Are you changing your behavior in response to current events? (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

I have to say that I love reading about the guys who ONLY stockpile ammo as their "survival" plan.  Good luck eating, drinking and carrying all that ammo.

I believe their plan is to rob and, if necessary, shoot the guys stockpiling the food and water instead of guns and ammo. If everything goes up, the mean people are going to outlive the well-stocked people.
It seems to me the best plan is to hide your provisions, find someplace remote to ride out the initial violence and uncertainty, and then come back and retrieve what you've hid once the dust settles. That being said, I'm neither well-armed nor well-stocked, so if society breaks down and people start tearing each other apart, I'm as screwed as the next guy.

 

[Jason_V]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3930620
That being said, I'm neither well-armed nor well-stocked, so if society breaks down and people start tearing each other apart, I'm as screwed as the next guy.

That goes for both of us, though I will admit to thinking about the "worst case scenario" and contemplating getting a gun. I should do it for the right reasons and, admittedly, everything I imagine doesn't have a chance in H-E-double hockey sticks of happening.

But I have a very overactive imagination.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Jason_V /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3931047

That goes for both of us, though I will admit to thinking about the "worst case scenario" and contemplating getting a gun. I should do it for the right reasons and, admittedly, everything I imagine doesn't have a chance in H-E-double hockey sticks of happening.

But I have a very overactive imagination.

Living here in Virginia, I assume that my District will either be leveled or I'll be assigned to the coal mines

 

[Jason_V]

Originally Posted by DaveF /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3931378
Living here in Virginia, I assume that my District will either be leveled or I'll be assigned to the coal mines

Sadly, I'm less concerned about a run on food and other essentials and more of...shall we say...people taking social issues into their own hands.

I know, I'm paranoid.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

That goes for both of us, though I will admit to thinking about the "worst case scenario" and contemplating getting a gun. I should do it for the right reasons and, admittedly, everything I imagine doesn't have a chance in H-E-double hockey sticks of happening.

I've always imagined owning a gun would pose more of a danger to myself than any home invader. I have enough respect for firearms to know I'm not qualified to wield one, and don't anticipate having the time or inclination to train on properly cleaning, storing, and wielding one.

 

[Jason_V]

Oh, I in no way think I'm qualified, but if it comes down to my personal WCS, I'll do what I always do: make the best decision I can at the time and do my best going forward.

This goes beyond a "simple" home invader. That, I think, I could deal with minus a handgun. I'm thinking the fall of government, wackjobs taking control and starting a massive roundup. Or something along those lines.

That's me...always thinking about the worst possible thing that could happen...

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Sadly, I'm less concerned about a run on food and other essentials and more of...shall we say...people taking social issues into their own hands.

I know, I'm paranoid.

Washington state is a bit of an odd duck. Its fairly liberal socially, typically leans democrat, but has some of the most liberal (as in pro) gun laws in the US. No waiting period on rifles and shotguns, must issue concealed carry permits, cities can't enact their own stricter gun laws, open carry is allowed, only a few places you can't take a gun, etc. 1 in 14 adults in the state has a concealed weapons permit which I imagine is pretty high compared to most states. The right to own firearms is more entrenched in the state constitution than the federal one. While wackjobs like the northwest, they tend to prefer Idaho . Even if there were an earthquake or other disaster I think most people would pull together to help each other out. Its the druggies and meth heads breaking in that worry me more. Hopefully seeing a chow and pit bull through the window are enough of a deterrent.

 

[Jason_V]

I doubt I'll ever get a gun, Adam. By the time I decide to make that particular move, it will be too late anyway. Sure, it would be nice to be more comfortable around them (my father did teach my sister and I some gun basics back in the day), but it's one of those things I try not to think about too much. I don't think this area is any more wackjob than the rest of the country per se, true, but with the proliferation of massive hate speech coming from the south, I half worry it will start to work its way up here. Coupled with my lack of confidence in certain political parties to do the right thing as opposed to what their constituents want them to do...yeah, I'm going out on a limb on this one, I think. But that's nothing new.

But that's massively off topic at this point, I think.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I'm currently chasing yield too. It's really hard to be retired with no traditional pension, expecting to make income from your life savings. I even have a goodly amount in the aptly-named JNK ETF. It's a junk bond ETF currently paying a 7.27% yield - you just have to stomach the volatility in the fund.
Here in Idaho the concealed-carry rate is much higher than in WA. It's about 1 in 5 adults. I rarely carry in town but almost always carry when hiking in the wilderness areas around here. It's unlikely that an animal would want to attack me but one never knows. Cougars, wolves, coyotes, and black bears are not known to respect the human legal system. I don't consider myself paranoid but then again I always buckle my seatbelt and keep an extinguisher handy in the kitchen.
I highly recommend firearms training for all people, children and adults alike. I got mine in the Boy Scouts. It is a useful skill, like first aid, auto repair, plumbing, and cooking. One never knows when you may need to operate (especially how to unload) a random gun. Constant practice is necessary to have anything like accuracy with a handgun. Hollywood has done a grave disservice to the country with its mythical portrayal of handguns - the good guy does a one-handed shot and drops the perp at 200 yards. Nothing could be farther from reality.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Dennis Nicholls /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3931604
It's unlikely that an animal would want to attack me but one never knows.

Dennis: Have you taken to wearing necklaces of garlic again?

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Dennis Nicholls /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3931604
I'm currently chasing yield too. It's really hard to be retired with no traditional pension, expecting to make income from your life savings. I even have a goodly amount in the aptly-named JNK ETF. It's a junk bond ETF currently paying a 7.27% yield - you just have to stomach the volatility in the fund.
Here in Idaho the concealed-carry rate is much higher than in WA. It's about 1 in 5 adults. I rarely carry in town but almost always carry when hiking in the wilderness areas around here. It's unlikely that an animal would want to attack me but one never knows. Cougars, wolves, coyotes, and black bears are not known to respect the human legal system. I don't consider myself paranoid but then again I always buckle my seatbelt and keep an extinguisher handy in the kitchen.
I highly recommend firearms training for all people, children and adults alike. I got mine in the Boy Scouts. It is a useful skill, like first aid, auto repair, plumbing, and cooking. One never knows when you may need to operate (especially how to unload) a random gun. Constant practice is necessary to have anything like accuracy with a handgun. Hollywood has done a grave disservice to the country with its mythical portrayal of handguns - the good guy does a one-handed shot and drops the perp at 200 yards. Nothing could be farther from reality.

My favorite Hollywood carry is a gun in each hand while flying through the air hitting every target with unlimited ammo. That is a great yield if you are keeping your principal investment. I'll have to look into that for a bit of my 401k.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Mike,
Sometimes I get mixed up and use steak sauce instead of shampoo.
Someday you too will get old.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

The economy has forced me to do some oddball automobile changes....
I moved to Idaho with two inappropriate vehicles: a low mileage 2004 Miata and a low mileage 2x4 2001 F-150. The Miata can't go over the unpaved roads in Idaho and the F-150 is not fuel-efficient. Plus the 2x4 F-150 isn't optimal for back country use.
For a couple of years I pondered the situation - which car should I sell off?
Last summer I cut the Gordian Knot. I traded in the Miata for a new AWD Suzuki SX4 Crossover. Most people don't know about this car, but it's the cheapest and most fuel-efficient small SUV out there. I got $10K for the Miata so I was only out of pocket $8K for the SX4. The Suzuki is an upgrade to their bare-bones Sidekick line from years past. Compare it to a Subaru Forester but at a $10K discount.

After driving the SX4 for a couple of months over wilderness gravel roads, I felt confident to get rid of the F-150. So I sold the truck and bought a 1996 "beater Miata" for $2,600 from a local slimy used car lot. it's been my winter project this year, and has cleaned up to become a nice reliable car.

So I'm basically not that much out of pocket to have two vehicles that suit my present lifestyle. My net cost, including restoration costs for the beater Miata, was approx. $4,500.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I probably would have done this anyway...but I repaired my own GE clothes dryer this weekend after the belt drive broke.

I am not a very mechanically-minded fella. I would never contemplate something as complex as rebuilding a Miata...but me and my cordless drill (with the always amazing help of the internet) figured out how take off the back, top & front of my dryer to avoid a three figure repair bill and only be out $20 for the cost of the belt.

The first belt went in service in 1989!

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3931680
I probably would have done this anyway...but I repaired my own GE clothes dryer this weekend after the belt drive broke.

I am not a very mechanically-minded fella. I would never contemplate something as complex as rebuilding a Miata...but me and my cordless drill (with the always amazing help of the internet) figured out how take off the back, top & front of my dryer to avoid a three figure repair bill and only be out $20 for the cost of the belt.

The first belt went in service in 1989!

Excellent!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I changed this belt on the beater Miata. Does that count?

 

[Adam Gregorich]

And I just changed the drivebelt, pully and tension spring on my riding mower. Of the three projects I think the dryer would scare me the most

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich /t/276804/are-you-changing-your-behavior-in-response-to-current-events/450#post_3932002
And I just changed the drivebelt, pully and tension spring on my riding mower. Of the three projects I think the dryer would scare me the most

Hell no! Screwing up the belt on a clothes dryer doesn't have nearly the implications that screwing-up a drive belt on a car might...

I actually repaired my own furnace several years ago. A widget on the circulation motor busted and caused an awful noise whenever it was running. Some springs had busted on the widget. I was able to find--again, thanks to the internet--information on the motor and the part. I found a local vendor for the part...bought it (for less than $10 IIRC) and was able to swap it out and successfully avoid that repair bill.

These are major accomplishments for a guy like me. Even though Dad is a mechanical engineer, the practical ability to understand how things "work" seemed to pass over me altogether.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Went through cell phone bills this week and based on usage switched around some plans which will save some money. Looking at going through cable bill next. Can drop HBO since Thrones is over for season, thinking about dropping second phone line and downsizing garbage can to shave a bit more.

 

[DaveF]

I brought my parents out for vacation and made them pay for everything.

(I tried, my dad insists on getting meals