Posted: 5/16/2007 5:17:14 PM EDT
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I've been surfing around different open information sources the last few hours, and a thought (or two) occurred to me. There are many different "events" unfolding all through out the world right now that have the potential to someday (if not already) drastically change our lives and the lives of the ones we love. I know which events really stand out in my mind, the ones that get me thinking about my future, and the future of my loved ones. This is after all, likely what has brought many of us here to this forum. My question is this: What in your opinion, of all the scenarios playing out in the world right now, is the one scenario that stands out in your mind as the greatest potential threat to our future? Do a quick mental inventory of current events: Which one really sticks out to you, demands your focus? What is it you are really preparing for? |
definitely the cancellation of Jericho. ar-jedi ps: i would say the price of gas. it will affect every financial aspect of our lives. |
+1 I would only add this caveat; Global economic disruption. Think 1930's Great Depression,- only worse this time around. |
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Of course, there are alot of people with untold trillions of dollars on the line working to make sure it DOESN'T HAPPEN, but then again, there were alot of people around 1914 with billions on the line and they still stumbled into World War One. If Pakistan went over to the dark side.... If their nukes fell into the wrong hands, which USED them before losing them, and one at least went over the Himilayas to wipe out a chunk of China... and another was sent to the Gulf - like Kuwait - to hit 'us' but in effect poisoned the whole Persian gulf.... there'd be a HUGE economic crash; both in hikes in energy costs and in a sheer lack of stuff being made and shipped from China. |
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I figure economic, first, money gets tight we all feel it quick, but not by outside enemies, but by our own internal idiots (starting with those in DC) then when things get bogged down, our outside enemies, will go WTF, and jump for joy, the rest who knows, so many angles that seemed that they should have played out long ago, and things are still ticking along, but, I think when /what ever happens it will happen faster than anyone thought 
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You know, I've been around long enough to remember the nuclear attack drills in school as a child, the fallout shelter craze, the Cuban Missle Crisis, the Vietnam War, and finally the learning to live with the bomb era of potential global calamities. Throughout it all, there was always the indominable American spirit that always assured us all that we would somehow prevail. We were a unified people who pulled together in any crisis. I don't feel that way anymore... At least half of our fellow countrymen are either drinking the cool-aide, or are knowingly selling out our country to our enemies. We are over-run by illegal aliens who are draining our resourses without contributing anything. Our "leaders" on both sides of the isle have sold out to the NAU or a greater NWO, and they stand in front of us on a daily basis and lie to us about it. 70% of the American public has clearly stated that they want our borders secured and the illegals expelled, yet we are totally ignored and patronizingly placated by our "representitives". I've never been a doom and gloom type, but I can only stomach so much. What crisis do I most worry about? All of them. Just make a checklist and arrange them in the order that they end up occurring. What'll be first? Coordinated terrorist nuclear attacks on several American cities? Or maybe a collapse of our economy, our dollar, and our society? An invented crisis as a pretext to declaring martial law and the suspension of all constitutional rights? Which will be first, and which will follow...the chicken or the egg. About the only thing that I'm relatively sure of at this juncture is that something bad is soon to happen...and whatever it is, it will only be the beginning of far worse to come. Stack 'em high and stack 'em deep...lock and load...praise the Lord and pass the ammo... |
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The question is what will cause the Tipping Point? With the backdrop of the current financial problems..., we will soon see a rise in the cost of basic food items, and the dollar will continue to lose ground. Most things will be more expensive. it would take an additional factor to drive us over the edge. I have listed below primary stand alone events, which fit the model for terrorist attack, which in and of themselves, would potentially break the camel's back, and cause us to reach this tipping point. Primary-stand alone events 1. contamination of public water supplies in at least three major cities, (with the obligatory broadcast by the networks,) terror level goes up. They don't have to be effective with this one, just the rumor of bad water will cause significant impact: 25 points. 2. biological contamination, or a natural outbreak of Influenza/Bird flu/smallpox/Ebola variant that is persistant and controlled, and with the effect of disabling/making bedridden, more than 20% of american adults and children. this is scary, since it is very doable - an aerosolized attack on multiple high traffic hubs (like a bug bomb). the danger here is we may discover the aerosolized delivery vehicles many hours after they have discharged. one in each major airport would be a tragedy. 50 points. 3. Disabled power grid. Catastrophic failure, cascading failure of key regions, (You heard on the news your water may be unsafe, you and your kids are sick from the aerosolized agent, and now your T v is out, you can't track the attack) No power= no fuel pumps = get your horse and buggy/bicycle. 35 points. Stop here: if these three events happen within a two week period, likely by design in the carrying out of a coordinated terrorist attack, i'm not sure a mexicanized America could recover. A private well is a safeguard any individual can take. Maybe someone familiar with pathogens can chime in on whether immunizations are available for those bugs. As far as grid going out, I feel we would be surprisingly OK unless it was winter, with the cold killing old or weak. 4. Mass Evacuation duplication of New Orleans , but caused by event at Yellowstone, Nuclear reactor incident, Mt. St. Helens, or SF earthquake, Tsunami. 5. General Terror attack of moderate success and scale, but not exceeding 9/11 6. Terror attack exceeding 9/11 - nuclear attack against high value/high payoff american targets 7. Meteor (however likelihood is unknown) that causes worldwide climate change. speculative points - this in and of itself could disproportionately weight the point system 8. race riots over a trigger event (event of your choice, NBA game, trial decision, republican sweep in 08) 9. computer virus that results in over half of networked computers malfunctioning at a predetermined time. I think we are still within memory of Y2K to handle this lightweight problem. 10. coordinated refinery attacks that start fires of a significant magnitude that the refineries would have to be allowed to burn themselves out -- there isn't the staff to fight 30 fires like that at once. 11. Hydro electric power attack. would just not be that hard to hit a decent number of dams across the US -- you don't need to blow them up, just open the gates and drain the lakes at full speed. The dams downstream will not be able to release the water that fast and at best you have flooding problems, at worst damage, and either way you will not have any hydroelectric power until you have enough of a head behind the dam. Do this with a few dams (like Glen Canyon, Hoover, Davis, Parker or Buchanan, Inks, Granite Shoals, Starcke, Mansfield, Tom Miller, and Longhorn) at the same time, and the refilling alone, apart from the flood damage, would be a major pain and would take a decently long time, especially in mid-summer. just my twocents, but with so many other high payoff targets for the bastages to focus on, I don't see them taking this option. Events which probably require a trigger, or precurser Primary event 8. Chinese action (Invade Taiwan, embargo, attack the US , whatever they do will affect us and seal the fate of a second "great" depression) 9. Isreal attacked by Iran or other similar sovereign. |
| The situation in Pakistan goes south, and Pakistan's nuclear arsenal (I have heard about 60 warheads) gets into the wrong hands. A major city (not necessarily in the U.S.) is hit with one. The world economy collapses, and the resulting fear and paranoia about the remaining loose nukes causes unprecedented goverment actions. |
As the end result of a fiat currency driven world---one way or another, that's what the cause is. GR |
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it is funny how humans have a natural belief that the worst is going to happen. but havr to "REALLY" focus on anything good. and as soon as "anything" the slightest bit negative happens, no matter how small. the good goes right out the window and we, as humans, are right back to the doom and gloom. it's just something i have observed. I'm not sure we, as human beings can help it. have you ever seen a book in a book store that tells you how to fail? no? that's because it comes naturaly, but books are written all the time on "HOW TO SUCCEED" because it's something we have to work at everyday or it fades quickly. just saying. now back to the regularly scheduled doom and gloom. 
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| Interesting to see your post. I've seen a couple similar posts on other forums. It seems that there are a lot of people out there right now that have unsettled feelings about our short and long term future. I think that humans, just like other animals, can sense when things aren't quite right. |
| US economic slowdown causes a Chinese stock market crash, leading to widespread chaos as China's serious problems with corruption and state control make a recovery almost impossible for several years. China returns to a warlord period with 10+ independant and nuclear-armed states. They start selling the nukes, invading Burma and Thailand, and otherwise causing problems. In the meantime, the US has to remember how to do things like make underwear and socks. |
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Global warming causing massive disruption in crops. Food that can be harvested isn't because we sealed borders from cheap labor. Several Katrina type events followed by no assistance from the Federal Government, leading to further erosion of the general public faith in the Federal Government. When they can't get their food, gas cost 3.50 a gallon, the economy has a massive correction the people start waking up. Then the Chinese and Saudis call in there markers and the Federal Government defaults, then taxes the shit out of the hungry masses, we might have a problem. I don't think it will "end." I think the middle class will be chipped away at for the next 50 years. |
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Economic-- too many illeagals --drain reasources, and rip off system. Welfare-- blacks finally get reperations and refuse to do anything for money, and economy suffers creating a communist government along with all the illeagals from our beloved hispanic neighbors. Race riots to kill evil white people. Dems get votes from them though  .OIL shortage Americans must change way they live and conserve... yeah right... Debt grows to point china owns the US and moves in to take over farmland to feed its masses. China takes Tiawan, they are a growing monster that will stirr and we are fucked. Iran, N korea nuke the US majior war. White or caucasion men no longer can find work because of our past crimes against humanity. |
Now that was well said! And I couldn't agree more! I've actually been considering adding a false wall to my home to hide my guns/ammo -at the very least! Maybe even add as much food as I could squeeze in there, too! The uncertain future of our most basic civil liberties has me damned concerned. Truthfully, in another era/circumstance, I'd consider myselfparanoid! Given this ambigious environment . . . "prudent" "reasonable" and "responsible" seem more accurate terms! ***God! How I WISH I owned a backhoe! 
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Economic collapse in the US precipitated by one of the following (This is a rant I posted in GD last night when I was way to tired)
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This is #1 for me, followed by terrorism at home from Muslim terrorists. and agents of muslim governments. Iran is hardly a settled issue..... |
Pretty close to my thoughts. Actually, a looming threat on the near future horizon: Bloomburg, NY mayor, testing the waters for a third party run at the White House. Will he pull more votes from the Repub's or the Demo's? Who can say right now. Looks like another Ross Perot and Hillary in '08. Add that to Pelosi, Reid and co., and THAT is a SHTF scenario. This country is large and resourceful - I don't think it'll collapse. But our republic, or what remains of it, can be lost. A lot of cyclical stuff can go on - being prepared hopefully will cushion the blow if the economy goes down, for example. |
| I believe that we, in mindset, freedoms, and so forth are in our sunset period. By we, I mean Americans who believe in God, the Constitution, family values, and indepencence. The are too many un-american American's living among us, and I don't mean the illegals, they're a disease, while the so-called citizens(sheeple/soon to be subjects/ultimately slaves) are a degenerative disruption of our DNA that will destroy us from within. I don't know what will be the cause, but the end result will be tyrants attempting to excersise control over the world's people like has never before been seen. |
+1 |
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The biggest "threat" is over-population. Without over-population all the triggers would just go pop. With over-population, any minor little blip becomes a major catastrophy possibly leading to world and life changing scenarios. Hurricane Rita is a great example. The Hurricane didn't hit Houston and 4 million people all tried to evacuat during the same 26 hour period with no one getting anywhere and 20 people dieing. What if the Hurricane did hit Houston? |
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The biggest threat is demographic change, civil unrest and ultimately civil war. I don't just predict civil war, I'm absolutely certain it will happen within 25 years, very likely sooner than that. The states' rights issue has never been resolved. Judges have become defacto dictators beholden to no one. All three branches of government are at odds, which is normal, but they are entering into such an *extreme* state of conflict that we will soon come to the point that branches of gov't will be issuing bold and contrary orders, a full blown constitutional crisis will ensue, and issues will have to be resolved with violence. "War is the furtherance of politics by other means" is a saying that comes to mind. I predict a full breakup of these United States as a result of all of this. |
Agree completely. World oil production as been pretty much flat for a few years now. Consumption has not. It can only get worse. |
I try not to be a dooms day'er but I agree with you 100%, as much as I hate to..  I'm not sure we'll get to the back 1/2 of the 25 years though. |
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I see the working poor becoming a bigger drain on those few who actually pay more into the system than they remove. My new job has shown me so much in 3 months that I just wind up thankful every day I go to work that I have what I have. We already know some are a drain on the system and the illegals coming in drain the system through welfare and crime increases. But I think the working poor are just going to continue scraping along thinking welfare, family handouts, or earned income credits are normal. If I only worked this job I think I would qualify for some of the earned income credit, I am pretty sure I would at least get all my tax money back but I need to run the tax program to see how that would play out for a single male. And just getting my tax money back means I am relying on someone else to pay my share. Throw in some of the other stuff others have mentioned and more and more working poor and I just think the system is going to find itself so broken that it can't even pretend to work. These days I consider things broken but enough people think it is ok that it is like pushing a car that is out of gas. If you have a carload of folks to help push then that vehicle moves pretty well even without being able to run by itself. But everyone is getting tired and climbing back in the vehicle and no one is replacing those who no longer push. |
Yup, well said. I quit pushing about 2 years ago, stopped by a nice place on the side of the road, and started stockpiling beans, band aids and bullets. With any luck at all, those idiots will keep pushing long enough to get the car and themselves far enough away from me that they won't be threat when they finally figure out their out of gas. At the same time I'm taking all my stuff in the opposite direction in the near future, with any luck at all. |
About 5 years ago, I would have labeled you a tin-foil, nut job. Today I agree 100%. I read DU every once in a while and sit amazed. In my lifetime (been here since 1964) I have never seen our country so polarized. Add to that the new, soon to be, pressure of millions of new "legal" immigrants that have NO interest in assimilating to the American Culture, a very real chance of a major economic down-turn, and a probable big Terrorist hit on our soil, and you have the makings of a bleak future. Can the US come out the other side of the above situations the way she went in? I have my doubts. I am preparing, and praying at the same time. |
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General steady break down of distribution, infrastructure, quality of goods, civil soceity and means to produce. So possible future is: When you go shopping you have to plot a route around all the areas where you could get shot. Which changes daily. Once you get to the store you find there is very little to buy. Which isn't so bad when you realize someone has stolen the gasoline in your car, so your walking. When you get home you find out what little you could buy, turned out to be cardboard crackers (literally crackers made out of sawdust). Neighbors who retired on a big pension mad that the pensions gone and social security is gone. They have no children to look out for them. All their friends pretend they never knew them. Young couple who live across the street can't find a job and are trying to grow crops in their front yard. They had some chickens before the goverment confiscated them. Only two hours a electricity a day, which doesn't matter because someone stole the power line. On the radio you hear that the latest truce in Europe has collapsed. |
not that I'm a big conspiracy theorist or economic major but I figure if some place like the US and/or Chinas economy tanked completely would have a long lasting chain effect. US buys everything and makes alot of complicated shit, china makes everything else. Like throwing a stone in a pool of water, the ripples will eventually reach all around. |
I would have to agree with the "Economic meltdown" scenario. There are many catalysts for such a scenario, many tied directly into what's happening around the world today. |
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I see three trends converging: 1. Slow economic meltdown. 2. MILLIONS of unassimilation-minded Mexicans are a de facto nation within a nation who demand and receive the vote and become the tyrannical minority. 3. "Respect mah authoritayyyy" mindset continues to grow stronger among government and law enforcement. |
Nice post. Strange how we are potentially facing the most dangerous time in our country's history and half the population doesn't seem to know and the other half doesn't seem to care. |
| Radical islam......within 10 years europe will be on fire......I agree with the govt study that says its only a matter of time before they get a nuke in and light it off.....Sadly that is what its gonna take to wake up alot of people in this country.....Im trying to get my house paid off , store up food and gear, and hope they dont hit NC or SC.....I figure they will toast DC and NYC if they can get two in.....more than that add LA, Chicago, phionex (SP bad) if that doesnt happen then next in line is economic colapse of europe first then America due to medicare/SS coming due......either one is gonna be ugly.....Very Ugly... |
I pose the very same question again, 6 months later:
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| Economic problems. Oil based economy, poor economic polices, immigration problems, this housing debacle, medicare and social security, it will all catch up to us sooner or later. Maybe not as fast as in 1929, but you can't have an economic system that is unstustainable and expect it not to fail sooner or later. |
Precisely. It's a lot easier to fail than it is to succeed. A lot of times when success becomes too easy we start to take it for granted. Then failure slaps us in the face and it's 100x worse than it would have been had we been ready for it. We live in a decedent society where everything is taken for granted. Most of the people honestly don't see how things could possibly go bad because things have been so good for so long. People care too much about the minor, inconsequential problems while they ignore the big ones. We've become spoiled. I don't think that any particular event is going to happen that sends us back to the dark ages. IF something happens then I'll be as prepared as I can be. |
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LETS FACE IT!!!! ...The United States of America as we have known it is just about gone! 10-20 Million Illegals in OUR country at OUR governments invitation with bleeding hearts on both side of the Flag..Liberal and conservative ...They know.....THEY ARE NOT GOING HOME!!They are taking yours..right out from under you!!while Flying flags in Montana to refusing to assimilate to the culture of the USA...why should they...THEY"RE NOT HERE!!! Illegal Immigration is sucking the social services dry!! They come here and have as many children as they can! Go to a Birthing center and look at the lobby!...Go to the Social services center and look at the lines of little Jesus' and Maria's applying for Food stamps,WIC,refugee benefits,In-Home Supportive Services ..just to name a few!!....Rich business's hire low wage Immigrant(criminals) at low wages so they can pass better prices to the US consumer???BULLSHITSKY!! Prices still rise and they get rich!!..ER!! Havier, fresh from Mexico stands in line at the local health dept with his 14 kids... has to have new teef because he lost them while jumping the fence because he they have rotted out from chewing Cocoa leaves in Columbia (because he really is from Nicaragua and an active member of MS13 who has elevated himself to the drug trade as a cleaner..killing any and everyone his masters tell him to) all the while his incoming FAMILIA throwing rocks at US border patrol to divert the attention of the BP from observing HAJJI and his suitcase nuke or vials of small pox across the Rio Grande River The NAFTA superhighway is 12 lanes wide, operated by Mexico..owned by China and not driven by Americans!!Transporting who knows what to who knows where without one damn thing done about it!...The US sells its self to the highest bidder wholly to the end result of an North American Union..dissolving borders without a question being answered!For free trade with who>>>>CHINA! They own us! as we buy barbie laced with lead they are building the greatest military weapon on the planet!...200 million troops=400 million boots!! Meanwhile, the average US worker pays bills with credit cards! Buys food for a few days at a time because its all they can afford! cant go to the Dr because health insurance is 800.00 a month for a family of 4!Who now live at an extended stay or in there car thats on the repo list because The bank foreclosed on their home because they signed a variable loan because they needed a place to live due to the fact they didnt want to raise little AMY in the barrio ,where black tar heroin is now in the favorite flavors of the neighborhood ice cream truck(who is driven by the local sexual predator who has 3 dead children in the freezer next to the push pops).. They pay 80.00 a week to drive back and forth to a dead end job so they can have LIFE,LIBERTY and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS(at walmart) Iran is manufacturing yellow cake to produce Nukes with the world watching little TOM and his ISLAMOFASCIST regime like its a top spinning and spinning and spinning ....like we are in a trance unable to Awaken until it stops ...THEN BOOM!! and we'll ask ourselves as we run to grab little Johnny's NBC gear and KI tabs...How did this happen? Meanwhile, Israel is condemned for burning to the ground on a Friday the holy day of islam!!!.... How dare they?? As the smoke plume rises... The communist controlled US media running 24 hr reports of Jihidist holding signs stating "prepare for the REAL holocaust".."DEATH TO AMERICA"..."ISLAM WILL RULE THE WORLD" ...as we stand by as the ASH FALLS and say to ourselves..., " Are they talking to ME?..They sure are a peaceful people!.....where are the Bennie weinnies??"...."does this mean I'll miss AMERICAN IDOL??" eta...meanwhile our men and women are dying for a great cause as the liberal idiots claim a defeat on a daily basis just to achieve a political goal! While supporting the rapping of the US constitution,the removal of the ten commandments as they support foot baths and abortions but attempting to take the 2nd amendment and throw it in the trash as if it never existed!! This pretty much sums up my concerns of our future!!! GOD HELP US!!
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This is something people have pretty much stopped thinking about. We haven't heard the last of those people. They have been at it for the last 3,000 years and all the fight hasn't suddenly left them. If the US Army isn't sitting on them, they will return to tormenting each other. It's in their nature. The last 50 years have been a real anomaly in Europe. |