Some Thoughts on Compromises...

"Logic is a way of saying that anything which didn't happen yesterday won't happen tomorrow."

— Robert Heinlein

"Glory Road"

...since I've been writing about house stuff. Yes, some of the previous posters are correct...EVERYTHING is a compromise. We opted for the propane compromise, largely because I can back up the propane systems over time. First step is a wind turbine (probably a Bergey Excel 1 to help the solar along in the winter). Second is a diesel gennie to back up the propane gennie. Third is a solar hot water pre-heat system. Ideally, I'd like to add an outside wood-fired broiler for the primary heat, but that's a big hit. You take it a step at a time.

Our focus right now is on figuring out what the baselines are for summer water, electricity and propane usage and make sure the systems are buttoned down for the winter, which as we know from Game of Thrones, is always coming.

UPDATE: Here is a great article from science fiction author Sarah Hoyt, titled, appropriately, "Assume the Crash Position:"

For instance, have you guys figured out yet that OWS’s was supposed to be an attempt at a “proletarian revolution”? No? If you look at it, it becomes clear. Raised on stories of proletarian revolution, they thought if they squeezed us just enough, and then provided a spark – OWS screaming about the 1% — the country would spontaneously rise up in a communist revolution. 

This was obvious to me, because I KNOW communist myth. 

Then there was gun control, which has failed, even despite Fast and Furious. And Fast and Furious is something that only crazy, delusional and dumb people would dream up. 

But there are things he can still do – crash the economy (the continuous money printing can’t go on) disarm (while China arms) and effectively switch sides in the war on terror.
These might be enough. I can see a very difficult winter ahead. I am still/again afraid that we’ll lose at least a city, and possibly more to enemy action. And I’m very afraid both my sons will end up in uniform and possibly dying to pay for this massive mistake. 

So… It’s time to assume crash position.

Ouch. Let me change hats here, and as you know I'm a big fan of hats. The hat I have in mind, however, is that of Producer of the late, lamented THE BEST DEFENSE/SURVIVAL. One of the key things that I, Michael Janich, Rob Pincus and co-Producer Tim Cremin tried very hard to do was help our viewers understand the concept of "social dislocations." We weren't necessarily talking about TEOTWAWKI, but rather the dislocations that happen when the technological chain is broken through natural events, terrorist, financial instability, etc. We used the example of Argentina's financial collapse, for instance.

At TBD/SURVIVAL we didn't go out and talk to the various and sundry list of outrageous people featured on some of the other channels. Rather, we went to experts/first responders in the field of disasters, civilian and military "wargamers" who do nothing but study bad and worst case disasters, training facilities where really, really dark scenarios were taken apart and studied.

When I began with a blank page for the New Improved Secret Hidden Bunker, my initial thinking was simple — within the budget we could afford, what could we do to insulate ourselves from the most likely set of social dislocations (and, quite honestly, have fun doing it...this is an adventure, however occasionally painful...)? I am painfully aware of the "Potiphar Breen Conundrum," loosely translated as, "Just because an event is most likely to happen doesn't mean that it will," and the corollary, "Just because an event is unlikely doesn't mean it won't." Or, in its most brutal form, "You can't beat the House."

So you start with the compromises and work forward from there.