The art of bartering, no set rules.

[hunter63]

I think there has been a blend of these two methods in this thread.

For what it's worth, a stack of beaver hides, stacked to the height of a north west trade gun was considered equal payment for said rifle.

Ah, so THAT's why the barrels are so long......

It seems we have drifted into "the fantasy forum" realm.....Draft picks and trades and such....OMG.....

[Rick]

Hmmmm. You and Sarge. I mean, naw, I was just foolin' around. We wouldn't trade you. Definitely not Mrs. B....you AND Sarge......I wonder.

[crashdive123]

Rick - I tried - all I got was some under the breath comments about a curmudgeon - what ever that is. Oh, and this....

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[kyratshooter]

There is the consideration that if you got rid of all three the forum would have no control, conscience or connection to reality!

I probably went overboard on this topic but it is an area I have spent a great deal of time and expense researching. Most of that research was the way order developed out of what everyone considers a chaotic system.

I will start a PHD program in a couple of years and this topic might be the theme of my disertation.

[hunter63]

All this trade talk, and draft picks, and such....sheesh....I guess the only thing that stays the same is change..........

[Wildthang]

Well brothers, I am certainly glad I posted this thread, and I think I have learned a lot. It has also confirmed my suspicions that when and if the US enters a forced bartering system, chaod will insue until the standards have been set, and as I suspected, there are no ground rules that we know of. Luckily I am an engineer, electrician, mechanic, carpenter, and a plumber, so if I can only get a Law degree I can scr*w many people like a house cat
Only kidding on the housecat! But I do have a lot of useful skills, and a lot of tools to go with it. You know I have been reading about world food supplies, and the fiscal cliff that is supposed to happen in 2013, and depending on many variables, we could be into a bartering system within 5 years by my estimation. And it is a little scary to think about what average people with no skills, no preps, and no clue will do when that day comes!

[kyratshooter]

And it is a little scary to think about what average people with no skills, no preps, and no clue will do when that day comes!

They are docile Americans. If they were not there would have already been a serious revolution.

In the absense of natural disaster or man made catastrophe the majority will sit at home waiting to see what happens. Normal services will shut down with the lack of cash. They will wait until they have pawned everything they own, the power goes out, the water is shut off, garbage pickup has haulted the stink of city and suburb becomes overwhelming and disease begins running through the population. By the time they decide to get out of town there will be no gas in the car, if they still have a car.

Sort of like Detroit!

[Wildthang]

They are docile Americans. If they were not there would have already been a serious revolution.

In the absense of natural disaster or man made catastrophe the majority will sit at home waiting to see what happens. Normal services will shut down with the lack of cash. They will wait until they have pawned everything they own, the power goes out, the water is shut off, garbage pickup has haulted the stink of city and suburb becomes overwhelming and disease begins running through the population. By the time they decide to get out of town there will be no gas in the car, if they still have a car.

Sort of like Detroit!

Well Brother, I guess that's why they call them sheeple, seems to be a fitting name huh?

[BENESSE]

Life's a gamble. We all take chances with something or other and hope it works out in our favor. It's how it's always been and it's not gonna change.

[hunter63]

Well Brother, I guess that's why they call them sheeple, seems to be a fitting name huh?

For at intents and purposes....These will be the "Zombies" we hear so much about............

[Wildthang]

Life's a gamble. We all take chances with something or other and hope it works out in our favor. It's how it's always been and it's not gonna change.

You are absolutely right Nessie, but I am not going to take a chance on starving. I think being prepared is kind of like home owners insurance, you rarely use it, and you hope you never have to, but when something happens, you realize paying out all of that money was totally worth it. Don't you agree?

[Wildthang]

For at intents and purposes....These will be the "Zombies" we hear so much about............

You just may be right about that Hunter. The sheeple will probably be so hungry that they will voluntarily get bitten by zombies just to get out of their misery

[BENESSE]

You are absolutely right Nessie, but I am not going to take a chance on starving. I think being prepared is kind of like home owners insurance, you rarely use it, and you hope you never have to, but when something happens, you realize paying out all of that money was totally worth it. Don't you agree?

Agree.
But as I said many times before (here she goes again) if you don't include your health in your preps, you are taking chances.
All that investment is gonna do you squat if you get incapacited with a stroke or a heart attack.

[natertot]

Agree.
But as I said many times before (here she goes again) if you don't include your health in your preps, you are taking chances.
All that investment is gonna do you squat if you get incapacited with a stroke or a heart attack.

yep, that is why I am at the doc for a physical right now! The most complicated Thing bout prepping, is how do you really do it? Do you prepare for one event at a time, or multiple things at once and slowly build everything up? What is important to prep for and what is a waste of time?
It can get complicated!

[kyratshooter]

yep, that is why I am at the doc for a physical right now! The most complicated Thing bout prepping, is how do you really do it? Do you prepare for one event at a time, or multiple things at once and slowly build everything up? What is important to prep for and what is a waste of time?
It can get complicated!

I have found, and I believe Rick has constantly stated, that prep for one event is always transferable to another situation. I can prep for nuke blast and people will shake their heads and walk away calling me a fool. The same preps under the label of "tornado safety" is accepted and logical. Concrete walls, underground, a bit of food and some comfort items set by under the proper "label" serves a multitude of purposes.

We have strayed from the barter thread a bit,

I was just reminded that I have several friends that were laid off from their jobs and reverted to their backup skills to stay alive in the present economy. They have been in this situation for long enough for me to forget that they were engineers, accountants, line foremen and supervisors of factories in another life! Most are in that 50-65 age bracket where they will never find an equil position at equil pay. If it were not for their prior training in a variety of fields they would have gone completely under. Instead they scaled back and used what they had. Most are actually glad for the forced change as a motivation to be independant and self reliant. They had wanted a different life for years and this was their forced substitute for "running off to the wilderness".

They ran off to owning their own businesses and facing reality. Lots of members here have done the same.

Everyone is bartering time for money, only the form of money and what we do with the time changes.

[Wildthang]

Agree.
But as I said many times before (here she goes again) if you don't include your health in your preps, you are taking chances.
All that investment is gonna do you squat if you get incapacited with a stroke or a heart attack.

Nessie as usual you are absolutely right, so do you think I need to live a healthier life? I live a pretty healthy life aside from smoking, but have quit twice already and am going to quit for good as soon as the outage is over in this refinery! But I rarely drink and I do get plenty of excersize most of the time. Keeping up with 2 girls and a farm keeps me very busy on top of my crazy job! Well at least I dont have to worry about dying from boredom

[BENESSE]

Nessie as usual you are absolutely right, so do you think I need to live a healthier life? I live a pretty healthy life aside from smoking, but have quit twice already and am going to quit for good as soon as the outage is over in this refinery! But I rarely drink and I do get plenty of excersize most of the time. Keeping up with 2 girls and a farm keeps me very busy on top of my crazy job! Well at least I dont have to worry about dying from boredom

WT, if you're worried about dying from boredom if you quit smoking, what with 2 live-in girlfriends and the bikes I've glimpsed among your many toys, well, I'd count my luck but wouldn't want to push it.

[Wildthang]

WT, if you're worried about dying from boredom if you quit smoking, what with 2 live-in girlfriends and the bikes I've glimpsed among your many toys, well, I'd count my luck but wouldn't want to push it.

Well I have always been an adrenaline junkie, and I fear not living more than dying. When I ride my ZX-14 sportbike, and rip it to around 190 mph, it is dangerous of course, but that is when I feel most alive. It thrills me to control the near uncontrollable. But the older I get, the more careful I get when I do that. I always try to find the perfect road and I check everything out before I let it rip. When I wwas younger, I just let it rip and took my chances.
To me there is almost nothing as exhillerating as feeling all of that power propelling me to hyper speeds. But again, you never feel more alive than when you are facing possible vaporization

[BENESSE]

Well I have always been an adrenaline junkie, and I fear not living more than dying. When I ride my ZX-14 sportbike, and rip it to around 190 mph, it is dangerous of course, but that is when I feel most alive. It thrills me to control the near uncontrollable. But the older I get, the more careful I get when I do that. I always try to find the perfect road and I check everything out before I let it rip. When I wwas younger, I just let it rip and took my chances.
To me there is almost nothing as exhillerating as feeling all of that power propelling me to hyper speeds. But again, you never feel more alive than when you are facing possible vaporization

Let me float another possible vaporization scenario and you tell me how that one would make you feel: You're in a hospital room hooked up to all sorts of machines with one lung and a diaper on...in pain...grim prognosis for bouncing back. You can live like this for years. Long enough to reflect and wish you've changed a few things along the way. So much easier than what you're going through right now.
When people say, "I wanna live life to the fullest (read: don't want to give up bad habits) and die having lead an exciting life", they kinda skip over that vast and more probable middle of living a restricted life of pain and dependence. It's hardly ever either/or. Those stand out because there are so few of them.

[Wildthang]

Let me float another possible vaporization scenario and you tell me how that one would make you feel: You're in a hospital room hooked up to all sorts of machines with one lung and a diaper on...in pain...grim prognosis for bouncing back. You can live like this for years. Long enough to reflect and wish you've changed a few things along the way. So much easier than what you're going through right now.
When people say, "I wanna live life to the fullest (read: don't want to give up bad habits) and die having lead an exciting life", they kinda skip over that vast and more probable middle of living a restricted life of pain and dependence. It's hardly ever either/or. Those stand out because there are so few of them.

Nessie I am going to adopt you as my big sister, because before she passed on, she always told me the same things you do, and even the words you use remind me of her. But I am going to quit smoking in another 4 weeks, and try not to ever smoke again. But I cannot give up my bikes, especially the ZX-14, it is my favorite toy. But I am going to try to slow down a little when I ride.

Thanks for the advice!