[MaterialExcess]

There better not be a bail out.

The government should let these poorly run companies with greedy unions crash and burn.

[JBinKC]

It doesn't surprise me one bit. Sounds like the late 70s early 80s redux. The companies are more engrossed on vehicles that produce large margins over ones that are energy efficiennt and economicall.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MaterialExcess', 'T')here better not be a bail out.

The government should let these poorly run companies with greedy unions crash and burn.

[jimmydean]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cube', '
')Uncle Sam bailed out Chrysler 1979-80 so if history is any indication of what's going to happend....

[ubercrap]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jimmydean', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cube', '
')Uncle Sam bailed out Chrysler 1979-80 so if history is any indication of what's going to happend....

[lowem]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercrap', 'I') don't know, I've seen estimates for the total of the S&L bailout, when all is said and done, coming to nearly $950 billion? Not sure if this is accurate?

[Zerstuckelung]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MaterialExcess', 'T')he government should let these poorly run companies with greedy unions crash and burn.

[Kingcoal]

There twernt no gubment bailout when Bethlehem Steel went bankrupt (for similar reasons.) They were bought out of bankruptcy and guess what? All payments to former employees stopped. I think GWB is dreaming of the same outcome for GM.

What is the big deal if several hundred thousand former employees are denyed payments? Doesn't sound like a big deal to someone like Bush, in fact it sounds like a dream to him. What are they going to do, protest in the streets? I doubt they will get much simpathy. Most of them live in blue states.

[Hawkcreek]

--

[Ludi]

I noticed a lot of bicycles at the dump last time I was there, so next time I go, I'm going to pick up a few. I wanted to check with my husband first to see if he would find them useful or be able to repair them, and he said yes. He's going to be helping a friend make a goat cart, and will be using bicycle wheels for that.

So far we don't have a really good junk collection, mostly car parts and a few other odds and ends.

[Pops]

One man’s junk is another man’s inventory!

Pallets – I can never get enough! Great for pens, storage dividers, compost bins, and even stacking things on.

Sheet metal of any kind but especially stainless steel.

Any large pot, pan, barrel, etc for watering animals.

And of course lumber and scrap iron.

[BiGG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hawkcreek', ' ')
One good example is dead refigerators - they make great smoker cabinets.

Got anything to add?

[Hawkcreek]

--

[OldSprocket]

Leaf springs! (And angle iron too.)

[strider3700]

Alternators and any 12V motors I can get my hands on.
Wood, usually used 2x6's or larger
Sheet metal
concrete block of anysort
tubing and water lines of any sort and the valves to go with them.

Everything except the motors is stored in my crawl space to keep the GF happy and unknowing about my "habit"

[I_Like_Plants]

Junk is good, I like to think radio tech will stay alive, simply because it's so easy to do once you know how, and takes so little electricity to keep up good comms over long distances (research the terms QRP and QRPp) so I guess I will always have a "trade".

[bobaloo]

I don't think of it as "junk", I think of it as seedling "stuff".

Also have tons of electronic parts of all kinds, basic components for repair, plus varieties of metal that can come in handy.

[I_Like_Plants]

Gosh isn't junk great? When I was a kid I always considered junkyards to be magical places.

[CarlinsDarlin]

Carlin's a champion scrounger, and always seems to be coming home with stuff other people were about to throw away, or that he found out by some dumpster .

If we can use it now, or will be able to use it later, he picks it up.
The other day he came home with two pairs of rubber boots (conveniently, one in my size, and one in his), some foam insulation that wraps around water pipes, two large tables that came out of a defunct cabinet shop (the kind that table saws and such are built into - they were constructed entirely from 2x6's), several scrap pieces of roofing/barn tin, a large bucket full of screws, and a few smaller items.

We've already made use of the two tables, stretching drying racks between them outside to dry our onions out before storage, and one peice of the barn tin is now blocking a hole that allowed rain in the goat barn.

In the past we've gotten lots of pallets (you're right Pops, they are great), windows, scrap lumber, more barn tin, canning jars, large pots for watering animals, and so many other useful items. I agree with you, I_Like_Plants. Junk is some pretty good stuff .
Kathy

[MD]

Cheap power survivalism:

Anything and everything that runs on 12vdc. If the automobile industry starts to fall apart, there will be surplus 12v devices available for years and years. Lamps, motors, alternators, etc. etc.

Also any small appliance that has one of those small transformers, (including laptops), means that the device actually uses DC, and can be run from a battery, or a solar PV cell

All you then need is power source. A couple PV panels, minus the inverters, charging regulators, and grid interface electronics, can be used to power 12v devices directly.

Less than $1000 can get you a long way down this road.