[Peakoil] Wealth preservation and land

[Keith Thomas]

Here are four considerations before you take this route.

In a post-peak world, gold will no longer have as many industrial uses  
(that is, it will have lost much of its intrinsic value) and demand for  
it will fall.  This will be partly compensated for by people like you  
looking to turn their potentially worthless notes and bank balances  
into gold. The greatest wealth we have is NOT in the money or  
possessions we have but in our skills, our health (i.e. our ability not  
to be a burden on others), our ability to get along with others, our  
knowledge and wisdom. Invest in these now, by devoting hours learning  
through experience how to be close to self-sufficient on your present  
block and to functional fitness and good health.  The readjustment of  
your daily schedule to accommodate these changes will help you to avoid  
the sort of shock the New Orleansians displayed this past week when the  
crunch comes.

Land is the most secure and safe bet, but with a declining population  
it will fall in value. Land is not something you can own like a book, a  
car or a painting.  Land is not owned, but the state gives you a title  
giving you exclusive possession of that site for as long as it pleases  
the state to give you that monopoly. Although land in most of Australia  
is nominally freehold, it is actually vested in the crown (this is  
demonstrated by compulsory land acquisitions of, for example, space  
through agricultural land for roads, railways, pipelines, powerlines  
etc.). There will be some drastic laws enacted by desperate governments  
in the years ahead, so don't bank on security of tenure if you have a  
site someone in power would also like.

Buying land is a big investment and can tie you down more than you  
might want in uncertain times.  I'd also suggest you look at buying a  
share in an existing rural community. I don't know of any near  
Canberra, but they are rife in Nimbin and addresses north. there are  
probably some in Tasmania.  Tassie would be as safe a place as ANY in  
the world.

 From the Australian peak oil sheet at www.natsoc.org.au: "Most  
localities have laws that restrict your ability to prepare: siting of  
water tanks, home renovations, sewage treatment and disposal, keeping  
farm animals in towns, growing hemp, tax disincentives."
--------------------------------------------
Keith Thomas
www.evfit.com
--------------------------------------------
On 03/09/2005, at 1:19 PM, Alex P wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> I am personally interested in finding land for growing food and  
> becoming a
> bit more self-sufficient.
>
> To the list members who have rural or semi-rural properties: What is  
> your
> experience of purchasing land and using it to grow food?
>
> I'm interested in the posssibility of a land consortium. It's a big
> commitment to buy land with other people, but I'd like to sound people  
> out.
>
> I think Katrina was an economic tipping point. It will have a pretty
> severe effect on US consumers. Since refinery capacity has been taken  
> out,
> it should lessen US demand, perhaps lowering oil demand and prices
> somewhat.
>
> So for those of us with savings, are people interested in getting  
> together
> and buying gold? It can be ordered from Sydney and discounts apply for
> larger quantities. Do any super funds cater to my gloomy outlook, or  
> is my
> super practically worthless already? I'm also interested to know if  
> any of
> you know financial planners who are Peak Oil savvy, or are aware of the
> imbalances of the world financial system.
>
> Alex
> O4O4873828
>
> ACT Peak Oil discussion list
> http://act-peakoil.org
>
>
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