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Post by kemp on Aug 21, 2019 8:03:56 GMT -5
‘50 haunting photos of abandoned shopping malls across America’ www.businessinsider.com.au/american-retail-apocalypse-in-photos-2018-1?r=US&IR=T“In all the other cycles, including 2008, a lot of people would come in and buy racking, circular racks and so on,” Mr. Mulcunry said. “They’d buy it all and warehouse it and wait until somebody wanted to reopen a store and sell it back to them. Those people have gone away.” Struggling stores can slog on for years, as shopper traffic declines and their 40-percent-off sales begin to feel permanent. But when companies file for bankruptcy, closings often move at lightning speed. In the past year, liquidation sales have happened at Bon-Ton, Toys “R” Us, Charlotte Russe, Gymboree and Payless, shaking up the lives of employees.' www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/business/retail-store-closings.htmlWe also had the big Borders bookstores in virtually every major shopping centre in Australia, huge variety of books, look at the books whilst having a coffee type of place, but many people would check out the books and then buy them online for less on Amazon. The trendy shopping strips are slowly dying, traders are now closing their doors in ever increasing numbers, shops closed, boarded up or vacant due to increased rent, retirement, the internet and of course changing spending habits. Some of these retail trends are also occurring in other places such as the UK ‘Young people spending less on nights out, restaurants and leisure than turn of century, report finds’ ‘Young people are spending less on leisure items than they were in the early 2000s, a new study has found. A report published by the Resolution Foundation examined the spending habits of different generations to examine the notion that each generation is enjoying better conditions than its predecessor. The survey found 18 to 29-year-olds are spending less on going out, eating and restaurants and other leisure items.’ David Willets, intergenerational Centre “From frustrations about buying a first home to fears about the cost of care, Britain faces many intergenerational challenges. The big living standards gains that each generation used to enjoy over their predecessors have stalled”
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Post by kemp on Aug 21, 2019 8:18:02 GMT -5
It's not all that bad though.
The collapse of civilization might bring in a whole new brand of hero.
Six String Samurai (1998) Theatrical Trailer
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Post by kemp on Aug 23, 2019 9:33:11 GMT -5
I remember watching this animated series back in the 80's when I was a kid, Thundarr the Barbarian. It was set two thousand years in the future, the world's civilisations lay in ruins due to some 'runaway' planet passing by the Earth in the 90's. The main protaganist was a barbarian named Thundarr with a sorceress sidekick named Ariel and a wookie like creature called Ookla ,they fought and adventured their way across a new Earth built upon a culture of science and sorcery. I really liked the premise at the time, and it made me imagine that sword and sorcery worlds could be set in the future, not just the past.
I don't know , maybe in some ways it might have been easier creating future barbarian worlds with our modern era as a starting point, a kind of lost 'Atlantis' civilisation scenario. A thread of connection so to speak.
Some people probably hated it. They liked their lost civilisations in the distant past and did not want to imagine that we could regress again somehow.
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Post by Char-Vell on Aug 23, 2019 9:43:03 GMT -5
I remember watching this animated series back in the 80's when I was a kid, Thundarr the Barbarian. It was set two thousand years in the future, the world's civilisations lay in ruins due to some 'runaway' planet passing by the Earth in the 90's. The main protaganist was a barbarian named Thundarr with a sorceress sidekick named Ariel and a wookie like creature called Ookla ,they fought and adventured their way across a new Earth built upon a culture of science and sorcery. I really liked the premise at the time, and it made me imagine that sword and sorcery worlds could be set in the future, not just the past. I don't know , maybe in some ways it might have been easier creating future barbarian worlds with our modern era as a starting point, a kind of lost 'Atlantis' civilisation scenario. A thread of connection so to speak. Some people probably hated it. They liked their lost civilisations in the distant past and did not want to imagine that we could regress again somehow. Thundaar was great, and influenced me heavily as a youngster.
I'd like to see it get some kind of revivial
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Post by kemp on Aug 23, 2019 9:58:39 GMT -5
I remember watching this animated series back in the 80's when I was a kid, Thundarr the Barbarian. It was set two thousand years in the future, the world's civilisations lay in ruins due to some 'runaway' planet passing by the Earth in the 90's. The main protaganist was a barbarian named Thundarr with a sorceress sidekick named Ariel and a wookie like creature called Ookla ,they fought and adventured their way across a new Earth built upon a culture of science and sorcery. I really liked the premise at the time, and it made me imagine that sword and sorcery worlds could be set in the future, not just the past. I don't know , maybe in some ways it might have been easier creating future barbarian worlds with our modern era as a starting point, a kind of lost 'Atlantis' civilisation scenario. A thread of connection so to speak. Some people probably hated it. They liked their lost civilisations in the distant past and did not want to imagine that we could regress again somehow. Thundaar was great, and influenced me heavily as a youngster.
I'd like to see it get some kind of revivial
Same, I know that Netflix is bringing back a new Masters of the Universe animated series. Would like to see Thundarr get a new take. .
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Post by kemp on Aug 25, 2019 10:12:26 GMT -5
Interesting to know that humanity was able to make another first in space in this age of piggy backing aboard the last Russian manned rockets to ISS, before it ends for good. An astronaut who was aboard ISS was caught using the station's internet to access the bank account of their partner while they were separating. 'NASA investigates first alleged space crime after astronaut accesses partner's bank account from ISS' www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-25/nasa-investigating-potentially-first-alleged-space-crime/11445970
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Post by kemp on Aug 26, 2019 9:15:40 GMT -5
The International Space Station in some ways has become a symbol of human space exploration. I have heard speculative dates on when the station would be decommissioned, but nothing concrete, although the year 2028 crops up a lot. At this point I believe that the plan is to extend its operations until 2030, at least according to a US Senate bill passed in December 2018. I think the building and running costs are somewhere in the hundreds of billions.
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Post by kemp on Aug 27, 2019 17:34:40 GMT -5
If anyone has any ideas on what aspects of civilisation collapse I should include, 'traffic lights/signals failing', 'the dumbing down of society' or anything else, just let me know. Cheers
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Post by korak on Sept 5, 2019 2:17:25 GMT -5
Roman concrete buildings were notorious for falling down because no rebar was used. I believe that in certain marine applications the concrete may last longer in salt water due to the components used, but overall we can construct stronger concrete buildings now.
The lime volcanic ash combination of Roman concrete may have had better binding qualities than say something like Portland cement. Whatever other short comings the material may have had in comparison to some of the concrete mixes used today, in conjunction with the aforementioned reinforcement, it was good enough to last the centuries in some instances, design factors in the construction of buildings certainly played a part of course. For instance, the Pantheon, made from Roman concrete is still standing. As for the Pyramids, even if our modern day civilisation attempted to replicate them they would be using modern power tools and construction machinery. The Egyptians as far as we know did all of it unplugged, not a single corded masonry /concrete cutting tool was found. that's simply because I wanted power tools back when they where finished..you know how neighbours are always borrowing stuff 😁
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Post by sorcerer on Sept 10, 2019 18:46:54 GMT -5
If anyone has any ideas on what aspects of civilisation collapse I should include, 'traffic lights/signals failing', 'the dumbing down of society' or anything else, just let me know. Cheers
Whenever I write about falling or fallen civilizations, I always draw directly on my experience growing up in modern California.
It is useful to note that both growth and collapse spreads geographically over time. This means that, by traveling hundreds of miles, one can move forwards or backwards along the timeline of decay. Though I don't know exactly how far advanced things have gone across the rest of the Western world, my direct experience living in areas where the decay has most progressed is that:
Diseases are reemerging in some parts of America, including Los Angeles County, that we haven’t commonly seen since the Middle Ages. One of those is typhus, a disease carried by fleas that feed on rats, which in turn feed on the garbage and sewage that is prominent in people-packed "typhus zones."
...According to the CDC, there are between 100 and 200 new cases of leprosy reported in the U.S. every year. A study just released from the Keck Medical Center at the University of Southern California looked at 187 leprosy patients treated at its clinic from 1973 to 2018 and found that most were Latino, originating from Mexico, where the disease is somewhat more common, and that there was on average a three-year delay in diagnosis, during which time the side effects of the disease — usually irreversible, even with treatment — began to occur.
A cross‐temporal meta‐analysis found that narcissism levels have risen over the generations in 85 samples of American college students...
I don't have time now, but there is much more I could show you.
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Post by kemp on Sept 11, 2019 9:24:51 GMT -5
If anyone has any ideas on what aspects of civilisation collapse I should include, 'traffic lights/signals failing', 'the dumbing down of society' or anything else, just let me know. Cheers
Whenever I write about falling or fallen civilizations, I always draw directly on my experience growing up in modern California.
It is useful to note that both growth and collapse spreads geographically over time. This means that, by traveling hundreds of miles, one can move forwards or backwards along the timeline of decay. Though I don't know exactly how far advanced things have gone across the rest of the Western world, my direct experience living in areas where the decay has most progressed is that:
Diseases are reemerging in some parts of America, including Los Angeles County, that we haven’t commonly seen since the Middle Ages. One of those is typhus, a disease carried by fleas that feed on rats, which in turn feed on the garbage and sewage that is prominent in people-packed "typhus zones."
...According to the CDC, there are between 100 and 200 new cases of leprosy reported in the U.S. every year. A study just released from the Keck Medical Center at the University of Southern California looked at 187 leprosy patients treated at its clinic from 1973 to 2018 and found that most were Latino, originating from Mexico, where the disease is somewhat more common, and that there was on average a three-year delay in diagnosis, during which time the side effects of the disease — usually irreversible, even with treatment — began to occur.
A cross‐temporal meta‐analysis found that narcissism levels have risen over the generations in 85 samples of American college students...
I don't have time now, but there is much more I could show you.
Interesting, I have also read that the airborne disease tuberculosis is making a small comeback of sorts in the US. This article covers some of the concerns, noting that after two decades of a steady decline that there has been a recent uptick in active TB cases, mostly in California. 'Is Tuberculosis Making a Comeback?' www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2016/05/12/is-tuberculosis-making-a-comeback Up until now I have tried to steer away from topics to do with the obvious social and political challenges that face our modern western civilisation due to my fears that the thread could turn too political. Having said that, I would be interested in getting your point of view on the subject of social decadence. After all, we can't really discuss the collapse of civilisation in its entirety without broaching the subject at some point.
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Post by sorcerer on Sept 12, 2019 17:20:27 GMT -5
A few headlines speak for themselves:
Why Are Suicide Rates Rising? "Though the reasons for that increase are not completely clear, in past research, experts have pointed to an increased sense of isolation among Americans, as well economic factors and a rise in mental illness."
But if you're interested, I can also speak more subjectively about
The last is most poignant to me, along with the growing isolation and dread I experienced due to the threat which hung over me should I dare to speak frankly about these and many other very obvious things. There is a movement known as #WalkAway, which describes very much my feelings about having left California:
Once, the American left stood for a number of issues such as environmentalism, secularism, the exploration of psychedelics and other drugs, animal welfare, population control, nuclear disarmament, pacifism, and judging people by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Now the primary focus appears to be trigger warnings, encouraging children to change their gender, opening borders and encouraging illegals to vote, and judging people by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character. The first set of issues appeals to me more and more over time; the second set never will.
Again, whether this change in the focus of a single political party has anything to do with the kinds of changes seen in other falling civilizations I truly don't know, but it is something I most definitely notice.
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Post by kemp on Sept 14, 2019 7:46:38 GMT -5
A few headlines speak for themselves:
Why Are Suicide Rates Rising? "Though the reasons for that increase are not completely clear, in past research, experts have pointed to an increased sense of isolation among Americans, as well economic factors and a rise in mental illness."
Thanks for all that research Sorcerer. According to the data presented it seems that there was a markedly sharp increase in the prison population from the 1980’s on, exponentially higher than the national population increase, and coinciding with the increase in juvenile detention. The crime rate in the US has fluctuated over the last few decades. The US murder rate is down from a peak in the 1980’s. It helps to look at it over a longer term period. If we consider say, the homicide rates over a timespan of more than a century than we can clearly see that the rate of murder sky rocketed after the First World War and has never gone back to 1900 levels.
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Post by kemp on Sept 14, 2019 7:49:19 GMT -5
It is interesting to note that when the Roman Empire began to weaken that crime spread in its larger cities. This is a general comparison to western civilisation as a whole and not limited to one nation or continent. ‘Moral values that had for centuries kept the Roman army, and therefore the empire, together, fell apart towards the end of the Empire. Meanwhile, violent crimes made the streets of the larger cities unsafe, while such Emperors as Nero and Caligula became infamous for decadent parties that wasted the Empire's money.’ yesterday.uktv.co.uk/history/classic-history/romans/article/fall-roman-empire/
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Post by kemp on Sept 14, 2019 8:17:02 GMT -5
But if you're interested, I can also speak more subjectively about
The last is most poignant to me, along with the growing isolation and dread I experienced due to the threat which hung over me should I dare to speak frankly about these and many other very obvious things. There is a movement known as #WalkAway, which describes very much my feelings about having left California:
Once, the American left stood for a number of issues such as environmentalism, secularism, the exploration of psychedelics and other drugs, animal welfare, population control, nuclear disarmament, pacifism, and judging people by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Now the primary focus appears to be trigger warnings, encouraging children to change their gender, opening borders and encouraging illegals to vote, and judging people by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character. The first set of issues appeals to me more and more over time; the second set never will.
Again, whether this change in the focus of a single political party has anything to do with the kinds of changes seen in other falling civilizations I truly don't know, but it is something I most definitely notice. Those are some interesting observations on the current left movement, notably the way the agenda has changed over the decades. It certainly seems more aggressive and militant these days, and has an almost fanatical obsession with gender, sex and diversity issues. We used to fear the other, that is, an invasion from without by a totally alien ideology hellbent on taking us over, subverting all our belief systems, self identity, the way we looked at the world, but the greatest irony and cosmic joke is that the alien ideology came from within. The unfortunate consequence of this has led to greater divisiveness and political polarisation in the modern industrial world. This is turn creates fear and populist governments. I think this aspect of social decline is certainly a contributing factor in the eventual breakdown of civilisation. I read somewhere that the original movie ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ was a thinly veiled anti communist piece during the cold war era. A story about large seed pods recreating duplicates of living people except that they are devoid of human emotion , and taking their place. I was always a fan of the 78 remake. Never gave it much thought back then, but seems more relevant now. I will leave the interpretation to the viewer.
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