PEAK ELVIS
“Brace For Impact, Surviving The Crash Of The Industrial Age” by Thomas
Lewis was a pretty good read. While it
didn’t give me personally much new information ( all of which I’d already
gleamed from other sources ) I think others might benefit from it if you need
the down low on resource depletion. It
doesn’t cover survivalism, though. It is
a “here is WHY” book only. It was only
$5 on Kindle and if you aren’t convinced on Peak Oil and the inevitability of
the crash of the casino economy this book might change your mind. Or, it might not. It might better be described as a hymn to the
choir. As Tom pointed out, a passage in
the book which stuck with me, far more Americans believe in extraterrestrials
and Elvis still being alive than believe that we face any serious consequences
economically in their lifetime. You can
read the facts like “six of the last eleven years has seen less global grain
supply produced than was consumed” ( Diet For A Small Planet might help, or
canceling the ethanol program, but the point is that overpopulation has already
started to strain our food supply and the seemingly easy tweaks won’t solve the
overall problem ) or the to me far scarier “due to falling production-their
peak was 2003-and growing population Saudi Arabia will cease exporting oil to
all other countries about 2022 due to domestic demand” ( in less time than from
the financial crash to now, the Saudi spigot will be turned off for outside
consumers. And it doesn’t seem out
Fracking supplies are quite enough to cover that. Not only do we lose ten percent of imports
immediately, other countries will divert their oil to better paying customers
so that even if the Petro Dollar decline doesn’t bite us in the ass first, this
will ) and if you won’t listen they are meaningless statistics.
*
If you take your head out of your ass long enough to stargaze the
heavens looking for signs of life out in the universe, I suppose you don’t have
time to contemplate your own back yard which is dying from lack of water and
artificial fertilizers and can’t be cut as the gasoline is too expensive. If you spend too much time listening to Elvis
( listening to music uses different facilities than reading, which is why I try
to cut my exposure to music to almost nothing- not wishing to dull any analytic
abilities ) and talking with your blog buddies over the real possibility he is
still out there pretending to be an impersonator so he can still sing ( never
mind he is like ninety years old or something ), you have no time to look at
the economy past the stock market numbers and the Team Obammy official score
card on unemployment. The point is
this. While the odds of Elvis ever
needing to disappear were small, the odds of him surviving are even smaller and
yet the odds of another economic collapse are pretty much as high as you can
get and people simply won’t see that.
They don’t want to so they don’t.
Folks aren’t all that stupid. It
takes some firing neurons to graduate college and attract an intelligent easy
on the eyes spouse, to rear mostly functional children and keep gainfully
employed. It isn’t a question of
intelligence. It is a question of
avoidance. It is safe to talk about ET,
as the odds are now good one won’t actually pop up at DC and demand world
capitulation. It isn’t so safe to think
how a non-renewable resource will keep us safe and comfortable after it runs
out.
END
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“If you spend too much time listening to Elvis”
ReplyDeleteThankfully I have not. And perhaps it's because that even though I'm an old bastard, he was still before my time. But I never understood the infatuation to be honest? I think the label “tacky” must have come around at about this same time? Oh well, at least all these Elvis impersonators will likely perish in the coming collapse, which is one thing the survivors can look forward to :D
“Folks aren’t all that stupid. It takes some firing neurons to graduate college and attract an intelligent easy on the eyes spouse, to rear mostly functional children and keep gainfully employed. “
I don't know James? Perhaps folks really are that stupid, and today we have a new breed of people that can be properly identified as “educated idiots”. Have you read some of the letters that some of these college graduates write? Perhaps in between teaching man made climate change, ass piracy, women's studies, carpet munching 101, and only white males as capable of performing evil acts, they should also throw in a little GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION!
Germ of an idea for squeezing nearly the last squealing electron out of a small battery, such as AA:
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule_thief
Make A Joule Thief - Big Clive
http://www.bigclive.com/joule.htm
How to make an authentic Joule Thief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K53beWYdIpc
This is only a germ of an idea because it requires some minor electronics expertise to build, and my attention span is too short to both 1) remember about the project and 2) build it and send it to you. So I merely mention it here before I forget. Which I've already done a dozen times or so.
Perhaps some generous minion will build up a couple and send 'em to you. A small little PCB with a couple screw terminals would be nice for indoor usage, but that's just icing.
Commercial units are also available on Amazon, eBay, etc. but I have no experience with them. Anyone? Bueller?
Rantoul
Sounds like a good idea, but I got a bit butt hurt the commercial unit was a kit. What, little Chinese gals don't solder 12 hours a day on an assembly line anymore? There were other units on Amazon, but with different names so I don't know it they were the same. It might be a good idea to learn basic electronics for projects such as this but I have zero inclination.
DeleteFunny how even those who realize the oil age is dying aren't doing anything about it. I know a handful who are and they are considered weird -as am I.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I reduced heating oil usage from about 1000 gallons to 30 per year. Used to have a 250 gallon propane tank that was filled on a regular monthly basis. Now I use a 20 gallon tank and the last one lasted 4 months -and I felt bad for being so wasteful. Solar electric provides 80% of my power needs.
You'd think the last 20% wouldn't be too hard, but it is. Some times of the year solar provides 99% of my power. Other times it's about 40%.
The last 20% of a petroleum free life is the hard part. Of course, if everyone cut out the 80% we'd have time to figure it out. It's going to happen anyway, but the landing's going to be a lot harder -liked dropped from orbit harder.
If you use that little oil and propane, one big tank each should last a LONG time after no more deliveries, so I can't imagine your 20% dependency is a huge burden for you.
DeleteIn true Bison fashion, I was thinking of giving up my car, and getting a scooter. I know that you preach the bicycle route, but my newly acquired land is 15 miles from Elko, and Lance Armstrong I'm not. The scooter that I can afford and am thinking of getting is only good for around 55 mph though. Do you know what the posted speed limit is for Hwy 80 in that area? I'm trying to determine if it's practical to try and traverse that highway with a scooter, and avoid getting creamed by a car at the same time?
ReplyDelete65 mph through Elko, further outside city is 75 mph ( I heard they might be going to 80 mph, but only drive on I-80 once a year, so I'm a bit behind the times ). However, the old highway parellels from Elko to Osino exit, then you can cut under and drive a frontage road from Osino exit to Ryndon exit, so you needn't go on the highway. Not sure what it looks like north of Ryndon as far as alternate roads. If you are planning to live here, I'd recommend a book atlas/map of Nevada. Gives you detail or every place and all roads. I'd look at mine now for you but it is pout at the B-POD. I've personally driven the above route, I just never ventured further.
Delete"However, the old highway parallels from Elko to Osino exit, then you can cut under and drive a frontage road from Osino exit to Ryndon exit, so you needn't go on the highway."
ReplyDeleteThanks James, that's very good to know. It's one of those 150cc Chinese scooters, and they will go up to around 60mph, but they're pretty much screaming at that speed, and will wear out quick if you run them like that often. The 250cc is really the way to go, but 3 times the cost, and not within my budget. I plan on getting a trailer to haul water with as well, until I can set up a cistern some day.
For anyone else interested in scooters for cheap homesteading transportation, I learned a ton from the video below, and by reading through the comments section. The guy in the video got 30K miles out of his cheap Chinese scooter, and when he sold it, it still ran good. Valve adjustment, replacing cheap Chinese CDI, coil, drive belt, and regular synthetic motor oil and gear oil change, and using premium gasoline was the key. Also keep an eye out for loose bolts. The one I'm considering has a Honda clone engine, so the parts are interchangeable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26R9wzXqME4
I still prefer a moped due to no insurance or special license, but admittedly they don't get the miles out of the motor like a regular bike does.
DeleteI considered that option as well James, but they only top out at 30mph. So they're good around town, but that's probably about it. Even many places in town have speed limits that are sometimes up to 45mph, so then you would be holding up traffic. In the comments section at youtube, a few people mentioned that progressive insurance was $90.00 a year, so that's pretty reasonable. I pay almost $400.00 a year for my car, and that's basic liability.
DeleteThe 150cc scooter on the other hand has plenty of power for most driving situations aside from the freeway. And they're actually freeway legal, but it wouldn't be wise to use them for this purpose because they max out at about 65mph. You would wear them out fast this way, and wouldn't have any extra power to get out of the way in an emergency.
The freeway does have a wide pullover/bicycle lane, but with today's new generation of lower paid semi drivers, I wouldn't trust sharing the road. The old highway is narrower and still 55 mph, but it is a low enough volume of traffic you can go under that and folks just pass you.
DeleteI,ve ridden many motorscooters and little motorcycles for over ten years as my main form of transportation. I even rode them in the winter in the northeast, dressed in snowmobile suits, carheart suits, 7 layers in all, topped off with a down vest. The best little beasts I've ever ridden were an old 71 Honda CL-100 with a knobby in the rear, still got her, she,s going strong despite the tremendous abuse I put her through. Sloshing thru ice and salt in the winter, calf-deep mud in the spring, way overloaded like a grapes of wrathe bike. No one would believe how I'd carry so much, and keep good balance on her, hauling 50 lb grainbags, loads of water, groceries and gear, plus 5 gal of gas, tied with bungies and the best investment ever, plastic baling twine that never wears out. She,d do 55 fully loaded, but it was dangerous so heavily laden so I,d drive in the bicycle lane pretending I was a moped. On top of that should run on anything I'd put in her, many times it was months or years old depleted laying around gasoline untreated or with water in it. Just wouldn't die. Now the rings are shot, but does that stop her? No. A whole year siting uncovered in the backyard, I chug some gas in, kick her over and she starts first kick! She was gettin between 90 and 100 miles per gallon. Next best choice or equally so was a Honda Passport 70 cc, sits more like a scooter/moped, goes tops at 30 unless coasting down a hill. Equally tough as nails. Extremely easy to fix. And I have to tell you the truth. I never ever serviced them, besides the residual lites, blinkers getting smacked off in the bushes, flat tire, chain slack and once in a while if they were extra lucky oil change. Cool thing with the Honda Passport, it passed as a moped, so got my $40 moped sticker for two years and good to go. Also, she has a semi-auto 3 speed which acts like a clutch downhill coasting all the way. Consistent mileage fully loaded, which was always, was 120 mpg. Amazing beasts that never quit. Got a whole lot more reviews on other cycles and scooters. Ask me about the homemade trailers I made for these. Or how I turned a dirt bike into a moped lookalike.
ReplyDeleteMy first vehicle was a Honda Passport in early 80's. Best bike I ever owned. You can't tell me anything bad about a Honda.
DeleteThanks for the input 4:45, it was pretty inspiring. I've noticed that on Craigslist, there are still a lot of those old Honda trail 90's, and even some some of the 110's and 70's. I'd love to get a Honda or a Yamaha, but they're 3 times the price of the Chinese bikes, and way out of my price range.
DeleteI've actually done a lot of research and determined that the GY6 Chinese engines (They're a Honda engine clone, and Honda parts fit them) are actually pretty solid. In fact, minor issues aside such as cheap plastic panels, hardware, etc, the Chinese bikes are actually pretty decent if you know their limitations. There are many components in the electrical system, as well as the drive belt that should be replaced right off, since the cheap Chinese components that they come with are prone to failure. You must learn to work on them yourself, since it is well known that most scooter mechanics refuse to touch them. But they're easy to work on, and parts are widely available and cheap. Heck, a new GY6 engine is only $300.00. Compare that to a car! But they do require a lot of up keep, unlike the Japanese bikes.
Well, I've really got my heart set on the Tao Tao Roman model scooter, and think I'm going to get it. It has a glove box, a trunk, and under seat storage. It even has a hook to hang a grocery bag from. In true Bison fashion, I will probably be giving up vehicle ownership all together in the near future. I've thought about, and analyzed it, and I rarely haul stuff, and never have any passengers. All my car is, is an overpriced storage unit for junk. I will probably keep the car until after the move to the homestead, and then get rid of it. When I do need to haul materials to the homestead, I will rent a truck for that purpose, and if I do it right, I shouldn't have to do that very often other than at the beginning.
My only real concern is the people in cars running me over! But again, if I do it right, I really won't be on the road all that often with the scooter, if all works out according to my work at home plans?
Wayne
I hesitate to say anything, being a moron writing nearly everyday for twenty years and just making Book Money, but did you consider writing a book on your bike pick? What to buy, what to immediately replace, upkeep. On a CD, a PDF with high-res pictures, it would cost not much more than advertising to produce.
DeleteThanks James, but that's probably much more of a compliment than I deserve. I can write well only in that I have decent spelling and punctuation, but that's probably about where it ends. I don't have that creative knack, or clever style that the real writers have, that keeps the audience tuned in. Many of your posts have had me in stitches! I don't have that effect on others.
DeleteAlso, my motivation has gone to hell in the past few years. Worse since losing my job of 15 years.
Wayne
Oh, and I should also add that it's nigh near impossible to find a reputable dealer for these lower end Chinese scooters. Just found that out today.
DeleteAmazon? Well, they sell scooters aright, but unfortunately they are not the “CARB approved” versions. Recall that I'm in the people's republic of CA. All 49 other states no problem. Too bad, since I always buy everything from Amazon, and even they can't help me now.
Well, as far as style, you are writing a repair manual. But I hear you on motivation. Some days my only motivation is that without my writing I'm just a sad sack without a life and have nothing else to brag about. Except my hair.
Delete
Delete“Well, as far as style, you are writing a repair manual.”
True, wasn't thinking about the content when I posted. Those are right up there in excitability with reading the military survival guides! :D
or PC corporate policy manuals! :)
Delete