fairly safe for awhile?

[old3bob]

Many of us have been fairly safe from natural disasters and man made strife for awhile,  but that is changing pretty fast to where there are fewer safe places from such troubles,  for almost everyday or weekly people in the US and elsewhere are contending with potentially deadly weather events and all that that may include,  also random or planned shootings involving civilians and or cops.  Then there are horrific hot wars or military actions going on somewhere in the world, or the ever looming cold wars that could turn hot, etc.!  Does the question come down to an if or a when will such troubles come upon us who have been relatively safe?  We can talk about and do various spiritual practices but I'd say that such also needs a certain external atmosphere (besides an internal one) to be worked on or exist.   Some of my family members more or less ignore the news because they say there noting they can do about it and being that they are busy with their personal lives, problem is our personal lives also depend a lot on the bigger picture of what else is going on at all levels around us in towns ,city's, states, and countries of the world!  

The saying, "no man is island" comes to mind...so we do what we can since even small things make a difference.

 

[Paradoxal]

I am a relatively young man, as I've not yet hit thirty, so I tend to think about what I may have to do in the future and prepare for it. I don't want to ever have to go to war, to kill other humans, but when I look at the current trend, I realize I may be dragged into it no matter what I do. Thus, I prepare, in the hopes that it may save my life and the lives of those around me. 

 

This preparation comes in the form of extremely serious martial arts practice, personal study of modern medical knowledge, and most importantly, general self-betterment; it's incredible how helpful knowing how to keep calm and talk through a situation can be, but so many people ignore cultivating this. In my (subjective) view, my martial practice has saved my life from a particularly bad car crash, which I managed to walk away from with only serious spinal injuries. My medical studies, while I am not a doctor, have saved my life recently when I managed to cut an artery in a kitchen accident; because I had practiced wrapping bandages and had them on hand, I managed to stall the bleeding to get to an ER (though, I still lost about half a liter of blood in less than a minute).

 

Most importantly, the social skills I've cultivated (and still work on every day) have allowed me to get jobs, have enabled relationships that let me live my life and help me help others. While this may not sound like much, to me, these simple social skills are what needs to be cultivated to avert conflict. 

[liminal_luke]

A teacher of mine once said "life is not an emergency" -- lots of wisdom there.  While it´s good to be knowledgable, aware and prepared, many of us are oversaturated with doom.  Better to consume the news than to be consumed by it.  Our brains are biased to focus on the negative, so it behooves us to consciously attune ourselves to the delightful in life.  Ironically, I believe a balanced perspective, one that doesn´t discount the good and the beautiful, will put us in the best position to deal with genuine emergencies when they do come.

[Maddie]

I know it may not seem like it if we watch the news too much but as a historian this is actually one of the best times to be alive. There's fewer wars than there's ever been, medical science is at an all-time high people don't die of common diseases like they used to. Granted climate change is a problem but I can't think of another time in history that is better than now. This is why I like the study of history.

[old3bob]

1 hour ago, Maddie said:

I know it may not seem like it if we watch the news too much but as a historian this is actually one of the best times to be alive. There's fewer wars than there's ever been, medical science is at an all-time high people don't die of common diseases like they used to. Granted climate change is a problem but I can't think of another time in history that is better than now. This is why I like the study of history.

 

ok some improvements in medicine and other areas have been made, but not enough imo from what is being seen and reported to keep up with the drastic imbalances and degradation in climates and ecosystems. (with hundreds of destructive tornados, powerful hurricanes, much of California, Canada,  the Amazon, and other areas burning fiercely, the incredible amount of pollution in seas and oceans,  dirty drinking water, poor air quality,  115+ degree heat waves,  the north and south poles ice melting , etc. !) And add to that all the violence and potential violence in the world.... granted its 5:00 o'clock and Margaritaville somewhere but not in a great many parts of the US and in many parts of the world!  Granted there is a pure heaven or state of being somewhere for some folks but not in many situations for many people in this world of various forms of horrific suffering for mankind and so many of earths other creatures!  (as in going extinct although  some have recovered but not anywhere near as many that are in trouble!)

Edited June 5 by old3bob

[Maddie]

1 hour ago, old3bob said:

 

ok some improvements in medicine and other areas have been made, but not enough imo from what is being seen and reported to keep up with the drastic imbalances and degradation in climates and ecosystems. (with hundreds of destructive tornados, powerful hurricanes, much of California, Canada,  the Amazon, and other areas burning fiercely, the incredible amount of pollution in seas and oceans,  dirty drinking water, poor air quality,  115+ degree heat waves,  the north and south poles ice melting , etc. !) And add to that all the violence and potential violence in the world.... granted its 5:00 o'clock and Margaritaville somewhere but not in a great many parts of the US and in many parts of the world!  Granted there is a pure heaven or state of being somewhere for some folks but not in many situations for many people in this world of various forms of horrific suffering for mankind and so many of earths other creatures!  (as in going extinct although  some have recovered but not anywhere near as many that are in trouble!)

 

I do agree that probably one of the biggest challenges we face in this day and age is climate change. Unfortunately.

[Nungali]

Me ? I am hiding out '  down in the 'crack '   ( subduction fault , valley floor of sub tropical rain forest ) .... up the back of a 'hippy commune'  , they will never find me here .   That was the plan, anyway .

 

My best tactic to avoid 'all that bother' was some tricky per-incarnation business that I cant tell you about ( because I dont know it myself, at this stage ) .

 

lets call it 'the fortuitous birth '  - good times, place, environs, parents , etc .  I used to think I was born  at a 'perfect; time ' ... the boom time here .  Compared to now, like even 15 years ago was a 'dream' , more so before that .  I dont even tell the kids about it anymore , too sad for them to know how good it was . At one stage I used to think, " if only I was born a bit earlier , I would have had access to all those retro English motorcycles - brand new !

 

 

 

But that would have made me old enough for Vietnam War conscription ( they nearly got my big brother ) ... I was just the right age for 'free university' when it came in . And I won;t be here any morte when the shit really hits the fan .

 

Good luck you younger generations !

[old3bob]

11 hours ago, Nungali said:

Me ? I am hiding out '  down in the 'crack '   ( subduction fault , valley floor of sub tropical rain forest ) .... up the back of a 'hippy commune'  , they will never find me here .   That was the plan, anyway .

 

My best tactic to avoid 'all that bother' was some tricky per-incarnation business that I cant tell you about ( because I dont know it myself, at this stage ) .

 

lets call it 'the fortuitous birth '  - good times, place, environs, parents , etc .  I used to think I was born  at a 'perfect; time ' ... the boom time here .  Compared to now, like even 15 years ago was a 'dream' , more so before that .  I dont even tell the kids about it anymore , too sad for them to know how good it was . At one stage I used to think, " if only I was born a bit earlier , I would have had access to all those retro English motorcycles - brand new !

 

 

 

But that would have made me old enough for Vietnam War conscription ( they nearly got my big brother ) ... I was just the right age for 'free university' when it came in . And I won;t be here any morte when the shit really hits the fan .

 

Good luck you younger generations !

 

Cool,  neato and or bitchen as old timers used to say; that picture reminds me of of the BSA single cly. 500cc thumper, that is if I remember correctly.  My past brother in law almost turned in his chips when crashing one.  Lucky for him his helmet took almost all the damage, as in fractured and split open. 

 

Around this region there are several fun mountain man rendezvous,  guys and gals recreating the 1830's mountain man era for the weekend (camping in beautiful tipis) with trader and artists booths thus lots of trading, buying, bragging and tall tales going on;  along with black powder rifle and pistol shoots, hatchet throwing contests, chili cook-offs, visits from American Indian dancers all decked out in their finery and more.  

 

went and found a clip of that BSA:

 

Edited June 6 by old3bob

[Sanity Check]

There is a former green beret who commented on this topic.

 

The title of his vblog is: You better know how to War Lord.

 

No need to search for it or listen to the whole thing.

Only thinking about the title is enough imo.

[old3bob]

 

then again all we really have is the moment (that unfolds to the next moment)  and while we should learn from the past which can make for a better future yet again all there really is, is now which should not be lost in too much pondering on the past or potential future...

[Nungali]

22 hours ago, old3bob said:

 

Cool,  neato and or bitchen as old timers used to say; that picture reminds me of of the BSA single cly. 500cc thumper, that is if I remember correctly.  My past brother in law almost turned in his chips when crashing one.  Lucky for him his helmet took almost all the damage, as in fractured and split open. 

 

Around this region there are several fun mountain man rendezvous,  guys and gals recreating the 1830's mountain man era for the weekend (camping in beautiful tipis) with trader and artists booths thus lots of trading, buying, bragging and tall tales going on;  along with black powder rifle and pistol shoots, hatchet throwing contests, chili cook-offs, visits from American Indian dancers all decked out in their finery and more.  

 

went and found a clip of that BSA:

 

 

Beautiful  !   And my fav color !  The motorcycle I showed above is a Royal Enfield 'Constellation' .   I have a more modern retro styled R.E.  500 single , like your 'Beesa' above .   'Air Force Blue '   ,  'runway courier ' .    I opted for a low rider single seat , I am sure that above BSA would look great with one !

 

 

That is , no seat springs, seat sits on top of frame and into front of rear guard . Makes  a lower CoG . And swapped the muffle  for the Standard Brit (as in the BSA above - That must have dropped 10 kg at least - stock exhaust is a monster ! )

 

That type of gathering sounds great . We  got 'Lovefest' booked in again this spring for their festival on our riverside festival site .... I wish it was more like that .

 

Last time I threw a hatchet I got a bullseye , observer mate called 'arse' ... 'fluke'  lucky .  I said skill , he scoffed more .. Okay let's make a little bet , no bullseye, you get $5  I get a bullseye , you give me $5   -  three goes each , you cant opt out until after your go .

 

He wanted to opt out after he was $30 in the hole . Me :  " Not until after you next 3 shots   . "     

 

- what a dickhead !   because he is in my martial arts group and seen me do all sorts of stuff with weapons .

Edited June 7 by Nungali

[Nungali]

14 hours ago, old3bob said:

 

then again all we really have is the moment (that unfolds to the next moment)  and while we should learn from the past which can make for a better future yet again all there really is, is now which should not be lost in too much pondering on the past or potential future...

 

Yesterdays 'moment'  :

 

Dark thunderclouds overhead but sun setting through a gap on the horizon lighting the whole valley an eerie gold with light fine rain . Then a double rainbow  shot through by lightening . 

 

[old3bob]

1 hour ago, Nungali said:

 

Beautiful  !   And my fav color !  The motorcycle I showed above is a Royal Enfield 'Constellation' .   I have a more modern retro styled R.E.  500 single , like your 'Beesa' above .   'Air Force Blue '   ,  'runway courier ' .    I opted for a low rider single seat , I am sure that above BSA would look great with one !

 

 

That is , no seat springs, seat sits on top of frame and into front of rear guard . Makes  a lower CoG . And swapped the muffle  for the Standard Brit (as in the BSA above - That must have dropped 10 kg at least - stock exhaust is a monster ! )

 

That type of gathering sounds great . We  got 'Lovefest' booked in again this spring for their festival on our riverside festival site .... I wish it was more like that .

 

Last time I threw a hatchet I got a bullseye , observer mate called 'arse' ... 'fluke'  lucky .  I said skill , he scoffed more .. Okay let's make a little bet , no bullseye, you get $5  I get a bullseye , you give me $5   -  three goes each , you cant opt out until after your go .

 

He wanted to opt out after he was $30 in the hole . Me :  " Not until after you next 3 shots   . "     

 

- what a dickhead !   because he is in my martial arts group and seen me do all sorts of stuff with weapons .

 

wow, those bikes are pretty close to each other!

[old3bob]

When we visited India, (Mumbai, Pune, Goa and a couple of other areas or parts of them) there were motorcycles everywhere !!  Mostly 125cc-175cc although a few folks had monster Harley's in comparison.  It was kind of surprising to see a guy going along at 30+ mph with his wife dressed in a sari riding on the back seat in a side-saddle position while holding onto a kid or two, and maybe a bunch of groceries.  The motorized rickshaws were also everywhere and boy oh boy those drivers were hell on wheels;  you would think there would be an accident on every street corner but most of them drove with a split second sense of timing in heavy traffic along with a sort of flowing madness thus and somehow almost never crashed!  (btw there were very few stop lights and sometimes Brahma bulls or cows moving along on the same streets)

 

I'd say that many of the homeless people there would make many U.S. homeless look bad in that they would do almost any kind of work, at any time,  anywhere, for any wage or trade they could make to survive poverty and starving to death!  (granted many U.S. homeless people are in similar situations but there are millions times "x" numbers in India with little or no types of gov. help, and not the hundreds of thousand's like we hear of or see in parts of the U.S.)

Edited June 7 by old3bob

[zerostao]

On 6/6/2024 at 5:31 AM, Sanity Check said:

There is a former green beret who commented on this topic.

 

The title of his vblog is: You better know how to War Lord.

 

No need to search for it or listen to the whole thing.

Only thinking about the title is enough imo.

 

PJ?

[Nungali]

20 hours ago, old3bob said:

When we visited India, (Mumbai, Pune, Goa and a couple of other areas or parts of them) there were motorcycles everywhere !!  Mostly 125cc-175cc although a few folks had monster Harley's in comparison.  It was kind of surprising to see a guy going along at 30+ mph with his wife dressed in a sari riding on the back seat in a side-saddle position while holding onto a kid or two, and maybe a bunch of groceries. 

 

It took me a while to figure out why some versions of my m/c (  before I bought it  and looking at available accessories ) had this fitted ;

 

 

- sari guard .

 

Also reading Indian forums about Royal Enfields ;  guy wants to buy one , series of posts ;

 

' I am very happy, today my mother finally gave me permission to get my new Royal Enflield  ........   I went to the dealership with my mother and she argued a good price with salesman  for me  .......   it should be ready to pick up next week ..... hooray it finally arrived, now I am happily riding around town with my mother on the back ....  "     

 

By the way , there is a 'war' going on between the young Indian entrepreneur  that now owns the Royal Enfield production and the one that owns Mahindra tractors  ( like Royal Enfield is an Indian production that took over a British design and manufacture , Mahindra did it from a Massey - Furgeson design ) .... in an attempt to  best each other , now  the guy that owns Mahindra is putting out a  BSA 'Gold Star ' ! 

 

 

A water cooled BSA ???

 

For comparison here is original ;

 

 

 

 

The motorized rickshaws were also everywhere and boy oh boy those drivers were hell on wheels;  you would think there would be an accident on every street corner but most of them drove with a split second sense of timing in heavy traffic along with a sort of flowing madness thus and somehow almost never crashed!  (btw there were very few stop lights and sometimes Brahma bulls or cows moving along on the same streets)

 

That and motorcycles .....   fairly safe .... for a while .

 

I'd say that many of the homeless people there would make many U.S. homeless look bad in that they would do almost any kind of work, at any time,  anywhere, for any wage or trade they could make to survive poverty and starving to death!  (granted many U.S. homeless people are in similar situations but there are millions times "x" numbers in India with little or no types of gov. help, and not the hundreds of thousand's like we hear of or see in parts of the U.S.)

 

[old3bob]

1 hour ago, Nungali said:

 

 

Thanks for the reply, pictures, humor and info!   Those BSA thumpers never die, cool!  (and someone came up with a good left side guard)

[Nungali]

Well, if society breaks down , and you 'head for the hills '  (or desert ) apparently it will be BMW  that does the trick . 

 

Especially in outback 'Australia' ..

 

"  The latest Mad Max installment starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth features a large number of impressive motorcycles including BMW . "

 

I heard the ' vehicles boys' where doing a right crazy job on them  and BMW was throwing motorcycles at them . 

 

" A chariot pulled by an R18 ?   "      "  Nah ,  not just one .... we got so many Beemers  on hand , I attached an extra one on either side !  "

 

-  " in Furiosa is reportedly a wild, motorcycle-pulled chariot using not one, not two, but THREE BMW R18s. In fact, it appears a variety of modified BMWs appear in the new movie and BMW has confirmed its involvement in the flick."

 

   WTF   . 

 

 

( In case you not familiar an R18 motor is classic opposed twin BMW , so that is  a 900cc pot on either side !

 

 

    )

 

- Thing is , I dont think that much petrol is going to be available if it gets 'unsafe '  .   A guy I know, some years back invested a heap in a powerful high tech solar set up, now he has an electric car .

 

I am guessing people that can recharge electrical stuff  ( solar, wind , hydro )  are going to be very popular .

[old3bob]

that movie looks very  wild!  So do you know if the BMW lends itself to running on various qualities of fuel?  I know there are military trucks that can run a wide range of fuels....which like you say will be in short supply if things get unsafe.  Lots of the higher tech vehicles are very picky on what they can run on; speaking of that ethanol sure is hard on vintage vehicles.  I have seen it eat through old school rubber fuel lines, fuel pumps,  mess up carbs and fuel tanks. (among some other problems)  And there are also the modern oils that don't  lend themselves well when used in vintage motors which need old school additives to keep from wiping out cams and liters!

 

I like the Talented Tina Turner in Thunderdome,  here is a step back in time:

 

 

[zerostao]

Doesn't Tina's song's words still ring true?

 

BMW? baby mama's wheels?!

Naw I can't use those. I do have a poor man's BMW, 

a Jetta, also F150, both useful, what I need here though, Atv 4 wheeler and a dual sport bike. Not wanting to accumulate more physical possessions, however, while I'm here ( new location, out of Kentucky( a safety factor was pondered over concerning the move(( was safe in kentucky and safe here as well)) good to have options on how to get around. Also trains here, so that's something kentucky didn't offer too much of,,,,

 

Spoiler

 

A few bikes in the video. I like the Cafe racer.

 

The US has simmered down from a few years back perception of boiling over, calm waters all around. 

Spoiler

Hopefully nothing stupid goes down to upset calm waters,, bc after much reflection and introspection, no doubt swift actions with quickness is prepared

 

[Nungali]

13 hours ago, old3bob said:

that movie looks very  wild!  So do you know if the BMW lends itself to running on various qualities of fuel?  I know there are military trucks that can run a wide range of fuels....which like you say will be in short supply if things get unsafe.  Lots of the higher tech vehicles are very picky on what they can run on; speaking of that ethanol sure is hard on vintage vehicles.  I have seen it eat through old school rubber fuel lines, fuel pumps,  mess up carbs and fuel tanks. (among some other problems)  And there are also the modern oils that don't  lend themselves well when used in vintage motors which need old school additives to keep from wiping out cams and liters!

 

 

 

No I didnt know that .   I did have a mate that ran an old Mercedes on old fish and chip oil . The exhaust smelt fishy  .   However its not running anymore . perhaps due to a problem you mentioned ?   I have heard about farm machinery  running on home made alcohol during the depression ?   But perhaps that damaged the machinery ? 

 

Another friend might be more successful  in such future scenarios .... a horse breeder !  

[old3bob]

1 hour ago, Nungali said:

 

No I didnt know that .   I did have a mate that ran an old Mercedes on old fish and chip oil . The exhaust smelt fishy  .   However its not running anymore . perhaps due to a problem you mentioned ?   I have heard about farm machinery  running on home made alcohol during the depression ?   But perhaps that damaged the machinery ? 

 

Another friend might be more successful  in such future scenarios .... a horse breeder !  

 

For example:  Jay Leno, as rich as he is,  along with his super collection of vehicles ran into ethanol problems and did a tv or youtube episode about it and how much he now spends to get special fuel for his vintage rigs.  (after spending a lot for mechanics to get everything fixed!)

 

Besides horses I hear there are camels down under...

Edited June 9 by old3bob