Preparedness for when

2tonsils

Thank you very much for that GreyQueen. I post the explanations and comments in the hope that they will help people understand what is really going on here in Greece and that people will enjoy hearing what everyday life is like here for me. Obviously , everyone leads different lifestyles and what applies to one will not apply to everyone.

Yes, we do seem to get more than our fair share of shtf situations. Since I have been here my first aid/survival/coping with weird and wonderful things has improved no end. I certainly feel confident in handling most situations that might come my way. If the SHTF we have a number of plans to put into operation , which one we finally enact depends on the situation and when it happens.

The ideal would be to stay here and brave things out till they improve. We have supplies of everything we would need to last a few months at least. Most of our capital was put into buying this very solid old house with its own water supply (enough in the tank for a year) and we would be reluctant to leave it. The walls are a meter thick all windows are shuttered and we have more than one source of fuel for heating and cooking.

If we felt physically threatened by the situation then the plan is to load up the car with essentials (including food etc) and get the first ferry to the mainland so we don't get cut off on the island.

We have several plans on what to do if other SHTF situations crop up, including knowing which route each of us would take home if we were away from home when it happened. Important to know as communications go down often here.

We both have scooters which are kept full of petrol (as is the car) and they are economical to run in fuel shortages ..which we have already suffered from several times. Both scooters have a kick start which is great if the weather or other circumstances affect the electric starter (like an emp would).

I don't actually worry about things happening, as I feel prepared for most eventualities. I have great skills for survival that I can use and my OH has as well. I worry more about my elderly neighbours who are already struggling just to survive on their tiny pensions and the people who have worked all summer to be told they are not going to get paid for this year.

Butterfly_Brain

sophlowe45 wrote: »

Have you all heard of Strikedebt yet?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/nyregion/occupy-offshoot-aims-to-erase-peoples-debts.html

I watchthe Keiser report and Max reported on it last week, what a brilliant idea :T

GreyQueen

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I watchthe Keiser report and Max reported on it last week, what a brilliant idea :T

Now that has to be the most-heartwarming thing which I've heard today. More power to their elbow.

Long ago in a faraway land, when there was something new in town called the Poll Tax, a large group of anti-polltaxers packed an auction sale of bailiff-seized goods. They were taken from a leading refusenik and there had been a degree of malice applied to the seizure (the value and quantity of goods being so much greater than the poll tax debt - they were one of the first to have their stuff seized and there was an obvious desire to make them an example to put the wind up the anti crowd).

When the bidding opened, the friendly crowd bid in single pennies and bought the stuff to give back to the refusenik. The debt was still there but at least they had their chattels back. It was one small step in a long campaign, but we got there in the end.

There is also a NY group called Occupy Sandy which has volunteers going door-to-door in the housing projects (Coney Island was mentioned) where some elderly residents have been left by the authorities and the Red Cross high in multi-story buildings, without aid since 29th October.

Because everyone is capable of walking down many floors in an electricity-less block to come to collect their aid in person, aren't they? Seems that none of the agencies tasked to help had thought of that one.............

2tonsils

Greyqueen that is a lovely story about buying their goods to give back to them. I used to go to the auctions when I lived in the UK and went to many where the company had gone bankrupt and the auction group had informed customers that the things they had paid deposits on were coming up for auction if they wanted to cut their losses and buy them cheaply. It gave me great satisfaction to see one of the customers buy the business owners Porsche for just 3000 pounds.

On a strange note, I saw some repossessed goods go to auction once. On opening the door of a microwave I found someone's plated Sunday lunch still in there....obviously seized in a hurry eh?

ALIBOBSY

2tonsils wrote: »

I am surprised you mention Nixon, are you American? Which monetary system are you referring to? Europe has its own system as does the States, the UK and other countries. The European currency was meant to be just that, European. Now if you said the global banking system I would have agreed with you.

I laughed in irony when you said most of us are unlikely to be affected by the things I mentioned, since many parts of the UK have already been badly affected by the weather and its showing signs of turning real nasty by this weekend. The risks of flooding or other damage from the weather are much closer and more immediate than the risk of finances crashing at the moment. Look at what is happening in the States with the weather, its out of control.

Being very well populated the UK will always be at risk of nasty viruses and outbreaks of contagious diseases. The ease of travel across the globe makes us all more prone to such risks.

The chance of a huge solar flare hitting earth is increasing as this year moves on as we are almost at solar maximum in this cycle. Next year will see it at its height. An emp (electromagnetic pulse) could wipe out communications and electricity grids for months or even years. We often get problems with communications when there are solar storms, we are being affected by one right now. Our satelite tv signal goes, then the Greek television programmes, the land line stops working and the mobiles go crazy and won't work properly. I have lost three computer hard drives and a fridge freezer to sudden strikes of lightning as well.



As for volcanoes, look at the chaos caused by the ash from the Icelandic volcano not so long ago. I am situated near enough to two three very active volcanoes to be worried about their normal activity never mind unexpected. I am also waiting for the builder to come and mend the earth tremor damage done to my house two weeks ago. The UK also has slight tremors which cause damage and its more likely to happen now that they have started fracking on a larger scale.

I am watching a few Icelandic blogs as their volcano's are going through a more active period now and there are a number of them that are "due" to erupt any time. Now no one can say exactly when or how big these eruptions may be, but if a "laki" type event were to occur it would seriously effect the whole of europe. Worst case is clouds of posion gas, reduced sunlight effecting harvest etc etc. Ok not the most likely scenario, but then again people do the lottery every week on worse odds.
If El Hierro or Cubre Veija go with a bang and cause a landslid or if the Lisbon fault slips again it will be major tsunami time in Britain. If Lisbon goes like it did in 1755 most of the south of England will be under water.

Even if you ignore these a relatively smallish meteor hitting the sea near us could also do the same.

So although I think the economic and food price issues are a more immediate threat, it is clear there are a number of plausable possible ways that for us in the UK the S could HTF in a big way so I reckon as a prepper if you prepare for the worst, you will be covered for "lesser" events.

Mind you saying that I try not to worry about it too much and I don't spend a fortune, just get things I will use whatever happens.

At the end of the day though we all weigh up the risks and you prep as far as your thoughts and funds allow you.

Ali x

Dippypud

jackieglasgow wrote: »

How is Hamas like Sinn Fein exactly? Could you please explain this comment?

I read this thread daily, and find it generally entertaining, but now and again some of the convert and overt racism and ignorance really winds me up and shocks me. Today is one of those days, really people, educate yourselves if you are going to comment on political matters, please. And not from other forum members, either.

Wow ...

I go and feed the tribe and ... :eek:

Firstly ... no racial intent anywhere from me ...

(sorry if I upset you JG)

Hamas and Sinn Fein are elected representatives of their people / places ... that was the only comparison ... I was assuming that the poster had heard of Sinn Fein ...

I did not mean for my post to create a 'split' in the forum members ...

and if I have I am very sorry ...

if you misunderstood the post ...I probably wrote it badly...

I thought it important that people were aware of a major incident, that may have an effect on our economy ...

ALIBOBSY

I have pondered on the economic situation and wondered if "the west" so to speak have been living the equivalent of being heads of an empire. Based on oil and its deriatives these countries lifestyles and living standards romped away (with the odd blip- but on the whole much, much better that those in poorer countries). Like Rome at its peak we milked the poorer countries as much as we could and enjoyed the high life. But all empires come to an end. Look at Cuba without oil-a simpler, but much poorer lifestyle.

The monetary lead is shifting to many of the Asian economies such as China and no matter what we and the US do I don't think much is going to stop that. Once the oil is gone a different world will have to emerge.

Ali x

GreyQueen

It's a rum old business.

I once a go-round with a firm of bailiffs in my role as a CAB adviser; they'd seized a computer from a person and this computer held their child's school work (as in about to sit major exams school work).:eek:

I was introducing them to the concept that they had actually seized two distinct things; the physical computer which was the property of the debtor and within their remit, and the schoolwork which was intellectual property and the possession of the child, which wasn't. And we needed to get those files back.

You can't seize the belongings of someone in the household who isn't the debtor.

I didn't ever find out how that one ended as I had to pass it to another adviser but, by gum, I made that bailiff's office wallah sweat.:rotfl:

ALIBOBSY

I also wonder how far you can push people before they push back, I mean in Greece and the other EU countries having problems, how soon before the people say enough is enough and start to riot. So far its all been relatively peaceful protests, but we know from history how quickly that can change. Governments only rule as long as the people let them.

TBH what do youngsters and indeed the majority of people in Greece have to look forward to. At least if you are paying off personal debt you can work out and end date- so you know how long the pain will last.

Keep safe 2T, thank goodness we never joined the Euro here, the faster we pull away from the EU the better.

Keep Safe
Ali x

2tonsils

We have the Santorini volcanoes (one under the island and one undersea just off it)in Greece and almost opposite us are Etna and Stromboli, all of which have been very active lately. They have set off major tsunami events in the Med in the past and I have no doubt one day they will do it again.

Greece is very seismically active of course but lately this island has been feeling some of the tremors from earthquakes opposite us in southern Italy for some reason. I have noticed much more damage to buildings with cracks and crumbling masonry but the most damage is being done to the poor quality roads . There are many new rocks down on the roads from the mountainsides. We have to cover the mortgage with earthquake insurance and its 654 euros a year. The house is 300 years old but when it was modernised an earthquake ring was put in to help protect it in a bigger quake.

I was grateful for the information about the Hamas and Israel. My husband had to explain how serious it could be for all of us. I was half expecting Syria to kick off big style as there is huge military presence nearby...from America, Russia and various other countries.

All this going on and we haven't even got near to December 21st/22nd and all that might bring.....or not. I know the people who are watching the sun/weather/earth/astronomy are getting jittery about it coming up...but I have two friends who are scientists who are now saying the S will HTF next year...not this.....