Quote from: RE on May 18, 2024, 04:03 AMIn the last few generations, the population of the FSoA has never been as poor as the poorest in Gaza or Ukraine.  We haven't had existential level poverty here since the Great Depression, which ended with WWII.

Okay. Sounds reasonable.

Quote from: REThen everone continued upward until the 80s, when stagnation set in.  Since then, we have had and ever widening gap between the haves and the have nots.

I recognize that the video claimed that things began to change during Ronny's tenure, but it was generally referred to as the Go Go 80's, as the actual stagflation that Ronny got credit for ending, rightly or wrongly, happened late 70's early 80's and Jimmy seemed to get the blame for. As compared to Ronny, who got the credit, rightly or wrongly, for "curing" it.

So, claiming a stagflation during the Go Go 80's requires more context. Certainly inflation had dampened down, as economic growth was ramping up. Stagflation is the opposite of both at the same time, if I understand the definition correctly.

Quote from: REThe increasing amount of Homelessness right now is a bigger threat than food availability is.  As this class of people grows and becomes more visible, it will be harder to control with sweeps of tent cities and mass shelters and concentration camps.  That is probably where the violence will break out first.
RE

Well, homelessness is increasing. And where I live, is already quite visible. The wife and I went to a Cracker Barrel last night, which sits by a mass transit bus stop. There was an encampment of some sort, at least a dozen people, a few large tents, set up in a large grassy area nearby. It hadn't been there a couple months ago the last time we went there.

And we are also seeing quite an influx of Central/South Americans showing up on all street corners with sqeejees and bottles of soapy water. Some are selling flowers or bags of chips. I don't imagine that gang has made it to Anchorage yet.

I don't think I buy the correlation of increasing homelessness and increasing threat level. Irritation level? Sure. Wishing for less from regular citizens and general irritation? Sure. But Hooverville's don't seem to be quite the thing they once were. Yet.