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Post by carlton43 on Oct 2, 2015 12:40:14 GMT
An opponent interested in starving us into submission may well not wish to flatten us because use of the nuclear option could have short/medium term consequences for them as well; and they might want us as labour or the land to use? I know we are two to three generations away from experience of general shortage and hardship but I am very concerned how dependent we are on non-British sourcing of much that is vital to us....and how very small the reserves are (if any) for most of it. The concept of Just In Time makes bare economic sense providing one has no strategic outlook at all and costs and price trump everything. We are solely concerned with very short term bottom line and price always trumps value of any kind. At 72 I might not be affected by any of this but I am convinced most of you will live to see I was right, but possibly not much longer than that recognition!!
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Post by carlton43 on Oct 2, 2015 23:00:57 GMT
If anyone can blockade us for a month, then the global war has already been won. Fair play to them. Negotiate surrender Today I am thinking of buying a second hand diesel VW. They are cheaper than they once were. But I got to thinking that if due to flu, 25% of the populace died, then there would be a lot of second hand motors on the market. My now second hand Micra would be worthless but a second hand Discovery would still be saleable albeit at a massive discount. However, if I can get a two year old Disco with 18000 miles on the clock for £6k why would I pay £10k for a new Micra? Potentially more bad news for the boys in Sunderland, once they have attended the funerals of 25% of their colleagues. You probably made your choice on utility and running costs. Look at the fuel consumption, tyres, service and other spares for a Discovery. Reason enough? |
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Post by greenchristian on Oct 6, 2015 22:48:24 GMT
New scenario inspired by Carlton and his concern for farmers. is there any conceivable catastrophe that where the UKs ability to cope with it would be depend upon our ability to be self sufficient in agriculture? Does agriculture have any strategic importance at all beyond being a good little industry like whisky production? There are plenty of conceivable catastrophes that could make transporting food by sea difficult or impossible (several varieties of asteroid strike or alien invasion count), as well as catastrophes that devastate some or all of our major food suppliers but don't directly affect us, or the rather sci-fi catastrophe of the nation being transported through time (as in iainbhx's Azure Main timeline). |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Nov 11, 2015 14:54:01 GMT
I would be hard hit by a redhead wipeout- I've a penchant for fit gingers.
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Post by finsobruce on Nov 11, 2015 15:16:30 GMT
I would be hard hit by a redhead wipeout- I've a penchant for fit gingers. I suspect hair dye would still be available..... |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Nov 11, 2015 15:20:25 GMT
It's not the same though  |
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Post by finsobruce on Nov 11, 2015 16:36:20 GMT
It's not the same though Post apocalyptic beggars can't be choosers... |
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Nov 11, 2015 16:42:51 GMT
Inspired by Gay News, I have a new scenario. Frankie Boyle tells a joke so offensive that it causes everyone who is a member of the mocked group to die of a heart attack. What are the consequences to the economy and society of their demise? Left handed people; 10% of society, evenly spread across society. By far the biggest loss of life I shall contemplate and yet given the even spread, not very disruptive. Cricket becomes more aesthetically pleasing. Red heads: 1-2% of global human population, but as high as 10% in Scotland and Ireland. Terrible personal loss to me, Includes Frankie Boyle. Gay people. 1.6% of the UK population, but highest in London at 2.6% .Statistically this should be the least traumatic loss for our nation, but we can anticipate that it will cause the most angst on the BBC. No silences at football matches however due to the total absence of any gay footballers requiring remembrance. Virtually no impact on production of anything useful, but considerable impact on the production of that which is profitable. Light entertainment almost halved, hairdressing and hospitality badly hit. Supermarket replenishment unaffected, but checkouts a shambles due to losses among checkout supervisors. Political classes suffer losses approaching 25%. Many "straight" men forced to settle for the more limited menu of sexual practices on offer from their wife. Escort agencies report upturn in business. Candle in the Wind goes to Number One The last would certainly have the most drastic and negative effect on this site, the only consolation being that Mersey Mike would be amongst the losses. The destruction of redheads would cost us far fewer but the losses would include Robert Waller and the permanent loss of Erlend |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Nov 11, 2015 17:55:05 GMT
I suspect a lot of elected politicians would be killed off in that last scenario.
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john07
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Post by john07 on Nov 17, 2015 11:33:28 GMT
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Post by gwynthegriff on Nov 17, 2015 19:37:05 GMT
New scenario inspired by Carlton and his concern for farmers. is there any conceivable catastrophe that where the UKs ability to cope with it would be depend upon our ability to be self sufficient in agriculture? Does agriculture have any strategic importance at all beyond being a good little industry like whisky production? British agriculture would be very severely damaged by anything which meant selective mortality among: a) whingers b) people who like wearing flat caps |
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Nov 23, 2017 11:10:18 GMT
I would be hard hit by a redhead wipeout- I've a penchant for gingers. If you like the 'grab a granny' thing as well you could kill two birds with one stone  |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Nov 23, 2017 23:02:58 GMT
I would be hard hit by a redhead wipeout- I've a penchant for gingers. If you like the 'grab a granny' thing as well you could kill two birds with one stone Only marginally older than me! And younger than yourself... |
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Crimson King
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Post by Crimson King on Mar 3, 2020 16:23:21 GMT
I’d had been thinking about this sort of thing as well (its a morbid gp thing) from what we know so far (presuming you are thinking about the current lurgi) the worst case scenario is that we get a 100% infection rate, with about a 2% fatality, possibly increasing should health services get swamped and people on the intensive care/dead boundary get pushed right.
I think that is unlikely on current facts - either the mortality rate is a lot less and there are lots of people with low grade symptomsso a high incidence, or the identified cases are most of them, in which case it isnt that infectious and is unlikely to achieve anything like 100% penetration. I think the latter is most likely, or we would have many more cases popping up all over the place.
but for the sake of arguement lets say we lose 2% of the worlds population with a bias towards older, less well people and in countries with poorer health services. What would this mean?
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Mar 6, 2020 19:54:58 GMT
But seriously. Almost seriously. Today my Radio Scotland Poll Tax Radio programme ran three pieces paid for by me under threat of state violence. 1/ defibrillators. Anus Sarwar MSP proposes to make it a criminal offence to posses a defibrillator that is not registered with the government. This he asserts could save hundreds of lives. 2/ Covid19, half of us are going to die 3/ climate change, it would be better for the planet if half of us were dead. I wonder how many people are actually saved by defibrillators. They're all over the place now, including in some places where they are no doubt useful (popular beaches that are some distance from ambulance stations, for example) but how many people have (a) a cardiac incident in Asda where (b) it's so bad it needs defibrillation and (c) they can't get ambulance in a reasonable time frame? Are these data actually collected? |
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Mar 9, 2020 10:28:15 GMT
I was wondering about Korea earlier, following a comment from a former colleague in the Philippines. Then I came across this article: www.cfr.org/blog/north-koreas-coronavirus-quarantine-more-effective-sanctionsI wonder if this might push the regime over the edge if the infection rate goes really high. I don't think the report about them shooting a sufferer is true but they might farm a load of people off to the gulags and wait to see what happens. Who picks up the pieces? |
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Post by Devil Wincarnate on Mar 9, 2020 11:26:05 GMT
Just remember. Once all human life is extinguished, the cockroaches will emerge. Only to find themselves in second place, as Fianna Fail reappear.
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Post by finsobruce on Mar 9, 2020 11:34:35 GMT
Just remember. Once all human life is extinguished, the cockroaches will emerge. Only to find themselves in second place, as Fianna Fail reappear. So... another coalition then? |
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middyman
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Post by middyman on Mar 9, 2020 11:53:44 GMT
Just remember. Once all human life is extinguished, the cockroaches will emerge. Only to find themselves in second place, as Fianna Fail reappear. That reminds me of a comedian on the radio a few years ago now who said that there was a gigantic catastrophe on the planet and the only survivors were PE teachers and fruit flies. Fruit flies were the dominant species. |
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Post by finsobruce on Mar 9, 2020 11:58:07 GMT
Just remember. Once all human life is extinguished, the cockroaches will emerge. Only to find themselves in second place, as Fianna Fail reappear. That reminds me of a comedian on the radio a few years ago now who said that there was a gigantic catastrophe on the planet and the only survivors were PE teachers and fruit flies. Fruit flies were the dominant species. Harsh. |
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