More Than Words.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that my time has been filled with more than just buying books. There are always plenty of things to do - including "normal" life. When you work full-time, at a not-particularly-high wage (though still plenty for the frugal), you start to find limitations. Martial arts, fitness training... even music lessons - music keeps the brain fresh, and music is one of the things that makes humans what they are. Plus, it's one of the few things you could trade that you wouldn't lose or use up. Alright, except for strings, maintenance...

But there have been plenty of other things - putting fences up, getting ready for the arrival of spring, and all the work that will be needed in the garden. I've been putting off moving a grape vine that's not doing particularly well where it currently is... There are several that need to be planted this season, plenty of old (and less useful) trees to be removed - albeit slowly, as newer trees are planted and grow.

I've also been playing around with solar panels (although I have certain reservations about them), making solar thermal water heaters, solar dryers... I've also found where the nearest recycling depot is - so my coming annual holidays will see a trip or two, and hopefully finding some usable things like washing machine motors (very good for wind generators), water heaters usable as alcohol or water stills... Which reminds me - I have those solar still plans that I should try...

The Gathering of Wisdom

I've been looking through my library, acutely aware of certain deficiencies in a number of areas. I've a few decent references on human medicine, but am lacking enough good ones on veterinary medicine... I might have to look at some of the second-hand stores around universities for both.

Of course, half of medicine seems to be prevention, maybe a third trauma. I'm speaking as someone with only a small amount of medical training, so perhaps I'm not entirely appraised - but considering how much space in books tends to be devoted to hygiene, perhaps not. This doesn't take into account advances in many fields, specialist stuff...

Damn it... I am a generalist, not a specialist. I can do a lot, but... Jack of all trades, Master of none.

Far too much to gather... Oh, for some people to gather into the fold. I will be happy if I can learn enough blacksmithing soon to make a few things, but I need someone who makes it at least a serious hobby.

Don't get me wrong, I'm doing more than just buying books... But if you have limited time to learn every skill... And maybe, perhaps, avoiding the pitfalls of lost technology...

The End of Winter

I've realised what the thing is that I dislike most about winter.

More of the interesting, useful, and food-bearing trees are deciduous - they hibernate. Hazel, peach, persimmon... so many others... You cannot tell (without significant laboratory tests) whether or not they are still alright, alive but asleep. If you have a tree that you aren't sure is healthy, or you planted into the ground late in the season - you cannot tell whether a tree is asleep or has died until the change to spring, and the emergence of leaves.

It has been a mild winter, although good enough to get the deciduous trees to drop their leaves. Now, one peach tree, healthy before winter, has bloomed, plenty of leaves and flowers; the other, suffering an infection before, and treated over winter, has yet to show life. A few other trees have yet to show life. I have plenty of non-deciduous trees that are happily growing, putting growth even during winter.

I wonder, in face of humanity's on-coming winter, will the species continue to grow, hibernate, or die?

Something in the Air

The scent of the memory of death hung in the air all today.

It is the smell of thousands dying at the hands of the few.

It is the smell of hundreds of toxins dumped into the air, the land, and the sea, slowly poisoning all life.

Strangely enough, it is the smell of cinnamon...

The Value of Ethics, part 2

I have finally gotten around to continuing this train of thought - something that needs to happen more, I think.

I have mentioned the problems with plants; they are not the only things that have legal problems.

In a country where firearms are heavily restricted, and other weapons limited, what steps are ethical to obtain enough firepower to protect yourself, your family, your land? And what knowledge can you gather about making weapons, particularly if much of that information is illegal or, at least, raises the wrong questions from the wrong people?

Simple weapons are not out of the question. What is the difference between a staff as a weapon and a hiking staff, or even something that's just a length of wood? Obviously not much, except for a lot of training. Simple weapons are nice to have, but take more training than most people would normally care to do. Knives can be useful, but are dangerous - it is very easy for things to go wrong.

It's possible to make a weapon out of anything. It's just that it takes training to be able to use it effectively.

Quite a few people have swords, but those are generally useless, poor quality metal, only fit as a bit of macho bravado hanging on the wall - not even worth being called a sword. Additionally, given that even fewer people actually train to use them properly, the "swords" are worse than useless.

Going further - is it right to obtain or make weapons such as crossbows, rifles, and so on, if it's not obvious that you're in direct threat, or when any threat is seen as a remote chance?

What, then, the steps that you can take in defending yourself? I have no problem with self-defence when it comes to someone attacking you, but is a warning shot to the head acceptable if someone is just the other side of a fence line and eyeing off a few fruit?

What if they are starving? Or they have a starving child to feed?

All I know is that good neighbours are a good start.

And rebuilding means not killing someone who's desperately trying to survive, as you are, but getting them to work for their own survival. Raiders cannot be tolerated - you need to ensure they don't see you as an easy target. Not everyone is a raider, though.

The New Economics

Here's something to remember:

Food will get you through a time of no gold better than gold in a time of no food.

I wish I could remember who said that. Quick to say, but a very important point. Importantly, seeds and plants can get you through a depression. Try surviving on money through a famine...

I have had the opinion for a long time that money doesn't mean anything, it is just an abstract - and just a way of keeping score. Things certainly seem to be pointing that way.

A whole lot of... quite questionable operators are foretelling doom with one hand, and spruiking gold with the other. Fraudulent? Perhaps. Certainly, they are playing on people's fears and profiting from said. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find that this is driving up gold prices, and filling people with a false sense of security.

Personally, I'm happy spending money on making sure I have plenty of resources to survive the lean years, than buying gold... Farmers in Weimar Republic Germany made it happily through their economic crisis back in the day because they had the food - and it was a seller's market.