starcrafttom
Active member
Waiting for shit to hit the fan BEFORE buying ammo>>> amateurs.... :disgust
Are you hunkering down?
- Thread starter Nancy and Bud
- Start date
JamesTXSD":12awbk5d said:
I had already started the build about two yrs ago. Stuck it in the gun safe and left it there since. I just need two small parts and it would be done. I have one I use exclusively for work. A carpenter needs a hammer. Cops need guns. Just reality. This one was just for fun.
Micahbigsur@msn.com
New member
Luckily my M1A is all in one piece and I stocked up on mail order ammo for my hunting rifles before the new California mail order restrictions. It is still months to hunting season though, that's a lot of rice and pasta till then! (our county is on total lockdown except for essentials) I just hope we can get through the border without any problems. There are also several Mexican army checkpoints where they pull apart all your stuff checking for drugs, Dana bought gloves which she will offer them along with the usual coke, they are usually friendly and businesslike. Baja has many suspected cases of the virus because of all the foreign tourist travelers, but they just aren't doing testing here so far. We are heading north on our 5 day trip home to the ranch tomorrow.
I hope you are and all will be, well.
I hope you are and all will be, well.
kennharriet
Member
Some encouragement from our financial advisor:
As I always try to find the silver-lining to life's challenges, over the next few weeks we will all have the opportunity to connect more with our family. A client told me recently that, because she is working more from home, she is spending more time with her husband and that “he seems like a nice guy”.
Humor aside, I want to be clear that I understand the severity of our situation and I am truly empathetic to your concerns. It is surreal to see so many empty shelves at Target, Ralph’s, Costco, etc. To me, this serves as proof that uncertainty leads to fear. Fear leads to panic and panic leads to bad decisions. I believe that in times like these, it is important to avoid trying to predict the immediate future. Rather, while understanding that there is much at stake, in this process we must remain calm, pragmatic and laser-focused so that we may make good decisions.
It is important to maintain perspective as it relates to economic uncertainty and stock market volatility:
1. Have we seen stock market declines of 30% - 50% before?
YES! We saw the market decline like this in 2000-2003 (-52%) and in 2007-2009 (-58%). This happens all the time [on average, once every 7-10 years]. It doesn’t feel good, however market corrections/bear markets are normal.
2. Did the market eventually recover?
YES! After every one of the stock market declines we have seen in this country, the stock market fully recovered.
3. Did the market then reach new highs?
YES! Every single time the market recovered and reached new highs, without exception.
4. Is it ‘different’ this time?
NO. THIS TIME ISN’T DIFFERENT! (The circumstances that create the crisis are different). This time it is the Coronavirus. Last time it was the housing market. The time before that was technology, corporate accounting scandals and 9-11. The time before that, it was something else, and so-on and so-on. Remember, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." – George Santayana
As I mentioned in my last note on March 2, 2020, “…most of us, depending on our investment goals and asset allocation, are currently ‘under-allocated’ stocks anyway.” If we have not yet spoken regarding a systematic strategy to gradually increase your stock market exposure through this volatility, that conversation is certainly overdue. Please contact me at your very earliest convenience so that I may explain why increasing stock market exposure now makes sense for most people. I forget who said it, but it is true: We make most of our wealth in bear markets. We just don't realize it at the time…
If you've read this far, congrats! You are almost done…
I want to sign-off with a final thought that a colleague recently shared with me: Gratitude involves noticing the goodness in the world and in the midst of negativity, gratitude ensures that we do not lose sight of what is good. The more space gratitude is allowed to take up, the more it will expand itself and make way for other positive emotions, like happiness, appreciation, and even joy. Let us reflect on what is truly important to us and, as we move forward, remember that fear and faith both believe in a future that hasn't yet happened. Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. I choose to believe in the latter and I have faith that this too shall pass!
Stay healthy and positive. We live in the greatest country in the world and, together, will we will overcome this challenge and emerge stronger than ever before!
As I always try to find the silver-lining to life's challenges, over the next few weeks we will all have the opportunity to connect more with our family. A client told me recently that, because she is working more from home, she is spending more time with her husband and that “he seems like a nice guy”.
Humor aside, I want to be clear that I understand the severity of our situation and I am truly empathetic to your concerns. It is surreal to see so many empty shelves at Target, Ralph’s, Costco, etc. To me, this serves as proof that uncertainty leads to fear. Fear leads to panic and panic leads to bad decisions. I believe that in times like these, it is important to avoid trying to predict the immediate future. Rather, while understanding that there is much at stake, in this process we must remain calm, pragmatic and laser-focused so that we may make good decisions.It is important to maintain perspective as it relates to economic uncertainty and stock market volatility:
1. Have we seen stock market declines of 30% - 50% before?
YES! We saw the market decline like this in 2000-2003 (-52%) and in 2007-2009 (-58%). This happens all the time [on average, once every 7-10 years]. It doesn’t feel good, however market corrections/bear markets are normal.
2. Did the market eventually recover?
YES! After every one of the stock market declines we have seen in this country, the stock market fully recovered.
3. Did the market then reach new highs?
YES! Every single time the market recovered and reached new highs, without exception.
4. Is it ‘different’ this time?
NO. THIS TIME ISN’T DIFFERENT! (The circumstances that create the crisis are different). This time it is the Coronavirus. Last time it was the housing market. The time before that was technology, corporate accounting scandals and 9-11. The time before that, it was something else, and so-on and so-on. Remember, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." – George Santayana
As I mentioned in my last note on March 2, 2020, “…most of us, depending on our investment goals and asset allocation, are currently ‘under-allocated’ stocks anyway.” If we have not yet spoken regarding a systematic strategy to gradually increase your stock market exposure through this volatility, that conversation is certainly overdue. Please contact me at your very earliest convenience so that I may explain why increasing stock market exposure now makes sense for most people. I forget who said it, but it is true: We make most of our wealth in bear markets. We just don't realize it at the time…
If you've read this far, congrats! You are almost done…
I want to sign-off with a final thought that a colleague recently shared with me: Gratitude involves noticing the goodness in the world and in the midst of negativity, gratitude ensures that we do not lose sight of what is good. The more space gratitude is allowed to take up, the more it will expand itself and make way for other positive emotions, like happiness, appreciation, and even joy. Let us reflect on what is truly important to us and, as we move forward, remember that fear and faith both believe in a future that hasn't yet happened. Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. I choose to believe in the latter and I have faith that this too shall pass!
Stay healthy and positive. We live in the greatest country in the world and, together, will we will overcome this challenge and emerge stronger than ever before!
We did our now weekly shop of the week, and I was surprised that there were still a lot of empty shelves. No hamburger and a couple other items we wanted were not there.
I always have a well stocked pantry and freezer. What are people doing with all that food they are buying? We are buying a few more day's supply, rather than shopping 2-3 times a week. It has been noted that in famines sometimes more food is thrown away as a result of hoarding.
I wonder if anyone is doing any research on this.
I always have a well stocked pantry and freezer. What are people doing with all that food they are buying? We are buying a few more day's supply, rather than shopping 2-3 times a week. It has been noted that in famines sometimes more food is thrown away as a result of hoarding.
I wonder if anyone is doing any research on this.
We believe that all of us should be prepared for disasters. We started when we lived in Calif with earth and forest fires. The vehicles always had enough water for. a few days along with items which would allow comfort: and means to get out of trouble of shelter in place wherever we were...
Florida brings different challenges: hurricanes and tornados. After Ivan we had no power for over 6 weeks. No communications for slightly longer. We made out. I am a ham radio operator which helps. We had one 7500 watt generator and one 800 watt generator, both running on gasoline, stockpiled 50 gallons of gas. Today we have a 18000 watt Natural Gas generator, plus the two previous generators, the Honda 2200 for the boat and a 1000 for back up, plus a 5KW diesel in the RV--100 gallons of gas in the C Dory, 100 gallons of diesel in the RV and truck combined. Food: we always prepare for long term without shopping available. Marie cooks meals way in advance, and they are frozen. A stockpile of dehydrated food is available, plus we rotate canned food, etc as we use it, replace to the back of the "line" of boxes or cans. Vehicles now have come along, pryer and electric chain saw etc--enough to clear the road to get home if we need to..flashlights, re-chargers etc all ready at any time.
PLUS we have the C Dory!!!
Marie did go to the store late last evening. Bread shelves were mostly bare, but the gluten free bread was not touched--that is what we eat--so we bought a few extra loaves to freeze. Light meat tuna was in short supply, but plenty of darker tuna. Most other times (except TP, and sanitizer--we have the material to make of sanitizer at home already.)
We have told close friends we are isolating.
Florida brings different challenges: hurricanes and tornados. After Ivan we had no power for over 6 weeks. No communications for slightly longer. We made out. I am a ham radio operator which helps. We had one 7500 watt generator and one 800 watt generator, both running on gasoline, stockpiled 50 gallons of gas. Today we have a 18000 watt Natural Gas generator, plus the two previous generators, the Honda 2200 for the boat and a 1000 for back up, plus a 5KW diesel in the RV--100 gallons of gas in the C Dory, 100 gallons of diesel in the RV and truck combined. Food: we always prepare for long term without shopping available. Marie cooks meals way in advance, and they are frozen. A stockpile of dehydrated food is available, plus we rotate canned food, etc as we use it, replace to the back of the "line" of boxes or cans. Vehicles now have come along, pryer and electric chain saw etc--enough to clear the road to get home if we need to..flashlights, re-chargers etc all ready at any time.
PLUS we have the C Dory!!!
Marie did go to the store late last evening. Bread shelves were mostly bare, but the gluten free bread was not touched--that is what we eat--so we bought a few extra loaves to freeze. Light meat tuna was in short supply, but plenty of darker tuna. Most other times (except TP, and sanitizer--we have the material to make of sanitizer at home already.)
We have told close friends we are isolating.
smckean (Tosca)
New member
This "hunkered down" thing has been strange for my wife Kathy and I.....but not in the way you might think.
We live on Guemes Island (1/2 mile north of Anacortes across the Guemes Channel). There are no roads to the island, nor any stores to speak of. So in every day life we tend to take the ferry to town every couple of weeks to re-supply. Compared to our "old" life in the city, we have far more freezer capacity and storeroom shelves. We don't think much about it anymore, but it is a different style of life when you basically live out of your freezer. No fast food or restaurants either. The only 2 items that can't be easily handled on a 2+ week schedule are milk and bread; but we solved those two with a shelf of ultra pasteurized milk cartons and I make bread (great bread, in fact :wink:
). We also live on top of a ridge on 5 acres, and are very secluded. We like it that way.
Bottom line is that it strikes us as very strange that this "shelter in place" thing is almost exactly like our every day life! It's a funny feeling. We feel like somehow we are not part of the effort....like we are failing, or are being cheated perhaps. Not true of course, but the lack of difference in our lives is quite striking.
We live on Guemes Island (1/2 mile north of Anacortes across the Guemes Channel). There are no roads to the island, nor any stores to speak of. So in every day life we tend to take the ferry to town every couple of weeks to re-supply. Compared to our "old" life in the city, we have far more freezer capacity and storeroom shelves. We don't think much about it anymore, but it is a different style of life when you basically live out of your freezer. No fast food or restaurants either. The only 2 items that can't be easily handled on a 2+ week schedule are milk and bread; but we solved those two with a shelf of ultra pasteurized milk cartons and I make bread (great bread, in fact :wink:
). We also live on top of a ridge on 5 acres, and are very secluded. We like it that way.Bottom line is that it strikes us as very strange that this "shelter in place" thing is almost exactly like our every day life! It's a funny feeling. We feel like somehow we are not part of the effort....like we are failing, or are being cheated perhaps. Not true of course, but the lack of difference in our lives is quite striking.
little wing
New member
+1
Tippy Canoe
New member
smckean (Tosca)":1xxmt96f said:
So good to hear that someone else feels the way we do. We sat outside drinking coffee this morning thinking how it is just another day for us. And we, too, felt funny - like we are not part of everything. We live out in the country, so we are always well supplied and prepared for whatever may come our way. People out this way are sharing their eggs and bartering for any staples they might be short on. The incredible loss of life we see happening in Europe and elsewhere is simply heartbreaking. We have family in Switzerland and are hoping all are safe. Wishing the same for our C-Brats family, too.
Peter & Judy
New member
We are hunkering down on our Alberta bison ranch and yesterday we brought my 88 year old mother here from Calgary. With the nearest neighbour a half mile away our risk is very low. When we are not travelling, we often don't leave the ranch for a week at a time and sometimes two. We are always well stocked with food, a freezer full of our own meat, vegetables from our garden and lots of dried and canned goods. There is always 500+ gallons of fuel in the tanks and I keep at least a year and half worth of hay for the bison. We sometimes have -40F temps and on occasion no power for day, but I do have two generators. The house is heated with natural gas and wood and I normally keep a year or two of chopped wood on hand. Some people nowadays would call me a prepper, but in many ways we don't live much different than our grandparents did, except they didn't have internet. By the time I might run out of food our garden will be ready and there is always meat in the pasture to harvest. I never have nothing to do here and a long list of projects and hobbies that I never seem to get around to. So maybe this year will be a blessing in hindsight. One of my hobbies is cooking and I am enjoying preparing a special meal for my beautiful wife and wonderful mother every night. That and 150 bottles of home made wine and I have no worries. I could be stuck in a small Italian apartment and since I can't sing, I would have less reason to go on the balcony. I have a few hundred acres to wander if they pass an order to not leave your home. Judy and I spend most of our time together living, working and we have endured each other on a C-dory for weeks at a time, so murder-suicide is unlikely. The first nine years we lived on the ranch, we lived in a 1947 400 square foot uninsulated pioneer house with a wood stove, a water pump and an outhouse. We felt happy, because we knew that our living conditions were better than most people in the world. Life could be worse or we could be six feet under. We will make the most of our situation and look forward to many more years once this passes. We have been fortunate to travel a lot the past few years and may not travel much this year. My grandparent never took a vacation in their entire lives and milked the cows even on Christmas day. So need to count our blessings and be happy to be alive.
This is my second night hunkered down in Fossil Bay. Even though there was dock space when I arrived, I opted for a buoy and have stayed on the boat ever since, not even a single trip to shore (I bought an annual pass on my phone, so I'm not squatting either). In some people's view going boating is probably irresponsible but I've had zero contact with any other humans, from the house to the car to the boat, and with the nice weather I wanted to try and get one more trip in before we are completely restricted from doing so. Or worse.
Even though Sucia is a regular destination, this trip has been somewhat of a new experience. I've made the dinette into the bunk for the first time and have just been sitting here for 2 days in my cozy sleeping bag watching boats go by, and today watching dozens of boats fighting for space at the dock from across the bay. If/when I get back out it's unlikely I'll ever sleep in the cuddy again, I'm loving falling asleep and waking up to the 360 degree waterfront view!
Stay safe everyone, watching some of the footage from Italy is kinda scary, and I'm usually complacent about stuff like this.
-Mike
Even though Sucia is a regular destination, this trip has been somewhat of a new experience. I've made the dinette into the bunk for the first time and have just been sitting here for 2 days in my cozy sleeping bag watching boats go by, and today watching dozens of boats fighting for space at the dock from across the bay. If/when I get back out it's unlikely I'll ever sleep in the cuddy again, I'm loving falling asleep and waking up to the 360 degree waterfront view!
Stay safe everyone, watching some of the footage from Italy is kinda scary, and I'm usually complacent about stuff like this.
-Mike
Bell Harbor Marina in Seattle is pretty empty, and I took a bus ride, only 3-4 people in the whole bus, and that quit collecting fares. This minimizes the driver from having to interact with people.
Besides health workers, grocery people are probably the most exposed to others. I hope whatever federal aid goes through, their needs are kept in mind, particularly should they get the virus.
Besides health workers, grocery people are probably the most exposed to others. I hope whatever federal aid goes through, their needs are kept in mind, particularly should they get the virus.
South of Heaven
New member
Greetings from Boston guys. Hope everyone is safe and has some peace of mind still.
Boston is essentially shut down. Streets are a ghost town. Highways have little traffic (I never thought I'd see that! We have some of the worst traffic in America.)
Crazy times....As to the market; I'm not worried about it. I'm 38 years old and can ride it out. But it's definitely shocking to look at your accounts and see these huge losses!! Aaaahhhh!
Boston is essentially shut down. Streets are a ghost town. Highways have little traffic (I never thought I'd see that! We have some of the worst traffic in America.)
Crazy times....As to the market; I'm not worried about it. I'm 38 years old and can ride it out. But it's definitely shocking to look at your accounts and see these huge losses!! Aaaahhhh!
All is well at Camp Clow as my self-imposed two week quarantine is ending. Still no known cases in the upper peninsula of Michigan, but we know our period of isolation won't last.
My daughter works in the local grocery store, so each day when she returns home her clothing is tossed in the dryer for a session on the highest temperature. Seems that's the best way to destroy any unwanted visiting viruses. Laundering is the next step, but high heat drying is the suggested first step.
My view is still wintry as we got a snow event on the first full day of spring. This is an annual occasion for us. Still able to snowshoe on the back 40.
Cheers and keep washing your hands,
Pat
Meri Aura
My daughter works in the local grocery store, so each day when she returns home her clothing is tossed in the dryer for a session on the highest temperature. Seems that's the best way to destroy any unwanted visiting viruses. Laundering is the next step, but high heat drying is the suggested first step.
My view is still wintry as we got a snow event on the first full day of spring. This is an annual occasion for us. Still able to snowshoe on the back 40.
Cheers and keep washing your hands,
Pat
Meri Aura
Marco Flamingo
Active member
I see that some others are sharing my "dodged a bullet" sense of guilt. I may have lucked out. Still too soon to be sure of course, but sitting in the hot tub drinking coffee (wine is on half-rations) having seen the pictures in Italy plays on one's conscience. How much of my situation was planning and how much was dumb blind luck?
My aunt's neighbor got sick on Thursday and died of corona virus on Saturday. She was one of the early death's in Clark County. Do I tell my aunt that it's just a hoax? A hoax by the Democrats, Bigfoot, or both? It sure looks like a pandemic. Even the President has now used the word, although I'm not certain that he completely understands what it means.
I've been in contact with several people in the medical community that have shared some dire predictions (just what I need to hear). A friend who is a nurse in NY told Beth that she was told to go home because of her age. She is semi-retired and was working part-time in New Rochelle treating covid victims. On her last day, she intubated a 35 year-old healthy male with a poor prognosis and yet she was told to go home. Don't kid yourself that this is only an issue for the elderly.
Another friend works in one of the big Seattle hospitals. One estimate is that the area will be out of ICU beds by the first week of April. It is all just mathematics now. Unfortunately, the starting point, the infection rate, the mortality rate, etc. are all a bit hazy and therefore the final result can vary quite a bit. I'm going to disagree with some and predict the death rate will exceed 15.
Stay safe.
Mark
My aunt's neighbor got sick on Thursday and died of corona virus on Saturday. She was one of the early death's in Clark County. Do I tell my aunt that it's just a hoax? A hoax by the Democrats, Bigfoot, or both? It sure looks like a pandemic. Even the President has now used the word, although I'm not certain that he completely understands what it means.
I've been in contact with several people in the medical community that have shared some dire predictions (just what I need to hear). A friend who is a nurse in NY told Beth that she was told to go home because of her age. She is semi-retired and was working part-time in New Rochelle treating covid victims. On her last day, she intubated a 35 year-old healthy male with a poor prognosis and yet she was told to go home. Don't kid yourself that this is only an issue for the elderly.
Another friend works in one of the big Seattle hospitals. One estimate is that the area will be out of ICU beds by the first week of April. It is all just mathematics now. Unfortunately, the starting point, the infection rate, the mortality rate, etc. are all a bit hazy and therefore the final result can vary quite a bit. I'm going to disagree with some and predict the death rate will exceed 15.
Stay safe.
Mark