You Make The Call...

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Poll
1 vote (16.66%)
4 votes (66.66%)
1 vote (16.66%)

6 members have voted

April 30th, 2013 at 1:46:55 PM permalink
Ayecarumba
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744
Due to a series of bad choices, you must leave your current life, and strike out on your own in a remote location under a new identity as part of the witness protection program. Your current life will be completely "erased", so you will not have access to any of your current resources, including family, friends, money, property, etc. Unfortunately, due to recent problems with the federal budget, the U.S. Marshalls in charge of your re-location can only offer you the following options:

1) A pick and a shovel, a cabin stocked with food and water for 3 months, $100 cash, a mule, and the deed to 20 acres of land that is pock marked with a few played out gold mines.

2) An axe and a chainsaw, a cabin stocked with food and water for 3 months, a reliable, but not gently used 1989 Ford-150 pickup with a full tank of gas, and the deed to 5 acres of heavily forrested land.

3) A knife, and a deep sea rod and reel w/ no tackle. A 30 year old, patched up 23 foot fishing boat with only one working engine and no fuel. $200 cash, and rent at a dock in South America paid for 1 month.

Which would you choose and why?
April 30th, 2013 at 1:56:50 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
4) A 9mm Glock and a flack jacket. I'd rather take my chances with the mob. ;P
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
April 30th, 2013 at 3:50:14 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Ayecarumba
Due to a series of bad choices, you must leave your current life, and strike out on your own in a remote location under a new identity as part of the witness protection program. Your current life will be completely "erased", so you will not have access to any of your current resources, including family, friends, money, property, etc. Unfortunately, due to recent problems with the federal budget, the U.S. Marshalls in charge of your re-location can only offer you the following options:

1) A pick and a shovel, a cabin stocked with food and water for 3 months, $100 cash, a mule, and the deed to 20 acres of land that is pock marked with a few played out gold mines.

2) An axe and a chainsaw, a cabin stocked with food and water for 3 months, a reliable, but not gently used 1989 Ford-150 pickup with a full tank of gas, and the deed to 5 acres of heavily forrested land.

3) A knife, and a deep sea rod and reel w/ no tackle. A 30 year old, patched up 23 foot fishing boat with only one working engine and no fuel. $200 cash, and rent at a dock in South America paid for 1 month.

Which would you choose and why?


I’m confused. Is this like a survival scenario? As in “remote” means go hide for a long ass time? I’ll assume it is.

#3 is awful. You basically can only fashion a spear with what’s presented, and spearing in open water is nigh impossible. I reckon you could go into town and spend $50 for the essentials (line, hooks, shiny bits) but then what? Not near enough money for gas to go anywhere, so you’d just float at your dock until the lease is up, then float in the bay forever? Is the water even fresh? That’s some Castaway level misery right there.

#1 is meh. You ain’t finding gold with a pick and shovel, and even if you did, then what? The mines are little more than secondary shelter / storage. The mule’s not bad; you could run the legs off it then eat it, maybe fashion a mean parka from the hide. But the lack of info on the land is a deal breaker. Is it the Yukon? The Amazon? The desert? Without knowing, I’d not take my chances.

#2 would be my choice. The Ford and gas would be nothing more than fuel and lots of parts for McGuyvering. “Heavily forested” means lots of fuel, lots of resources. Can’t be heavily forested without fertile ground and lots of fresh water. Plus, heavy woods yields heavy animal population, plenty of critters to catch with my F-150 McGuyver’d traps.
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
April 30th, 2013 at 5:00:49 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
I'll take #2. Call a timber company and sell it off, hope it sits on a shale formation that can be fracked.
The President is a fink.
April 30th, 2013 at 8:39:33 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Number One.
Twenty Acres.
Sounds virtually useless but you can always dig underground and even have subterranean gardens, pleasant temperatures, etc.
See: Fresno Underground Gardens and Baldasieri for what can be done with just a pick and muck pole while living underground without a wife.
The gold mines are probably useless... mines produce ore ... how you going to mill it? Live on nuggets? You is going to attract attention of locals if you start trying to pay for your tobaccy with a pinch!

Heavily forested land is useless if you clear cut it, the truck won't last and the timber won't last either. Then you got five acres of clear cut that attracts the enmity of your neighbors and the EPA types. If you only "thin" it, how do you get your trees to a sawmill and just how much do you think even good lumber sells for these days?

If there is anyone around who will be collecting rent for that dock, he will fine you for your improper fishing equipment. The subsistence fisherman option has to be where he will be the El Jefe who collects rent from locals.
April 30th, 2013 at 8:58:39 PM permalink
TheCesspit
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 23
Posts: 1929
2 - I suspect I can survive better in the woods than in a mine or at sea.
It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life
May 1st, 2013 at 10:36:34 AM permalink
Ayecarumba
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744
Thanks for the contributions. I'm enjoying the replies...

Could you trade the boat for a smaller craft and more supplies? I always wondered what Tim Robbins was going to do with his boat after he fixed it up in, "The Shawshank Redemption".
May 1st, 2013 at 12:42:18 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Ayecarumba
Thanks for the contributions. I'm enjoying the replies...

Could you trade the boat for a smaller craft and more supplies? I always wondered what Tim Robbins was going to do with his boat after he fixed it up in, "The Shawshank Redemption".


You can't really "live" on a boat. I mean, sure, we got people 'round here that do, sort of. The have big ass sailboat / houseboats (I'm talking up to 50'+), but they just mostly leave it at the dock. A boat with a sleeping quarters is minimum 24', and something even that small is going to take damn near $200 just to fill the tank once, for which you have a day of hard motoring, maybe a few weeks of daily putting about the bay.

Once you go smaller than 24', it's really difficult to have any sort of shelter. My 17' only has a removable canvas top that covers the front two seats; serves only to get out of the midday sun, maybe block a bit of rain. Open bow, open back. Nowhere to lay, nowhere to escape the wind. While I could certainly pack a bit of gear in it, a simple day's fishing (2 men, 2 tackle boxes, 4-6 rods, cooler of beer, battery) already makes it feel "cramped" and is about the limit my 50hp motor can push. Like I said, Castaway level misery.

I always supposed Mr Andy Dufresne was only going to get annihilated on tequila and float just feet off shore lol.
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
May 1st, 2013 at 5:34:15 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: TheCesspit
2 - I suspect I can survive better in the woods than in a mine or at sea.
Well, now... lets see. Five acres and heavily forrested. If you are limited to hunting on your five acres your skills had better be very good and game had better be plentiful. If its heavily forested, you have to get to work on a vegetable garden pretty darn quick which means clearing some of that land.

Live on a boat. Yeah, its cramped but people live on houseboats, in 4 by 10 Teardrop Trailers, on small sailing vessels which cruise rather than remain moored, etc. Some people would go crazy in a confined space, some people would love it.

I think the most important lesson is to remember that no matter what your preferences, if you found yourself in any of these three scenarios you would probably all do better than you think you would.
May 1st, 2013 at 9:00:29 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Ayecarumba
Due to a series of bad choices, you must leave your current life, and strike out on your own in a remote location under a new identity as part of the witness protection program.


I think the key is in the opening sentence. I am probably assuming that I am a con, who turned on somebody who was worth more than me. I go with option #1 because my greatest skill is playing people. It gives me that maximum potential to work a scam.
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