If the internet went down...

What Would Happen If The Internet Went Down

If you want to find out what would happen if the internet went down, at least temporarily, try this and and see what happens in your household… Pull the plug on your internet router. How long will it take before there are inconveniences or upset people in the house – especially the younger ones!

Okay, okay, I know that some of you wouldn’t be affected much at all, except for the ability to read Modern Survival Blog :=)

All of us have experienced short-term outages of our internet service. It happens. It can be inconvenient. However, can you imagine if the internet went down for longer?

Although the internet is designed such that a broken route should find another way to its destination (thus the term, ‘web’), we have all heard of cyber-attacks… These can potentially bring down portions thereof. Wreaking havoc. Sometimes it’s interesting to look at downdetector.com (no affiliation) which shows Real-time problem & outage monitoring of major sites on the internet.

This morning for example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is experiencing yet another round of issues, just a few weeks after service interruptions crippled internet services. AWS provides cloud computing services to government entities, universities and companies. AWS has become quite integral to the functionality of MANY essential online services spanning all across the spectrum. When they go down, lots and lots of others go down too. I call it a systemic risk.

The above is just one example. There are many others. It is not beyond the realm of thought and possibilities to consider “what if” big chunks of the internet went down for longer than just a few hours or more.

What Happens When The Internet Goes Down?

Social Media Withdrawal Symptoms

Could people survive without their Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, Instagram, TikTok, and all the other social media platforms that exist today? How long until they go into withdrawal symptoms without their constant social ‘connectivity’? OMG, the horror! The gnashing of teeth, the wailing, flailing, and screaming… Give me back My Precious! My Internet!

While this may sound comical, it’s likely close to the truth. But I’m not just talking about social media platforms.

Commerce Grinds To A Halt

Commerce. More importantly, what about our infrastructure of commerce? Without the internet, most all commerce would cease. Other than cash businesses, store transactions would come to a screeching halt, since most require networking with the corporate ‘mother ship’. And that’s just one example.

People pay with their bank cards. These transactions require the internet. What if those systems went down or disrupted? So much of our infrastructure is connected with the internet that the world as we know it would be terribly affected without it. All of the automated systems that work behind the scenes to keep the gears turning.

And to think that we survived without the internet up until just a few decades ago! It’s amazing when you really think about it.

Side note: Did Al Gore really invent the internet?

Seriously, it would be disastrous (nearly close to a power-grid down) if the internet went down.

The Internet Is Resilient, But…

The design of the internet itself is set up for redundancy and resilience. However, there are MAJOR network choke points where most traffic comes and goes. Again, designed with backup contingency network routing, the internet backbone is run by a handful of corporations.

In the early days of the internet, backbone providers exchanged their traffic at government-sponsored network access points (NAPs), until the government privatized the Internet, and transferred the NAPs to commercial providers.

Today’s modern internet backbone… The largest long-distance voice carriers such as AT&T Inc., MCI (acquired in 2006 by Verizon), Sprint, and CenturyLink also own some of the largest Internet backbone networks. These backbone providers sell their services to Internet service providers (ISPs).

Side note: You do know that the government NSA intercepts all traffic, right? .gov would not freely give up their internet without a big time ROI, right?

The Systemic Risk of the Internet

Systemic risk is risk that affects an entire system.

The Internet is itself a system, but it is also a dependency or systemic risk of bigger systems. We depend on the Internet. ‘We’, meaning, most of us. We as individuals depend on it, business depends on it, it is an integral part of our modern way of life.

Stock markets, world finance, and all banking depends upon the instantaneous ‘money’ transfer pipeline to settle transactions. If this ‘light speed’ ability of commerce transaction were to go down…

Communications depend on it. While you as an individual could survive without the ability to text message your friends, the dependency upon instant communications for business is critical. Most all modern communications methods touch the internet in some way. All of our phone (and cell phone) systems need the internet in one way or another.

Supply chains of distribution depend on the various connections of feedback for supply and demand. Today’s ‘just-in-time’ inventory works because of the internet. It enables fast and real-time communications and data interchange to keep the manufacturers aligned with the demand of the distributors and retailers. Without the instant feedback loop, the ‘just-in-time’ system would crash.

The unfathomable depth and volume of the internet as a resource is staggering compared to only a few decades ago. The ability to have access to this resource has revolutionized the way we think, the way we do business, and the way we live. We are dependent on it. This makes it a systemic risk to our modern way of life.

Most of us living in the modern world rely on the internet backbone to survive, whether we realize it or not. Just about everything we do or buy depends on internet connectivity to somewhere.

Remember Before the Internet?

I remember the days of my youth. No internet. Everything was different back then. There were “cash registers” at checkout. No one (hardly anyone) had a credit card back then. There was no email. We sent letters instead. We had to use a device called the telephone. It hung on the wall. We had to remember phone numbers. We spoke face-to-face with people too. And we had to play outside! We ran the streets with friends. Rode our bikes. There were no video games. We played board games, or cards. Humans were forced to interact with each other in the real world. The Metaverse and alternate realities hadn’t been thought up yet… We didn’t have Google. Instead we went to the library. We had Encyclopedias. We couldn’t stream music. Instead we bought records. Then cassette tapes, then CD’s… We read books. There was this thing called a typewriter. I used to wear a ‘beeper’ for my job. There were ‘payphones’. We used paper maps to navigate.

Oh my, how did we survive!

We are living in a different world now. Today, whether you like it or not, we need the internet.

Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath
(amzn)

[ Read: Is Civilization Just A Thin Veneer Between Civility And Civil Breakdown? ]

65 Comments

    1. Papa J,
      I think this is a BIG deal – and the article telegraphs what their simulated “solutions” are: bank holiday (meaning ALL banking activity stops for an unknown period) and decoupling from major world currencies. What better opportunity to usher out the existing world currencies and usher in a new (and undoubtedly “safer”) form of electronic currency such as the central bank digital currencies “they” have been working on for a while now?

      Ken has warned us all many times about how little time it would take for society to unravel if suddenly everyone’s credit/debit cards stopped working, and the ATM’s were all closed. It would be beyond ugly.

  1. I vaguely remember my first pc, tandy that I upgraded to 100mhz back when I was.. 19 or 20.
    I paid nearly $800 for that pos, I think that was 1993.
    Five years earlier computers were still not popular but growing fast.

    I think this country needs to be removed from the screen, from the monitor it’s removed over 1/4 the population from life.
    They have devolved into reactionary useless violent garbage.

    Not long ago My life was threatened, then he said he’d kill my entirely family because some sob didn’t like who I was talking to on the net.
    The police? na they blew it off as “it happens” it’s the net.

    All of the positives are minimized by all of the negatives, the violence, cyber threats.. violent gatherings thanks to twitter and farcebook.

    The economy would die fast, likely a monetary crash that would devolve into worse things.

      1. Yep 8 megabytes of ram is what I started with, I upgraded from 2 4mb ram sticks to 2 8mb ram sticks- I just checked, yes I still have it and I included an overpriced processor that upgraded it to 100mhz
        Those 8mb ram sticks cost me $40 each in the early 90’s
        Dial up is still intact, I haven’t plugged the thing in in over two decades.

        I don’t have a crt monitor but the hd might be readable.
        It has windows 3.1 on it.

        Kinda pathetic how dependent I have become on computers.
        My main entertainment.
        main place I read
        main learning
        shopping..
        information store.
        place I talk to people
        place I meet people.
        have traded things.
        given things away-craigslist.

        I would be lost for a time if it stopped working but I’d get over it, plenty to keep me occupied here.

  2. I envision the younger people who have grown up with the phone attached at the hip/brain to spontaneously combust.

  3. Society’s dependence on telecommunications today would have been unimaginable from my vantage point in 1982 (or before). That’s when I got my first personal computer: A Commodore 64. With basic peripherals almost equally unimaginable today as adequate, that little device cost us nearly $3,500 in 2021 dollars. Dependence on Internet Protocol (IP) communications, which extends well beyond The Internet, proper, has grown many, many, many times that inflationary multiple.

    In considering vulnerabilities, consider the Nashville AT&T central office (CO) bombing two years ago this week. It was surprisingly targeted and effective. The site wasn’t just any CO; it was a regional (SE U.S.) interconnection point between multiple long-haul and cellular carriers, as well as a hosting/compute center. Its loss rippled back and forth across U.S. telecomm infrastructure more than we will know.

    The impacts of that “lone wolf” attack point out the snowball effect that grows with increasing information and communications technology complexity. Seems like the question is not “if” an accidental or purposeful series of events will take down banking, commerce, industrial control systems, etc. nationwide, but when.

  4. Did an experiment/’paper’ once back when I was doing advanced computer class about 10 years ago.
    The idea/assignment was to “completely disconnect from the ‘Net’ and computers”, and list/document exactly everything one does that’s connected in some manor to the ‘Net’
    The paper assignment was to be emailed or delivered in person to the instructor.
    After about 7 computer typed pages or so and a few dozen hours doing research I stopped.

    Duhhhhhh.

    It was a mock assignment given by the instructor to see who could figure out the goal was not to do the research and write the paper, but to try and actually disconnect from the ‘Net’.
    Realizing that even a challenge to “disconnect and document” from the ‘Net was done on the ‘Net’/computer.

    I handed in a single ‘hand-written’ page with;
    “Can’t be done” and my name.
    Got an “A” on the Paper…. HAHAHA, good lesson.

  5. Funny, we were just talking about this. I have actually decided to curtail internet use on my own now. I’ve been wasting too much time these days on the computer, although I’ve learned so much from the sites I visit. We’ve been totally off all social media for quite awhile now; over two years at least. And only one of all our children even use social media. The others do not because of the types of jobs they have (not wise). Ken, this site I truly would miss a LOT….you all (the MSB family) have kept me going when so many others have tried to discourage and even ruin all I do on this homestead. I pretty much do it all myself. Which sounds terrible, but hey, I get to make all the decisions in my favor! And down 40 lbs since moving here, lol. Also, mentioned to some extended family members this fall that they are totally ADDICTED to their phones and really need to do something about it. It’s bad….like every 3 minutes they are on it.

    Well, time will tell about everything. I wouldn’t put it past our enemies to take down not only the internet but banking as well. Prepare wisely, folks.

    And have a Merry and blessed Christmas. May the New Year be brighter for us all.

    1. DJ5280,
      I like your attitude! You get to make all the decisions in your favor (hahaha). Homesteading is hard work, depending on the extent that you take it…

      1. Ken, I wisely started small: Small garden, simple skills to learn, etc. Then each year added a bit more. More the next year. Grew and grew as my skills and knowledge grew. At some point we left the McMansion neighborhoods with their covenants and all and made the move to the homestead. Yeah!! As NRP always wisely says; “Living the Lifestyle!” Wouldn’t change it for the world!

        1. DJ5280;
          There is a point where it truely does become a “Lifestyle” and not just doing stuff.
          Quite a few (lot) of the folks here on MSB really do “Live the Lifestyle” and not just brag about things.
          Kinda feels right.
          Now if I can get Ole Blue to help with the Canning….. HAHAHA

        2. Or just clean the kitchen when you’re done canning! Lol

  6. Old Encyclopedias would be worth a fortune! Older (mostly) reference books as well. Mostly use the internet to read sites like MSB and a few others. No real critical use. Email has become a giant marketing tool so mostly not useful except in a few very specific cases. In general no great impact for me.

    It is useful for a quick look up and such.

  7. When ya can no longer make a phone call, suddenly it’s all very REAL.

  8. If the Internet went down. (or should I say “when it goes down”), it will be disaster for everyday commerce, markets, stores, etc. Financial markets will be hit, some, but after 9-11, Wall Street took great steps to ensure that stock exchanges and banking had robust systems with multiple backups.Gitta protect that money! LOL.
    Personally, when the Internet goes down, I’ll probably laugh myself silly. Grab an adult beverage and popcorn and watch the show. Mankind has always been in a quest to make “infallible” systems, but they always start with the most “fallible”common denominator – man himself. When it goes down I’ll just start reading my library of science, engineering, and “how to” books out in the barn. That ought to take me the rest of my life, and part of the lives of my grandkids who will inherit those tomes.

  9. Where I worked we had an ‘old time’ credit card swiper to use when the card company might be ‘off.’ Some customers did not know what it was. Yeah the old days of actually writing down the purchase and having people sign the copies.

  10. IMO,
    Personally I don’t anticipate the internet going down in totality.
    Local, or regional yes, in order to isolate certain demographics for political reasons.
    For those locations it will be disastrous for many reasons of course.
    Perhaps someone could teach a college course on “ How to Survive Without the Internet “.

  11. Also anticipating the areas of finance, communications, and transportation to be affected, as those were the areas commandeered by the Bolsheviks during the revolution

  12. As a ‘social’ aspect, I couldn’t give one phart, if the net went down.
    (well, OK..
    Then there’s MSB and alt news sources)
    The otherhalf?…well, then she’d be stuck with just me. So she’d go absolutely nuts.

    But, yeah, everything we do, purchase, employment, monetary aspects are all tied to the net.
    I got my first computer when I started my late age years of college.
    I never wanted to put my fist thru an inanimate object, so many times since…. this ‘invention’

    Where are the simpler times of the yesteryear’s?

    1. Joe C,
      “ where are the simpler times of the yesteryears?”
      You might say that they’re history.
      Or, one might find them on Dennis’ mountain 🏔

  13. How about all those folks that work from home via the internet, like my DH? That would definitely put a wrench in the works.

  14. I’ve been real nostalgic lately thinking back to my fun youth. Watching a Lynard Skynard Video from 1977 just 3 months before the crash and it was surreal thinking how simple things were back then. SO much fun. I personally would love to go back to those days and I just might soon. I think it would be awesome to just enjoy life.

    1. I agree 110% Homer E,

      Have been in the same space, life has gotten to be too much of a rat race, people just rude, employers just users and trying to pin their ineptitude on the workers, everyone glued to their phones and instigram or some other garbage,

      You are not alone in just wanting to enjoy life.

      Maybe its time

  15. Many work sites/equipment use the internet to “communicate” to both people and other machines. So it’s not only financial and transportation. Probably utilities as well. An internet cable was cut in the region right before a 3 day weekend. Bank cards and atm’s wouldn’t work. Learned to always have some cash on hand. Just like knowing how to work around the garage door opener during a power outage, will you need to know or can you work around all your “internet of things” devices at home. Will you be able to get in your house? Do you even keep a key handy? I bet many non-MSBers would be in a world of hurt.

    1. You can buy tape measures, levels, drills, etc, that will all talk to each other.

      1. It’s funny, actually, sad, how most of us long for the simplicity of life…things that be the ‘use ta was’.

        Not wanting, waiting for the next new gadget.
        After all, maybe that’s what distinguishes US from THEM.
        Bring us back to more simplicity, not more havoc.

  16. I may get rocks for this but where’s the problem ? Yea I’m old school with a extensive library I keep track of the kids but could do that through the post office once they go back to real work lol , this and a couple of other sites would be the only things I’d miss but I could adapt

    1. trapper dave,
      Not giving you a hard time… but not having Internet runs a heck of a lot deeper than not being able to access info online and going back to more snail mail to communicate. Practically every industry relies on the Internet now (as NRP posted and Ken’s article details).

      A few examples – moving food supplies from manufacturing to distribution to individual stores is all online now – how long would it take to get them back to pens and clipboards to figure out what goes when and when? And what about fuel for those trucks, and all of our cars? And the money to pay for all of it without banks, ATM’s, credit card processing and such.

      I’m betting a lot of utilities would have serious issues with long-term Internet outages. And all those doctors, hospitals and pharmacies that can no longer verify insurance, electronic Rx’s and order supplies and meds… Yes, they can go back to paper Rx pads, but would the pharmacies even have inventory to fill these orders? Would they do it without verifying your insurance coverage? Even my dentist makes his crowns in-house with 3-D imaging equipment that connects to some sort of online software.

      And what about all the people on social security – how long would it take to get back to paper checks for everyone? And verifying Medicare benefits? And VA care? And disability payments? And all those welfare and EBT card recipients… how long before people freak out because their government money flows stops?

      I can’t think of a single thing I’ve bought, or a service I’ve used in the last month that doesn’t have at least some tie to Internet communication except my local produce stand… and without fuel for their trucks and equipment, I’m not sure how productive they would be, either. It is amazing and scary how dependent we’ve all become on the Internet, whether directly or indirectly.

      1. So Cal Gal, My local green grocers do their ordering from farmers and wholesalers using the internet and pay with e-banking. They also take debit, credit, and EBT payments, and submit their quarterly taxes via internet. The state’s business regulators send out updates and reminders on-line. About the only thing they do by hand is stack the produce and create the cardboard price signage.

  17. The resulting violence, from the 40 million on food stamps and direct deposit welfare, would be ignited within hours.

    1. hermit,
      at least the tax payer funded parasite population would be greatly reduced in a couple of weeks.

    2. hermit us,
      not sure about hours, possibly. but in a week or so after the gravy train runs out of gas, things could get dicey.
      some people on food stamps and direct deposit welfare truly need help, and that is what it’s there for, but the majority are just freeloaders just playing the system living their whole lives on a couch on the front porch.
      we all have seen them and may know some. they live hand to mouth just waiting for the mailman to deliver the check every month that the taxpayers ( you know, the people who go to work everyday ) have sent them.
      it would get real ugly real fast in larger cities when they start to go hungry.
      40 million, that’s a lot of desperate people.
      it’s something to think about and plan for.
      take care

      1. Depends on how many people are trying to get groceries when it goes down. I can’t remember the location, but a few years ago the system went down and the stores were unable to charge the EBT cards. It took only a few minutes before the stores were besieged by people just filling up carts and pushing them out the door with no attempt at payment.

        At another one, similar situation. The company was temporarily unable to accept credit cards for payment, which meant no EBT either. People started making calls and the store got trashed.

        I expect it will be hours. Even worse if it happens the day the EBT cards get loaded and people rush out to spend the money.

  18. We’re out in the boonies much of the year, well beyond cellphone/internet service. Even beyond T.V. reception.
    We’re on a fixed income and have been tightening our collective belts. Have a 3G prepaid flip phone. and a prepaid old 3G I phone for e mail and as a mobile hotspot. Since these phones sit idle much of the year, and we will have to replace these with 4G soon, we’re only going to replace the flip phone. We used to use the internet at the library & will be going back to it.
    Hermit us, that’s for sure!!! The moment the masses stare at their phone and all they see is their own reflection — will be the beginning of the end.

    1. Far North,
      yea, i’m in the same spot on my phone, an OLD flipper and it works good, the only reason i have one is because if i’m in the woods and something happened i could call for help. i post these comments on a desk top in the house.
      i will have to do something by Feb but i don’t know what to do. i know nothing about cell phones.
      any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
      all i need is a way to call someone if i needed to.
      thanks in advance guys

      1. Soul Survivor,

        Have you used one of these? Inmarsat or Irridium are the two I see at the Galileyo site, although the Inmarsat is backordered. Love to hear from someone how well they work/utility of the phone. Kind of spendy! This would have to replace cell phone for those on a budget.

        non-sequetor: Hope all is well with you – haven’t seen many posts from you lately. Wishing you Christmas blessings.

      2. nyscout
        I wonder if you could call 911 after February on you old flip? What I’ve done so far is read reviews of the flip phones that are available. Beyond that, I don’t know anything either. Can’t even text, or send an e-mail. My problem is that I don’t want to know… Best I can do is receive e-mails. Everyone I know knows I don’t do texts so any text that comes in is either a wrong number or a scam call so is deleted!

        Satellite phones — they don’t work everywhere. I’d suggest that if you are interested in one, to ask if you could try it first before committing to it.

        Question to the ham operators here. There used to be handheld hams that can/could directly call a telephone and I think vise-versa. Do they still exist? Any thoughts?

        1. Far North,
          I believe you may be referring to a ham radio “phone patch” that was avaliable on some repeater systems. Go online and find local “ham repeater” clubs in your area/state. Some of the systems out there still have them, but you might have to be a member of the club to use them.

        2. Far North, Minerjim,
          Working EMS years back, had a late call. Had a date with the wife, so I called her, phone patch from the back of the ambulance. She was amazed, me too. That was before cell phones.

          Satellite phones. They’re reliant upon the satellite and all the tech involved. I assume it all could be disrupted. Anytime the transfer of info involves using a repeater, of any kind, it’s another point of failure. The repeater/satellite is not within our control. I’m sticking with simplex ham, no repeater.

      3. – nyscout, Far North,
        I was forced to give up my old Motorola Razor a couple of years ago with much moaning and groaning and gnashing of teeth. I have found that the Samsung Android phones are a lot easier to use than the I-phones, they are more like using a computer. I get mad enough at DW’s I-phone to want to throw it, much less often at the Android. I have to have the capacity to talk and to receive texts from work, and it will do those things. I know it will do a lot more; I don’t want or use those things. Talking to the manager at the phone store, all my old flip-phone will do now is call 911, so yes, you can still use it for that.
        Most of what I do is either on a laptop at home or a desktop at work. I will occasionally use the phone to read MSB, but when I do that I rarely comment. I learned a fancy word that applies to me way back in high school, and I am proudly a “Luddite.” Yes, I know, and sorry, I don’t care.
        – Papa S.

        1. Minerjim, Plainsmedic, Papa Smurf.
          Thanks for the phone patch info. and that the old flip can still call 911.
          Right now I’m looking at all options, well at least most… A neighbor downriver has some satellite hookup, I think it might be Hughes Net? What my neighbor did was put the password into my i-phone so that if they are not home I can stand in their yard and call out. The only reason for us to call out would be for an emergency. However, this i phone being a 3G, well… So looking at options.
          This past fall saw a Super Cub on floats circling around. Later found that our neighbor had stabbed himself in the leg while cutting up a moose. The Cub somehow managed to land on the river to medi-vac him out. Otherwise, an hour’s drive on a jeep trail, calling out when in cell phone range, and then meeting an ambulance at the trailhead.
          Luddite. Some years ago we were doing the brick & block work for a new high school. As the scaffolding rose, it was more and more work to supply the masons. Company decided to get a forklift which would have replaced some of our crew.
          We got together and decided to start work a half hour early, and come back early from lunch. Thus we would have the scaffold stocked before the forklift would start. It worked, and no one was layed off. Would this qualify as luddite?

        2. Far North,
          Well maybe not “Luddite” in the true definition of the word, but Luddite in spirit! (True Luddites would have destroyed the forklift). Good peaceful move by your crew to protect jobs. Kudos.

  19. If the internet went down for good the average IQ would increase by 50% and the world would be a much better place.I lived without it for 40 years and it wouldn’t bother me to go back but I would miss getting to watch the psychological meltdown that 90% of the population would have.

    JMHO, The microprocessor (allowing PCs, cellphones, etc) is the most destructive invention ever created.

  20. What about power production and control, it is controlled on line, and has been a primary target for terrorist-hackers. Taking the internet down during a severe freeze is a real danger. In addition, many of us have Nest thermostats for our houses, and if they go down, I am pretty sure there is no back up way of controlling your heater.

    1. – There is a back-up way of controlling the heat in your house. It’s called a fireplace. (A woodstove is better, but not usually a back-up. My DW is partial to my Kerosun convection heater, as it will go all night without attention. I have both that and a fireplace, well stocked with mesquite, pecan and lots of mulberry if the power goes out; got us through last Feb without a hitch.)
      – Papa

  21. If the internet goes down, would I be wrong in thinking it could take the grid down with it? So much equipment and system controls flow through the net. There’ve been plenty of incidences in the last several years of cyberattacks that have caused serious problems for various institutions and infrastructure facilities. Practice, maybe? No need to launch nukes for an EMP if you can hack the digital bloodline of the whole country’s bus/fin/grid/soc system.

    1. Farmgirl,
      A lot of grid/utility coordination is done over the net by secure systems. I suspect though there are secure backup controls for “net/grid down” type situations (over powerline control comms, not telecom networks). Also a lot a variation from utility to utility across the nation. Eastern grid more cross-connected than the West. So if the net goes, the grid will be affected by varying degrees depending where you are.

    2. Farmgirl,
      You also have to remember that we have installed a massive fiber-optic communication network in this country, which provides some robust communications compared to regular tele-comms.

  22. Well that got people thinking LOL . I lead a simple life with few needs thats why it wouldnt matter to me , I live like my childhood which most never lived my kids included . I make do with whats at hand . Makes ya really look at your life style doesnt it . A book I read many many years ago had three questions first … what do you want out of life , second … what are you willing to pay in blood sweat and tears , … and thrid are you willing to pay it ! Everyone is different one needs to search their soul for the answer . Something to think about during these holidays .

  23. If the internet went down, we would manage but I would miss the phone calls with my kids and grands that are far away.

    If they really wanted to make it painful, it would be on the first day of the month.

    1. But if it went down, they couldn’t track us and wouldn’t know what we were up to. Those vax-ports don’t scan themselves without the web.

    1. If you cant hold it in your hand you dont actually have control over it,

      1. KF,
        I’m going to start selling NFT (Non Fungible Token) guns, ammunition and food so people can build up their doomsday supplies by buying all sorts of firearms, ammunition and dehydrated foods that will be stored in an internet-based bunker that is only accessed by their phones. This will ensure their weapons cannot be stolen and used in crimes and they will receive regular updates with pictures so they can show off their arsenal and share on their social media accounts…….makes about as much sense as people buying art, coins and land that only exists in cyberspace that they can only access through a government owned and controlled portal.

      2. Kulafarmer,
        you are exactly right. even peoples checking acct’s are nothing more than one’s and zero’s in cyberspace. if the grid goes down, our money will go POOF.
        yep, If you cant hold it in your hand you don’t actually have it.
        cash on hand is a good thing to have for a short while and in short term natural disasters.
        but people will realize in a long term” it’s never coming back situation”, that they have traded their resources for nothing more than toilet paper.

    2. AL,

      That’s the beauty of “Bitcoin” (at least to the originators)…it has zero, zilch, nada, no intrinsic value…it can disappear tomorrow leaving only the final investors holding the bag full of …..nothing.

      The internet made Bitcoin possible…without internet Bitcoin can’t survive…but eventually it will run out of investors anyway, and Bitcoin either grows or it dies…there just won’t be a Bernie Madoff to put in prison to assuage the anger of those later investors who lose everything.

      But, don’t pay any attention to me…I’m just an old feller who lives back in the boonies on a few acres of rock and thin soil….and am happy as a hog in slop.

      1. – Dennis,
        Bitcoin always reeked of a Ponzi scheme to me, never was interested in the stuff. But don’t try to tell some of these millennials that, they will start telling you there will always be new investors, and the internet can never die. Gently explain what a CME or HEMP event is, and they start making motorboat sounds. You know, “But… but… but…”
        – Papa S.

  24. I will truly miss the information boards that are out there for all kinds of repairs that you dont normally get into. Specifically the ones that show the repairs that you can do yourself and be always learning. I just finished re-soldering the control relay board on my DW’s stove/oven. Seems there are crappy soldering jobs going into these boards, who’da thought THAT? would have cost me around $275 for a replacement board and more if I had to have a tech make multiple trips (one to diagnose them order the part, another trip to install the thing)! Re-solder 3 joints and ready to go again. Hot dinner tonite! Hey, but that is assuming the power is still on at that point. LOL Loclyokel

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