Alright, so the local media is all up ins this, so I have some pretty fancy links for you now:
Organizations in Attendance. Note the wide variety of groups, from hardcore Marxists to unions to environmentalists to lunatics like the Zeitgeist Movement. hell, even Palestinian support groups are out there for some reason.
Global News Interactive Map. Shows the downtown zone. Look at how close the Eaton's Center (one of the largest malls in Canada) is to the security zone. If anything happens, police will have to fight their way there. As well, note that the area in front of Provincial Legislature (Queen's Park) is a protest zone. Not bright, folks.
Watching the news, I'm getting the impression that a lot of the protesters are young, impressionable kids. All they know is G20 R BAD, and when the bike police ride past, they scream about a police state and intimidation . I'm going to refer everyone back to my post on the subject of protesters. However, after the Battle of Seattle and the riots during the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, I am concerned. We have a lot of angry people and a bunch of colossal strategic fuckups. I really hope the riot cavalry is ready.
Deschain
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
G20 Briefing, Day 1
Alright, so a quick overview: As it stands, there are currently a lot of pissed off people in Toronto. The citizenry is pissed because the subway and light rail hubs are cut off, so they have to fight the traffic to get into town. The businesses are pissed because they're under threat, police had to deal with shots fired last night and angry people. The anarchists are just pissed at everything. I mean, all these 'peaceful protesters' are awful short tempered. Today, they seized Queen's Part, vandalized a war memorial, protested in the rain. Luckily, I think most of the lookey-lous and and softcore types were driven off by the shitty weather. There's plenty more of the same forecast.
Whoever planned the security zone should be fired. They didn't secure all the way to the lake, so you basically have this citadel in the middle of town that's under siege. To the northeast and northwest are universities well known for their far-left sentiments. A major shopping center -an obvious looting target- is well outside the security zone. All the thousands of security guards hired are NOT riot troops. They are luckless people offered 10$/hr to provide a visual deterrent. If things go all Seattle this week, they will turn tail or get badly beaten. This is a disaster in the makings.
Deschain
Whoever planned the security zone should be fired. They didn't secure all the way to the lake, so you basically have this citadel in the middle of town that's under siege. To the northeast and northwest are universities well known for their far-left sentiments. A major shopping center -an obvious looting target- is well outside the security zone. All the thousands of security guards hired are NOT riot troops. They are luckless people offered 10$/hr to provide a visual deterrent. If things go all Seattle this week, they will turn tail or get badly beaten. This is a disaster in the makings.
Deschain
Saturday, June 19, 2010
So, lately I've been expanding my social circle. It's a nice change. I don't really make new friends easily, and for the last couple of weeks I've been meeting people. It's been good. Sorry I haven't been around.
So, one of the things I've been noticing is the lack of middle ground up here on the gun issue. After a couple of drunk talks with a girl at a party, I found that she believes in comin' strapped. That is to say, she believes in the ownership and use of firearms in self defense when and where legal, which is a refreshing change from GUNZ R BAD. She had been in some rough relationships, and as a result of personal experience, she's come around. Sometimes, it's the hard lessons, unfortunately. But New Friend made her chops with me. We traded stories and drinks awhile, got to know each other. Good to meet new people with roughly the same ideals as me.
That aside, a lot of the people I met have more or less the same attitudes I did at 17. Capitalism bad, guns bad, drugs good, etc. Listening to some of that shit made me realize how spoonfed it all was. The Communists lost the economic Cold War, but they kicked the ever-loving shit out of us culturally. The shit they spouted when the G20 came up...well, needless to say about half of the people I met won't be getting no Christmas cards from me. It's all a part of the system. The education system is canted towards being liberal, and if you disagree with that viewpoint, well gee, you must not be learning because the course material says that if you don't embrace the liberal views, you must not be getting the rest fo the content either. But shit, that's how things roll. You separate the chaff from the wheat. So, new friends in. When I get a place and settle in, I'ma take her shooting. That might rub an old friend the wrong way, but shit. My new friend is a big girl, she can make her own decisions. I'm really quite glad I met her, I feel less awkward with her.
Speaking of which, turns out my old friend is all anti-gun, unreasonable fear, Brady-Campaign supportin' crazy. Which is unfortunate, because that really kills any potential for a lot of stuff. She freaked out when her brother brought home his very first target. Hell, she'd flip if I took New Friend shooting. But hey. Like I said, she's a grown woman, and Old Friend needs to cowboy the fuck up and accept that she can make decisions.
Couple of days from the G20, I'll give updates when things start going down. Keep your chins up and heads down, everyone.
Deschain
So, one of the things I've been noticing is the lack of middle ground up here on the gun issue. After a couple of drunk talks with a girl at a party, I found that she believes in comin' strapped. That is to say, she believes in the ownership and use of firearms in self defense when and where legal, which is a refreshing change from GUNZ R BAD. She had been in some rough relationships, and as a result of personal experience, she's come around. Sometimes, it's the hard lessons, unfortunately. But New Friend made her chops with me. We traded stories and drinks awhile, got to know each other. Good to meet new people with roughly the same ideals as me.
That aside, a lot of the people I met have more or less the same attitudes I did at 17. Capitalism bad, guns bad, drugs good, etc. Listening to some of that shit made me realize how spoonfed it all was. The Communists lost the economic Cold War, but they kicked the ever-loving shit out of us culturally. The shit they spouted when the G20 came up...well, needless to say about half of the people I met won't be getting no Christmas cards from me. It's all a part of the system. The education system is canted towards being liberal, and if you disagree with that viewpoint, well gee, you must not be learning because the course material says that if you don't embrace the liberal views, you must not be getting the rest fo the content either. But shit, that's how things roll. You separate the chaff from the wheat. So, new friends in. When I get a place and settle in, I'ma take her shooting. That might rub an old friend the wrong way, but shit. My new friend is a big girl, she can make her own decisions. I'm really quite glad I met her, I feel less awkward with her.
Speaking of which, turns out my old friend is all anti-gun, unreasonable fear, Brady-Campaign supportin' crazy. Which is unfortunate, because that really kills any potential for a lot of stuff. She freaked out when her brother brought home his very first target. Hell, she'd flip if I took New Friend shooting. But hey. Like I said, she's a grown woman, and Old Friend needs to cowboy the fuck up and accept that she can make decisions.
Couple of days from the G20, I'll give updates when things start going down. Keep your chins up and heads down, everyone.
Deschain
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Getting Ready for a Ruckus
Well, both the G8 and G20 summits are coming to town soon. Which means a security lockdown you wouldn't believe, and a conflux of such raw capitalism that hippies from across the continent are drawn to attack it. And this year, we have the full spread. We have anarchists coming in fresh from firebombing in Ottawa , labour unions pissed off because the economy's gone to shit, Pro-Palestine activists angry because they were caught trying to beat Israeli soldiers to death...the whole gamut. There's a lot of potential for this to go wrong, but what can you do? The people have a right to protest (PEACEFULLY, may I note). But there's a lot of anger out there, and a lot of grumbling, inconvenienced people.
More to follow.
Des
More to follow.
Des
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Scenarios, Part Two
So we have the scenario set up in the last post. I wanted to expand on it a little more. When you have a lot of unemployed persons, especially young men, they tend to drift one of three ways when you strip any reasonable hope of employment from them:
1. Momma's basement with the Xbox.
2. Politics
3. Crime
So, between the idealogues and the sudden upsurge of crime and gangs in your hood, you have quite an array of people you have to step careful around. Not only do yo have to be wary of the gangs running protection, but the ones robbing folk and selling drugs. They'll know you, and you'll probably know them at least in passing. They'll likely know you have a job, which means you have stuff, which makes you a solid target for outright theft or 'protection fees'. You have to be careful of any sympathies to political groups, as should to have a job, whatever side you're not on may decide to take a shot at you just for being employed when they ain't. Then you gotta step careful around the cops, because when the danger skyrockets and the pay plummets, they tend to get a little more vicious.
The world I see is a lot like the one in Children of Men, like I said- except with more gangs, more violence, more pollution. Anyways, thinking about it, after a certain point, the authorities won't be able to respond, or willing to in the face of a shooting war between two or more of the elements listed. And you'll probably know the parties as a fact of daily life. You'll know them either on a personal level, maybe as people to avoid. Point is, at some point when things get ugly, they'll come for you. And sure, you might be able to fight them off.
I'm just wondering if I'm wildly offbase. I'm also wondering why preppers aren't grouping up in a more practical way. It's one thing to fight off eight or ten bangers by yourself, but a couple of families of preppers on in the same complex at least gives you a decent chance of response. I mean, even if you fight them off somehow, you have to GTFO or get ready for a second wave. I don't think anyone will continuously throw bodies at you. Eventually, courage will wither.
Of course, this relies on you actually being successful on A) throwing back the gangs, and B) not dying or being crippled in the process.
So, after all that rambling, the big question I'm coming up with is...why are preppers so scattered? Why aren't we all glomming together in small knots and such?
Deschain
1. Momma's basement with the Xbox.
2. Politics
3. Crime
So, between the idealogues and the sudden upsurge of crime and gangs in your hood, you have quite an array of people you have to step careful around. Not only do yo have to be wary of the gangs running protection, but the ones robbing folk and selling drugs. They'll know you, and you'll probably know them at least in passing. They'll likely know you have a job, which means you have stuff, which makes you a solid target for outright theft or 'protection fees'. You have to be careful of any sympathies to political groups, as should to have a job, whatever side you're not on may decide to take a shot at you just for being employed when they ain't. Then you gotta step careful around the cops, because when the danger skyrockets and the pay plummets, they tend to get a little more vicious.
The world I see is a lot like the one in Children of Men, like I said- except with more gangs, more violence, more pollution. Anyways, thinking about it, after a certain point, the authorities won't be able to respond, or willing to in the face of a shooting war between two or more of the elements listed. And you'll probably know the parties as a fact of daily life. You'll know them either on a personal level, maybe as people to avoid. Point is, at some point when things get ugly, they'll come for you. And sure, you might be able to fight them off.
I'm just wondering if I'm wildly offbase. I'm also wondering why preppers aren't grouping up in a more practical way. It's one thing to fight off eight or ten bangers by yourself, but a couple of families of preppers on in the same complex at least gives you a decent chance of response. I mean, even if you fight them off somehow, you have to GTFO or get ready for a second wave. I don't think anyone will continuously throw bodies at you. Eventually, courage will wither.
Of course, this relies on you actually being successful on A) throwing back the gangs, and B) not dying or being crippled in the process.
So, after all that rambling, the big question I'm coming up with is...why are preppers so scattered? Why aren't we all glomming together in small knots and such?
Deschain
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Scenarios, Part One
I'd like to preface this by saying that I don't like Rawles. Him and his acolytes are the kind of people who, if they found you wounded on the side of the road one day, would lean over you, bayonet extended, and ask quietly "Y'all love Jesus?" And no matter what you answer, they'd prolly bayonet you anyways for not believing in his specific version of Jesus. I mean he hates on Mormons often enough...okay. Back on topic. But yes, his ideas about an economic end to the world seem valid enough. I'll give him that.
So, my thinking has revised about the end of civilization as we know it. While flu pandemics are certainly possible, an economic collapse is certainly looking equally likely at the moment. And that shit doesn't just fall out of the sky. Alright, so the way I see it, even during an economic disaster like postwar Germany there was a part of the populace with jobs and livelihoods left. As a general rule, when things go south, the first to go are the young single males. And when you get a lot of young single males angry, unemployed, and unable to get jobs, there's often large spikes in crime. The way I see it, once they get sick of looking for jobs that aren't there, they'll turn to theft and drugs to support themselves. As things get worse, they'll form into gangs or fold into political organizations.
So, when I imagine looters now, I imagine small roving gangs taking what they want by force and not a monster, angry mob. Which means that you have more options if you find yourself in their crosshairs. I need to sleep on this one, I think.
Des
So, my thinking has revised about the end of civilization as we know it. While flu pandemics are certainly possible, an economic collapse is certainly looking equally likely at the moment. And that shit doesn't just fall out of the sky. Alright, so the way I see it, even during an economic disaster like postwar Germany there was a part of the populace with jobs and livelihoods left. As a general rule, when things go south, the first to go are the young single males. And when you get a lot of young single males angry, unemployed, and unable to get jobs, there's often large spikes in crime. The way I see it, once they get sick of looking for jobs that aren't there, they'll turn to theft and drugs to support themselves. As things get worse, they'll form into gangs or fold into political organizations.
So, when I imagine looters now, I imagine small roving gangs taking what they want by force and not a monster, angry mob. Which means that you have more options if you find yourself in their crosshairs. I need to sleep on this one, I think.
Des
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
And upon this rock...
Oh, yea, for the nineties were a bleak time for music. The CD was the dominant form of media, and after many years of wild successes, once-great musicians began to exploit their fans. For Metallica, the Great Betrayers, begat the art of the Filler CD. Musicians felt no need, no drive to create, for a few good songs would cause the masses to buy their exorbitantly priced CDs. For there was no other media which could compete, and no ability for consumers to pay for what they wished alone. Yea, they gnashed their teeth and cursed the music gods!
Then, from the depths of Server, from the womb of the Machine Mother, came Napster. The people, once restrained by the music industry monopolies, shattered their fetters. Persons could obtain digital versions of songs their owned, or from bands that freely offered them on the Great Network. Many, in a great and terrible wrath, began the theft of music from those who had sold them CDs of mostly filler.
But then, the Great Betrayers reared their heads and roared. They thrashed about, screaming of their monetary losses, their livelihoods. But instead of supporting the great Napster, securing a major market share in the greatest advent in music since the radio, they struck down the blessed Napster in an act of the greatest spite. They turned on their fans, bringing upon them the litigation!
And yea, that is how Metallica set back the music industry a decade, and gave unto the people the rage and ability to steal their music. For had their wrath been turned, had they embraced the future, who would have resisted?
Deschain
Then, from the depths of Server, from the womb of the Machine Mother, came Napster. The people, once restrained by the music industry monopolies, shattered their fetters. Persons could obtain digital versions of songs their owned, or from bands that freely offered them on the Great Network. Many, in a great and terrible wrath, began the theft of music from those who had sold them CDs of mostly filler.
But then, the Great Betrayers reared their heads and roared. They thrashed about, screaming of their monetary losses, their livelihoods. But instead of supporting the great Napster, securing a major market share in the greatest advent in music since the radio, they struck down the blessed Napster in an act of the greatest spite. They turned on their fans, bringing upon them the litigation!
And yea, that is how Metallica set back the music industry a decade, and gave unto the people the rage and ability to steal their music. For had their wrath been turned, had they embraced the future, who would have resisted?
Deschain
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