Ej...................MIA ?

[BadJuju]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

What would be the ramifications of going back to the level of medicine we had back in the sixties and seventies? By my recollection medicine then seemed pretty good- better than a lot of the world has now. Would it be adequate? Can we be happy with less extravagant medical care? I could be.

How much is the cost of medical care the result of insane government policies and ruthless insurance companies, though? Death panels already exist with insurance companies being the gate keepers to life or death. Furthermore, at what point would you even draw the line on end of life conditions?

[shiny!]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. If we go back to that economic level things will actually improve.

What would be the ramifications of going back to the level of medicine we had back in the sixties and seventies? By my recollection medicine then seemed pretty good- better than a lot of the world has now. Would it be adequate? Can we be happy with less extravagant medical care? I could be.

If we went back to a simpler time where we paid the doctors and hospitals directly for what we needed... if we didn't demand so much heroic treatment at the end of life for conditions that aren't going to get better. I don't mean "death panels". I mean people being at peace with the imperfection of life and the natural inevitability death. Not demanding that they or their loved ones be kept alive literally "at all costs"...

As part of creating a sustainable society, can we get behind the idea of using more of end-of-life medical resources for children and young parents?

[gwynedd1]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

What this Shia eschatology accomplished in 2001 will be the forerunner to a greater planned attack.
What did Shia eschatology accomplish in 2001? If you are making reference to the attack on the World Trade Center, most people believe that al-Qaeda was responsible, and al-Qaeda is strongly influenced by Sunni Wahabbism.
What do you mean by "forerunner to a greater planned attack?"

I agree with Eric, a strong spiritual belief system and emotional resilience. These will be needed in our lifetime especially in the US and Israel.
But Eric didn't say that a strong spiritual belief system and emotional resilience were needed. He said that the "required preparation is emotional and spiritual," and could "be summed up in a word: courage."

You can toss in Christian and Jewish eschatology into that end of times salad mix; Kosher dill, cubbed ham, and bulgar wheat. That is my end time doom salad recipe. Be sure to mix in some oil with the bulgar wheat and make sure the pickles are the most expensive brand you can finance. Just get the pig from any CAFO; it doesn't matter; all pigs are forgiven. Everyone is coming. Jesus, the Messiah, Mahdi.... and as usual people need to die for these wonderful things to happen.

[Verrocchio]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

What this Shia eschatology accomplished in 2001 will be the forerunner to a greater planned attack. What is one way to overcome fear and confusion? I agree with Eric, a strong spiritual belief system and emotional resilience. These will be needed in our lifetime especially in the US and Israel.

What this Shia eschatology accomplished in 2001 will be the forerunner to a greater planned attack.
What did Shia eschatology accomplish in 2001? If you are making reference to the attack on the World Trade Center, most people believe that al-Qaeda was responsible, and al-Qaeda is strongly influenced by Sunni Wahabbism.
What do you mean by "forerunner to a greater planned attack?"

I agree with Eric, a strong spiritual belief system and emotional resilience. These will be needed in our lifetime especially in the US and Israel.
But Eric didn't say that a strong spiritual belief system and emotional resilience were needed. He said that the "required preparation is emotional and spiritual," and could "be summed up in a word: courage."

[BadJuju]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

his is a profit.

wwejd?

[BadJuju]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I don't like the sound of that. Involuntary recruitment to an Arctic mining colony?

Shouldn't be too bad with Arctic ice being down so much!

[gwynedd1]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

EJ: You would have been a good prophet.

His is a profit.

[gwynedd1]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I think the problem is not that he is worried about crushing the fragile flowers here. More that he doesn't want to encourage Mad Max hysteria and a "Gold Bug" atmosphere.

Also, What exactly is EJ predicting? A war in the middle east? Hasn't there been a war in the middle east for like 20 years? 30? Bad economy? unemployment? We already have that.

If people die faster than demand for goods and services tapering off we should be good, but should I invest in caskets, wooden and card board boxes, or dozers?

[gwynedd1]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

Paris backs Syria no-fly zone as fighting grows

BEIRUT (AP) — France signaled Thursday that it was prepared to take part in enforcing a partial no-fly zone over Syria, piling pressure on President Bashar Assad's embattled regime as it widens a major offensive against rebels in Damascus and surrounding areas.

Most of these last two months I have spent trying to figure out how to ease you all into this but I have still not yet devised a way.

I hope you have all enjoyed this last summer of our innocence and that you are prepared for what comes next.

I don't like the sound of that. Involuntary recruitment to an Arctic mining colony?

[Polish_Silver]

Poorer and happier?

I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. If we go back to that economic level things will actually improve. People might hang out outside My tools and labor are always available for the neighbors to use.

I think a higher level of cooperation and social interaction would be very beneficial. Watch the Alain Botton video about Epicurus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irornIAQzQY

Unfortunately, the higher standard of living was used to create a more autonomous life style, exactly what does not bring happiness. The emphasis should have been on social activity and liesure time instead of "bigger territory".

[pescamaaan]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

This isn't about buying food or hoarding water. The required preparation is emotional and spiritual.

It can be summed up in a word: courage.

EJ - could you expand on how you, personally, have prepared for what you see coming?

[Prazak]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. If we go back to that economic level things will actually improve. People might hang out outside because they can't afford to run the AC, pay for cable, and drive to the mall to shop. Then they might talk to other people in the neighborhood, instead of being made to think their life sucks because their big houses aren't filled with cheap crap.

Since we have had multiple, multi day power shortages this summer, I have made some new friends in the neighborhood, and gotten caught up with some old ones.
I bought a small generator, led lanterns to make life a little more comfortable when the next one hits. A Chain saw is next on the list. The last storm I had to
do all the tree removal with a bow saw. My tools and labor are always available for the neighbors to use.

Yeah, it's one of the best things of a big snow storm that shuts down the electricity. Everyone's out on the streets, shoveling off the sidewalks, sledding down the streets, kids helping out the old folks. It's an immediate injection of communitarianism into the neighborhood.

[gnk]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I see some of that in Greece right now. People are much more social and helpful, at least where I live.

People that have some farmable land are putting it to use. Which is kind of ironic because at the height of the bubble, massive farm subsidies were squandered on BMWs, villas, etc... while the farms were hardly worked. Now people are actually using their own money to grow food. Everywhere I look people are exchanging things. Just last winter, I would give family members wood for their fireplaces, and lemons and oranges from our trees. They in turn often invited me over to dinner. I see this a lot - the exchange of foods and services which strengthens the community.

Less people show off now. Actually, to show off an expensive car or clothes now has the opposite effect. It is seen as crude, antisocial behavior.

However, crime is up big time. And this is for a country that usually has the lowest crime rates in the western world. Burglaries are frequent in my town - luckily I have a tough Missouri-born Chesapeake Bay Retriever with me that I brought from the US. Thankfully, the recent increase in burglaries does not involve violence.

From what I hear in Athens, suicides are skyrocketing. And again, Greece has traditionally rated very low in suicide rates. I guess it's all relative. Talking to my father about his childhood during WWII, when the Germans were committing atrocities, you didn't hear too much about suicides then. People were in survival mode during WWII. But now, people lose their life savings, their jobs etc, and their world looks like it is crashing down around them. It's all perspective, and unfortunately, our priorities are so out of whack, life has gotten so hypercomplex, that the definition of "personal crisis" has changed into something that was nothing to be that concerned about 70 years ago. Back then, during WWII in Greece, people were lucky and thankful, just to be alive and have a loaf of bread for the day. (Not too many mortgages and no property taxes back then - so the house was always safe from being taken for nonpayment of debt or taxes)

[BadJuju]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. If we go back to that economic level things will actually improve. People might hang out outside because they can't afford to run the AC, pay for cable, and drive to the mall to shop. Then they might talk to other people in the neighborhood, instead of being made to think their life sucks because their big houses aren't filled with cheap crap.

I definitely want to see the overwhelmingly, ridiculous levels of consumption in the USA drop. I'll probably still spend as much time on the Internet as I do now, though. My redneck neighbors do not interest me much. :P

[charliebrown]

Re: Ej...................MIA ?

I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. If we go back to that economic level things will actually improve. People might hang out outside because they can't afford to run the AC, pay for cable, and drive to the mall to shop. Then they might talk to other people in the neighborhood, instead of being made to think their life sucks because their big houses aren't filled with cheap crap.

Since we have had multiple, multi day power shortages this summer, I have made some new friends in the neighborhood, and gotten caught up with some old ones.
I bought a small generator, led lanterns to make life a little more comfortable when the next one hits. A Chain saw is next on the list. The last storm I had to
do all the tree removal with a bow saw. My tools and labor are always available for the neighbors to use.