A limo was waiting for me at the airport. As the sun began to dip over the horizon, I realised I had been in the car for three hours. What sort of wealthy hedge-fund types would drive this far from the airport for a conference? Then I saw it. On a parallel path next to the highway, as if racing against us, a small jet was coming in for a landing on a private airfield. Of course.

The next morning, two men in matching Patagonia fleeces came for me in a golf cart and conveyed me through rocks and underbrush to a meeting hall. They left me to drink coffee and prepare in what I figured was serving as my green room. But instead of me being wired with a microphone or taken to a stage, my audience was brought in to me. They sat around the table and introduced themselves: five super-wealthy guys – yes, all men – from the upper echelon of the tech investing and hedge-fund world. At least two of them were billionaires. After a bit of small talk, I realised they had no interest in the speech I had prepared about the future of technology. They had come to ask questions.

They started out innocuously and predictably enough. Bitcoin or ethereum? Virtual reality or augmented reality? Who will get quantum computing first, China or Google? Eventually, they edged into their real topic of concern: New Zealand or Alaska? Which region would be less affected by the coming climate crisis? It only got worse from there. Which was the greater threat: global warming or biological warfare? How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help? Should a shelter have its own air supply? What was the likelihood of groundwater contamination? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system, and asked: “How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?” The event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, solar storm, unstoppable virus, or malicious computer hack that takes everything down.

This single question occupied us for the rest of the hour. They knew armed guards would be required to protect their compounds from raiders as well as angry mobs. One had already secured a dozen Navy Seals to make their way to his compound if he gave them the right cue. But how would he pay the guards once even his crypto was worthless? What would stop the guards from eventually choosing their own leader?

The billionaires considered using special combination locks on the food supply that only they knew. Or making guards wear disciplinary collars of some kind in return for their survival. Or maybe building robots to serve as guards and workers – if that technology could be developed “in time”.

I tried to reason with them. I made pro-social arguments for partnership and solidarity as the best approaches to our collective, long-term challenges. The way to get your guards to exhibit loyalty in the future was to treat them like friends right now, I explained. Don’t just invest in ammo and electric fences, invest in people and relationships. They rolled their eyes at what must have sounded to them like hippy philosophy.

more…

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

https://ruinmyweek.com/tweets/problems-with-billionaires-living-in-space/

Any way you look at it it is a rather stark future.

Bogsnorkler said:

https://ruinmyweek.com/tweets/problems-with-billionaires-living-in-space/

Any way you look at it it is a rather stark future.

I think i would be miserable in a satellite or a hole in the ground.

(mind you I am always miserable. I suppose i could be hyper miserable. but then I would be back to suicidal. But then that’s more resources for everybody else.)

> New Zealand or Alaska? Which region would be less affected by the coming climate crisis? It only got worse from there. Which was the greater threat: global warming or biological warfare? How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help? Should a shelter have its own air supply? What was the likelihood of groundwater contamination? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system, and asked: “How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?” The event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, solar storm, unstoppable virus, or malicious computer hack that takes everything down.

Nice.

I’ve downgraded my world nuclear warfare threat. I was on high alert at the start of Russia vs Ukraine.

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

The other severe risk is tsunamis. The whole of the barrier reef is a tsunami catchment zone. Brisbane’s only protection is being a bit inland. I haven’t yet calculated if it is far enough inland. The whole of NSW coast is far from being tsunami-safe. Victoria and South Australia are better off. At 40 metres above sea level, I’m safe against tsunamis (and storm surges) here, safer than further south along the bay.

One of the greatest long-tern risks in Melbourne is perhaps an unexpected one. It’s not clear where the next volcano will appear in southern Australia, it will either be west of Robe in South Australia or in Bass Straight. The hot spot is not far from under Melbourne right now, and when it does erupt in Bass Straight then that would be bad news for Melbourne.

Now, for their question of New Zealand or Alaska. As far as war-related events are concerned, New Zealand is much safer. Alaska is under the flight path of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, and is also the closest part of the USA to China. New Zealand is a nuclear-free zone. As far as natural disasters are concerned, North Island New Zealand is a huge risk. Auckland is sitting on top of an active volcano field. A fault runs through the whole of South Island we’re talking very high risk of Tsunamis on both sides. And the central spine of the South Island is subject to erosion.

The southern edge of Alaska similarly is a no-no for earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. The line of earthquakes continues north all the way to Fairbanks in the middle of the state.

North-eastern and north-western Alaska are areas heavily affected by climate change, while at the same time being one of the highest risk areas for mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, and diseases from other biting insects. Also the crop-land there is virtually non-existent so far.

> How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help?

Now that is an interesting question. A simple answer would be “as long as the world war lasts”. But that’s too simplistic and answer.

Different types of events will have completely different timescales.
Tsunami – a few days
Volcano – six months
World war – six years
Nuclear fallout – the worst is over in 50 years
Economic collapse followed by warring tribes – 500 years
Ice age – single period 75,000 years, set of cycles 2 million years
Extinction-level event (eg. anoxic event) – good luck

mollwollfumble said:

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

Have a go at this.

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

Even worse case post apocalypse scenarios in fiction romanticise the events.
It’s a fight for survival no matter the odds.
I imagine in real life you’d wonder what’s the point

mollwollfumble said:

>

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

>

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

Would it be better to destroy/irradiate the water supply.

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

>

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

Depending on the scale of the nuclear war you could probably take out every single major population centre on the planet, at the very least every major city

So I looked it up 12,705 nuclear weapons (that’s the declared ones who knows if that’s the truth)

10,000 cities according to this, so you could take most of them out

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/there-are-10000-cities-on-planet-earth-half-didnt-exist-40-years-ago#:~:text=Groundbreaking%20new%20mapping%20research%20released,trajectory%20as%20they%20did%20Rome’s.

Tamb said:

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

>

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

Would it be better to destroy/irradiate the water supply.

And if the bad guys are at the point where they’re lobbing nuclear weapons as far as Melbourne, that’ll pretty much mean it’s all over and everything is well and truly farked.

Cymek said:

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

>

It’s not exactly by accident that I’ve located my house away from any valid military target, earthquakes, volcanoes, away from the coast far enough to avoid tsunamis, away from bushfires.

I’ve also been thinking about a calculation I did long ago for “Scientists against Nuclear Arms”. A single H-bomb is not sufficient to destroy a large city, only say a 5 to 10 km radius. If one landed on the centre of Melbourne than I would be safe out here. The countryside supplying food would be mainly unaffected as would the transport routes. Imports are out of the question in the short term of course.

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

Depending on the scale of the nuclear war you could probably take out every single major population centre on the planet, at the very least every major city

So I looked it up 12,705 nuclear weapons (that’s the declared ones who knows if that’s the truth)

10,000 cities according to this, so you could take most of them out

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/there-are-10000-cities-on-planet-earth-half-didnt-exist-40-years-ago#:~:text=Groundbreaking%20new%20mapping%20research%20released,trajectory%20as%20they%20did%20Rome’s.

Seems like a huge variation in those numbers having a further look

987 major cities it seems

Cymek said:

Cymek said:

sibeen said:

But any self respecting megalomaniac who is dropping thermonuclear devices would certainly be aiming for the most kills and therefore would be trying for the population centre of the city and not the CBD. The population centre of Melbourne is in Gem Iris. Is that closer to you, moll?

:)

Depending on the scale of the nuclear war you could probably take out every single major population centre on the planet, at the very least every major city

So I looked it up 12,705 nuclear weapons (that’s the declared ones who knows if that’s the truth)

10,000 cities according to this, so you could take most of them out

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/there-are-10000-cities-on-planet-earth-half-didnt-exist-40-years-ago#:~:text=Groundbreaking%20new%20mapping%20research%20released,trajectory%20as%20they%20did%20Rome’s.

Seems like a huge variation in those numbers having a further look

987 major cities it seems

Three would effectively destroy Australia.

sarahs mum said:

../cut by me master transition/..

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

sounds like people are being notionally prepped for the abandonment of effective government/s

I wouldn’t recommend it

Tamb said:

Cymek said:

Cymek said:

Depending on the scale of the nuclear war you could probably take out every single major population centre on the planet, at the very least every major city

So I looked it up 12,705 nuclear weapons (that’s the declared ones who knows if that’s the truth)

10,000 cities according to this, so you could take most of them out

https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/there-are-10000-cities-on-planet-earth-half-didnt-exist-40-years-ago#:~:text=Groundbreaking%20new%20mapping%20research%20released,trajectory%20as%20they%20did%20Rome’s.

Seems like a huge variation in those numbers having a further look

987 major cities it seems

Three would effectively destroy Australia.

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

Cymek said:

Tamb said:

Cymek said:

Seems like a huge variation in those numbers having a further look

987 major cities it seems

Three would effectively destroy Australia.

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

Yes.

transition said:

sarahs mum said:

../cut by me master transition/..

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

sounds like people are being notionally prepped for the abandonment of effective government/s

I wouldn’t recommend it

I reckon you could likely economically cripple a nation by taking out its capital, one or two other cities if need be.
It would take decades and massive resources to clean up the mess (assuming you wouldn’t just abandon the area and have a no go zone around it)

Cymek said:

Tamb said:

Cymek said:

Seems like a huge variation in those numbers having a further look

987 major cities it seems

Three would effectively destroy Australia.

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

Spiny Norman said:

Cymek said:

Tamb said:

Three would effectively destroy Australia.

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

Cymek said:

transition said:

sarahs mum said:

../cut by me master transition/..

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

sounds like people are being notionally prepped for the abandonment of effective government/s

I wouldn’t recommend it

I reckon you could likely economically cripple a nation by taking out its capital, one or two other cities if need be.
It would take decades and massive resources to clean up the mess (assuming you wouldn’t just abandon the area and have a no go zone around it)

there are global forces that would like to distract you from just how effective governments can be and are at administering territories

it’s an unfortunate situation, but they need be seen for what they are

you always need good roads, piped water, sewage systems, telecommunications, land allocations, the civilian backbone stuff, and to protect that an army

government does most of that

Australia does it quite well, developed much as it has large-part because of that, without too much interference

Witty Rejoinder said:

Spiny Norman said:

Cymek said:

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

No. Even Hobart tops Adelaide.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Spiny Norman said:

Cymek said:

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

You try nuking Adelaide, and you’re going to have to answer to a lot of angry Adelaide women.

Even the Kremlin quakes at that thought.

transition said:

Cymek said:

transition said:

sounds like people are being notionally prepped for the abandonment of effective government/s

I wouldn’t recommend it

I reckon you could likely economically cripple a nation by taking out its capital, one or two other cities if need be.
It would take decades and massive resources to clean up the mess (assuming you wouldn’t just abandon the area and have a no go zone around it)

there are global forces that would like to distract you from just how effective governments can be and are at administering territories

it’s an unfortunate situation, but they need be seen for what they are

you always need good roads, piped water, sewage systems, telecommunications, land allocations, the civilian backbone stuff, and to protect that an army

government does most of that

Australia does it quite well, developed much as it has large-part because of that, without too much interference

ought have mentioned power, or more broadly energy distribution and transport, of course

like electricity

sarahs mum said:

A limo was waiting for me at the airport. As the sun began to dip over the horizon, I realised I had been in the car for three hours. What sort of wealthy hedge-fund types would drive this far from the airport for a conference? Then I saw it. On a parallel path next to the highway, as if racing against us, a small jet was coming in for a landing on a private airfield. Of course.

The next morning, two men in matching Patagonia fleeces came for me in a golf cart and conveyed me through rocks and underbrush to a meeting hall. They left me to drink coffee and prepare in what I figured was serving as my green room. But instead of me being wired with a microphone or taken to a stage, my audience was brought in to me. They sat around the table and introduced themselves: five super-wealthy guys – yes, all men – from the upper echelon of the tech investing and hedge-fund world. At least two of them were billionaires. After a bit of small talk, I realised they had no interest in the speech I had prepared about the future of technology. They had come to ask questions.

They started out innocuously and predictably enough. Bitcoin or ethereum? Virtual reality or augmented reality? Who will get quantum computing first, China or Google? Eventually, they edged into their real topic of concern: New Zealand or Alaska? Which region would be less affected by the coming climate crisis? It only got worse from there. Which was the greater threat: global warming or biological warfare? How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help? Should a shelter have its own air supply? What was the likelihood of groundwater contamination? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system, and asked: “How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?” The event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, solar storm, unstoppable virus, or malicious computer hack that takes everything down.

This single question occupied us for the rest of the hour. They knew armed guards would be required to protect their compounds from raiders as well as angry mobs. One had already secured a dozen Navy Seals to make their way to his compound if he gave them the right cue. But how would he pay the guards once even his crypto was worthless? What would stop the guards from eventually choosing their own leader?

The billionaires considered using special combination locks on the food supply that only they knew. Or making guards wear disciplinary collars of some kind in return for their survival. Or maybe building robots to serve as guards and workers – if that technology could be developed “in time”.

I tried to reason with them. I made pro-social arguments for partnership and solidarity as the best approaches to our collective, long-term challenges. The way to get your guards to exhibit loyalty in the future was to treat them like friends right now, I explained. Don’t just invest in ammo and electric fences, invest in people and relationships. They rolled their eyes at what must have sounded to them like hippy philosophy.

more…

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwJQEAI_KE0

transition said:

transition said:

Cymek said:

I reckon you could likely economically cripple a nation by taking out its capital, one or two other cities if need be.
It would take decades and massive resources to clean up the mess (assuming you wouldn’t just abandon the area and have a no go zone around it)

there are global forces that would like to distract you from just how effective governments can be and are at administering territories

it’s an unfortunate situation, but they need be seen for what they are

you always need good roads, piped water, sewage systems, telecommunications, land allocations, the civilian backbone stuff, and to protect that an army

government does most of that

Australia does it quite well, developed much as it has large-part because of that, without too much interference

ought have mentioned power, or more broadly energy distribution and transport, of course

like electricity

law, regulations..

State and federal border controls

transition said:

transition said:

transition said:

there are global forces that would like to distract you from just how effective governments can be and are at administering territories

it’s an unfortunate situation, but they need be seen for what they are

you always need good roads, piped water, sewage systems, telecommunications, land allocations, the civilian backbone stuff, and to protect that an army

government does most of that

Australia does it quite well, developed much as it has large-part because of that, without too much interference

ought have mentioned power, or more broadly energy distribution and transport, of course

like electricity

law, regulations..

State and federal border controls

police

a health system

transition said:

transition said:

transition said:

ought have mentioned power, or more broadly energy distribution and transport, of course

like electricity

law, regulations..

State and federal border controls

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

captain_spalding said:

transition said:

transition said:

law, regulations..

State and federal border controls

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

How else are ex PMs going to fund their Pentecostal speaking tours where they decry to role of government?

Witty Rejoinder said:

captain_spalding said:

transition said:

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

How else are ex PMs going to fund their Pentecostal speaking tours where they decry to role of government?

‘the role

captain_spalding said:

transition said:

transition said:

law, regulations..

State and federal border controls

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

transition said:

captain_spalding said:

transition said:

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

i’ll remove still, that’s wrong wrote that way

transition said:

captain_spalding said:

transition said:

police

a health system

Gold passes for former PMs.

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

Was Australia pre 1788 a backwards shit-hole?

Witty Rejoinder said:

transition said:

captain_spalding said:

Gold passes for former PMs.

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

Was Australia pre 1788 a backwards shit-hole?

I fixed it, apologies for that

Witty Rejoinder said:

transition said:

captain_spalding said:

Gold passes for former PMs.

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

Was Australia pre 1788 a backwards shit-hole?

Maybe billionaires should spend all their time learning to make tools from natural materials…

the thrust of the article seems to be the wealthy are developing a siege orientation

I don’t buy it, sure some may be, but more interesting is what advertising siege among the wealthy does

i’d assume it’s contagious, lends to ideology

dv said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

transition said:

i’m thinking of the basic essentials that were part of developing the country, which without those the country would still be a backward shithole

much same applies today

Was Australia pre 1788 a backwards shit-hole?

Maybe billionaires should spend all their time learning to make tools from natural materials…

I have some natural material hammers.

let’s be fair there have been advancements and backward steps alongside

Haven’t read the whole thing, but it seems rather reactionary in places. For example:

“…preparing for a digital future that had less to do with making the world a better place than it did with transcending the human condition altogether.”

Transcending the human condition, if it means transcending death, disease and misery, is actually a good thing :)

It also means transcending wealth, because in such a world wealth would be meaningless. At least some of those tech-oriented billionaires probably realise that and don’t care.

If you’re doomed to die, you can’t take it with you anyway. And if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich.

Bubblecar said:

if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich

maybe but do you think the wealthy fucks would set up such a communist thing

SCIENCE said:

Bubblecar said:

if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich

maybe but do you think the wealthy fucks would set up such a communist thing

Unlikely they are god and everyone else to be toyed with

SCIENCE said:

Bubblecar said:

if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich

maybe but do you think the wealthy fucks would set up such a communist thing

The smart ones would if it means being able to cheat death.

They could still live in stinking luxury if they wanted, it just wouldn’t be that cumbersome “real” stuff.

I think some of these ideas are from Rassilon’s playbook

Bubblecar said:

SCIENCE said:

Bubblecar said:

if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich

maybe but do you think the wealthy fucks would set up such a communist thing

The smart ones would if it means being able to cheat death.

They could still live in stinking luxury if they wanted, it just wouldn’t be that cumbersome “real” stuff.

yeah we d’n‘o’ and wouldn’t trust the greedy bastards that much

Witty Rejoinder said:

Spiny Norman said:

Cymek said:

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane ?

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

I’ll dob in $50

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

A limo was waiting for me at the airport. As the sun began to dip over the horizon, I realised I had been in the car for three hours. What sort of wealthy hedge-fund types would drive this far from the airport for a conference? Then I saw it. On a parallel path next to the highway, as if racing against us, a small jet was coming in for a landing on a private airfield. Of course.

The next morning, two men in matching Patagonia fleeces came for me in a golf cart and conveyed me through rocks and underbrush to a meeting hall. They left me to drink coffee and prepare in what I figured was serving as my green room. But instead of me being wired with a microphone or taken to a stage, my audience was brought in to me. They sat around the table and introduced themselves: five super-wealthy guys – yes, all men – from the upper echelon of the tech investing and hedge-fund world. At least two of them were billionaires. After a bit of small talk, I realised they had no interest in the speech I had prepared about the future of technology. They had come to ask questions.

They started out innocuously and predictably enough. Bitcoin or ethereum? Virtual reality or augmented reality? Who will get quantum computing first, China or Google? Eventually, they edged into their real topic of concern: New Zealand or Alaska? Which region would be less affected by the coming climate crisis? It only got worse from there. Which was the greater threat: global warming or biological warfare? How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help? Should a shelter have its own air supply? What was the likelihood of groundwater contamination? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system, and asked: “How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?” The event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, solar storm, unstoppable virus, or malicious computer hack that takes everything down.

This single question occupied us for the rest of the hour. They knew armed guards would be required to protect their compounds from raiders as well as angry mobs. One had already secured a dozen Navy Seals to make their way to his compound if he gave them the right cue. But how would he pay the guards once even his crypto was worthless? What would stop the guards from eventually choosing their own leader?

The billionaires considered using special combination locks on the food supply that only they knew. Or making guards wear disciplinary collars of some kind in return for their survival. Or maybe building robots to serve as guards and workers – if that technology could be developed “in time”.

I tried to reason with them. I made pro-social arguments for partnership and solidarity as the best approaches to our collective, long-term challenges. The way to get your guards to exhibit loyalty in the future was to treat them like friends right now, I explained. Don’t just invest in ammo and electric fences, invest in people and relationships. They rolled their eyes at what must have sounded to them like hippy philosophy.

more…

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwJQEAI_KE0

ta.

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

A little ray of sunshine into everyone’s day there.

In 6 months russian / Chinese troops take exploratory missions to the cities. They’ve been smart, let multiculturalism finish the job – when no power and water happens all the various groups attack each other for resourced. The russians and Chinese just secured the mines rather than take the cities – theres nothing of any value there. Mine sites are remote and difficult for the remaining savages to get to them.

captain_spalding said:

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

A little ray of sunshine into everyone’s day there.

The only upside – no more tik tock and social media.

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

Ummm Melbourne would have some of the best social cohesion in the developed world.

Witty Rejoinder said:

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

Ummm Melbourne would have some of the best social cohesion in the developed world.

Bound to break down into cannabilistic anarchy when they can’t get a good skinny soy latte.

Witty Rejoinder said:

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

Ummm Melbourne would have some of the best social cohesion in the developed world.

Police have arrested 54 people as part of a major police operation over four nights targeting the state’s worst street gangs.

The crackdown, named ‘Operation Alliance’, connected police from Brimbank, Wyndham and Melbourne last weekend and resulted in the arrest of 54 people for offences including burglary, car theft, weapons possession, robbery and unlicensed driving.

Imagine this on steroids , gangs in extreme situations will grow exponentially – they will form along racial lines.

wookiemeister said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down , it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

Ummm Melbourne would have some of the best social cohesion in the developed world.

Police have arrested 54 people as part of a major police operation over four nights targeting the state’s worst street gangs.

The crackdown, named ‘Operation Alliance’, connected police from Brimbank, Wyndham and Melbourne last weekend and resulted in the arrest of 54 people for offences including burglary, car theft, weapons possession, robbery and unlicensed driving.

Imagine this on steroids , gangs in extreme situations will grow exponentially – they will form along racial lines.

So Victoria has an effective police force? Well that can’t be a good thing…

> Should a shelter have its own air supply?

Another good question. Situations where a completely separate air supply is a good idea include:

• Nuclear fallout, a siege situation where another tribe holds position for a year or so, biological attack through a vector such as a mosquito, biological attack in the air, bushfire, pyroclastic flow, extinction-level event including flood basalt or large meteorite impact. Or military bombardment.

In most of these cases, a separate air supply would be needed for a few days. In a siege or extinction level event then we’re talking about a separate air supply for a year or longer, which is possible with the use of carbon dioxide scrubbers as is done on the international space station and on submarines.

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down, it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

> Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

in WW-II the Japanese came very close to having one of their spies poison the water supply system for a large city. All it takes is a small group of people. Thankfully, desalination would kick in. But only if electrical power is available. PS, it doesn’t have to be Russia or China, it could also be America.

> Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets.

My opinion has see-sawed over the years about the rampaging mob idea. We certainly see it in other countries, such as Rwanda.

What would be enough to set off a rampaging mob in Australia? Political agitation is the most common around the world, but is less likely to happen here, unless deliberately instigated by the Greens. Nobody would go on a rampage if the Liberal party told them to.

Without political agitation it would have to be something pretty major. These days I don’t think fear of radiation sickness or even starvation is excuse enough. ¿Would zero income and no access to saved funds be enough, quite possibly.

> Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.
Australia has military bases? Hardly.
Brutally murdered. Not everyone.

> Like minded people leave the cities

You’re missing the effects of these people on the countryside. Effects of 20 million people suddenly descending on a countryside that can support a maximum of 1 million would be just as catastrophic on the countryside as on the cities. Looting and burning of crops. Extinction of kangaroos, wombats, dingos and rabbits.

mollwollfumble said:

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.

Fuck me dead you’re an idiot. Your understanding of politics is infantile.

Nobody would go on a rampage if the Liberal party told them to.
—

Seems like the right wing in the US was eager to jump in.

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.

Fuck me dead you’re an idiot. Your understanding of politics is infantile.

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

mollwollfumble said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.

Fuck me dead you’re an idiot. Your understanding of politics is infantile.

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

>The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”

not forgetting there is territory to be administered, services to be provided, an operating space for the inhabitants to be maintained, resources to be divided up for that, and processes for the dividing up of resources and allocations

mollwollfumble said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.

Fuck me dead you’re an idiot. Your understanding of politics is infantile.

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

Or to put it another way, have you ever watched the TV show “Yes minister” starring Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne?

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Fuck me dead you’re an idiot. Your understanding of politics is infantile.

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

Or to put it another way, have you ever watched the TV show “Yes minister” starring Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne?

Yes but I’m not stupid enough to base my knowledge of politics on tv-shows and children’s books.

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

Or to put it another way, have you ever watched the TV show “Yes minister” starring Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne?

Yes but I’m not stupid enough to base my knowledge of politics on tv-shows and children’s books.

I am. I’ve seen more than enough “political footballs” to last a lifetime.

Witty Rejoinder said:

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

Or to put it another way, have you ever watched the TV show “Yes minister” starring Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne?

Yes but I’m not stupid enough to base my knowledge of politics on tv-shows and children’s books.

if you can’t explain it to a 3 year old, you don’t understand it

mollwollfumble said:

The whole purpose of politics is, as Marx said in a different context, “an opiate for the masses”.

Or as David Adams said, “The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”

I don’t think David Adams said that.

mollwollfumble said:

> Should a shelter have its own air supply?

Another good question. Situations where a completely separate air supply is a good idea include:

• Nuclear fallout, a siege situation where another tribe holds position for a year or so, biological attack through a vector such as a mosquito, biological attack in the air, bushfire, pyroclastic flow, extinction-level event including flood basalt or large meteorite impact. Or military bombardment.

In most of these cases, a separate air supply would be needed for a few days. In a siege or extinction level event then we’re talking about a separate air supply for a year or longer, which is possible with the use of carbon dioxide scrubbers as is done on the international space station and on submarines.

wookiemeister said:

Come the apocalypse Melbourne will be one of the worst places to be

No social cohesion

When the water stops coming out the tap and the lights go out you’ll most likely be eaten by those nice people living in centrelink houses with tonnes of shit outside.

Australia punches above its weight because it only punches down, it can’t win wars, it’s not won one war since the 1950s. The military has become a welfare scheme for diversity and will get its arse handed to it in a real war.

Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets – they go door to door killing, raping and looting. The police take their families into the stations and stay there whilst the cities burn. Supermarkets are looted looters are stabbed to death by other looters. The military take their families to the army bases.

Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Petrol stations no longer work, armed groups use generators to power up the pumps. Petrol trucks are commandeered and convoys of like minded people leave the cities.

> Day one: Russian/ Chinese missiles strike multiple targets , powerstations and the water system. The major cities lose ALL power and water. The smart ones get out of town taking their family and pets.

in WW-II the Japanese came very close to having one of their spies poison the water supply system for a large city. All it takes is a small group of people. Thankfully, desalination would kick in. But only if electrical power is available. PS, it doesn’t have to be Russia or China, it could also be America.

> Day two : no more law, rampaging mobs that the police have tried keeping a lid on for the last decade explode on the streets.

My opinion has see-sawed over the years about the rampaging mob idea. We certainly see it in other countries, such as Rwanda.

What would be enough to set off a rampaging mob in Australia? Political agitation is the most common around the world, but is less likely to happen here, unless deliberately instigated by the Greens. Nobody would go on a rampage if the Liberal party told them to.

Without political agitation it would have to be something pretty major. These days I don’t think fear of radiation sickness or even starvation is excuse enough. ¿Would zero income and no access to saved funds be enough, quite possibly.

> Day three: the parliament is wound up, the diesel generators in government buildings and hospitals fall silent. Military base commanders either take life and decisions or go under. Some military bases under the control of stupid people in the cities get attacked for resources. Everyone is brutally murdered.

Parliament wound up is good. We’d actually get more work done without the parasites.
Australia has military bases? Hardly.
Brutally murdered. Not everyone.

> Like minded people leave the cities

You’re missing the effects of these people on the countryside. Effects of 20 million people suddenly descending on a countryside that can support a maximum of 1 million would be just as catastrophic on the countryside as on the cities. Looting and burning of crops. Extinction of kangaroos, wombats, dingos and rabbits.

Many of the 20 million would be dead within weeks, sickness would sweep through the ranks. Chances are all the anti vaxxers and their families would be dead fairly quickly – whooping cough would make a stunning resurgence killing young and old alike. Tetanus would kill many

In the brave new world of two weeks after the power and water stopped thousands would die of gastro, diarrhoea, food poisoning.

“ Should a shelter have its own air supply?”

Sure, they’re both great bands

The cities will be where most deaths occur

Crime and disease would run rampant.

wookiemeister said:

The cities will be where most deaths occur

Crime and disease would run rampant.

rubs hands

You’d have a pruning of the population

Those with underlying sickness would be the first

No dialysis

No heart medication

No cancer medication

Those in ICU would go within a few days, once the diesel supplying back up runs empty all the machines fall silent, the batteries go flat.

You’d declare martial law. Looters rampaging mobs get shot on sight

wookiemeister said:

You’d have a pruning of the population

Those with underlying sickness would be the first

No dialysis

No heart medication

No cancer medication

Those in ICU would go within a few days, once the diesel supplying back up runs empty all the machines fall silent, the batteries go flat.

You’d declare martial law. Looters rampaging mobs get shot on sight

I imagine you’ll perch yourself up on your roof with a shottie and masturbate to the chaos.

I remember that apocalypse movie, On the Beech, staring Avid Gardner.
It was about Melbourne getting charred to a crisp.

Bubblecar said:

Haven’t read the whole thing, but it seems rather reactionary in places. For example:

“…preparing for a digital future that had less to do with making the world a better place than it did with transcending the human condition altogether.”

Transcending the human condition, if it means transcending death, disease and misery, is actually a good thing :)

It also means transcending wealth, because in such a world wealth would be meaningless. At least some of those tech-oriented billionaires probably realise that and don’t care.

If you’re doomed to die, you can’t take it with you anyway. And if you can live indefinitely in a VR metaverse that can provide anything your imagination desires for the cost of a domestic power bill, you don’t need to be rich.

consider though the possible poison of alienating the realities of organic life, or even developing contempt, and I guess self-aware conscious creatures might be considered a further category of organic life – distinct, are they? – but I wonder also if there’s poison at work in that conceptual territory, working on self-concept, and conception of others, I, you, are other to someone, we’re all subject to and of ideology, ideology tweaks our conceptual categories, the secret work of, anyway my point there is self-concept invariably involves some perspective of self as other to someone, to others

mortality, the finite life, is part of organic life

self-aware machines that live forever may have its own problems, or their own problems, who knows, you might assume the finite life limits something, something usefully limited

an unlimited consciousness may get really ambitious, unlimited ambition, where would that go, again who knows, I have an idea the organic as it is today may become subjugated by the immortal, though culture and the state are to some extent immortal by comparison, outlive individuals anyway, provide continuity across generations, through time

>…provide anything your imagination desires….”

I wonder, would that be your imagination, if it were done

Witty Rejoinder said:

wookiemeister said:

You’d have a pruning of the population

Those with underlying sickness would be the first

No dialysis

No heart medication

No cancer medication

Those in ICU would go within a few days, once the diesel supplying back up runs empty all the machines fall silent, the batteries go flat.

You’d declare martial law. Looters rampaging mobs get shot on sight

I imagine you’ll perch yourself up on your roof with a shottie and masturbate to the chaos.

I’ll be wearing a tuxedo holding high powered rifle with decent sight smoking a cigarette with long holder stood on the roof. Ideally you wound one person in the leg then just wait for friends or relatives to turn up .

wookiemeister said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

wookiemeister said:

You’d have a pruning of the population

Those with underlying sickness would be the first

No dialysis

No heart medication

No cancer medication

Those in ICU would go within a few days, once the diesel supplying back up runs empty all the machines fall silent, the batteries go flat.

You’d declare martial law. Looters rampaging mobs get shot on sight

I imagine you’ll perch yourself up on your roof with a shottie and masturbate to the chaos.

I’ll be wearing a tuxedo holding high powered rifle with decent sight smoking a cigarette with long holder stood on the roof. Ideally you wound one person in the leg then just wait for friends or relatives to turn up .

Oh well. Goodbye all. Been a pleasure to have known you.

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

I imagine you’ll perch yourself up on your roof with a shottie and masturbate to the chaos.

I’ll be wearing a tuxedo holding high powered rifle with decent sight smoking a cigarette with long holder stood on the roof. Ideally you wound one person in the leg then just wait for friends or relatives to turn up .

Oh well. Goodbye all. Been a pleasure to have known you.

Go out with a bang and set fire to something

wookiemeister said:

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

I’ll be wearing a tuxedo holding high powered rifle with decent sight smoking a cigarette with long holder stood on the roof. Ideally you wound one person in the leg then just wait for friends or relatives to turn up .

Oh well. Goodbye all. Been a pleasure to have known you.

Go out with a bang and set fire to something

I have a list.

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

Tamb said:

Oh well. Goodbye all. Been a pleasure to have known you.

Go out with a bang and set fire to something

I have a list.

maybe you need a larger sole on one shoe.

ChrispenEvan said:

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

Go out with a bang and set fire to something

I have a list.

maybe you need a larger sole on one shoe.

Counter-flooding on the other side could help restore your stability.

ChrispenEvan said:

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

Go out with a bang and set fire to something

I have a list.

maybe you need a larger sole on one shoe.

Plenty of time. About 4 months from stopping treatments to death.

Maybe in an apocalypse you’d dig Vietnamese man traps to protect a compound outside. your foot pushes down into a trap door covered in bamboo spikes, your weight drives the spikes into your foot/ ankle. You manage to extricate yourself out of the trap only to be found by a rampaging mob that clubs you to death then eats you.

Merry belated fathers day.

wookiemeister said:

Maybe in an apocalypse you’d dig Vietnamese man traps to protect a compound outside. your foot pushes down into a trap door covered in bamboo spikes, your weight drives the spikes into your foot/ ankle. You manage to extricate yourself out of the trap only to be found by a rampaging mob that clubs you to death then eats you.

Jokes on them, i have a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, and they all catch it and eventually die from it.

One thing I’ve always wanted to do is grow my own anti biotics, in an emergency you could literally have tonnes of it to trade for other supplies.

Fuel, weapons, medical supplies could be bartered for a premium.

wookiemeister said:

Maybe in an apocalypse you’d dig Vietnamese man traps to protect a compound outside. your foot pushes down into a trap door covered in bamboo spikes, your weight drives the spikes into your foot/ ankle. You manage to extricate yourself out of the trap only to be found by a rampaging mob that clubs you to death then eats you.

Merry belated fathers day.

Punji stake a sharp bamboo stake concealed in high grass at an angle so as to gash the feet and legs of enemy soldiers and often coated with excrement so as to cause an infected wound. Also called punji stick.

Tamb said:

wookiemeister said:

Maybe in an apocalypse you’d dig Vietnamese man traps to protect a compound outside. your foot pushes down into a trap door covered in bamboo spikes, your weight drives the spikes into your foot/ ankle. You manage to extricate yourself out of the trap only to be found by a rampaging mob that clubs you to death then eats you.

Merry belated fathers day.

Punji stake a sharp bamboo stake concealed in high grass at an angle so as to gash the feet and legs of enemy soldiers and often coated with excrement so as to cause an infected wound. Also called punji stick.

Or a sprung loaded stake that snaps into your body when triggered

-oo +an

I could make a tunnel network

Any marauding invaders would be put on the back foot as I pop up in a set of black pyjamas and a coolie hat Blasting them with a clip from an AK

oh all right yous all do what you like meanwhile we’ll grow flowers and welcome the refugees with open arms

SCIENCE said:

oh all right yous all do what you like meanwhile we’ll grow flowers and welcome the refugees with open arms

They will eat you

Bbl got to practice my knife fighting skills

Don’t make me think about booby-traps. I don’t get enough sleep as it is.

captain_spalding said:

Don’t make me think about booby-traps. I don’t get enough sleep as it is.

Damn exploding breasts

wookiemeister said:

SCIENCE said:

oh all right yous all do what you like meanwhile we’ll grow flowers and welcome the refugees with open arms

They will eat you

We need their labour to cover your payments

Witty Rejoinder said:

Spiny Norman said:

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

No one wants to nuke Perth.

What’s up with Perth?

Ian said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Spiny Norman said:

If they just hit Sydney I’m okay with that. :)

You want Sydney destroyed, Tamb wants Melbourne. Does anyone care enough to nuke Adelaide?

No one wants to nuke Perth.

What’s up with Perth?

As soon as Oz is nuked Perth becomes Selatan Jaya.

Using nukes is too destructive, it poisons the land

In truth Australian power and water will be hit then everything goes back to the stone age within three days.

wookiemeister said:

Using nukes is too destructive, it poisons the land

In truth Australian power and water will be hit then everything goes back to the stone age within three days.

This is Queensland. It’ll take us a bit longer to notice the difference.