It goes beyond party. We’re tax slaves. This breaks my heart. You look amazing. I would have never guessed your age. What they’ve stolen from us is deserving of revolt.
Anyone with common sense knew years ago that the responsible were going to get outnumbered by the irresponsible. It only came faster than expected! THAT IS THE TRUTH!
Your logical insights and learnt experiences are so refreshing. While we might be not able to escape this spiral, it's comforting to know you have the rarest of commodities out there... common sense. Thanks for your video Blair.
Well said Blair, same here in the UK, we have a saying here that if something is cheap we say its as cheap as chips ( french fries) well even they are expensive now 🙄 take care 👍
Hey Blair! Thanks for your insight. I run a small tree care business and contract climb. The way I deal with this madness is buy a shiny new climbing device to help with the depression. Take care out there!
No need to retire, i know it sounds good, but work has kept you strong and sharp well beyond your peers. Besides i look foward to watching you work on trees every week. Good to hear an old man preach the good word. I hear nothing but logic and foresight. Thanks for the rant
I too was born in 1953, In 1978 I had the same outlook as you have today. Fortunately I survived and had a family that grew up got an education and married. So now I’m retired as of 2019 and fortunately where I live it’s a lot less costly than California. So Glen hang in there and stick with it. You got some assets, family and your health. There’s no way I could keep up with you.
First time at your channel. Wanted to learn about pruning. Your presentation was deep knowledge and also showed a honest man. “Don’t work for a company that stuffs the bills”, you said. I wanted to check out other of your videos. And this was the second one. At the end I thought as you laughed that you cried too at the insane one way direction we pursue as we head for a crash. Rising prices that burden and crush health. Depleting worldwide natural resources that cause governments’ strategic manipulation, the view that it’s us vs them. And the changing planet where natural cycles are off balance because of man’s cleverness. Again, your pensive, thoughtful view comes from deep knowledge and honesty. Long may you share from your intelligent, kind and courageous life.
All good comments in your video Blair. You are in an area where you feel more of the pinch of taxes, high fuel prices and high real estate. Other areas are not quite so extreme. We appreciate the rant-it gives us something to think about and how we would resolve the same problems in our own area of the country. I enjoy all your videos.
In Sweden, northern Europe, the gasoline and diesel price is around 1.5 dollars per litre or if my math is correct around 6 dollars per gallon. Please don't retire. Keep your videos coming. I love your videos.
God bless you Glenn. The topic of this conversation gives me insomnia at night. I fear for my kids too. I’m almost 20 years younger than you but I imagine I’ll work until I die. This world is in a super sad state.
Unless you can figure out an inexpensive way to live out the last part of your life. Such as, buy a motorhome and live as a camp host in a park? Need more ideas like this-
@@arboristBlairGlenn My wife and I bought a 2019 Jayco camper. In three years we have only taken it out once but we had that same idea! I’d love to be a charter fishing boat captain someday.
I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this important video. You didn't know what to say? I think you said it *all*. Best wishes from the UK.
Thought provoking post. I'm a little older than you, currently 77. I agree that house prices are unaffordable for many folks. Here in southern NH the median house price is around $450,000. It requires a pretty substantial income to afford a mortgage. The ratio of expenses to income are much worse now then they were a few decades ago so younger folks have a much harder time making ends meet. One needs to factor in inflation to compare current prices to ones years ago to put current prices into perspective. My wife and I are lucky as we built our home in 1982 and long since had a mortgage burning party. However now as retirees property taxes are a more significant percentage of our budget than before. As a babyboomer living through the Cold War I think some things are better now and as you identified some are worse. One of the differences is now a days with instantaneous communication we are aware of terrible things happening everywhere on the planet whereas previously were exposed to more limited information. I'm hopeful we will be able to muddle our way through.
Preach on! There are no oil pipelines into or out of California, the state has ample reserves, oil is more than fuel, it's also the plastics used in just about everything today, including electric cars. Right now due to oil pumping restrictions in California the state imports oil from the Middle East, the tankers traveling back and forth over the oceans to supply California with oil produce more pollution than the entire California transportation fleet. Like our spending problem, it the people we elect that are the problem. Oh, diesel for large trucks is about $4/ gallon, about $3.50'ish for standard gas stations here in South Carolina.
I think it’s a universal problem, we can’t wean ourselves off this oil-based economy and it’s not just a personal financial problem, it puts us under the thumb of political regimes that have totally different values to those of the liberal democracies.
You are so right. You do live in the most expensive plates in the country. I live in Connecticut and we're not too far behind you. We're getting taxed to death. And I worry about my grandchildren what there going to be facing
The ultra low interest rates the fed set for post covid recovery was a money printer like no other and those who got a place at the low rate have a huge advantage over those who didn’t have a down payment saved up during the low rate period or already owned and were able to refinance. Not sure what’s going on in the war front though, all I know is too many innocent people are being killed either directly or “accidentally“ out there and everyone of them increases the hate between groups of people
Your thoughts mirror mine, sir. Most people try not to think of these things, but how can you not? I think we live in a false economy, one with no real liquidity and if not for all the credit pumped into system, America would have already had something as severe as another Depression. Unsustainable.
Hi from Europe, Just to add to the take with with fuel: If I do the math (and round a lil bit cause we pay per liter), I pay around 7,96$ per gallon for 93 octane gas (it is called 98 octane over here, cause of different ways to messure it). 91 octane (called 95 here) is 6,97 per gallon and diesel is heavily subsidized by the gov. to 6,02$. And this happened on a steady incline over the years. When I started riding motorbikes 22 years ago, i paid half of that. So it's not only a trend in your reagion, but since Europe has far less oilfields on it's own. It feels like it started sooner. Thats one of the reasons for our smaller cars with less consuming engines over the years. Same with housing - my dad told me, what they paid for the house and land only 25 years ago. 5 times less, than it would cost to build that house today. The price gets sky high, cause investors and ppl that want to invest build/buy houses and want to make a profit on it. It is a getting rich-scheme and every one else has to take a loss for the investors profit. As long as ppl are willing/needing to buy/rent the houses, the price will increase. It will only drop off, when there is no more money to make and investors start loosing on it. So it is simply capitalism combined with the wish to get rich. Nearly no one takes a step back and says to himself "I life a good life. I have what I need and I don't need more." Nearly everyone wants to be the next Elon... But what I can't wrap my head around (specially with america, "the american dream" and "socialism-fear-mongering" ), is the simple fact that ppl always look at others below or on the same paygrade as they are. I listen to many of Robert Reichs uploads and lectures here on socialmedia, to get a little inside into american social-/econ-politics, but it sounds the same over here. Ppl want taxes cut, wellfare cut, social security cut and aid to others cut - instead of doing the obvious. Tax everyone equally - specially the rich. I can't get how ppl can defend low tax rates for the 5% on top, when they work on minimum wage. From my perspective it is simple: Even if I work my ass off, I wont be able to make enough money in my lifetime to be up their, so why defending their lifestyle? Taxes could also lower houseprices: Low taxrates on the home/house you life in or the ones you provide social housing with, but tax the hell out of the houses you own as an "investment". Just my 2cents on the topic. Thank you for the inside and it was far less ranting, than you think it was. Have a great day and stay safe! Simmie
Don't get me wrong, I don't think you are one of these people (ppl). There is something, that is shown in many of your videos, I would discribe it as "pride of ownership and pride in your skillset". Specially the video about your tools, where they came from and what you have created with them, so it never feels "about the money". What I mean is society as a whole. From everyday life I see "repair" and "fixing stuff" is just the second option.For many it is just necessity, if you can't afford/get the newer thing. Or as my doctor puts it "the ones, with the least money, are the ones with the newest phones". For most ppl money and posession are measurements of success, so consume as much as they can comes natural to them.
great story thank you, you must charge more starting today. 30% minimum. if you do work in the more fashionable areas double and charge for mileage and overhead on top. this is just a starting point. try not let clients get you for a bargain. thankls again joe
@@arboristBlairGlenn i undeestand truly, your customers will pay what is required for you and for your expertise, they do not wish to lose you over money and they really understand. in short they will pay good money for you, you see it all the time, now as you are in somewhat retirement they will pay to get you and expertise, wordy i know, bon jovi and others play birthday parties for 13 yr old girls, dad more than happy to get the job done. 300 dollar labor rate at porche dealerships, they are not required to fix car just to try. hope to see you around for more yrs. joe
@@batmantiss I’m in the process of trying to emigrate to Australia, just said yes to a company in Perth so I’m selling my truck and chippers if I get granted a visa. Hopefully it’ll be a better life for my family and I, it might not be but feel I have to try something. Apparently they can charge a fair price over there
You nailed it ! Very important content! How absurd it is that our economy is based on infinite growth in a finite world of resources, the myth of progress with our plastic credit cards and deep debt. Something has to change! No wonder the aliens want nothing to do with us as we fight amongst ourselves!
County just increased our property evaluation on our home by over 47%. House and garage have never been more run down, barn is falling down. Farm behind us was just divided up, and sold high to grow houses. We have five kids and do not use the public school system. We home school. We had to drop health insurance because $300/week for the privilege of paying double or triple for a lot of our care just didn't add up. They already printed all my life's labor, and they are printing my children and grand children's labor all to fund some military contractors' political support. Endless war will kill us one way or another.
@arboristBlairGlenn other than love your family and neighbors, I don't see one. People trust too much in government and do not respect the land or other people. I remember thinking in a geography class in college over 20 years ago that dumb growth was out of hand, but it looked like there were solutions. It is 100x worse now. My great uncle lived in Los Gatos. He was a retired naval captain, I think he worked out of Moffett field. He visited us in Central Kentucky in the early 80s and said our little modest ranch would easily bring $150k to $200k in his area. My parents still live there. They paid about $25k in '73. I remember thinking there couldn't be that much money in the world, but it is all catching up now. We paid $180k in 2016 for our home, thought it was a deal. Pillow had it at $345K a few years ago, but the county was kind enough to only tack on $85k, valuing us at $265k just 8 years later. I am certainly not making 47% more money, and neither are most of the people I know. Every single farm gets subdivided anymore, even the ones way out in the sticks. Even the farm that have prime crop land are growing houses now, or bourbon rickhouses around here.
I'm but 65 this year. This makes me legally able to retire & receive a Superannuation income which is just as well as my employer has given me notice in the month of my birthday by Disestablishing my Position! I have to agree with you are saying Blair as i am not in the USA but a little country down past Australia & i too am very aware of precisely the same stuff is happening here. Sure we had 6yrs of a mad stupid inept Socialist Government that spent so much Tax Payers money by racking up the national Debt without a care & gave the Country a massive problem with a broken Economy & massive Inflation. We voted in a different Govt but the damage is terrible. Meanwhile all i say to my friends is that we are all now living in the age of S T U P I D...!
> here in the philippines hydroscopic additive petrol is ~$1.20 per litre (about 4 and 1/2 dollars a gallon); diesel is marginally less by about $.05 a litre. when i got here 16 years ago, gas was ~40Php /L, now its close to 70. even stranger is the very frequent 1-2Php /L increases/decreases...imagine an entire nations economy based these 'miniscule' fluctuations in the petroleum products they import.
Ruthless here. I retired at 50 and am 76 now. I was fortunate to have a very good job, and made some sound financial decisions early in my life. I could write a book on this subject, but not here.
You should write a book on your life. If for no other reason than for your kids and grandkids to know who you are (or were). I’m working on mine. Send me an email to blairglenn@gmail.com and I will send you a pdf of where it is so far.
Blair, I bought my house in 1975 for $35,500 and now everything around me sells for over a million bucks! Ridiculous. I had to retire in 2001 and my wife died in 2004 so I've been on a fixed income for 23 years now and was doing OK right up to COVID times, since then I've had to tighten my belt as the old timers used to say but at 82 I guess I'm the old timer now. Even during the first year of the COVID I had a steak several times a week but I have not had a steak for a couple of years now due to the tripling of price and it's the same for many things that I used to take for granted. It doesn't matter who is in the White House nothing gets done about this problem and as it's a world wide problem nobody can do anything about it even if they wanted to and I'm pretty sure they don't want to. Bad times and heading towards worse. The amount of Stupidity in the world, especially the world's leaders is astounding. Their blind reckless endangerment of mankind is more or less crimes against humanity in my book but they don't consult me about who should be tossed in jail just for being a jerk and a danger to everyone. All these unhinged people with their finger on the trigger scares the crap out of me.
John, I always read your comments. I feel like you are a bit of a pen pal of sorts. Wife passed twenty years ago? So sorry. Hope you have kids or family to take up some of that empty time and space. I too have had serious losses of family and close friends. Today is my late daughter’s birthday. She would have been 47. Stay strong my friend. The real value in this life are the people we know and love.
@@arboristBlairGlenn No kids, just a sister with Alzheimer's who lives in an assisted living place nearby. I have one cousin up in Brownsville who did come down to help me out with surgery I had last July for a couple of days. Otherwise I'm alone and it's starting to be a problem. I need a new hip and two new knees but won't do them as I can't, or won't, go through the rehab alone, just can't do it. I had one knee worked on years ago and a shoulder too around the same time and I was glad I had help at the time getting to rehab and making me do the homework that I would shirk on my own. On top of the joints I have spine issues, Scoliosis and Spinal Stenosis with Radiculopathy (impinged nerves) and that's major pain that makes rehab between hard to impossible. I could deal with any one of these things if I did not have the others. Betty Davis said "Getting old ain't for sissies!" Boy did she get that right... You and I probably are the ones old enough to know who that even is!
I’m an EV driver for the last 5 years, and all my home power tools for tree care are ryobi 40v. Have you considered getting a ford f150 lightning with the larger battery pack as a work horse and having a set of 40v battery chargers in the frunk and the bed to cut down on gas need and therefore costs? The prices of these lightnings is at an all time low right now so I think it may be a good time to give it a try. You could charge chainsaws, blowers, everything in the truck all day and it’ll also transport everything. The only gas you’d need is chipper. Even if you had to replace 40v batteries every couple years I think you’d have savings. You can write off the packs too.
one us gallon regular in Denmark is approx 7.45 usd. a glimpse of hope is perhaps that in small Denmark out of 2.8 mill cars we now have 200,000 electric cars and sale is rising. I quite agree to your point, though
@@feez357 in Denmark? Presently wind turbines, solar panels, hay, wood chips, wood pellets, coal, gas and others. However, when we calculate the energy and resources required for producing an electric car, we still have some way to go.
This is common in the world today. I you live in certain zip codes, you can’t afford to live there. I live in Rockland county, South Eastern New York. If I didn’t live in this house owned by my Am. Legion Post, I’m a caretaker, I would have to live elsewhere where cheaper. My mother’s house in 1960 cost $14,000! After leaving it to my younger sister and brother, who lost it due to non payment of taxes, and mortgage, it was torn down and the small lot it was on was priced at $400,000 !!!!
Quite a mess. An adjustment is coming. Makes homesteading a viable option..but most folks would have to deal with such a radical shift in lifestyle that they could not go long before they would tap out. I think sadly that within the next few years we will witness the largest exodus…Not just state to state but out of America , that has ever occurred in US history. The world is all struggling, but out country’s status is one that could best be described as “unsustainable “. Just my thoughts
Hello Blair,… played this video now a couple of times,… no reassuring words come to mind. As you know I live in the EU ( Netherlands) and the same worries you mentioned play here to, cost of living, house prises, polarization, extremism is spreading it seeds. I always hated politics, not the people but the power game. So for now I more or less surrender to doing good in my little wold, try living ‘clean’ be good to others and hope for the best….
Thanks for saying this. My dad was a truck driver, and my mom a maid in a hotel. They were able to live a higher standard of living than my partner and I. She has a math degree, and I have a degree in computer science. The only reason we are able to own a home instead of renting is because of inheritance.
We are now more connected than ever, because how cheap it is to send things by container ship. Makes it possible to Fish a Salmon in Alaska, Send it to be processed in China. Send it back and sell it in America. Any disruption to the global order would disrupt container ship traffic. So many interconnected pieces go into making products, often sourced from across the world. This has really increased our standard of living. But Having some farm land/food stores would be a good idea in case things get disrupted. Paper money $s are worth less because of massive printing. It's a form of taxation. It kills productivity, because eventually people will stop working as hard, because government takes so much of it.
You are exactly correct on what you say. The entire world is experiencing the same problems the USA is. People don’t want to admit what is soon to happen. I guess we will have to see for ourselves what that may be.
In the town where I live starter, crappy houses where about 200k 4 years ago, in 2019. Now they're over 400k. I'm 32- very quickly, things are getting out of reach. By the time I can afford a 400k house, how much will they cost? I could kinda afford a 200k house now, ironically, for all the good it does me- I am making more money, but not twice as much, not even close. I don't drive, as I haven't been able to stomach paying the companies that have destroyed the planet directly, and um, I can't afford to drive, at least not responsibly- I don't know why or how anyone can afford cars. You've gotta drive that truck for work of course, so that's not a comment on your lifestyle, just all the people I know in the city who drive 3 miles. How can they afford it?
Cars aren't that expensive. They can be, but they don't have to be. I like public transit, but it's not a realistic option for a lot of people. I looked into it for my previous job, my 20 minute commute would take about 1.5 hours, assuming everything was running smoothly.
I can agree with all you say except 2 things, population and electric vehicles. (I'll briefly explain: Population, Yes, we're over-populated in many areas, by design though. There's plenty of food for all 8 billion. Electric Vehicles: Many issues! It is really only good for warmer environments, is not water friendly, expensive for repairs, environmentally bad to build these things, major fire risk, toxic fire when damaged/wrecked, etc. I work in a higher-end dealership service center and deal with mostly new high-end vehicles. It's getting harder to find clients to even buy a few of the EVs we offer. One guy just bought an all-electric Hummer from us, he flew from Florida to buy it here in Indiana! Anyway, I see and drive lots of Hybrids too, this may be the way to go instead of all-electric? Now these 'rich/wealthy' customers driving these monster SUV's/Trucks that should be on the farm or construction jobs not on our roads as a grocery getter, take the and pick up the kids vehicle. lol, Get's my Goat how some of these wealthy act towards the common, hard-working, taxed to death Americans! ~ Needless to say Blair, your video was on point as usual and brutally true & agreeable. Someone else said it here about being a 'Tax Slave' and they're completely right. I preach about taxes daily I bet! lol We work from Jan 1st to July 1st for FREE, it goes to the Gov. ~~ With the coming Solar Storms in the next 12+ hrs, we're in a for a wild ride I believe! And, your words could be true! (About the 'correction' in our World.) Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights will most likely be amazing and in places some have never seen! This solar storm is very strong, it's 1, 2, 3, 4 punch! BTW Thanks for all your knowledge and experience shared! God Bless. James 5/9/2024
I agree with you, with some caveats. The problem with feeding 8 billion people currently is that we have the resources but we don't use them efficiently. There is a lot of food waste and how the land is managed is mostly horrendous. Fertile natural ecosystems are bulldozed for use as agricultural land and when they become mismanaged to the point that all the top soil has disappeared they are either maintained by liberal application of water (which is stolen from the surrounding natural environment) and industrially produced fertilizers, or abandoned and left to become a desert. The problem with electric cars is one of greenwashing - a lot of the people who purchase EVs don't see the environmental sourcing of energy to power them as being their responsibility. If the handling of fossil fuels is out of sight, it's out of mind. I think despite the concerns of producing/recycling lithium batteries, EVs are a step in the right direction. Problem is they only solve one part of the problem being that they don't solve energy production and transportation of the energy into the vehicle's battery.
@@arboristBlairGlennI haven’t seen them, but I’ve seen videos of the northern lights that people on Vancouver Island (on the west coast of Canada where I live) have taken. That is pretty far south for northern lights. 🇨🇦
A major problem is the decades of policy encouraging people to use their houses as their largest and frequently their only investment. If all of someone’s wealth is tied up in their house (and that’s true for lots of Americans, especially working and middle class white people), then they will worry about any policy or program that supports more affordable housing and thereby devalues their only significant asset. Then lots of older folks can’t live in their house and live off the investment they made in their house. We need an actual social safety net (like every other developed country in the world) that would let us address the nationwide housing crisis (a major driver of inflation) without bankrupting people who were told that their homes were the best investment for their futures.
We don't have the generating capacity or the distribution network to supply the EV cars appetite. To push EV in a state that has rolling blackouts and power outages is ludicrous.
Yes things have changed. We lived in a house that dad fixed, had a second hand car that my brother fixed, had three bedrooms for mum dad and we kids shared a room, and didnt think technology had all the answers. We built the roads and infrustructure and my parents had the children the country said it needed in australia. .Now i am called the ageing problem. I still work ,paid my taxes and never got a doller i didnt earn. Its really a simple problem. Too many oeople with each wanting too much. 25000 people starve to death every hour. We allow poverty because we think theres a chance we could be rich. I call it the lotto syndrome. We also dont learn the lessons of the forest. Most seeds will not survive. Most saplings will not mature. Most mature trees will fall. Only a veryfew will become vetrans.
I don't live in the US, but my feelings are exactly the same as yours. And I too don't get why we are doing what we are doing. And I have no idea what I personally can do about it. It's hard to stay optimistic.
People (with actual power anyway) aren’t stupid, they are greedy. Heck everyone is greedy to a certain extent but folks like us don’t count as we don’t make policies. For instance, like you said, 8 billion people on the planet but yet we still subsidize childbirth. Why? So they can have more consumers? Middle America for instance slowed having kids just like nature will when times get tough. So what did those with real power do? The opened the border and looked the other way, why? In order to keep demand high and wages down. We are nothing but slave labor and the cash cow for those with power. Same as it’s always been I suppose. 😞
I grew up in Los Altos, c1968.....in 1972 dad's house was about $43,000. In 2022 it sold as a Lot, a bulldozed house, for $4.3 Million....$4,300,000. Plus the cost of building the new house. My next door neighbor paid $42K in 1968 and he died 2 yrs ago, He never painted it, it was always stucco pink with crank out windows....His girlfriend got the house so I assme she'll sell it for $4.3 Million, too. 1/3acre.
I grew up in San Jose and moved out because I couldn't afford it. I get like this sometimes. I'm in my 40s and have young kids (6, 6, and 9). I dread the sorts of things that I think they're going to have to face in their lifetimes. But maybe the worst of it will be over by the time I'm dead.
I think it’s because you said enough. I like to hear the point of view of some “old boys”. Thanks for sharing your opinion Blair even tho its sad reality
I agree with most of your observations, and I'm sorry to hear that retirement isn't an option for you. I fear the same will be true for me when I reach that age. Forgoing retirement should be a choice, not a necessity, in a healthy society. That said, I disagree on two points. First of all, money is not a finite resource. The US operates on a fiat currency, as do most countries that issue debt in their own currency, and has done so since I believe the late 60's. That means our currency is no longer based on the gold standard. When congress votes on the budget, they're literally deciding how much money we have. The final amount gets typed into a computer. That's it. We have to be responsible, to avoid hyperinflation, but it's literally impossible to run out of money, and a moderate stay amount of inflation is perfectly fine. Second of all, the earth's population is not an issue, either. Our planet can still support a steadily-growing population for centuries, in terms of resources and space. The theory of overpopulation was debunked long ago. The issue is our consumption of resources, as you mentioned, and the vast inefficiencies and waste in our food production systems. If these issues are remedied, along with stopping climate change, we can solve world hunger and thrive on this planet for a long, long time.
Agreed that we should all grow more. If only to keep kids in touch with the reality of where food comes from, but for me it won’t be sweet potato or pumpkin…Yuk.
i agree with you blair, the world is going mad!. if you still enjoy your work then keep working! there no need to retire, i dont think i ever will. love the videos there is a fantastic mellowness to them
That's a factor but there is a flow on effect that is observed everywhere, from the silicon valleys all the way down to the slummy areas of 1st world countries.
Housing is going up everywhere. There are only so many places to live, and with population growing exponentially, it's only a matter of time before we're all fighting over scraps.
My property taxes are low because I have owned my home for a long time. Bought it for 270 k and never upgraded with permits to raise the value. Up to about 8 k a year. Fire ins just was canceled by Farmers for fire zone
I grew up in Half Moon Bay, CA. Paradise as far as I was concerned. But when I had kids I knew I had to leave. So 24 years ago I packed and moved to Texas. Best financial decision I ever made. So unless your kids or grandkids make “Google” money, they need to leave CA asap!
Everything is relative Norbert. Texas has its problems too. Quality of life is the most important thing for me. I love so much about this state. The beautiful coast. The high Sierra’s, the beautiful parklands and open space. And then there are the REDWOODS! Yes, we have some amazing trees here. I have been to Texas. Sorry, you can have it.😬
@@arboristBlairGlennI've visited Texas several times in different areas. I liked it more than I thought I would, but I would still prefer to live in most places in CA. (Central Valley and LA are two notable exceptions)
Mike Montagne 'got it' at the young age of 16, and went on to solve it in but a day, virtually without cost and with immediate effect. His solution mathematically perfected economy (MPE for short) lays out the root cause and with gratitude, the solution too, but sadly, it's largely been ignored for many many years. That said, the lack of exposure of his thesis certainly doesn't escape his simple mathematical fact/s therein, that money MUST be an immutable representation of entitlement. Not an artifically inflated economic model. As he predicted, a circulation subject to interest will ultimately result in terminal failure, regardless of each political sticking plaster applied, the system we all collectively choose to use has us consuming each other in the process whilst in the meantime we temporally extend monetary failure until its inevitable end. Usuary: we're being used!
My arborist retired from production work and now is a consulting arborist. So he doesn’t have to spend on equipment and obviously it’s safer work. He bills $200/hr in a much lower cost area than yours.
In Germany the average price for gasoline is around 1.80€ to 2€ ($1.94 to $2.15) per litre. Per gallon it would be $7.32 to $8.14 (these numbers may be incorrect as my math is not the best). Diesel is a bit cheaper but also more expensive than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Gas prices aren't like that in every state. A gallon of gas is only around $3 per gallon. California gas has always been more expensive, taxes, delivery fees, a special California blend and a cap and trade program....those are issues making it cost so much. Average price of gas is less than $4 a gallon at $3.70 ish. The problems with California gas have been from the states congress. It goes back to the 60s cleaning up air pollution from cars. California has the cleanest gas and cleanest cars, honestly what's the point, other states have just as good air quality with less less rules laws. Catalytic converters solved a lot of the problem as they got better so why the need for special gas or cap and trade.
$1.66 a litre in Toronto. We're screwed. But I've known it for a long time. My Uncle, Stephen Piotrowicz was a director of NOAA and head of Oceans US. He gave me the picture in 1989 and said we had until 2012 to stop it. We didn't. The last time I talked to him before he died, he said technology was the only hope now. If there's reincarnation, I don't want to come back.
I think a lot of people are just realizing now that we can't just "technology" our way out of the worlds problems like previously thought. Battery technology is good compared to 20 years ago, but not good enough. It's a bit of a moving yard stick as incremental improvements in technology create justification for people consuming more. Green washing is rampant with companies giving consumers the impression that they have done their bit by reducing their consumption by a few % if at all. People are going to have to change their ways and most people aren't willing.
Problems usually grow worse until the problems touch people personally and can't be ignored any longer. Then people finally address them. Meanwhile, people like you -- who recognize the problems -- are very frustrated and pessimistic.
Your fears in US are mostly economic and I get it but in Europe, next to Russia the fears are at the most basic level, your family and your life. The world is collapsing in the future, for sure. It just takes time, we have no bright future ahead and AI is not going to solve it, maybe even making it worse. US has important role in geopolitical chess and I hope it stays that way, the power lines in this world have to be there. I wouldnt worry about the debt, it will always stay there as it has always been. Great video by the way, most americans I speak, they don't talk about problems, seems kind of shallow.
Thank you for replying, I don’t know what’s next, but I do need some advice on a tree issue. The tree in question is a 17 year old rowan tree. It was grown from a cutting. It lives in a flexi-tub basket with holes in the bottom (for drainage) since it was repotted in 2020. It’s about 3 meters tall. It’s been healthy most years, but this year, the growth has been much smaller (stunted I think) It’s in full flour, but its leaves are much smaller this year. It has sort of wrinkled branches and many of the buds that should’ve grown seem to have failed. Thank you again.
Currency was always meant to fail. National debt isn't that much of a problem - most of that debt is more or less to itself anyway. Rising national debt (within limits) is even necessary for an economy to work - it's essentially the money that's in the system. The part that makes an eventual collapse inevitable, is the fact that inflation is also a necessary part of an economy. A ~2% rate of inflation discourages people from hoarding too much money and encourages spending - meaning the economy stays propped up. However, inflation also means that eventually workers compensation has to be adjusted. That in turn means the company has to raise prices by an even higher percentage, than what their workers wages have been adapted by, to keep their margins. Though they also have to weigh this, against what people are willing to pay for their product. No idea how or when this all is gonna end, but end it must.
@@arboristBlairGlenn that's not quite a correct analogy. Every dollar that has ever been printed, has been issued by the federal reserve and that money is loaned to the government. It's essentially the money that's in circulation. Without government spending, you have have no country. More spending -> more debt -> more money in circulation -> inflation -> wages go up -> taxes return more money to the government If you take on more debt, you just pay that and interest off, by taking on more new debt. This is fine as long as an economy grows faster than what the rate of interest is and that rate stays low, as long as a country is relieable to pay back it's debt (which the u.s. currently is). Problem is, the u.s. is amassing too much debt too fast and this can spiral out of control. The dollar has special international status and for people to lose faith in the currency would have unpredictable consequences.
I concur. I've been studying climate-related issues for 3 decades and I'm frightened - for my children, and millions in more vulnerable places than where you and I live. But, like you Blair, I'm in the latter section of my life and I'm cool with that - I won't be around to see the worst of what's likely to happen. I've taken the threat very seriously - in 2008 I entered the Oxfam Carbon Footprint competition and won it with the lowest in the UK - well, from about 100 entrants. It was just under a twelfth of the UK average. But what has this achieved? Nothing, really - just a bit of 'fame' for me, but in the bigger picture, it was irrelevant. Our civilisation is heading to collapse.
Hey John, I watched one of your interviews on your channel. Just wanted to thank you for your efforts in your community, I don't think it's irrelevant, though I understand the feeling.
Thank you @@jonathonalsop2120 , I appreciate this comment. Whether my efforts are irrelevant or not depends on the perspective. It is true I've had a big impact on the lives of individuals and local communities, groups, etc - and this is great. But looking at it from a global perspective, it's 'pissing in the wind', or a drop of that liquid in an ocean. Tiny, insignificant, unimportant. And, as my AIM was (back in the 89s/90s) was to 'change the world for the better', this is why I consider myself a failure - on THAT level. As a parent, lover, volunteer, innovator and entertainer, I've done OK! This is why I'm not depressed.
Regarding gas prices - from European perspective - you have still very cheap gas in US. But also very hungry cars. Maybe you will be forced to buy small european (I mean Japanese) cars with 80-100 mpg in the future. I think electric cars with huge li-ion batteries are dead end though. Hydrogen seems more promissing. To be more precise - in Czech repablic gas prices (gasoline and diesel are almost the same now) fluctuates around 40 CZK/1 litre. This means 6.55 USD/1 gallon. And average monthly salary in Czech Republic is around 44000 CZK which is 1902 USD.
Birthed 1953 also. Why, what does that even mean? Im going to have to start housing relatives and friends just so they arent on the street. How far can a two bedroom rambler take that?
We do what we need to do. Not everyone has been as fortunate and some folks just had bad luck. I have a 72 year old friend who was hit by a truck in a crosswalk! Her life will never be the same. Shit happens?
The correction is what it has always been war and violence. The only difference this time is warfare is so advanced that it will spiral out of control and probably end it all. I'd say, it is not in our control, live your life out in a way most helpful to you and yours.
I enjoy my life but am angered by the sheer stupidity of people. One world is the planet we live on. Everything is connected. The poison air from China comes here. The radiation from Japan kills our ocean too. I can go on
I like to judge the national debt as percentage of GDP. For the USA it's currently at 125%. That means you would have to work 16 months to pay your share of the national debt. It's honestly not that bad, but it has gotten much worse since the pandemic and it is only sustainable as long as the US economy keeps growing at least at the same rate the interest on the debt is growing. Unlike people, governments don't die, so debt can be put off indefinitely as long as there is growth. Regarding the population of the world, if you look 100 years into the future, we're looking at a population collapse. Most countries in the world are starting to have inverted population pyramids. In 30 years, most of Europe will have 1 working person paying taxes for 4 retired people. Retirement is going to be a foreign concept soon enough. My advice for young people is have children, because that will be your retirement. I know that's a pretty bad reason to have children, but throughout most of human history that was one of the main reasons to have kids. The huge rise in population we've seen recently will stop as those countries become richer, because richer countries, for whatever reason, have less kids and later. Many people think this is not a good world to bring kids into, but I don't think life is about pleasure, but about purpose. If you want a life of purpose, there is great opportunity these days. So I'm not that pessimistic in terms of population and economics. What really worries me is climate change and its consequences, chiefly another pandemic. Humanity has never faced anything like climate change. Our success will come down to our maturity and empathy as a species. With our technology there is no reason we can't give everyone a decent life and care during illness and fix climate change. It can be done, but as always our greed, desire for power, vengeance, etc. get in the way. As regards your retirement, I ain't gonna lie it's looking pretty grim. If you had a desk job I'd tell you to keep going just do less of it, but old age and chainsaws don't mix. If I were in your position I'd look into moving into building a few treehouses then renting them out on airBNB. If I am totally honest with you, the risk of a forest fire wiping you out 100% where you currently live is not a risk you should take as you grow old. The economically sensible choice is to sell, downsize to somewhere cheaper and less prone to natural disasters and invest the rest of the money in whatever a financial adviser recommends, like perhaps an s&P500 index fund. But I have watched your videos long enough to know that selling your beautiful house in the mountains and moving into some urban or suburban location is a fate worse than death. In fact, if I were you I'd risk it for the biscuit and stay there, but I'm a bit reckless myself. If it burnt down, I'd plant a bamboo forest up there and rent out some yurts as a yoga retreat. In the future, I see people coming together in some sort of communes where young and old people live and help each other out. So many people really want this deep down but can't allow themselves to admit it. What we really want for retirement is not money but a community that cares for us when we are too weak to care for ourselves. Otherwise, there will be so many old people that even if you have money you won't be able to get care because there will be so few young people around. We'll probably have old people laying in a tub of slime that gets pumped out and replaced every other day as a toilet and shower replacement while the person has an implant that directly stimulates the visual nerve as a replacement for VR goggles. You'd work all your life then retire into a slime tub on a cruise ship. When you die they just automatically dump you overboard as fish feed. As grim as that sounds, it's way better than what goes on in many old people's homes today.
I see these 25 year olds driving brand new trucks and living in nice homes makes one wonder how that payment is being made.The Saudis just dropped the petro dollar so it wont be long.
I always used the analogy of a fish bowl for whats happening. Proud people keep cranking out more people. Like taking a fish bowl. Keep adding fish but only put the same amount of food in the bowl
I am from Greece (Europe) and you are at my father's age exactly. Everybody with common sense feels the same. Correction. You couldn't be more right. And the ecosystems, climate, society, economics are on crisis
Well affordability is all about the cost of living. And as you point out, you are living in one of the most expensive places. If you sell your home and move to a place where homes cost much less, you will be way better off. Sell that house while the value is high. And find a place where you can purchase a house for 25% of the value of your current home.
@@arboristBlairGlenn With what's going on with Russia and Ukraine, and also China and Taiwan. Then you've got to also consider throwing North Korea in the mix. It's only a matter of time before we're dragged in. Then people in America are so divided that they want to throw fists at the first disagreement. The politicians have relaxed the laws and repercussions for violent crimes and criminals. The stock market is going to eventually crash, and put us in another recession. And the whole thing with the money you said. I didn't know that, and it's crazy to think about. It just seems the world is going to hell in a hand basket. And we keep on gift wrapping it. It's scary to think about the possible future.
@@arboristBlairGlenn I typed up a long well thought out comment and posted it. And it appears youtube made it disappear. 🤦♂️ So much for freedom of speech these days.
It goes beyond party. We’re tax slaves. This breaks my heart. You look amazing. I would have never guessed your age.
What they’ve stolen from us is deserving of revolt.
Thanks for the compliment. Fifty years in the trees
Anyone with common sense knew years ago that the responsible were going to get outnumbered by the irresponsible. It only came faster than expected! THAT IS THE TRUTH!
Your logical insights and learnt experiences are so refreshing. While we might be not able to escape this spiral, it's comforting to know you have the rarest of commodities out there... common sense. Thanks for your video Blair.
Sorry about the rant. Back to the trees. Trees I understand. People? Nope
@@arboristBlairGlenn not every seed lands on fertile ground.
@@lieutenantduran good statement
I'm in the same boat, 2 years behind you. Retirement is not feasible.
Good luck my friend 😂
If I sell my home (that I don’t want to do), and tighten my belt, I can skate by. But that is not a good way to live.
The consequences of having sociopaths and psychopaths in position of power nothing good will come out of it.
Well said Blair, same here in the UK, we have a saying here that if something is cheap we say its as cheap as chips ( french fries) well even they are expensive now 🙄 take care 👍
Wife is a Brit. Thanks for commenting
Words from a honest man. Thanks Blair
Hey Blair! Thanks for your insight. I run a small tree care business and contract climb. The way I deal with this madness is buy a shiny new climbing device to help with the depression. Take care out there!
Yes, new toys are fun. Climbing takes my mind off of just about everything except for the task at hand. I love to climb!
No need to retire, i know it sounds good, but work has kept you strong and sharp well beyond your peers. Besides i look foward to watching you work on trees every week.
Good to hear an old man preach the good word. I hear nothing but logic and foresight. Thanks for the rant
Thanks. I enjoy reading all these comments. They are coming in faster than I can answer them! A lot of people feel my angst.
I too was born in 1953, In 1978 I had the same outlook as you have today. Fortunately I survived and had a family that grew up got an education and married. So now I’m retired as of 2019 and fortunately where I live it’s a lot less costly than California. So Glen hang in there and stick with it. You got some assets, family and your health. There’s no way I could keep up with you.
Thanks (old man)😊
First time at your channel. Wanted to learn about pruning. Your presentation was deep knowledge and also showed a honest man. “Don’t work for a company that stuffs the bills”, you said. I wanted to check out other of your videos. And this was the second one. At the end I thought as you laughed that you cried too at the insane one way direction we pursue as we head for a crash. Rising prices that burden and crush health. Depleting worldwide natural resources that cause governments’ strategic manipulation, the view that it’s us vs them. And the changing planet where natural cycles are off balance because of man’s cleverness. Again, your pensive, thoughtful view comes from deep knowledge and honesty. Long may you share from your intelligent, kind and courageous life.
Thanks Fred. Most of my videos are on trees and tree care. Some are on woodworking. Once in a great while, I rant. 😊
@@arboristBlairGlenn
I subscribed and I look forward to more of each👍
All good comments in your video Blair. You are in an area where you feel more of the pinch of taxes, high fuel prices and high real estate. Other areas are not quite so extreme. We appreciate the rant-it gives us something to think about and how we would resolve the same problems in our own area of the country. I enjoy all your videos.
Enjoy your lower costs while they last but what is happening here, is happening everywhere.
In Sweden, northern Europe, the gasoline and diesel price is around 1.5 dollars per litre or if my math is correct around 6 dollars per gallon.
Please don't retire. Keep your videos coming. I love your videos.
If you are inclined to go back to my old ones, I’m at over 1200 videos😳
God bless you Glenn. The topic of this conversation gives me insomnia at night. I fear for my kids too. I’m almost 20 years younger than you but I imagine I’ll work until I die. This world is in a super sad state.
Unless you can figure out an inexpensive way to live out the last part of your life. Such as, buy a motorhome and live as a camp host in a park? Need more ideas like this-
@@arboristBlairGlenn My wife and I bought a 2019 Jayco camper. In three years we have only taken it out once but we had that same idea! I’d love to be a charter fishing boat captain someday.
@@customcuts1 follow your dreams and make them happen!
@@customcuts1that is one expensive camping trip......1st world problems!
@@jolkraeremeark6949 indeed. Used a lot of my inheritance to buy it. Thought we would use it to stay in and do more storm chasing. Hasn’t happened.
I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this important video. You didn't know what to say? I think you said it *all*. Best wishes from the UK.
Thought provoking post. I'm a little older than you, currently 77. I agree that house prices are unaffordable for many folks. Here in southern NH the median house price is around $450,000. It requires a pretty substantial income to afford a mortgage. The ratio of expenses to income are much worse now then they were a few decades ago so younger folks have a much harder time making ends meet. One needs to factor in inflation to compare current prices to ones years ago to put current prices into perspective. My wife and I are lucky as we built our home in 1982 and long since had a mortgage burning party. However now as retirees property taxes are a more significant percentage of our budget than before.
As a babyboomer living through the Cold War I think some things are better now and as you identified some are worse. One of the differences is now a days with instantaneous communication we are aware of terrible things happening everywhere on the planet whereas previously were exposed to more limited information. I'm hopeful we will be able to muddle our way through.
I really feel you…… in my circle of people we barter… and this trend is growing slowly.
I love to trade. Midwife delivered four of my children. Paid for it with firewood!
Preach on! There are no oil pipelines into or out of California, the state has ample reserves, oil is more than fuel, it's also the plastics used in just about everything today, including electric cars. Right now due to oil pumping restrictions in California the state imports oil from the Middle East, the tankers traveling back and forth over the oceans to supply California with oil produce more pollution than the entire California transportation fleet. Like our spending problem, it the people we elect that are the problem.
Oh, diesel for large trucks is about $4/ gallon, about $3.50'ish for standard gas stations here in South Carolina.
I think it’s a universal problem, we can’t wean ourselves off this oil-based economy and it’s not just a personal financial problem, it puts us under the thumb of political regimes that have totally different values to those of the liberal democracies.
You are so right. You do live in the most expensive plates in the country. I live in Connecticut and we're not too far behind you. We're getting taxed to death. And I worry about my grandchildren what there going to be facing
Stay strong.
I got my property tax bill the other day. It would have been cheaper to have a heart attack!
The ultra low interest rates the fed set for post covid recovery was a money printer like no other and those who got a place at the low rate have a huge advantage over those who didn’t have a down payment saved up during the low rate period or already owned and were able to refinance. Not sure what’s going on in the war front though, all I know is too many innocent people are being killed either directly or “accidentally“ out there and everyone of them increases the hate between groups of people
😢😭😭😭😢💔🙏🙏🙏 very true dear blair... and, then... it is our kids, too, and grandchildren that are our concerns...
Your thoughts mirror mine, sir. Most people try not to think of these things, but how can you not? I think we live in a false economy, one with no real liquidity and if not for all the credit pumped into system, America would have already had something as severe as another Depression. Unsustainable.
Knowledge is power to make decisions. Those who look away, can’t make good decisions.
@@arboristBlairGlenn Agree wholeheartedly
Hi from Europe,
Just to add to the take with with fuel: If I do the math (and round a lil bit cause we pay per liter), I pay around 7,96$ per gallon for 93 octane gas (it is called 98 octane over here, cause of different ways to messure it). 91 octane (called 95 here) is 6,97 per gallon and diesel is heavily subsidized by the gov. to 6,02$. And this happened on a steady incline over the years. When I started riding motorbikes 22 years ago, i paid half of that. So it's not only a trend in your reagion, but since Europe has far less oilfields on it's own. It feels like it started sooner. Thats one of the reasons for our smaller cars with less consuming engines over the years.
Same with housing - my dad told me, what they paid for the house and land only 25 years ago. 5 times less, than it would cost to build that house today. The price gets sky high, cause investors and ppl that want to invest build/buy houses and want to make a profit on it. It is a getting rich-scheme and every one else has to take a loss for the investors profit. As long as ppl are willing/needing to buy/rent the houses, the price will increase. It will only drop off, when there is no more money to make and investors start loosing on it. So it is simply capitalism combined with the wish to get rich. Nearly no one takes a step back and says to himself "I life a good life. I have what I need and I don't need more." Nearly everyone wants to be the next Elon...
But what I can't wrap my head around (specially with america, "the american dream" and "socialism-fear-mongering" ), is the simple fact that ppl always look at others below or on the same paygrade as they are. I listen to many of Robert Reichs uploads and lectures here on socialmedia, to get a little inside into american social-/econ-politics, but it sounds the same over here. Ppl want taxes cut, wellfare cut, social security cut and aid to others cut - instead of doing the obvious. Tax everyone equally - specially the rich. I can't get how ppl can defend low tax rates for the 5% on top, when they work on minimum wage. From my perspective it is simple: Even if I work my ass off, I wont be able to make enough money in my lifetime to be up their, so why defending their lifestyle?
Taxes could also lower houseprices: Low taxrates on the home/house you life in or the ones you provide social housing with, but tax the hell out of the houses you own as an "investment".
Just my 2cents on the topic. Thank you for the inside and it was far less ranting, than you think it was.
Have a great day and stay safe!
Simmie
I am one of those people who does not wish for more money. Just enough is fine with me. We all have too much stuff!
Don't get me wrong, I don't think you are one of these people (ppl). There is something, that is shown in many of your videos, I would discribe it as "pride of ownership and pride in your skillset". Specially the video about your tools, where they came from and what you have created with them, so it never feels "about the money".
What I mean is society as a whole. From everyday life I see "repair" and "fixing stuff" is just the second option.For many it is just necessity, if you can't afford/get the newer thing. Or as my doctor puts it "the ones, with the least money, are the ones with the newest phones". For most ppl money and posession are measurements of success, so consume as much as they can comes natural to them.
It is scary riding a roller coaster with no brakes. I guess we just hang on and do our best to stay afloat.
great story thank you, you must charge more starting today. 30% minimum. if you do work in the more fashionable areas double and charge for mileage and overhead on top. this is just a starting point. try not let clients get you for a bargain.
thankls again joe
Hard to charge more when you reach my age. I produce but not like I did when I was younger.
The price of tree work in the UK hasn’t changed in 20 years, it’s a race to the bottom
@@arboristBlairGlenn i undeestand truly, your customers will pay what is required for you and for your expertise, they do not wish to lose you over money and they really understand. in short they will pay good money for you, you see it all the time, now as you are in somewhat retirement they will pay to get you and expertise, wordy i know, bon jovi and others play birthday parties for 13 yr old girls, dad more than happy to get the job done. 300 dollar labor rate at porche dealerships, they are not required to fix car just to try. hope to see you around for more yrs. joe
It's hard to charge more when new schmucks come in and hack a tree for 1/3rd of what you bid
@@batmantiss I’m in the process of trying to emigrate to Australia, just said yes to a company in Perth so I’m selling my truck and chippers if I get granted a visa. Hopefully it’ll be a better life for my family and I, it might not be but feel I have to try something. Apparently they can charge a fair price over there
You nailed it ! Very important content! How absurd it is that our economy is based on infinite growth in a finite world of resources, the myth of progress with our plastic credit cards and deep debt. Something has to change! No wonder the aliens want nothing to do with us as we fight amongst ourselves!
Ahh an alien comment! Good!
County just increased our property evaluation on our home by over 47%. House and garage have never been more run down, barn is falling down. Farm behind us was just divided up, and sold high to grow houses. We have five kids and do not use the public school system. We home school. We had to drop health insurance because $300/week for the privilege of paying double or triple for a lot of our care just didn't add up. They already printed all my life's labor, and they are printing my children and grand children's labor all to fund some military contractors' political support. Endless war will kill us one way or another.
And the positives are??
@arboristBlairGlenn other than love your family and neighbors, I don't see one. People trust too much in government and do not respect the land or other people. I remember thinking in a geography class in college over 20 years ago that dumb growth was out of hand, but it looked like there were solutions. It is 100x worse now. My great uncle lived in Los Gatos. He was a retired naval captain, I think he worked out of Moffett field. He visited us in Central Kentucky in the early 80s and said our little modest ranch would easily bring $150k to $200k in his area. My parents still live there. They paid about $25k in '73. I remember thinking there couldn't be that much money in the world, but it is all catching up now. We paid $180k in 2016 for our home, thought it was a deal. Pillow had it at $345K a few years ago, but the county was kind enough to only tack on $85k, valuing us at $265k just 8 years later. I am certainly not making 47% more money, and neither are most of the people I know. Every single farm gets subdivided anymore, even the ones way out in the sticks. Even the farm that have prime crop land are growing houses now, or bourbon rickhouses around here.
I'm but 65 this year. This makes me legally able to retire & receive a Superannuation income which is just as well as my employer has given me notice in the month of my birthday by Disestablishing my Position! I have to agree with you are saying Blair as i am not in the USA but a little country down past Australia & i too am very aware of precisely the same stuff is happening here. Sure we had 6yrs of a mad stupid inept Socialist Government that spent so much Tax Payers money by racking up the national Debt without a care & gave the Country a massive problem with a broken Economy & massive Inflation. We voted in a different Govt but the damage is terrible. Meanwhile all i say to my friends is that we are all now living in the age of S T U P I D...!
Agreeeeeeeeeeeed!!!! Thanks for putting your thoughts out there.
One wheeler? I grew up riding a unicycle. Still do. Balance is a huge part of my lifestyle.
> here in the philippines hydroscopic additive petrol is ~$1.20 per litre (about 4 and 1/2 dollars a gallon); diesel is marginally less by about $.05 a litre. when i got here 16 years ago, gas was ~40Php /L, now its close to 70. even stranger is the very frequent 1-2Php /L increases/decreases...imagine an entire nations economy based these 'miniscule' fluctuations in the petroleum products they import.
Ruthless here. I retired at 50 and am 76 now. I was fortunate to have a very good job, and made some sound financial decisions early in my life. I could write a book on this subject, but not here.
You should write a book on your life. If for no other reason than for your kids and grandkids to know who you are (or were).
I’m working on mine. Send me an email to blairglenn@gmail.com and I will send you a pdf of where it is so far.
@@arboristBlairGlenn I'll be glad to take a look. I've had a lot of experience as an Editor as well.
@@CosmicStargoat 👍🏻
Blair, I bought my house in 1975 for $35,500 and now everything around me sells for over a million bucks! Ridiculous. I had to retire in 2001 and my wife died in 2004 so I've been on a fixed income for 23 years now and was doing OK right up to COVID times, since then I've had to tighten my belt as the old timers used to say but at 82 I guess I'm the old timer now. Even during the first year of the COVID I had a steak several times a week but I have not had a steak for a couple of years now due to the tripling of price and it's the same for many things that I used to take for granted. It doesn't matter who is in the White House nothing gets done about this problem and as it's a world wide problem nobody can do anything about it even if they wanted to and I'm pretty sure they don't want to. Bad times and heading towards worse. The amount of Stupidity in the world, especially the world's leaders is astounding. Their blind reckless endangerment of mankind is more or less crimes against humanity in my book but they don't consult me about who should be tossed in jail just for being a jerk and a danger to everyone. All these unhinged people with their finger on the trigger scares the crap out of me.
John, I always read your comments. I feel like you are a bit of a pen pal of sorts. Wife passed twenty years ago? So sorry. Hope you have kids or family to take up some of that empty time and space. I too have had serious losses of family and close friends. Today is my late daughter’s birthday. She would have been 47. Stay strong my friend. The real value in this life are the people we know and love.
@@arboristBlairGlenn No kids, just a sister with Alzheimer's who lives in an assisted living place nearby. I have one cousin up in Brownsville who did come down to help me out with surgery I had last July for a couple of days. Otherwise I'm alone and it's starting to be a problem. I need a new hip and two new knees but won't do them as I can't, or won't, go through the rehab alone, just can't do it. I had one knee worked on years ago and a shoulder too around the same time and I was glad I had help at the time getting to rehab and making me do the homework that I would shirk on my own. On top of the joints I have spine issues, Scoliosis and Spinal Stenosis with Radiculopathy (impinged nerves) and that's major pain that makes rehab between hard to impossible. I could deal with any one of these things if I did not have the others. Betty Davis said "Getting old ain't for sissies!" Boy did she get that right... You and I probably are the ones old enough to know who that even is!
John, you ain’t no sissy. No sir
I’m an EV driver for the last 5 years, and all my home power tools for tree care are ryobi 40v. Have you considered getting a ford f150 lightning with the larger battery pack as a work horse and having a set of 40v battery chargers in the frunk and the bed to cut down on gas need and therefore costs? The prices of these lightnings is at an all time low right now so I think it may be a good time to give it a try. You could charge chainsaws, blowers, everything in the truck all day and it’ll also transport everything. The only gas you’d need is chipper. Even if you had to replace 40v batteries every couple years I think you’d have savings. You can write off the packs too.
At my age, I’m not buying new equipment
fair enough! :D something to consider though for new businesses@@arboristBlairGlenn
one us gallon regular in Denmark is approx 7.45 usd. a glimpse of hope is perhaps that in small Denmark out of 2.8 mill cars we now have 200,000 electric cars and sale is rising. I quite agree to your point, though
What is burning to make electricity ?
In some states in USA, gas is over $6! Democrat politicians don't drill in the US, but buy gas from other countries - the ignorance and hypocrisy.
@@feez357 in Denmark? Presently wind turbines, solar panels, hay, wood chips, wood pellets, coal, gas and others. However, when we calculate the energy and resources required for producing an electric car, we still have some way to go.
Meanwhile the corporations are making more profits then ever….
True
here in Australia /Victoria I'm paying $2.28 per Litre of Diesel at the moment, its 3.78 Litre to a US gallon I believe
This is common in the world today. I you live in certain zip codes, you can’t afford to live there. I live in Rockland county, South Eastern New York. If I didn’t live in this house owned by my Am. Legion Post, I’m a caretaker, I would have to live elsewhere where cheaper. My mother’s house in 1960 cost $14,000! After leaving it to my younger sister and brother, who lost it due to non payment of taxes, and mortgage, it was torn down and the small lot it was on was priced at $400,000 !!!!
That is a very sad story to lose a house to taxes. More of the same.
Quite a mess. An adjustment is coming. Makes homesteading a viable option..but most folks would have to deal with such a radical shift in lifestyle that they could not go long before they would tap out. I think sadly that within the next few years we will witness the largest exodus…Not just state to state but out of America , that has ever occurred in US history. The world is all struggling, but out country’s status is one that could best be described as “unsustainable “. Just my thoughts
I believe that most of the world is in the same condition.
I agree with you sir. The world is at a tipping point!
And how soon do we fail?
Hello Blair,… played this video now a couple of times,… no reassuring words come to mind. As you know I live in the EU ( Netherlands) and the same worries you mentioned play here to, cost of living, house prises, polarization, extremism is spreading it seeds. I always hated politics, not the people but the power game. So for now I more or less surrender to doing good in my little wold, try living ‘clean’ be good to others and hope for the best….
Always a pleasure to read your comments Joop.
Thanks for saying this. My dad was a truck driver, and my mom a maid in a hotel. They were able to live a higher standard of living than my partner and I. She has a math degree, and I have a degree in computer science. The only reason we are able to own a home instead of renting is because of inheritance.
My father was also a truck driver and my mother was a teacher. Not a lot of gifts a Christmas but I never felt poor. Ate a LOT of rice!
We are now more connected than ever, because how cheap it is to send things by container ship. Makes it possible to Fish a Salmon in Alaska, Send it to be processed in China. Send it back and sell it in America. Any disruption to the global order would disrupt container ship traffic. So many interconnected pieces go into making products, often sourced from across the world. This has really increased our standard of living. But Having some farm land/food stores would be a good idea in case things get disrupted. Paper money $s are worth less because of massive printing. It's a form of taxation. It kills productivity, because eventually people will stop working as hard, because government takes so much of it.
And the problem grows and grows and “POP”. All breaks down.
You are exactly correct on what you say. The entire world is experiencing the same problems the USA is. People don’t want to admit what is soon to happen. I guess we will have to see for ourselves what that may be.
Hi Ed, yes, I think we are in trouble and most of the world is oblivious
In the town where I live starter, crappy houses where about 200k 4 years ago, in 2019. Now they're over 400k.
I'm 32- very quickly, things are getting out of reach. By the time I can afford a 400k house, how much will they cost?
I could kinda afford a 200k house now, ironically, for all the good it does me- I am making more money, but not twice as much, not even close.
I don't drive, as I haven't been able to stomach paying the companies that have destroyed the planet directly, and um, I can't afford to drive, at least not responsibly- I don't know why or how anyone can afford cars. You've gotta drive that truck for work of course, so that's not a comment on your lifestyle, just all the people I know in the city who drive 3 miles. How can they afford it?
Cars aren't that expensive. They can be, but they don't have to be. I like public transit, but it's not a realistic option for a lot of people. I looked into it for my previous job, my 20 minute commute would take about 1.5 hours, assuming everything was running smoothly.
I can agree with all you say except 2 things, population and electric vehicles. (I'll briefly explain: Population, Yes, we're over-populated in many areas, by design though. There's plenty of food for all 8 billion.
Electric Vehicles: Many issues! It is really only good for warmer environments, is not water friendly, expensive for repairs, environmentally bad to build these things, major fire risk, toxic fire when damaged/wrecked, etc.
I work in a higher-end dealership service center and deal with mostly new high-end vehicles. It's getting harder to find clients to even buy a few of the EVs we offer.
One guy just bought an all-electric Hummer from us, he flew from Florida to buy it here in Indiana!
Anyway, I see and drive lots of Hybrids too, this may be the way to go instead of all-electric?
Now these 'rich/wealthy' customers driving these monster SUV's/Trucks that should be on the farm or construction jobs not on our roads as a grocery getter, take the and pick up the kids vehicle. lol, Get's my Goat how some of these wealthy act towards the common, hard-working, taxed to death Americans!
~
Needless to say Blair, your video was on point as usual and brutally true & agreeable.
Someone else said it here about being a 'Tax Slave' and they're completely right. I preach about taxes daily I bet! lol
We work from Jan 1st to July 1st for FREE, it goes to the Gov.
~~
With the coming Solar Storms in the next 12+ hrs, we're in a for a wild ride I believe!
And, your words could be true! (About the 'correction' in our World.)
Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights will most likely be amazing and in places some have never seen!
This solar storm is very strong, it's 1, 2, 3, 4 punch!
BTW Thanks for all your knowledge and experience shared!
God Bless.
James
5/9/2024
I agree with you, with some caveats. The problem with feeding 8 billion people currently is that we have the resources but we don't use them efficiently. There is a lot of food waste and how the land is managed is mostly horrendous. Fertile natural ecosystems are bulldozed for use as agricultural land and when they become mismanaged to the point that all the top soil has disappeared they are either maintained by liberal application of water (which is stolen from the surrounding natural environment) and industrially produced fertilizers, or abandoned and left to become a desert. The problem with electric cars is one of greenwashing - a lot of the people who purchase EVs don't see the environmental sourcing of energy to power them as being their responsibility. If the handling of fossil fuels is out of sight, it's out of mind. I think despite the concerns of producing/recycling lithium batteries, EVs are a step in the right direction. Problem is they only solve one part of the problem being that they don't solve energy production and transportation of the energy into the vehicle's battery.
Where are you seeing the Northern lights?
@@arboristBlairGlennI haven’t seen them, but I’ve seen videos of the northern lights that people on Vancouver Island (on the west coast of Canada where I live) have taken. That is pretty far south for northern lights. 🇨🇦
A major problem is the decades of policy encouraging people to use their houses as their largest and frequently their only investment. If all of someone’s wealth is tied up in their house (and that’s true for lots of Americans, especially working and middle class white people), then they will worry about any policy or program that supports more affordable housing and thereby devalues their only significant asset. Then lots of older folks can’t live in their house and live off the investment they made in their house. We need an actual social safety net (like every other developed country in the world) that would let us address the nationwide housing crisis (a major driver of inflation) without bankrupting people who were told that their homes were the best investment for their futures.
Sadly,2008 was awake up call for a lot of folks just trying to get a start.
All This things will come to pass. Bible says Be Still.
Gas in England is £7.43p per gallon
I couldn’t agree more with what you said it is so scary
Keep it up, Glenn, your doing a great job👍
And yes, of course, I share your concern
I agree the world is in trouble, I fear for my kids future. I’ll leave what I can but I will probably die in my boots
We are in trouble
I am not ready or trust electric cars yet. They catch fire too easily. Prices for everything are out of control.
Gasoline engines also catch fire easy. Fuel leak on a hot manifold. Or an accident. Remember the Pinto?
@@arboristBlairGlenn never had a problem with my pinto . EV fires are so hard to put out compared to a gasoline fire.
We don't have the generating capacity or the distribution network to supply the EV cars appetite. To push EV in a state that has rolling blackouts and power outages is ludicrous.
Yes things have changed. We lived in a house that dad fixed, had a second hand car that my brother fixed, had three bedrooms for mum dad and we kids shared a room, and didnt think technology had all the answers. We built the roads and infrustructure and my parents had the children the country said it needed in australia. .Now i am called the ageing problem. I still work ,paid my taxes and never got a doller i didnt earn. Its really a simple problem. Too many oeople with each wanting too much. 25000 people starve to death every hour. We allow poverty because we think theres a chance we could be rich. I call it the lotto syndrome. We also dont learn the lessons of the forest. Most seeds will not survive. Most saplings will not mature. Most mature trees will fall. Only a veryfew will become vetrans.
Well sad about the forest. A mantra for life!
I don't live in the US, but my feelings are exactly the same as yours. And I too don't get why we are doing what we are doing. And I have no idea what I personally can do about it. It's hard to stay optimistic.
People (with actual power anyway) aren’t stupid, they are greedy. Heck everyone is greedy to a certain extent but folks like us don’t count as we don’t make policies. For instance, like you said, 8 billion people on the planet but yet we still subsidize childbirth. Why? So they can have more consumers? Middle America for instance slowed having kids just like nature will when times get tough. So what did those with real power do? The opened the border and looked the other way, why? In order to keep demand high and wages down. We are nothing but slave labor and the cash cow for those with power. Same as it’s always been I suppose. 😞
I grew up in Los Altos, c1968.....in 1972 dad's house was about $43,000. In 2022 it sold as a Lot, a bulldozed house, for $4.3 Million....$4,300,000. Plus the cost of building the new house. My next door neighbor paid $42K in 1968 and he died 2 yrs ago, He never painted it, it was always stucco pink with crank out windows....His girlfriend got the house so I assme she'll sell it for $4.3 Million, too. 1/3acre.
I grew up in San Jose and moved out because I couldn't afford it.
I get like this sometimes. I'm in my 40s and have young kids (6, 6, and 9). I dread the sorts of things that I think they're going to have to face in their lifetimes. But maybe the worst of it will be over by the time I'm dead.
6 and 6? Twins? WOW! That sounds hard! Hats off to ya mate!
I'm with you.Yet we still manage. Agree that we worry about the younger generation but they are modern and pretty smart.
I think it’s because you said enough. I like to hear the point of view of some “old boys”. Thanks for sharing your opinion Blair even tho its sad reality
U.S. “old boys” have lived it and know it
@@arboristBlairGlenn and thats why i like your channel so much👍 thanks for STILL being there. Some of us appreciate it
I agree with most of your observations, and I'm sorry to hear that retirement isn't an option for you. I fear the same will be true for me when I reach that age. Forgoing retirement should be a choice, not a necessity, in a healthy society.
That said, I disagree on two points. First of all, money is not a finite resource. The US operates on a fiat currency, as do most countries that issue debt in their own currency, and has done so since I believe the late 60's. That means our currency is no longer based on the gold standard. When congress votes on the budget, they're literally deciding how much money we have. The final amount gets typed into a computer. That's it. We have to be responsible, to avoid hyperinflation, but it's literally impossible to run out of money, and a moderate stay amount of inflation is perfectly fine.
Second of all, the earth's population is not an issue, either. Our planet can still support a steadily-growing population for centuries, in terms of resources and space. The theory of overpopulation was debunked long ago. The issue is our consumption of resources, as you mentioned, and the vast inefficiencies and waste in our food production systems. If these issues are remedied, along with stopping climate change, we can solve world hunger and thrive on this planet for a long, long time.
Sadly greed has much to do with the prices of anything, food, fuel …… like you I am fearful of our futures
I'm 39. I can't afford a home, I can't afford a chipper or a box to chip in. We're dieing out here .
Where are you located
@@facelesspsycho8252 boise idaho
People need to start growing more of their own food if they have the means. Plant more fruit trees and vegetables like sweet potato and pumpkin.
Agreed that we should all grow more. If only to keep kids in touch with the reality of where food comes from, but for me it won’t be sweet potato or pumpkin…Yuk.
love my sweet potato, pumpkin not soo much but its easy to grow and propagate
@@caroleast9636
i agree with you blair, the world is going mad!. if you still enjoy your work then keep working! there no need to retire, i dont think i ever will. love the videos there is a fantastic mellowness to them
Thanks Pete, sorry about the rant.
the rant was good, people need to know these things, its good to have bit of a rant occasionally 🤣
I highly doubt there is enough Cobalt on the planet for all these electric vicheles that is not a solution.
Unless a new battery is developed. Not that long ago, lithium battles were not a thing. I say, “Never say never”
The tech industry where you live produces an astronomical amount of revenue that drives local prices for housing.
That's a factor but there is a flow on effect that is observed everywhere, from the silicon valleys all the way down to the slummy areas of 1st world countries.
Housing is going up everywhere. There are only so many places to live, and with population growing exponentially, it's only a matter of time before we're all fighting over scraps.
You are telling like it is BG. Continue speaking about reality. You are a good man.
Thanks Joe. I generally just talk about trees
Blair, What are your Property Taxes? Here is Maryland, they are increasing Fast, yearly.
My property taxes are low because I have owned my home for a long time. Bought it for 270 k and never upgraded with permits to raise the value. Up to about 8 k a year. Fire ins just was canceled by Farmers for fire zone
I grew up in Half Moon Bay, CA. Paradise as far as I was concerned. But when I had kids I knew I had to leave. So 24 years ago I packed and moved to Texas. Best financial decision I ever made. So unless your kids or grandkids make “Google” money, they need to leave CA asap!
Everything is relative Norbert. Texas has its problems too. Quality of life is the most important thing for me. I love so much about this state. The beautiful coast. The high Sierra’s, the beautiful parklands and open space. And then there are the REDWOODS! Yes, we have some amazing trees here. I have been to Texas. Sorry, you can have it.😬
@@arboristBlairGlennI've visited Texas several times in different areas. I liked it more than I thought I would, but I would still prefer to live in most places in CA. (Central Valley and LA are two notable exceptions)
10lbs potatoes was $1 not long ago. Today its near $10. That's a 10x or 1000% increase.
Is it by misstake or by design that things are like they are now? I think its the later...
As in the rich planned it this way?
We're just cattle to the people running the show.
Mike Montagne 'got it' at the young age of 16, and went on to solve it in but a day, virtually without cost and with immediate effect. His solution mathematically perfected economy (MPE for short) lays out the root cause and with gratitude, the solution too, but sadly, it's largely been ignored for many many years. That said, the lack of exposure of his thesis certainly doesn't escape his simple mathematical fact/s therein, that money MUST be an immutable representation of entitlement. Not an artifically inflated economic model. As he predicted, a circulation subject to interest will ultimately result in terminal failure, regardless of each political sticking plaster applied, the system we all collectively choose to use has us consuming each other in the process whilst in the meantime we temporally extend monetary failure until its inevitable end.
Usuary: we're being used!
True
My arborist retired from production work and now is a consulting arborist. So he doesn’t have to spend on equipment and obviously it’s safer work. He bills $200/hr in a much lower cost area than yours.
200 an hour? Wow
In Germany the average price for gasoline is around 1.80€ to 2€ ($1.94 to $2.15) per litre. Per gallon it would be $7.32 to $8.14 (these numbers may be incorrect as my math is not the best). Diesel is a bit cheaper but also more expensive than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
And it will get much higher
Thanks for doing the math. I was wondering the same thing...
Gas prices aren't like that in every state. A gallon of gas is only around $3 per gallon. California gas has always been more expensive, taxes, delivery fees, a special California blend and a cap and trade program....those are issues making it cost so much. Average price of gas is less than $4 a gallon at $3.70 ish. The problems with California gas have been from the states congress. It goes back to the 60s cleaning up air pollution from cars. California has the cleanest gas and cleanest cars, honestly what's the point, other states have just as good air quality with less less rules laws. Catalytic converters solved a lot of the problem as they got better so why the need for special gas or cap and trade.
$1.66 a litre in Toronto. We're screwed. But I've known it for a long time. My Uncle, Stephen Piotrowicz was a director of NOAA and head of Oceans US. He gave me the picture in 1989 and said we had until 2012 to stop it. We didn't. The last time I talked to him before he died, he said technology was the only hope now. If there's reincarnation, I don't want to come back.
I think a lot of people are just realizing now that we can't just "technology" our way out of the worlds problems like previously thought. Battery technology is good compared to 20 years ago, but not good enough. It's a bit of a moving yard stick as incremental improvements in technology create justification for people consuming more. Green washing is rampant with companies giving consumers the impression that they have done their bit by reducing their consumption by a few % if at all. People are going to have to change their ways and most people aren't willing.
I was 16 behind ya ! And still loving tree work no plan to retire sad comment from someone who is suffering from lack of knowledge.
Hi Joe. Your name on the comment keeps changing?
Gas in sweden, denmark and norway is around $8 a gallon.
Problems usually grow worse until the problems touch people personally and can't be ignored any longer. Then people finally address them. Meanwhile, people like you -- who recognize the problems -- are very frustrated and pessimistic.
Your fears in US are mostly economic and I get it but in Europe, next to Russia the fears are at the most basic level, your family and your life. The world is collapsing in the future, for sure. It just takes time, we have no bright future ahead and AI is not going to solve it, maybe even making it worse. US has important role in geopolitical chess and I hope it stays that way, the power lines in this world have to be there. I wouldnt worry about the debt, it will always stay there as it has always been. Great video by the way, most americans I speak, they don't talk about problems, seems kind of shallow.
I agree.
But what is next?
Thank you for replying, I don’t know what’s next, but I do need some advice on a tree issue. The tree in question is a 17 year old rowan tree. It was grown from a cutting. It lives in a flexi-tub basket with holes in the bottom (for drainage) since it was repotted in 2020. It’s about 3 meters tall. It’s been healthy most years, but this year, the growth has been much smaller (stunted I think) It’s in full flour, but its leaves are much smaller this year. It has sort of wrinkled branches and many of the buds that should’ve grown seem to have failed. Thank you again.
Currency was always meant to fail. National debt isn't that much of a problem - most of that debt is more or less to itself anyway.
Rising national debt (within limits) is even necessary for an economy to work - it's essentially the money that's in the system.
The part that makes an eventual collapse inevitable, is the fact that inflation is also a necessary part of an economy.
A ~2% rate of inflation discourages people from hoarding too much money and encourages spending - meaning the economy stays propped up.
However, inflation also means that eventually workers compensation has to be adjusted. That in turn means the company has to raise prices by an even higher percentage, than what their workers wages have been adapted by, to keep their margins. Though they also have to weigh this, against what people are willing to pay for their product.
No idea how or when this all is gonna end, but end it must.
I see the national debt as unsustainable and imagine if you live on credit cards you can’t pay off?
@@arboristBlairGlenn that's not quite a correct analogy. Every dollar that has ever been printed, has been issued by the federal reserve and that money is loaned to the government. It's essentially the money that's in circulation.
Without government spending, you have have no country. More spending -> more debt -> more money in circulation -> inflation -> wages go up -> taxes return more money to the government
If you take on more debt, you just pay that and interest off, by taking on more new debt. This is fine as long as an economy grows faster than what the rate of interest is and that rate stays low, as long as a country is relieable to pay back it's debt (which the u.s. currently is).
Problem is, the u.s. is amassing too much debt too fast and this can spiral out of control. The dollar has special international status and for people to lose faith in the currency would have unpredictable consequences.
Check out the song "There is Only So Much Oil in The Ground" by the group Tower of Power...from 1975!!!
I concur. I've been studying climate-related issues for 3 decades and I'm frightened - for my children, and millions in more vulnerable places than where you and I live. But, like you Blair, I'm in the latter section of my life and I'm cool with that - I won't be around to see the worst of what's likely to happen. I've taken the threat very seriously - in 2008 I entered the Oxfam Carbon Footprint competition and won it with the lowest in the UK - well, from about 100 entrants. It was just under a twelfth of the UK average. But what has this achieved? Nothing, really - just a bit of 'fame' for me, but in the bigger picture, it was irrelevant. Our civilisation is heading to collapse.
Hey John, I watched one of your interviews on your channel. Just wanted to thank you for your efforts in your community, I don't think it's irrelevant, though I understand the feeling.
Thank you @@jonathonalsop2120 , I appreciate this comment. Whether my efforts are irrelevant or not depends on the perspective. It is true I've had a big impact on the lives of individuals and local communities, groups, etc - and this is great. But looking at it from a global perspective, it's 'pissing in the wind', or a drop of that liquid in an ocean. Tiny, insignificant, unimportant. And, as my AIM was (back in the 89s/90s) was to 'change the world for the better', this is why I consider myself a failure - on THAT level. As a parent, lover, volunteer, innovator and entertainer, I've done OK! This is why I'm not depressed.
You are like my grandma :-D You should worry less, don't think too much :-) Money will be there, we won't.
Regarding gas prices - from European perspective - you have still very cheap gas in US. But also very hungry cars. Maybe you will be forced to buy small european (I mean Japanese) cars with 80-100 mpg in the future. I think electric cars with huge li-ion batteries are dead end though. Hydrogen seems more promissing. To be more precise - in Czech repablic gas prices (gasoline and diesel are almost the same now) fluctuates around 40 CZK/1 litre. This means 6.55 USD/1 gallon. And average monthly salary in Czech Republic is around 44000 CZK which is 1902 USD.
We aren't meant to get it we are being sold off in pieces. Money is our destruction. Those who worship money are causing this.
I need enough but not so much
i agree with the title
Birthed 1953 also. Why, what does that even mean? Im going to have to start housing relatives and friends just so they arent on the street. How far can a two bedroom rambler take that?
We do what we need to do. Not everyone has been as fortunate and some folks just had bad luck. I have a 72 year old friend who was hit by a truck in a crosswalk! Her life will never be the same. Shit happens?
The correction is what it has always been war and violence. The only difference this time is warfare is so advanced that it will spiral out of control and probably end it all. I'd say, it is not in our control, live your life out in a way most helpful to you and yours.
I enjoy my life but am angered by the sheer stupidity of people. One world is the planet we live on. Everything is connected. The poison air from China comes here. The radiation from Japan kills our ocean too. I can go on
I like to judge the national debt as percentage of GDP. For the USA it's currently at 125%. That means you would have to work 16 months to pay your share of the national debt. It's honestly not that bad, but it has gotten much worse since the pandemic and it is only sustainable as long as the US economy keeps growing at least at the same rate the interest on the debt is growing. Unlike people, governments don't die, so debt can be put off indefinitely as long as there is growth.
Regarding the population of the world, if you look 100 years into the future, we're looking at a population collapse. Most countries in the world are starting to have inverted population pyramids. In 30 years, most of Europe will have 1 working person paying taxes for 4 retired people. Retirement is going to be a foreign concept soon enough. My advice for young people is have children, because that will be your retirement. I know that's a pretty bad reason to have children, but throughout most of human history that was one of the main reasons to have kids. The huge rise in population we've seen recently will stop as those countries become richer, because richer countries, for whatever reason, have less kids and later. Many people think this is not a good world to bring kids into, but I don't think life is about pleasure, but about purpose. If you want a life of purpose, there is great opportunity these days.
So I'm not that pessimistic in terms of population and economics. What really worries me is climate change and its consequences, chiefly another pandemic. Humanity has never faced anything like climate change. Our success will come down to our maturity and empathy as a species. With our technology there is no reason we can't give everyone a decent life and care during illness and fix climate change. It can be done, but as always our greed, desire for power, vengeance, etc. get in the way.
As regards your retirement, I ain't gonna lie it's looking pretty grim. If you had a desk job I'd tell you to keep going just do less of it, but old age and chainsaws don't mix. If I were in your position I'd look into moving into building a few treehouses then renting them out on airBNB. If I am totally honest with you, the risk of a forest fire wiping you out 100% where you currently live is not a risk you should take as you grow old. The economically sensible choice is to sell, downsize to somewhere cheaper and less prone to natural disasters and invest the rest of the money in whatever a financial adviser recommends, like perhaps an s&P500 index fund. But I have watched your videos long enough to know that selling your beautiful house in the mountains and moving into some urban or suburban location is a fate worse than death. In fact, if I were you I'd risk it for the biscuit and stay there, but I'm a bit reckless myself. If it burnt down, I'd plant a bamboo forest up there and rent out some yurts as a yoga retreat.
In the future, I see people coming together in some sort of communes where young and old people live and help each other out. So many people really want this deep down but can't allow themselves to admit it. What we really want for retirement is not money but a community that cares for us when we are too weak to care for ourselves. Otherwise, there will be so many old people that even if you have money you won't be able to get care because there will be so few young people around. We'll probably have old people laying in a tub of slime that gets pumped out and replaced every other day as a toilet and shower replacement while the person has an implant that directly stimulates the visual nerve as a replacement for VR goggles. You'd work all your life then retire into a slime tub on a cruise ship. When you die they just automatically dump you overboard as fish feed. As grim as that sounds, it's way better than what goes on in many old people's homes today.
I see these 25 year olds driving brand new trucks and living in nice homes makes one wonder how that payment is being made.The Saudis just dropped the petro dollar so it wont be long.
Life as we know it will change soon.
I always used the analogy of a fish bowl for whats happening. Proud people keep cranking out more people. Like taking a fish bowl. Keep adding fish but only put the same amount of food in the bowl
Having common sense makes you realize how many people lack it
here in uk diesel is £1.53 litre (x4.55 for gallon price) and petrol is about £1.40 litre
Converting pounds to dollars and liters to cost per gallon? How much?
@@arboristBlairGlenn Diesel is $1.91 per litre, which makes it $7.23 per gallon (if my math is correct though I doubt it is).
The U.S. gallon is only 3.8 litres , 4.55 is the imperial gallon .
Have no fear You need to know Jesus ! Sir !
Lost my faith when my daughter died at a young age. Too many “God took her home” comments. Burned in
My soul hard to lose a child.
We are doomed.
Around $8-9 a gallon in ireland 😢
It’s coming here too
I am from Greece (Europe) and you are at my father's age exactly. Everybody with common sense feels the same.
Correction. You couldn't be more right.
And the ecosystems, climate, society, economics are on crisis
Well affordability is all about the cost of living. And as you point out, you are living in one of the most expensive places. If you sell your home and move to a place where homes cost much less, you will be way better off. Sell that house while the value is high. And find a place where you can purchase a house for 25% of the value of your current home.
And lose so much in capitol gains?
@@arboristBlairGlenn one time exemption is available
Hope yall prepared for the impending doom. It's coming, politics aside.
So many ways to think about this statement.
@@arboristBlairGlenn With what's going on with Russia and Ukraine, and also China and Taiwan. Then you've got to also consider throwing North Korea in the mix. It's only a matter of time before we're dragged in. Then people in America are so divided that they want to throw fists at the first disagreement. The politicians have relaxed the laws and repercussions for violent crimes and criminals. The stock market is going to eventually crash, and put us in another recession. And the whole thing with the money you said. I didn't know that, and it's crazy to think about. It just seems the world is going to hell in a hand basket. And we keep on gift wrapping it. It's scary to think about the possible future.
@@arboristBlairGlenn I typed up a long well thought out comment and posted it. And it appears youtube made it disappear. 🤦♂️ So much for freedom of speech these days.
@@alotl1kevegas860 I did not remove any comment from this feed
If it went away, it was not me that did it
as my grandma said: "Life is hard and then you die"
Can escape that one