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Insidious
Insidious
10 years ago

OK, haven’t listened to the episode yet.. but the Conflicted has to be the easiest answer ever..

Hell yeah I’m going to ambush them. Preferably with a mechanical, chemical or robotic device from miles away.

If I’m fighting someone, there is a life or death reason that I’m doing so. As I’m not a looter, that means they were/are aggressing. Game on.

John
10 years ago
Reply to  Insidious

I agree, this is an easy answer. Bring the fight to an end with a decisive ambush if possible. Do give them an opportunity to surrender if they won’t pose a likely future threat.

Strensk
Strensk
10 years ago
Reply to  Insidious

If there is a force of equal, greater, or even lesser strength of people fighting against me and the people I care about, they are an enemy. More than likely all avenues of reaching an accord have either failed, or they have initiated on us for no reason. So, at that point, it becomes a situation of survival of you and your people. Do you continue to waste limited resources (lives, ammo, medical supplies, energy on patrols, guard duty, and improving defenses) or do you do what is best for the long-term survival of your community?

Personally, an ambush is a smart idea, though I would prefer to do it against smaller forces as that gives you more of an edge and greater chance of victory. If I had to do it against an equal size force, it gives you tactical advantage. You have surprise, and if you initiate properly, and maintain that initiative, the initiator usually wins. It is also a huge psychological advantage, to anyone that was not there, or survived the ambush, that you are willing to do what needs to be done, and take the fight to the enemy if you have to. Anyone on the fence about attacking you again, might just decide it isn’t worth it, and not participate.

I think as far as honour goes, I think in that situation, honour is a luxury, and if it gets dirty, it gets dirty. The lives and well-being of your community far outweigh a few sleepless nights.

Karim
Karim
10 years ago

But Jack, Bass have an oppressed LGBT community, isn’t it bad enough that they are technically considered “Sunfish” 😛

NW Bowhunter
NW Bowhunter
10 years ago

Great video quality. Not clear on the dam production why certain actions were taken.

ar15boreas
ar15boreas
10 years ago

Congrats on episode 1400. Here’s to another 1400.

BigSkyHunter
BigSkyHunter
10 years ago

Conflicted Monday response: Actually had to think about this one for a little bit simply because “survival” means waking up the next morning and any time you put yourself in a fight something bad could happen. That being said, and assuming that the fighting will go on until one side wins, then of course setting up an ambush is an intelligent move because it increases your chances of “winning the war.”

This isn’t 200 years ago and we’re not going to line up on opposite sides of a field just to keep it “honorable.”

And a little fun for Monday evening….Can ants save earth from global warming? article link:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Can-ants-save-Earth-from-global-warming/articleshow/39547238.cms

Sirosisofliver
Sirosisofliver
10 years ago

Conflicted Monday response: If you are in a fair fight, your tactics suck. An ambush in this scenario puts the decision of mercy in your hands, not someone else.

Nickbert
Nickbert
10 years ago

Re: History segment, ‘the best among us’

Regarding the ‘best among us’ leaving (one way or another) in the present day…. I honestly don’t consider myself among ‘the best’ (hell I’m still working on just being ‘good’). But when I look at all the people around me it’s so frickin’ rare to find people of solid, strong character that are examples of what I want to improve in myself. I feel like Joe in Idiocracy…. being among ‘the best’ merely because the bar is set so low.

Anyway, with all that I can’t help but feel somewhat selfish about relocating overseas to pursue our own financial interests at a time of growing crisis (or rather, crises). Logically I know there’s not a lot I can do if I remain here spending most of my energy just trying to run faster in the corporate hamster wheel, and I know that it’s best to get our own resilience and financial independence quickly in order before beating myself up trying to help everyone else. But some of those doubts remain.

Ultimately however, the decision is already made and we are charging ahead with it, and I’m trying to have faith that these are just the normal sort of doubts that come with any big life change. And Jack, I just want to thank you and others like you for being an example of those who have left the hollow ‘corporate success’ lifestyle behind to forge their own path, and giving me a little extra inspiration to do the same.

– Nick in Colorado

Nickbert
Nickbert
10 years ago

Thanks Jack. It’s just funny to think that the actions driven largely by my desire to just be left alone to do my own thing MIGHT be inspiring to others…. 😛

Polemic Turtle
Polemic Turtle
10 years ago

I am very excited about the launch of Permaethos TV. Not only because of the promise of the forthcoming content, but because you are using a sustainable model to do it.

I’ve started feeling what I call “kickstarter fatigue” from the volleys of permaculture crowd funding efforts, and the feeling sucks. Not because of the quality or content of the products which have been great, but because they were “one and done” efforts. Thanks for breaking that cycle.

Scott
10 years ago

Here is another great place for cheap glasses.
http://www.eyebuydirect.com/

Joe Russo
10 years ago

Regarding the comments about debt and “making a penny scream.” I love the saying (may need to steal it), however if someone has the willpower to pull themselves out of debt, I believe credit cards can be used very wisely to help save small amounts of money. Our Amex card, for example, gives cash back and at the end of the year we get a check which averages about 2% of what was spent on the card. We use that card for EVERYTHING – bills, gas, groceries, travel…you name it – and its paid in full each month, NO exception (obviously if we got dinged with a finance charge the cash back would be pointless). It did take some self control to manage month to month in the beginning, but when you realize how many thousands of dollars are spent across all your channels, that 2% adds up quickly and is a nice check at the end of the year. Now I completely agree that to some, a credit card can be like putting a beer in an alcoholics hand – for others it can be a great tool.

Joe Russo
10 years ago
Reply to  Joe Russo

We get an avg of $60 return each month using our Amex rather than our debit card. Bills are set on auto pay. Our accounts are linked and it takes 5 minutes to go through the bill in order to make sure the charges are correct and pay the card. Granted we might be spending more than some, but this includes all business expenses as well. Sure, if you don’t spend much and get $5 back each month, there’s little point. But I’m happy to spend 5 minutes for a $60 return.

AZDuffman
AZDuffman
10 years ago
Reply to  Joe Russo

The key is to never use it just for the rebate and never use it for things you would not use it for otherwise.

I have to pay $6 a day to park, plus gas and tolls. Call it $20 total. By the end of the year you are talking $50 in rebates. So I set my bank account to send in $20 daily and the money never effectively goes on the card. $50 is a dinner out, tank of gas, or what I do is use it on Amazon directly to buy something I need.

It is an extension to couponing to me.

mthomesteaded
mthomesteaded
10 years ago

I think the GMO argument needs to be reframed. Everyone is yelling no GMO, but I personally think the argument needs to be redirected to the downstream effects of the GMO and not the GMO itself. See I think the verdict on the actual genetic modification is still out. If you want a GMO plant that’s more drought torrent, that might be great! But it’s when the modification of the crops allow it to be doused in round up and other $h!t that cause tans gender fish, extra pollution in the water, and the chemical laced food we eat that GMOs become very bad. I think framing the argument this way would be much more accepting to the general public instead of just a blanket all GMOs are bads.

mthomesteaded
mthomesteaded
10 years ago

You do that for sure, Jack. I’m with you. I’m talking more in general and more to, as Paul Wheaton calls them, the purple people.
I hear so many people say GMOs are bad but they don’t qualify why. What if we had a GMO apple that could fix nitrogen? That might be good. I believe the science is still out on that type of scenario. But don’t spray my apple with a chemical cocktail that would normally kill it.

ragnar_d
ragnar_d
10 years ago

I’ve got a few episodes archived on my podcast where you (and John Pugliano) discussed the coming energy boom pulling the US up before the coming crash:
Episode 1082 – http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/episode-1082-why-the-economy-will-boom-then-bust (For those interested, 42:04 is where Jack starts talking about the Natural Gas/Energy Boom)
Episode-1281 – http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/pugliano-10-trends

I’m also pretty sure that there was also another show (don’t have the podcasts on my iPod right now) that was a 2-part one with John where the energy boom was discussed as well.

Jacob
Jacob
10 years ago

The reason that Sun Tzu is famous should be clear of what the answer for conflicted Monday. And if the ‘best of us’ made A’s in school, which is a broke system with a lot of people who want an easy job with a decent pay, then we are screwed for the future. By the way, I am only trashing a broken system and a group of people, those who copy the textbook for teaching or use information cards and can’t get their legs out from their desks. I hate information cards because if you actually teach then your students would not need to use a textbook or an information card for a test to make an A. The reason is because the only two things I learned in Chemistry was not to eat Twinkies ever again and the first 8 elements of the periodic table. The teacher allowed information cards, never allowed lab experiments, like professor Umbridge, from Harry Potter series, without the power hunger.

John
John
10 years ago

Conflicted. If the other group is actually hostile then your survival is the honorable thing to do.

Adam R
Adam R
10 years ago

Ambush, if we have to win and be in that conflict, then use anything that gets you an advantage. Better yet, do what the politicians do, give another tribe all the weapons to Ambush them (oh wait that never works out ) 🙂

AZDuffman
AZDuffman
10 years ago

I don’t see it in the show notes here, does anyone have the link for the online eyeglass place Jack mentioned?

Also, how do they size the lenses? When I go for glasses I look into this thing that looks like an old slide-projector toy from way back and they measure the focal point or something. Does this matter much? For “emergency” glasses probably not, but what about your “regular” set? If it matters my vision is horrible uncorrected so they need to be right as they can be.

Alan
10 years ago

http://www.zennioptical.com/ you are going to need a prescription from a optometrists to get the measurements they require. You can go to Walmart, Costco Sears etc. They want to sell you glasses but you don’t have to buy them there. You pay the $60 for the exam so they should give you the prescription. That’s what I did.

SusanG
SusanG
10 years ago
Reply to  Alan

Be sure and ask the optometrist to put the PD (pupillary distance) on your prescription – frequently they only put the correction and leave it to the optician (person who sells and fits the glasses) to measure the PD. You can measure it yourself (zenni has instructions on their web site), but I’d rather have the optometrist do it to make sure it’s accurate. Particularly with progressive lenses it’s critical to get it right.

Alan
10 years ago
Reply to  SusanG

Yes I have run into that problem

SusanG
SusanG
10 years ago

With regular lenses you’re right, however with progressive lenses (aka no-line bifocals) it’s more important, and for those you really need a left and right PD since faces aren’t symmetrical. I think that not having the PD right is probably why some people just can’t get used to progressives. Having said that, I love Zenni – I just got a pair of sunglasses from them … wire frame, amber, gradient, progressive lenses with highest level of coatings, all for around $70.

Jesse
Jesse
10 years ago

I am wondering and can’t seem to find the email to wich I can email my questions for jack? Can anyone please point me in the right direction

Insidious
Insidious
10 years ago
Reply to  Jesse

to: jack@thesurvivalpodcast.com
subject: question for Jack

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

The situation where Dave Ramsey is against Debt CONsolidation is when you take no or low interest debts (a bunch of medical bills from several hospitals as an example) and roll them into a loan that has higher interest rates to make it “easier” for the person because they would have just one payment. I highly doubt that Dave would take issue with the situation that you described Jack.

Do you really think Dave would have had a problem with reducing your total monthly payment and total interest paid? We know you don’t care for his investment advice but don’t make it sound like he wouldn’t agree with that situation you described of taking high interest debts and consolidating them down to lower interest there by reducing your monthly payment by a few hundred dollars.

People can also find a ton of resources on Dave’s website or radio show for FREE without ever having to buy a book, however, it would require a person to invest their time to listen and search his website. His books can be found in libraries.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

Like you say all the time eventually you will say something that I won’t agree with.

Student loan interest is tax deductible. So what you just said was false.

Insidious
Insidious
10 years ago

On debt:

Jack’s comment about ‘attacking the debt’ made me think about Sun Tzu. The ‘debt snowball’ is standard tactics.

Attack the smallest enemy force with your entire army. When it’s destroyed, attack the next largest force. Repeat.

‘Attack’ is a good word in this case, as you need to be aggressive and active in destroying debt. And attacking the smallest debt first builds confidence in your ability to do so. Many people are literally AFRAID of their debts, they need to learn/see that they can be defeated.

If your smallest debt is too large for you to imagine its defeat.. set a smaller goal, like: I will destroy 10% of that debt in the next quarter!

Be aggressive, but be in reality. Setting goals that you don’t really believe are possible is demotivating. If you want a better way, look at MTO goal setting.

Also.. after you get your budget in order, its time to think about INCOME instead of expenses. Put the expenses on autopilot and start thinking about expanding your contribution (earning more money).

Plugging the holes in the tub doesn’t INCREASE the amount of water (money) coming in.. it just keeps anything that IS coming in from being wasted. For a lot of households, that’s not enough.

Some debt comes from spending mistakes, but some comes from income deficiencies.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

Dave also says to not just take his word for it on investing but to continue to learn and to not do anything just because he says so. To me that’s his out, oh wait who uses that very same out YOU DO!!! You tell people all the time to think for themselves like he has.

You can call BS all day long Jack but unless you can prove it you are like those yellow journalists in my mind.

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc456.html – student loan interest is tax deductible per your example above where the guy had some student loan debt.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago
Reply to  610Alpha

You can call BS all day long Jack but unless you can prove it you are like those yellow journalists in my mind. With regards to his real estate acquisitions.

mthomesteaded
mthomesteaded
10 years ago
Reply to  610Alpha

I think you have to understand WHY Dave says no to debt consolidation. He has to sell mass customization and the masses that call him are 9 out of 10 times absolutely horrible at managing debt and are probably not well enough equipped to leverage the secured debt of a HILO against unsecured credit card debt. And those people probably shouldn’t do that.

But to Jack’s point, it’s marketing and mass customization when in fact there are plenty of people who Dave should tell “yes take out a HELO and pay off your debt faster and cheaper!”

Jack qualifies most of his advice with “it depends” he says he can only give general advice because he doesn’t know your climate, soil, prepping stage, means and abilities, etc. All which play into how each individual should attack any one thing. Dave plays to the lest common denominator and so must put everyone in the you don’t what the hell you’re doing category.

Just my two cents.

mthomesteaded
mthomesteaded
10 years ago

Technicality on my words. I’m writing from my phone so the print is small and it’s hard to type!
You’re right though he chooses to and doesn’t have to. I just meant to convey that’s what he’s doing, selling to the masses and the least common denominator.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

Its clear that you gave an absolute that wasn’t the truth and you ignored your own mistake and go after him some more. You still haven’t admitted that you were wrong on the interest deduction.

I remember in 2008 him being on TV and his show stating that until it had been 2 consecutive quarters of flat or negative growth it wasn’t a recession. You made the same statement the other day on your show. AT THE TIME it had not been 2 consecutive quarters…once it was I do remember him saying it was a recession and yes I heard him say everything was on sale and everything was on sale. By and large his advice to get people out of debt and start saving and teaching people is far better than 95% of those financial liars.

Is he a sales guy of course he is.

Most likely that guy would have gone back in debt after doing the home equity debt consolidation. After doing what Dave has been doing for 20+ years I am sure he has seen it happen time and again. Dave is trying to break a psychological pattern and by paying off the debt the hard way might be what people need. That doesn’t mean that I agree with it for every situation.

Because of him more people are getting and staying out of debt and are investing (I don’t agree with everything he says but he is getting people moving in the right direction), should they stop there and never learn anymore? no. Do people stop there of course they do.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago
Reply to  610Alpha

Then stop referring to him simple solution.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

I hope you will accept my apology Jack I had missed where you acknowledged you were wrong about student loan interest. I have been known to suffer from foot in mouth syndrome.

If it weren’t for Dave I would be in a far worse financial position with regards to debt, budgeting, retirement, and life insurance. In light of that loyalty I can be blinded to things that doesn’t mean it is fun for me to see my loyalty skewed.

610Alpha
610Alpha
10 years ago

My apologies on that as well.

c6vette21
c6vette21
10 years ago

Conflicted – This is one of the easier questions that have been posed in the conflicted scenarios. If the force is a hostile group of “Bad” guys then I think the honorable thing to do is eliminate them with the least amount of possible damage to your own group.

If you know the other group is intent on doing your group harm, how is it honorable to put your own people in harms way just so the other side knows you are attacking?