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Thread: So how many of you have ever seen or visited 'of the grid' communities?

  1. #1

    Default So how many of you have ever seen or visited 'of the grid' communities?

    Hello, every now and then I wonder because I've heard of them and even looked up a few but information from someone who's actually visited would be interesting! Let me know how the experience was.


    *off
    Last edited by 7whitewolf7; 04-30-2015 at 10:08 PM. Reason: whoopsie...


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    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    There is a homeless community in a wooded area near Athens, GA. No water, no toilets, no electricity. A lot of tents and some "shacks" thrown together with whatever materials that could be scrounged.
    The differing stages of cleanliness is what surprised me the most. Some had very clean camps while others had stuff strewn about.
    A couple years ago, the authorities decided that it was time to roust these folks from their "homes". That decision created a storm of protests from several groups.
    The end result was cleaner camps and folks would stop by to drop off food, water and health/sanitary items.
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    Wow, that sounded bad at first but the end result seems nice. thanks
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    Super Moderater RangerXanatos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrFixIt View Post
    There is a homeless community in a wooded area near Athens, GA. No water, no toilets, no electricity. A lot of tents and some "shacks" thrown together with whatever materials that could be scrounged.
    The differing stages of cleanliness is what surprised me the most. Some had very clean camps while others had stuff strewn about.
    A couple years ago, the authorities decided that it was time to roust these folks from their "homes". That decision created a storm of protests from several groups.
    The end result was cleaner camps and folks would stop by to drop off food, water and health/sanitary items.
    I've heard there's actually two. The one off of the 10 loop I think you're refering to? Another is supposedly across the railroad tracks behind Athens Tech. My old boss told me of them coming on to campus to steal supplies like toilet paper.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 7whitewolf7 View Post
    Hello, every now and then I wonder because I've heard of them and even looked up a few but information from someone who's actually visited would be interesting! Let me know how the experience was.


    *off

    Quote Originally Posted by MrFixIt View Post
    There is a homeless community in a wooded area near Athens, GA. No water, no toilets, no electricity. A lot of tents and some "shacks" thrown together with whatever materials that could be scrounged.
    The differing stages of cleanliness is what surprised me the most. Some had very clean camps while others had stuff strewn about.
    A couple years ago, the authorities decided that it was time to roust these folks from their "homes". That decision created a storm of protests from several groups.
    The end result was cleaner camps and folks would stop by to drop off food, water and health/sanitary items.
    I seeing a possible apples and oranges scenario here....But then again maybe not.

    Homeless camps and in a much bigger case, refugee camps are a example of what has be done with what ever you can find, and are most likely not a "on purpose" situation, mostly pretty bad.

    Where as a "Off Grid Community" brings to mind an organized and controlled version of some ones vision.

    So I guess it would be better to narrow down your question?

    I'm not big on any kind of organized "Community" where the building are controlled but rules.
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    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RangerXanatos View Post
    I've heard there's actually two. The one off of the 10 loop I think you're refering to? Another is supposedly across the railroad tracks behind Athens Tech. My old boss told me of them coming on to campus to steal supplies like toilet paper.
    You are correct Ranger. The one I was referring to was off the 10 loop. Didn't know about the one behind Athens Tech...

    @ hunter, I see your point. Some of these folks have jobs, just choose to live that way. The others are just surviving.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Camp in Turkey......
    Not sure about "grid ties"
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Not sure what the allure is for being, what my folks used to call, a "BUMB".

    Now we mask it with some call for ecological purity or carbon footprint reduction, when the real reason for most of these situations is some form of personality disorder that prevents these folks from coping with human relationships to the point that it prevents them getting and holding a job/family/marriage/home.

    I have lived "off grid" for decades at a time, but I owned my land, had a job, earned a living for my family, educated my kids and never had to worry about the police driving a bulldozer through my living room.

    It all depends on if you consider "off grid" to mean off the utility network, or if you consider "off grid" being a social and economic outcast.

    One is not necessarily connected to the other.
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  9. #9

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    mabey we don,t see it so much cause of the size of our nation. but when the housing crises took place
    07 to 09 millions were left homeless across the nation i,ve seen in the last number of years plenty of people
    living out of their vehicles. many choose to close their eyes to such sadness any never see the reality of where our nation
    is today. many would like to believe that because they have a job and place to live that all is good. i tell you it is not.
    just Google tent cities in Hawaii it,s really sad.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Most, not all, but most of those that lost their homes did so because they had secured high risk financing like a balloon note. They purchased more home than they could otherwise afford and the banking industry was incredibly lax about risk standards. Once they found themselves upside down on their mortgage or without a job and without a financial cushion, which everyone should have, they either lost their home or walked away from it. 2009 was six years ago. If they are still homeless after six years then they choose to be for whatever reason.

    If you want to talk about the reality of where our nation is then consider this....

    U.S. Houshold wealth hit its highest level ever in March of this year.
    http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-hous...mbs-1426176246

    Jobless rate is at a 15 year low.
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NL1JT20150430

    If you want a job it's out there. The unemployment rate has steadily dropped since 2010 and is currently at 5.5%. That's low in anyone's book.
    http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 7whitewolf7 View Post
    Hello, every now and then I wonder because I've heard of them and even looked up a few but information from someone who's actually visited would be interesting! Let me know how the experience was.


    *off
    Actually the definition should be "A Camp"....although doesn't seem to fit to well today with Cell phones and Wifi
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  12. #12

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    To narrow it down people who choose to cut themselves off, with any kind of rule set I guess.

    Thanks for the links Rick. 2008 was right aroung when the Bush cuts came into being, correct? That graph took an upscale around there!
    (does this count as 'remotely political? XD )
    Last edited by 7whitewolf7; 05-01-2015 at 06:37 PM. Reason: noticed something about the graph
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    2007 started the Great Recession. Unemployment began rising in 2007.

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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Most, not all, but most of those that lost their homes did so because they had secured high risk financing like a balloon note. They purchased more home than they could otherwise afford and the banking industry was incredibly lax about risk standards. Once they found themselves upside down on their mortgage or without a job and without a financial cushion, which everyone should have, they either lost their home or walked away from it. 2009 was six years ago. If they are still homeless after six years then they choose to be for whatever reason.

    If you want to talk about the reality of where our nation is then consider this....

    U.S. Houshold wealth hit its highest level ever in March of this year.
    http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-hous...mbs-1426176246

    Jobless rate is at a 15 year low.
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NL1JT20150430

    If you want a job it's out there. The unemployment rate has steadily dropped since 2010 and is currently at 5.5%. That's low in anyone's book.
    http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
    Rick, I beg to differ. Those unemployment rates are based on those actually collecting unemployment benefits. Many people have exceeded the benefits time period or were not eligible for benefits in the first place and such persons are not counted in the ranks of the "unemployment rate". The actual unemployment rate is more than likely twice what is reported, close to around 10-11 percent. Also,many of those that did gain employment took a major pay loss. All in all, not a pretty picture.
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    There's an Amish community about 5 miles from my grandma's house in upstate New York (near Fulton County.) We used to drive up there in the fall to buy bread and pies from them. Nice folks, not at all shy about letting strangers into their kitchen and offering them coffee or tea. What struck me most about the homes there was how neat and clean they were. The floors were bare wood and were sanded, the way wooden floors are supposed to be. Everything was neatly arranged. And very plain. The two women's houses we visited had wood-fired cookstoves, those big massive black and chrome things. I can't really describe all the various things in that kitchen but you could tell it was canning season. I'm betting they put things aside for visitors. They only sold pies and bread on Saturday.

    Marion made THE best shoofly pies.
    I haven't been up there in years.

    Some argue the Amish don't live entirely off grid, some houses have propane for cooking and heat, but they are pretty much as close as you get and they do it 24/7/365.

    I also know a guy down in Florida who sort of lives "off grid." He does have electricity for a chest freezer, and he has a cell phone, so I guess you can't really say he's off-grid, but on the two acres he has he grows most of his own food, raises bunnies and chickens and keeps a beef critter on grass for slaughter in the fall. Does his own slaughtering. His wife does the canning on a gas fired stove. Self-reliant may be a better term for him. But through necessity. No work to be had so he's doing odd jobs and small engine repair to pay the taxes, with little left for anything else.
    Last edited by LowKey; 05-02-2015 at 07:04 AM.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Natertot
    Rick, I beg to differ. Those unemployment rates are based on those actually collecting unemployment benefits. Many people have exceeded the benefits time period or were not eligible for benefits in the first place and such persons are not counted in the ranks of the "unemployment rate". The actual unemployment rate is more than likely twice what is reported, close to around 10-11 percent. Also,many of those that did gain employment took a major pay loss. All in all, not a pretty picture.


    Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Those numbers come from random phone calls to people. Not those that are collecting benefits. The numbers are actual and accurate. And you have no way of knowing what the pay was before or after so you can only have that opinion. It can't be accurate when overall wealth is increasing. However, it would be true for some I'm sure.

    "
    Because unemployment insurance records relate only to people who have applied for such benefits, and since it is impractical to count every unemployed person each month, the government conducts a monthly survey called the Current Population Survey (CPS) to measure the extent of unemployment in the country."

    http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

    Read "Where Do The Statistics Come From".

  17. #17

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    We have a crap unemployment system here. We can't 'pay into' any personal benefits, so if you own your own home, car and live decently, have a bit of money in the bank etc, they make you sell stuff first, and also spend all your savings, before you can claim. They actually knock back most of the middle class, and only hand it out to 3rd generation, 'dole bludgers', or un-married mothers, with 7 kids from 5 different fathers. (they promote a dole-culture down here, for single women to churn out babies, they reward them with cash incentives, per child, I believe it's $5000 per kid, they knock out).
    Selective Socialism sucks.

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Ok so you are not really talking about off grid communities. You are talking about homeless camps? There is a difference. While a homeless camp is most likely off grid, not all off grid communities are homeless camps. There are lots of purposful off grid communities here. One right near me actually. A little cabin patch (several cabins built in a community) with one shared well/bath house.
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    @ Enigma - Depending on the state that's pretty much how it works here. It falls under state rules but the feds can overlay monies as they did during the recession in order to extend benefits. Where I live you have to spend down in order to qualify. Last pay checks, severance, vacation pay, etc. all have to be spent before you qualify. Your home and auto are protected however. Unemployment insurance is generally paid for by the employer and they can challenge your right to draw it under certain circumstances.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by 1stimestar View Post
    Ok so you are not really talking about off grid communities. You are talking about homeless camps? There is a difference. While a homeless camp is most likely off grid, not all off grid communities are homeless camps. There are lots of purposful off grid communities here. One right near me actually. A little cabin patch (several cabins built in a community) with one shared well/bath house.
    Off grid communties, but homeless camps are welcome too.
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