2008-02-29

Panic

Whilst reading a comments thread over at Calculated Risk - an economics blogsite that is probably the best place on the internet to go to understand the whole subprime mess - I came across some rather disturbing revelations (click on the comments button on this post):
Everyone at work is talking guns! "I bought the wife a 38 special." Coworker #2: "I bought my wife a 9mm Barretta, military model." Later: "We have 1200 rounds for the new gun on hand." Another coworker just bought a 30-06 and a 357...

I wish I was kidding... Four years ago everyone was buying aircraft and boats. Now...

Got Popcorn?
Neil
neil | Homepage | 02.28.08 - 4:31 pm | #
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sunsetbeachguy writes:
Neil has got a point.

The mood around the office has gotten quite surly lately.

I had the thought of arming up.
sunsetbeachguy | 02.28.08 - 4:34 pm | #
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tj & the bear writes:
I'm itching to get a new 12 gauge.

If I lived anywhere but CA I'd already have a couple ARs, too. Glen over at Winter Watch has been teasing me with the Rock River Arms AR-15 chambered for .458 SOCOM.

tj & the bear | 02.28.08 - 4:41 pm | #
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mock turtle writes:
tieornot,

yes BB is in over his head...we all are and anybody in his position would be as well. this is like so many games of chess played where after so many moves there is no way out.

now it's time for the pain.

Scott:
gold still has lots of upside potential but who knows for sure...not me. my play in the last year has been palladium as an alternative to platinum AND because it is the only material on earth that filters hydrogen gas from all others (is also a sponge) H2 economy?!

i also recommend investing in a bicycle, a garden plot and seeds...throw in a roto-tiller or a horse with a plow.
mock turtle | 02.28.08 - 4:47 pm | #
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Dr. N writes:
what's all this talk about guns?? We have a slight (so far) economic downturn and people are imagining mobs running through their neighbourhoods looting and pillaging or worse?
Dr. N | 02.28.08 - 4:48 pm | #
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wally writes:
Neil,
Wherever you work, watch your back.
wally | 02.28.08 - 4:50 pm | #
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mock turtle writes:
suggestions to my friends in the gun crowd,

(i'm pro 2nd amend)

give yourself a choice other than deadly physical force if you need to defend.

most cops and others, who have had to take extreme measures are haunted and suffer... (unless you are a sociopath)...but sometimes you have little choice.

12 gauge pump with the double 0 removed from the first round and replaced with, salt or a bean bag is formidable and of course loud.

also, a mega can of bear spray is awesome (looks like a small fire extinguisher and is filled with 10% oleo-capsicum)..sprays 15 feet...,non lethal and feels like fire has been poured on you.

let's pray non of this comes to pass.
mock turtle | 02.28.08 - 5:05 pm |
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Ella writes:
Tazer anyone?
Ella | 02.28.08 - 5:05 pm | #
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The current recession and all the bad news that is coming out of America has obviously got people spooked - but the people spooked on this thread are not anti-government redneck militia members, they are people with an interest in economics.

Let me say for the record that I do not believe that US society will collapse into anarchy as a result of this recession. Even the 1930s depression wasn't as bad as the possible collapse that these commentators fear. Even they would probably realise that there was some fearful irrationality behind their comments.

What is DOES show, however, is that people are frightened. When Bush appears on TV and says "there won't be a recession" they don't believe him. When Bernanke appears on TV and says "the Fed will fix things up", they don't believe him. With faith in these institutions now at a nadir, people are naturally resorting to "preparing for the worse". This is NOT similar to the Y2K panic.

But, then again, you can hardly be unconcerned about recent panic when the US Dollar is doing this:

2 comments:

Ron said...

30-06 is ammo so I wonder what gun was meant? How ridiculous 1200 rounds for a pistol!

Anonymous said...

When the petrol rationing starts and those queues get more and more desperate, just how tempted are people going to be to pull out their pistols and sort things out themselves?