From: Charles Hixson (charleshixsn@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon Oct 14 2002 - 10:36:08 MDT
Mike Lorrey wrote:
> ...
>
>I'd say that most of us did some preparation prior to the millenium,
>but have let things slide since. I sold most of my stock of ammo, used
>my MRE's in hunting trips and when I forgot to go shopping and was
>short on time. I am far more prepared tool-wise, and have just to
>restock consumables. By spring I intend to buy some remote land of my
>own, as I have been depending on having access to the family hunting
>cabin in extremis to this point.
>...
>
Are you planning to live on this "remote land"? If not..., somehow I
don't think that after a large catastrophy land deeds will be worth
much. Not for a few decades, anyway (depending on the size of the
catastropy). Residence, however, would convey a large advantage. So
would not having a bunch of desperate neighbors (the big drawback agains
preparation within a city). In a city, any catastrophy that cuts the
electricity and water for a week ... doesn't matter how prepared *you*
are, unless you have a *REALLY* good bunker, the fire will get you. Or
the mob. Or both. If the roads are cut, instead of water, then it will
take a day or two longer. But not much.
The cities aren't designed to survive catastrophies. And if something
massive happens, getting out is the only real option, if it's possible.
OTOH, on the average people live longer in cities, if they can afford
the support services that are available. This counts food, water,
electicity, but it also counts the fire department and the police and
the medics. If I lived in the country, I might be dead from an infected
leg. First it was nothing, then within hours it headed towards
gangrene. Even with prompt access to an emergency room (seven hour
wait, but only after triage had seen me) I was sick for a month.
A small town is probably the best trade-off, if you can find the right
one, which includes being able to get along with the people who live
there. Problem is, they're boring! And no place to earn a living. And
internet access tends to be ... limited. (But some of them have cable
systems, so this might [be changing/have changed].)
-- -- Charles Hixson Gnu software that is free, The best is yet to be.
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