Death to all machines....except coffee makers

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:45 am

Thanks Amar. I'll skip breakfast today.

Oh what a predicament we'll be in when the cataclysm happens and all electricity is gone forever.

DavidT · Post by **DavidT** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:16 am

Joseph E. Smith wrote:...Just think, to what extent or % would your life be thrown into chaos if electric power were to suddenly vanish from the scene?...

Had that experience winter before last. 8 days. Ice storm. No power, all roads blocked by fallen trees and lines, bitter cold.

It changes one's perspective.

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:25 am

DavidT wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:...Just think, to what extent or % would your life be thrown into chaos if electric power were to suddenly vanish from the scene?...
Had that experience winter before last. 8 days. Ice storm. No power, all roads blocked by fallen trees and lines, bitter cold.

It changes one's perspective.

nowadays, I've got lots of camping equipment, etc. - so at least cooking wouldn't be a problem. And I always have a battery operated radio ready to go (and extra batteries).
However, back in the 70's when we were hit by a tornado, we resorted to using a propane torch to heat water for coffee, washing, etc.

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:26 am

Flyingcursor wrote:
Oh what a predicament we'll be in when the cataclysm happens and all electricity is gone forever.

This is an open invitation to mention doomsday scenarios, which relate very nicely to our dependence on technologies that are so complex that they are difficult to maintain over a period of time.

Actually, we don't need a cataclysm to precipitate the aforementioned predicament. All that we need to do is to maintain our present dependence on complex technologies for survival, without giving due regard to other important considerations. Both wishful thinking and over-confidence can be deadly. For example, the world's increasing population and industrialization along with dwindling supplies of of necessities, such as water and gasoline (or other energy sources), are both factors that push us, little by little, closer to catastrophy.

I recently flew over the desert of southern Arizona. Snaking along the desert floor below I could see the canal (Central Arizona Project) that brings water from the Colorado River to the deserts of southern Arizona. You don't need to be a hydrologist to quickly understand the problem here, which is too much human development and not enough water to go around, both of which create a possible future that isn't very pleasant.

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:49 am

Flyingcursor wrote:Oh what a predicament we'll be in when the cataclysm happens and all electricity is gone forever.

Relax. Abandoned nuclear power plants will provide scope for the more resourceful of your descendants to brew coffee for thousands of years to come.

doogieman · Post by **doogieman** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:40 am

A word or 2 about those Amish people. Here in Lancaster county, where they live, this has been a particularly dreadful summer for Amish children, and it's only June. These children work on the farms and each summer at least 5-10 are killed or maimed on farm equipment. Earlier this spring, a child crawled into something to clear a jam, did so, and then they turned it back on before making sure the child was out and safe. Crunch and a dead 5 year old Amish child. Oh, they had a hearing, but the father was cleared of negligence.
Don't tell the tourists.

DavidT · Post by **DavidT** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:46 am

missy wrote:...nowadays, I've got lots of camping equipment, etc. - so at least cooking wouldn't be a problem. And I always have a battery operated radio ready to go (and extra batteries).
However, back in the 70's when we were hit by a tornado, we resorted to using a propane torch to heat water for coffee, washing, etc.

We heated water and simple foods on top of the wood-burner. Had to carry water up the bank from the creek (we have a well -- no power = no water). Had a radio, but the local stations were down for days. When they did come back online, we got to listen to the propogandist from the electric co-op tell us how they had crews working day and night and that we'd have power restored "soon". A conversation with one of the workers revealed that the equipment was so antiquated that the younger guys didnt know how to work on it and the older guys refused.

Systems everywhere are extremely fragile. Economics dictate that they are built as cheaply as possible, without provision for inevitable contingencies.

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:09 am

dman wrote:Crunch and a dead 5 year old Amish child. Oh, they had a hearing, but the father was cleared of negligence.

Sorry, guy, but the Amish hold no records here. This kind of stuff happens to both adults and children on farms everywhere. Its not nice, but it is a reality of farming that townies usually aren't aware of.

djm

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:29 am

djm wrote:
dman wrote:Crunch and a dead 5 year old Amish child. Oh, they had a hearing, but the father was cleared of negligence.
Sorry, guy, but the Amish hold no records here. This kind of stuff happens to both adults and children on farms everywhere. Its not nice, but it is a reality of farming that townies usually aren't aware of.

djm

Yup, 'tis true, 'tis true... in fact it happens quicker with modern machinery.

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:32 am

Joseph E. Smith wrote: Yup, 'tis true, 'tis true... in fact it happens quicker with modern machinery.

FARGO!!!
(....sorry....)

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:45 am

missy wrote:FARGO!!!

(Darn, how come all the good ones are already married?)

djm

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:07 pm

Flyingcursor wrote: Oh what a predicament we'll be in when the cataclysm happens and all electricity is gone forever.

We are living on a constantly-turning generator...the planet earth produces monstrous amounts of power as it hurtles through space.

The power is there, and will be.

Learning to harness and utilize power on that scope, however, is the challenge. Very little that man has done--or even imagines--approaches power on this scale.

--James

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:18 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:
Dale wrote:
Cranberry wrote:I immensely admire the Amish for this reason (among others).
I don't get it. Can the Amish help my daughters get on the Internet? If not, what good are they?

No, they can't (or more likely won't), but they can show one how to hitch a horse up to a hack, and teach you how to drive it. And let's talk about farming, Amish have that and Barn Raising down to an old world science!

I have to agree with Cran here, and though we can make fun of them I suppose, I really think they are on the correct path regarding how to live good, and right.

Hubby and good friend are off this weekend picking up said friend's next buggy... he's preparing to go 'gas free' in the near future ... glad we're close enough to participate in a small way...

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:08 pm

There are some Beachy Amish and the like around here. There is no one more glued to the television weather reports in the convenience store than they are.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:30 pm

He doesn't really mean it, you know. The thread heading, that is.