wake periods. Still, I keep chugging along in fits and starts.

I saw an article I had to chuckle at, if a little sadly and oddly. They almost have it. The authors are either optimists, a little ignorant, or simply lying. My guess is that they simply cannot bring themselves to grasp the reality that the economic (supposed) boom that has been the last 40 to 80 years in America is over. Then again, with the way statistics and data has been manipulated, the boom was never what it seemed and what of it we have had has been over for a very long time. Debt has maintained the illusion of wealth, inflation has been much higher than reported, and other factors have added to the economic misconceptions. What has hit the endpoint is the availability of anyone willing, perhaps able, to buy more debt. Or, it was a ponzi scheme and then when that failed it became a shell game. I cannot really knock them though, sometimes I find it very difficult to believe, fully, let alone in the completeness I am certain that the failing is.

D.C. thinks wealth can move to China, or Taiwan, or other emerging economies. The problem with China, is, well it is China. They already do precisely what our government has started to do. That is, it allows the grapes to grow large (only able to do that with a seeming freedom to be profited from) and then they steal the grapes, the land it is grown on, the implements with which to grow it, kill or jail the owner, and... promptly run the business into the ground. As well, China and many of those markets are just as vulnerable to debt (which they are hiding even better and to a worse outcome then our government(s)). Taiwan and the other markets simply cannot absorb that much wealth without almost immediate decline. Essentially, if money comes in too fast, wages rise, other costs rise, and the proposition becomes untenable. Even spreading out the wealth among all of the emerging markets, assuming the governments do abide by laws, there is still not enough emerging markets to take it all, all of those places will burn out far too quickly, and there will be no market for those products. That is not even considering the problem of a skilled work force. Global cooling, but in an economic environment, is what is left. And it is what the left meant.

I do wonder how far back in time we will travel. I have dallied with a complete permanent melt-down. Now I suspect this will happen, I do not believe it will be systemic and perpetual. How bad of a melt down I will not guess. Whether it is for weeks, months (my guess), or years I will not speculate. Some areas of the world and the U.S. will come back much more quickly if never to the levels previously known. A lot of capital will simply be lost, trillions, hundreds, of trillions, will simply blink out of existence (world-wide). Middle class people will not be buying two and a half autos, second homes, motor homes, 30' speed or fishing boats, atvs, and 50" televisions. I am guessing life will settle, after several severe bounces in both directions, at between the 1930's and the 1950's socially and economically, with a lot of scars no one will forget. Assuming the economic melt down is not allowed to become a governmental one as well. If we become truly "socialist", we will be lost, we will no longer be the nation we ever have been. That is the one risk, though I think it is a slight one perhaps 30% chance?, which is more concerning that most others.

For me, riding out a number of bumpy years is the key. Frustrating as it is, though, I still have to live in the world as it is. I cannot simply diverge completely from the mainstream realities, fiction though they most likely are, and amass foodstuffs and gear in a cave on the side of a mountain. Trying to balance the differences is complicated. Neither my health, sanity, income, or need to be a part of society allow me to go that way even if I wanted too. At least I am in a place, an area, where I think I could make do and would have neighbors and potential friends with whom to work collectively. Trading work for a goat, or carrots for peas, or this for that, in my estimate, might already be happening hereabouts. Much like how my acre is being used, hopefully in trade for some manure and discing. Which reminds me, I need to talk to that fellow.

Further, I do have some gear and some food stowed. If that list is still incomplete, it is a work in progress. I do believe water containers are next. I need a bunch of 5 gallons jugs, though a 55 gallon drum would be nice as well. With my finances being hairy, until I get them sorted out, I am guessing that 4 x 5 gallon jugs, a couple of deflating canteens, a 25 to 50 pound portion of beans and a grain will be all I buy this coming month in that area. I will look over my finances on the first and get on that. I should sit down and do a budget. Now that my bills have settled down I think it is time. Before now that was impossible as different start up costs were all over the board.

I somehow doubt if there is time to add a solar power source. I keep looking those over, and really I have been looking at the sort which acts as a power backup as well as a secondary source. I simply am not sure how much power I would need, though I will look at my next bill. I doubt if I personally need all that much, but as much as possible would be better. The thing is, of course, the cost. I highly doubt I would be able to install the equipment. Even if I could (I have seen no prices for everything needed, they just do not offer prices openly on much of the equipment), I would guess the price would be way beyond my means. Then again, not knowing is a major bother. I am not going to email 5 to 10 companies about a dozen components for a price list and a ton of junk mail or email, or both! What would a 3 kw rig really cost, one that could act as an on-call power backup? Even one that could not? What about a 2.5 kw system? Is that enough? Without actually seeing prices I have found it difficult to get into the project. Frustrating. Like the well, solar energy seems to be as crooked a street to attempt to travel as water rights, zoning ordinances, state laws, federal laws, and building codes, permits, and such. Which reminds me why I am even considering any of this. BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS IN TO TOO MANY THINGS, BOTH PERSONAL AND BUSINESS. Ah, right.

Another thing... While putting Republicans in office, even with so many Tea Party candidates potentially spoiling the mainstream, the truth is very little will change. The nation, like a gigantic ship, does not turn on a dime. Not only was it not designed to do so, it was specifically created to prevent that. And, for the most part, this is a good thing. Our problem is we have been going so long and so fast in the wrong direction that turning and slowing down are issues all on their own and both prone to being "corrected" themselves by a bored citizenry. However, Republican, especially Tea Party types, is the only real option. Further, we have to hit that, hit it hard, hit it often, and keep the Tea Party's influence viable and separated from the Republican party itself long enough to actually begin making real changes.

Everything a, hopefully, Republican congress would do, even if we get a Republican president next cycle, is surface, cosmetic. Until we begin shredding the bureaucracy, cutting spending in other areas, eliminating public sector jobs, tamping down those costs, eliminating unGodly public pension plans, reducing "educational" spending from k-grad, and even cutting military and intelligence budgets, then eliminating regulations (if wisely), and eliminating debt (not just yearly budget deficits), we are in serious trouble. To be honest with you, even that will not help. Beyond removing the illusion of wealth and the fictitious "boom", we are going down beyond those by as much as double. That, as I mentioned the other day, does not include the infrastructure crash.

So, are Republicans going to find a couple hundred trillion stashed away and buy us all cake and candy for our birthdays, pull skittles for all out of the asses of unicorns, or make American workers worth the dollars they used to think they were getting? No. If they do it absolutely correctly, in time, they will allow us to lead a humble, relatively free, simple life. You might get a metal fishing boat, a 12' type, but then you will not be able to afford a motorcycle. That is all. But do not even hold your breath for that or consider the thing over. After, if we should succeed, driving a stake through the Democratic party's heart, we will then have to move on to the Republican party. I suppose that will need silver bullets though, chameleon as it is. But, for now, that is the only way.