Weekly Observations: What signs of collapse do you see in your region? [in-depth] April 20
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WakingOwl1@reddit
Location New England
Spring is in full swing and there are virtually no flying insects. Used to be when I got home at night the porch light I leave on to make it up the stairs would be surrounded by clouds of them. Also used to see half a dozen bats cruising our neighborhood at night. This year I haven’t seen any and the chimney swifts population is definitely smaller. .
Practical_Hippo6289@reddit
Location: Central Alabama, USA
I-65 in Alabama shutdown due to fire in the median. The second such fire in less than a week. Obviously due to the drought.
https://www.wsfa.com/2026/04/23/fire-along-median-shuts-down-interstate-clanton/
https://www.wsfa.com/2026/04/20/grassfire-slows-traffic-i-65-between-montgomery-prattville/
Physical_Ad5702@reddit
Location: Buffalo, NY
Just want to check in and see how everyone is doing.
Are you getting a tariff refund like a bunch of US corporations who passed on increased costs to consumers, so this is just a government handout to them for no reason?
Are you getting bailed out like Spirit Airlines, for having a terrible business model?
Are you making record profits like the Oil & Gas companies thanks to Trump’s war of choice?
Or are you footing the bill?
What the heck happened to the free market that Republicans like to harp on so much about?
End rant. Nothing positive to report. Will try again at a later date. Turning into a closeted accelerationist more and more with each passing day. I hate this.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Yeah, my boss is pissed. Prices went up for our materials but that was because the inputs to our suppliers went up. And not all of our materials are imported, but adjunct bits are.
We aren't first in line as the importer we are a few steps or atleast one step away. So nothing for us even though our costs went up and some got passed onto customers.
All i can say is small manufacturing is going to die. The big guys have people to claw back their money. Small guys in the middle? Squeezed out.
fedfuzz1970@reddit
Just like at the grocery store, suppliers raise prices under the cover of "tariffs!" even if they don't pay them. And those prices never seem to come back down once a "crisis" is over.
Physical_Ad5702@reddit
Greedflation
alwaysnormalincafes@reddit
Yep bailouts for corporations, but the SAVE repayment plan was just canceled.
It wouldn’t have even forgiven my student loans. It just provided humane, income-based repayment.
But nope, can’t have that, fuck anyone who isn’t wealthy.
I wish nothing but terrible things for every voter and person with financial/political power who has made it this way.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
But, but, but...Spirit Airlines employs (allegedly) 15,000 people in Florida! You can't let Florida fail!! s/
Stay strong up there in my hometown - the City of Buffalo.
I hate closets, but I am in the same Accelerationist one as you. :(
JagBak73@reddit
Same ole same ole. Americans are generally a shitty, cutthroat people always looking out for numero uno. If you fall, nobody will ask if you're okay or help you up. Kindness is perceived as weakness. If you're different or unique in any way, shape, or form, you'll be ceaselessly ridiculed, judged, mocked, or ostracized. Intellectualism is feared and sneered at as highfalutin.
Driving is a stressful Mad Max like ordeal.
Prescription ointment for dry skin cost me $20 per tube.
My mother-in-law's subsidy for her ACA plan will expire next year, making her insurance prohibitively expensive (like $800 a month or more).
Fuck America and fuck Americans. This country can eat shit. Excuse the bitterness, but I am so done with all of the bullshit here. It's a rotten culture.
JagBak73@reddit
Location: Missouri, USA
A proposed constitutional amendment to increase sales tax to eventually remove income tax just passed the Missouri house and will be put on the ballot in November (or August).
(https://missouriindependent.com/2026/04/21/plan-to-replace-missouri-income-tax-with-expanded-sales-tax-heads-to-voters/)
These absolute morons did not learn any lessons from the failed Kansas experiment of 2012 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_experiment) which "caused severe revenue shortfalls, budget crises, and education funding cuts, leading the Republican-controlled legislature to repeal it in 2017.". This will result in cuts in education, infrastructure, and other important load bearing institutions because the current income tax provides 66% of general revenue in Missouri.
This will hit working class and poor families the hardest, but these Republican ghouls don't fucking care at all. It is going to be an abject disaster.
Oh and did I mention our lovely federal government approved another $70 billion dollars of ICE and CBP funding on top of the $140 billion dollars they will receive until the end of 2028?
The U.S. government has also spend anywhere from 30 to 50 billion dollars on this failed war in Iran as healthcare, education, mortgage, rent, food, utilities, and fuel costs all skyrocket.
The celebration of this country's 250 year birthday can absolutely kiss my ass. What in the blue fuck are we celebrating for?
soitgoes75@reddit
It will be "mourning in America " instead of a celebration for many of us I think.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Some part of me wonders if they will keep both sales and income tax because the revenue shortfall on a crumbling system is absolutely huge.
In other words, a way to raise tax revenue without 'raising' taxes. Sadly sales tax tends to be regressive so the poor get poorer.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
Indeed. Nothing to celebrate on the United States 250th birthday. Nothing.
_rihter@reddit
Location: Central-ish Europe (Pannonian Basin)
Magyar won the election in Hungary, but it's a Pyrrhic victory if you ask me. He gets to rule over the nation that's already been abandoned by everyone with useful skills, and he will soon rule over the ashes as climate change destroys most of the food production. He might as well be the last prime minister of Hungary. It's scary to think about it, but it's definitely not impossible.
Russian oil will start arriving again soon, but that won't last long as a complete ban on imports of Russian energy will take effect in 2027.
I took a small break from Reddit to enjoy the last moments of the illusion of normalcy before the effects of the invasion of Iran became impossible to ignore. Europe has a few weeks of jet fuel remaining, so a lot of useless travel will be gone. Croatia's tourism industry relies heavily on tourists arriving via low-cost airlines, so the impact has yet to be estimated. Maybe this summer, Croats will finally get to enjoy the vacation on their coast, since it has been unaffordable for most people for a long time. In case wildfires don't destroy the coastal region, which they might.
And I am now back on Reddit to remind myself that BOE will most likely happen this year, and El Niño is arriving. Often, when I step away from this subreddit for a while, I get distracted and start worrying too much about small things that don't even matter. /r/collapse serves as a reminder of Memento Mori, and that soon nothing will matter.
Classic-Today-4367@reddit
I also took a break from posting on Reddit, and actually from using the internet all day every day.
I used to work fully remote, online 15+ hours per day.
Now working offline in a biodiversity protection role, in an office where online usage is strictly monitored.
I've found that instead of worrying about the news as soon as it breaks, I'm often now not finding stuff out until days later.
I guess it feels good to be detoxing, but yeah, probably not the best to slowly devolve into not being aware of whats happening,
Myth_of_Progress@reddit
Location: Vancouver
It's been a while, hasn't it?
In an after-work conversation, a colleague of mine decided to raise a topic that I really wasn't expecting: What impact will the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz have? Won't there be a global famine?
Surprised, I asked where this was coming from - and as it turns out, economist Steve Keen has been doing the rounds on various podcast casts to give a summary of the situation.
With fears for global famine, she mentioned that she was considering putting off her usual globe-trotting vacations (cruise ships optional), until "the world settles down a bit". On the bright side, we both agreed to express gratitude for the relative stability and safety of our lives.
After giving her some details regarding the nature of energy underlying everything in civilization (she agreed!), we discussed some of the otjrr current shortage impacts affecting Europe and Asia, and how the global supply chain is partially unraveling (she went into detail on helium!).
I made the mistake of branching further, though, by talking about the upcoming Super El Nino and its potential impacts on global breadbaskets.
After a bit of a silence, I had mentioned that sometimes I just try not to think about it, and to practice gratitude for what we currently have.
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
I kind of hate people who can go there partially, but then balk at the obvious face of death that's coming up. It feels cowardly to me.
Maybe it's good she understands partially but I would give anything to have one real world comrade in this shit show and nobody can show up because it's too scary?
Christ I am terrified every single day but at least I can look at data and draw the obvious conclusion.
RuralUrbanSuburban@reddit
I’m with you on this. I feel complete disconnect from people now, because of the lack of authenticity and realism. So many topics are verboten, because they are seemingly too controversial or scary. ‘Toxic positivity’ . . . I can’t imagine how these folks are going to cope, when things get serious and avoidance/denial is no longer possible.
nothankeww@reddit
I was totally wondering that today because I’ve been through the stages of grief of my own life and of the world multiple times and I’m ready to go whenever. And I don’t mean that in a sinister way it was just like OK I’m good. I’ve accepted it, but I don’t think anybody else around me has and I don’t wanna have to deal with them.
muffinjuicecleanse@reddit
Replying to Distinguishedflyer...Whenever I think about how the masses who don’t know, or can’t, process the truth, my assumption is grim.
I can’t explain why exactly. Maybe the explanation is simply that I see how laughable or a notion it is to think we are capable of cooperating to the degree required to patch all the holes in a sinking ship as well as chart a new course AND sail peacefully together.
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
❤️
they won't cope, they will just turn on others. There's some interesting data, I used to study aircraft accidents for work. The average person will claw and kick and climb on little old grandma to save themselves. Very few actually try and help another person.
So I think when the shit finally breaks their bubble, they will turn on everybody else for the last bit of minute advantage before we all broil or die of hunger and thirst.
RuralUrbanSuburban@reddit
Thanks for sharing that. Sadly, I’m not surprised by those research findings. It’s survival of the fittest—not the smartest or kindest. The fittest and most cunning rise to the top. It could also be extrapolated to explain so much about our society, in the workplace or political arena, for example.
No-Cost-1764@reddit
Harsh perspective considering that many people “can’t go there” not only because it’s scary but because it can be utterly paralyzing.
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
maybe if more of us did it and focused on community around this problem we individuals could cope. But everybody wants to live in their little bubble which makes it harder for everyone else so I don't think it's too harsh. I think it's pretty fucking selfish.
DisingenuousGuy@reddit
Good to see you, /u/Myth_of_Progress
_rihter@reddit
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz will result in a global economic depression, famine, wars, and mass migration. Iran decided to nuke the planet in response to an unprovoked invasion.
Areas of Europe most affected by climate change will also be most affected by the refugee crisis.
Peak oil and peak resource in general are topics that have been neglected since the US shale revolution. The problem has never gone away, and now we are finally witnessing the devastating consequences of underestimating the madness of an increasing population on a planet with shrinking resources.
We might see billions of deaths at the end of this decade or the start of the next decade.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Can you imagine the smell? Ooofff. We are not ready.
Right-Cause9951@reddit
We've always chased short term goals because in order to propel quarterly earnings. The economy needs to propel itself at the cost of the future because we refuse to actively acknowledge it on conscious level.
So all we have is to continue to chase our short term existence until modern society in terms of convenience is officially over.
Do what we can do but realistically realize all we have is what the collective consequences of our actions deem us to have.
Susanoos_Wife@reddit
Location: USA, Lower 48 States, East of the Mississippi River
Luckily, covid cases have gone down somewhat, although total numbers are still high in a relative sense.
https://data.wastewaterscan.org/
https://www.pmc19.com/data/index.php
For new people and/or anyone who wants to keep up to date with covid in general and why it's still worth protecting yourself from, here's some things to click on, for the less click-happy among you, feel free to scroll on down for other miscellaneous content that may or may not inspire a range of emotions in you (as always, your mileage may vary.)
What covid can do to the body: https://www.panaccindex.info/p/what-covid-19-does-to-the-body-10th
How covid can impact your immune system: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eYiwjRiHpBWIioZKewSx3E6VnhEowiLU/view
What we currently know about long covid: https://www.panaccindex.info/p/what-do-we-know-about-long-covid
More information about long covid and how it can affect different people: https://longcovidland.com/lcl-toolbox/
The economic impact of covid and long covid: https://publichealthactionnetwork.org/the-economic-toll-of-covid-19-and-long-covid-a-global-crisis-in-productivity-and-workforce-health/
Information about how covid spreads and why clean air is important: https://covidtoolbox.com/clean-the-air/
Some basic information about masks: https://publichealthactionnetwork.org/a-guide-to-masks-understanding-the-differences-and-choosing-the-right-protection/
A comprehensive information guide to masks, how they work, and how to wear them: https://covidtoolbox.com/masks-respirators-wearables/
In other health news, new mutations in bird flu have enabled it to infect other animals more efficiently (though luckily, this hasn't been shown to have a direct effect on people yet.) Still, this isn't exactly sunny news for animals, and what's bad for animals often winds up being bad for people too: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mutations-h5n1-bird-flu-adapt-cows On the national level, RFK JR apparently decided to cut off a dead raccoon's penis to "study" it. It's been mentioned before that RFK JR is into taxidermy, but taxidermy enthusiast or not, I can't see any reason why the incredible edible fuck anyone on God's green earth would need to cut off the penis of any dead animal.
The ceasefire with Iran is looking as shaky as a one legged stool, which is not a surprise of course, but needless to say, I trust Trump to handle any additional conflict about as well as I'd trust a potato to accurately file my taxes. The tangerine organism is, of course, too busy bloviating away on Truth Social to do anything productive, leaving most of the dirty work to his ghoulish gang of goons, half of who are either alcoholics, compulsive liars, stuck up snobby assholes, and/or various flavors of abusers and predators.
Podcasters are going off the rails too, with people like Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens, and Hasan Piker competing to see who can say the most outlandish things. Political discourse in general has slid into the sewers, with racism, antisemitism, and any and all other manner of bigotry being aired on full display by people all over the political spectrum.
Instagram and Facebook are nothing but cesspools of AI generated slop, annoying short form videos by the most fake, obnoxious influencers imaginable, and advertisements for things I thought about for 5 and a half seconds when I was in the 7th grade or things someone else in my family spoke about once about 8 years ago when I wasn't even anywhere near them. Bots are infesting Reddit like digital cockroaches, and trying to search for anything online feels like wading through a pool of molasses filled with angry sharks while you're trying to look for a single gold coin.
The weather's been like a rollercoaster for most of this year so far, with the temperature swinging up and down and side to side like a particularly cursed twerking contest, minus the possible presence of oiled up butt cheeks and bass heavy rap music. I'm not a huge rap person but there are a few bangers out there I play now and then for background music when I'm dicking around on the internet. People in my neighborhood do loud yard work almost every day at the worst possible times, and despite all the shitty yard work they do, everything always looks the same all the time (except for when they spray their lawns with nasty ass toxic chemicals that smells like something that would be used to torture inmates at Arkham Asylum, after which the air smells like boiled radioactive piss for a while afterwards, because apparently people where I live don't give a Kentucky fried fuck about horrible smells so long as their stupid ass lawns look like some shit out of a Martha Stewart catalog.) There's also been a drought in my area for a while, although the air still feels sticky and humid sometimes anyways for reasons that escape my meteorological knowledge, limited as it may be.
Socially, society seems to be continuing down a slow but noticeable decline towards antisocial misery, sort of like the fucked up rat utopia experiment but with more public freakouts and more deranged acts of random violence and general assholery. I've mentioned this before, but I feel like the guy who ran that experiment unwittingly showcased what society is like right now, although I have no idea how much, if at all, he could have or would have predicted that outcome. I'm not an antinatalist or anything like that, nor do I take any joy out of seeing innocent people die at all, and people who express those kind of sentiments piss me off, so I don't want people to take away any kind of idea like that from my post, but overall, I do think that the way modern society is structured is unhealthy and if things don't change for the better soon, I think we could very easily see humanity slide into a dark place that would be very hard, if not impossible, to get out of.
With that said, I'll end my post here for now and let everyone's browsers take a breather. Stay safe, stay healthy, and look out for yourselves, your loved ones, and anyone and anything else you care about. We've all made it this far and no matter how fucked up things might be right now, that still counts for something so don't let the gift of life go unused, go out there and grab the metaphorical bull by the metaphorical horns and seek out the path in life that you feel called to, we only have a limited time on this spinning rock so we might as well make what use of it as we can.
Frisian_Tea@reddit
Adding potatoes accurately filing my taxes to my darkly amusing figures of speech list. Lately, I've been saying that things are going about as well as a Klingon peace rally, but needed something for the non-Trekkies out there.
Always enjoy your updates.
Susanoos_Wife@reddit
Thanks, my brain does what it wants, I'm just the conduit that shares some of what goes on inside there with the rest of the world.
Agreeablepeeable@reddit
I greatly appreciate your posts. People probably thing you are being redundant but I get every new stain that comes out and although the symptoms are fairly mild usually, I’m sure it’s probably doing crazy long term damage to my body
My brain is already so fried from having add and having done lots of coke in my twenties that I can’t tell if I have brain damage from covid
Velocipedique@reddit
Ditched TV in 1983 for same reason; also to answer your Q: John B. Calhoun’s rat experiments (notably in the 1960s) found that providing unlimited resources (food, water, safety) in a confined space led to extreme overpopulation, causing a complete social, mental, and reproductive breakdown—a "behavioral sink". He concluded that overcrowding destroys social structure, causing unnatural violence, sexual deviance, infant abandonment, and eventually, extinction despite ample food.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
Last paragraph: DAMN RIGHT!
Velocipedique@reddit
I ditched TV in 1983 for same reason; also to answer your Q: John B. Calhoun’s rat experiments (notably in the 1960s) found that providing unlimited resources (food, water, safety) in a confined space led to extreme overpopulation, causing a complete social, mental, and reproductive breakdown—a "behavioral sink". He concluded that overcrowding destroys social structure, causing unnatural violence, sexual deviance, infant abandonment, and eventually, extinction despite ample food.
Pretend-Confidence53@reddit
Location: North Dakota
It’s going to be 80 degrees tomorrow.
I’m a professor and am slowly losing my mind over students using AI. Many of them are almost completely incapable of solving even a basic problem (like not a math problem, a basic instruction like “upload the document as a PDF”) without asking AI how to do it. On average, they can’t read very well, many of them are functionally illiterate, they don’t watch TV or movies or listen to music, they just scroll TikTok endlessly. It’s disheartening. They’re depressed. They’re already burnt out and hopeless. I’m seriously worried about what the next 15 years are going to look as these students become adults. I don’t think they’re learning a skill set that will enable them to be good critical thinkers, engaged in real issues or politics.
Ok_Main3273@reddit
Sometimes I feel that https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/ is the mirror image of reddit/collapse.
click-monster@reddit
I've seen it called "zoochosis" - "an abnormal condition of captive animals that is characterized by repetitive sometimes self-destructive behaviors (such as pacing and over-grooming) and is held to be caused by the stress of captivity"
Pretend-Confidence53@reddit
Thanks for this! That’s a helpful term. In one of the classes I’m teaching right now, we’re discussing alienation. I’ll bring this up as a related term today! Thanks again!
click-monster@reddit
You're very welcome & hope your class goes well :)
rematar@reddit
The education system is so out of touch. I heard on the radio today that a lot of high school kids are skipping a lot of class. I saw it in my kids - it's stuck on repetition that worked in one room schools. These young folks can learn quickly, if they were allowed to.
Heeler2@reddit
I’ve also been told by friends who have young adult children that this generation doesn’t drink much or go out much. The not going out to socialize much is worrisome for their social skills and ability to navigate the world.
springcypripedium@reddit
Thank you for sharing this. Heartbreaking💔 . . . but a reality that I am seeing as well. I feel deeply for the young people stuck in this nightmare and all the species on earth that are suffering because of humans. It's happening so fast.
Liltoesss@reddit
Location: Nor-cal, US.
I slowed my posting and internet interaction in the latter half of 2025 as my dad had had a stroke, and 2025 was an already tough year on top of everything. I just didnt have the energy to interact with people via the internet.
Personally things have gotten a lot worse, I do medical IT hardware deployment and maintenance. When my dad had his stoke in late 25 i used all my PTO and asked for more time on top of that. After taking about a month or so off (not enough time) i came back to reduced hours, basically part time, this has been reduced and reduced to quiet fire me, in hopes id quit. ive never quit but ive started looking for other work in October of 25.
I have a BA, lots of certifications, and years of experience in IT. I havent been able to find a job for the life of me. A few interviews here and there that go nowhere, but mostly ghosted at the application stage. Ill take anything at this point, ive applied to custodial positions even, something i havent done since i was in high-school in 2009, and fucking nothing.
A lot of my friends are going though similar shit when it comes to employment, 2 of my friends that are also collage educated people with good working history are having the same issue as me. And one of those people dosnt even live in California, so it makes me think this job market is nationwide.
My dads divorce alamoney ends soon and since he cant work so does his lifeline to rent, same with me ive probably got a month of rent left in savings. I can see the homeless spiral on the horizion.
I did one of the only things i can do, and contact one of my fathers and i's last living close family, my uncle who lives in Chicago One of his kids moved out last year and the other starts collage this year, so very lucky for me and me dad he has space. And hes allowing us to stay rent free.
Ive lived in California for 30 years, and it feels surreal to be packing not knowing if im ever going to be back. A majority of my friends are here, i know my city well and enjoy taking transit here. I love California nature, weather, and parks. Part of me knows i should feels grateful that i have a place to stay, much more lucky than most people in my position. But i cant shake the sadness of leaving the city ive spent my entire adult life in since Highschool.
Chicago is a cool city at least, good public transit as well. But my mind cant help be drift to "what if?" What are the odds the job market is just as bad as here in nor-cal? If thats the case i would be stuck living with my uncle, how long will he let us stay "rent free"? My dad is disabled, would i be able to get him as good as care as we get here in nor-cal? If something did happen, while i cant live with my friends here in nor-cal they have offered for us to stay for a week or so if we had nowhere to go, something that i wouldn't have if we move across the country.
In 2025 a bunch of my friends moved back in with their parents, some of them with their significant other, because they lost their job. Or because they couldn't afford housing here anymore. Im not sure if this is happening to other peoples friend groups, but its alarming, and if widespread enough unsustainable. Rent in cost of living are out of control to a level that i would deem unthinkable if you told HS senior me.
America is spiraling, and these last 4 years the pace has quickened, for the working class the spiral is breakneck. I went from making comfortable money for my area to nothing, in roughly 2 months time.
CannyGardener@reddit
I feel this deeply. I am hovering on the edge here myself. My taxes and various insurances have gone up so much that my monthly pay check is not covering the full nut each month. My ex wife (who I have a child with) lost her job and stopped paying for child care during the day, and I've rented her a room for essentially free because she can't find any work for months now and is out of cash. Company I work for was down \~17% last year due to tariffs and larger distributors able to hold lower costs for longer, eating our market share, so obviously no raises or bonuses. Growing and selling random veg and meat from the urban farm, and just trying to keep my head above the water line, but I've pulled all the stops at this point. There is nothing else to cut other than like... my son's health insurance, or maybe we just eat less?? I'm tired boss. I feel bad complaining, because other folks are so much worse off, but the spiral to homelessness is so close it is making me panicky.
Rossdxvx@reddit
2025 was a bad year, but this one seems to be much, much worse so far. I also don't post as much as I used to post on here. The words are just not there anymore. Most of us know that we are spiraling, and that every single day has been reduced to another struggle to get through. All I can say is that you are not alone in this and that many of us are now being jolted awake to the fact that collapse is no longer a theoretical possibility, but a reality that is ongoing and unfolding right now as we speak.
springcypripedium@reddit
I always appreciate your posts. I hope you keep posting here as long as this keeps churning along.
The ecosystems where I live (wetlands, forests, lakes) are in such clear distress----more than ever before.
I went to one of my favorite, quiet, remote places today to try and just sit with the natural world (what remains) and it felt utterly devastating.
Everything seems like it is dying yet the birds (so few) that are returning are still trying to sing their spring calls, find territory to nest, same with the frogs and bats. It's heartbreaking to see and hear because I know they are doomed. They keep getting hit with extreme weather. Huge temp swings, torrential storms, then very dry and fire danger----- it is the worst I've ever experienced and only going to continue to get worse. This really feels like the end of nature and with that . . . humans. Stupid humans who tried to put themselves above the natural world and dominate, rape and pillage 🤬
Rossdxvx@reddit
Thanks.
I see the distress and breakdown, too. Even compared with a couple of years ago, things are clearly worse off. The weather has been absolutely insane this year, and as the Earth warms, this hot house hell is going to inflict massive amounts of damage on everything along with us all. Nothing is sustainable under these conditions, and like a house of cards, it will all come crashing down eventually.
From what I understand about humans, they don't change until their hands are literally forced, which will happen. But it will happen too late to do anything meaningful to avoid a complete catastrophe. Let's just hope that ruins can still be built on top of.
Until then, life will go on, and more and more of nature will disappear and be destroyed. The younger generations will not even know what it was like, just as we can't conceive of a virgin, untouched Earth now.
But anyone betting against collapse now (like endorsing growth) is making a fool's bargain because it has no future. The problem is attaching our own futures to a system that clearly has no future.
delusionalbillsfan@reddit
Wow, this struck a chord. This is exactly what happened to me in late 24 through mid 25. Close family member having a stroke, quiet quitting/being forced out. I also lost quite a bit of money on bad investments and gambling too.
Things eventually turned around for me, I was headhunted on indeed by my now current boss after I posted my resume there. Still took awhile, about 4 months of drawing unemployment. This family member recovered pretty well too, they'll never be 100% but 75%+ is good enough considering their age.
Wishing you well that you have similar luck 👍
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
I have a lot of empathy towards your situation, I'm really sorry. I'm glad you stuck by your dad. It may seem like a shitty decision to have to make in terms of ability to live, but at least you didn't go dark in your soul, and dump him and not care.
I grew up in Chicago and I can't afford to move there/live there, ironically. I miss it. Of course the Chicago I'm thinking about is one of many years ago but still, there's always the Lake and that's a saving grace.
I'll give you a fun little piece of homework so to speak. Find lighthouse beach. When you get some time, wander up north along the lake and there is a genuine lighthouse you can visit.
You climb down towards the lake on some ancient stone steps and Ithey to have railing made of old plumbing. I haven't seen on the top of the stairs and looked towards the lake. You'll see some neat old dunes. It's a peaceful spot for you to go contemplate your new home.
Northwestern University is nearby and it's a fun campus to wander. There's a very old observatory on campus and the telescope was built about the time of the Civil War:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearborn_Observatory
another day take your dad and go to Uno's pizzeria downtown. There, that's a few places I love that are still there and will make you feel more at home hopefully. Take good care!
CampfireHeadphase@reddit
All the best, you're a good man
Liltoesss@reddit
Thanks BoC album named internet stranger. I try to stay thankful for the small things these days. The Campfire Headphase is a great album, probably spin it tonight in fact.
Jovan_Knight005@reddit
Location: Ostruznica Urban Settlement, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, Europe.
The situation regarding the Ukraine - Russia military conflict have been escalating in recent days, with Ukraine introducing ground robots to previously human only warfare. A dangerous precedent has been set.
"Thus, the Drone Wars have begun."
The less written about the war that the United States and Isreal are waging against Iran, the better.
Stay safe out there.
PhoenixRisingdBanana@reddit
Has any of that war been "human only"? All that I seem to see from there are videos of kamikaze drones.
existing_for_fun@reddit
Robots at this stage, I haven't seen any that can do anything "incredible". They seem sturdy, but less capable than a human.
And I wouldn't have any guilt over killing one. It's just a robot.
Their advantage is that they can be manufactured en masse in a short amount of time and humans can't be.
That's my understanding.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
You don't need incredible to do damage. You need hardened and/or 'can grind 24 hours a day'
KhloJSimpson@reddit
DMV. It was almost 100 degrees over the past few days, now its about to drop below freezing tonight. I think I paid about $4.25 for gas this past week. Prices for wvery commodity are noticeably increasing. Things here are tense and surveillance in form of boots on the ground and cameras is also increasing. Everything in me is telling me to gtfo while I still have a chance.
ontrack@reddit
A lot of users might not know what DMV is.
Frisian_Tea@reddit
Not to add confusion, but I honestly thought it means D.C.-Maryland-Virginia... as in areas that are within commuting range of Washington, D.C. I feel like that area has expanded a lot since when I was young. Now would include Frederick, Maryland and maybe further north, down to Fredericksburg, Virginia.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
The poster mentioned it a while back, but I can't recall where DMV is. I want to say somewhere in Maryland.
ontrack@reddit
Yes, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia
FrownsRUs@reddit
Thank you! My first guess was way off and it wadn't like a different initialism for DMZ... like demilitarized vicinity or something
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
IKR! Back when I first saw the posts, I thought it was the Department of Motor Vehicles, which, could be a Demilitarized Zone... :)
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
That was it. Thank you. The next update KhloJSimpson posts I will try to remember - Delaware, Maryland, Virginia.
Frisian_Tea@reddit
Location: Somewhere Near The Chesapeake Bay, USA
It's the small things sometimes. Our local mail "service" seems to be a hot mess lately.
Towards the end of March, I tried mailing out nice retirement cards to friends who live only a few hours away from me. I put a lot of heart and thought into these, but they never arrived. Today, I find out that the town office never received the permit application my very trustworthy local contractor had mailed them. Contractor is going to drop it off in person today.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat indeed. I have no idea what will be happening with elections--"elections"?--this Autumn, but I am glad that I get my ballot e-mailed directly to me and do a box drop-off at the government center to vote. Guess if I seriously want to mail anything out, I'd better start paying the extra and getting it certified or whatnot.
pvdfan@reddit
I follow a lot of hobbies and there are dozens of posts each day with packages that look like they were attacked by bears. Even registered shit is getting destroyed, going missing, or having fake deliveries done by the postal workers. Trading cards in particular are getting stolen at an alarming rate with not just the postal service by UPS and Fed Ex.
To go with that, I have seen at least 3 towns in the local area have all of their utility bills get lost before being processed by USPS. My town alone was over 1000 letters that just vanished into the void with not a single one delivered.
Frisian_Tea@reddit
That's really good to know, though scary reading.
The mail is becoming like health "care" I gather... we shell out our money for the dubious privilege of spinning a roulette wheel. Gone are the promises that services we paid for will ever happen.
And it's exhausting, like so many of these drawn-out aspects of collapse.
PhoenixRisingdBanana@reddit
Location: Chicagoland
The most striking observation to me has been the weather. Ever since I was a kid I loved watching storms, I'd go watch them roll in on our front porch. I don't recall seeing storms this powerful outside of a few rare occasions during the summer. The amount of lightning has been breathtaking, and it's been eerie seeing it flash on the horizon for hours as the storm approaches. Crazy strong driving winds some days, 30+ mph.
I may be wrong, but growing up I was always under the impression that more or less, weather comes from the west and moves east. These storms have been strange too, swirling skies, clouds that seem to ebb and flow between racing across the sky and almost dragging backwards. I've seen weather systems move in from the east, north, south recently. We've had tons of rain, local rivers are flooding to near crisis levels.
Temps have been crazy too, it's swung back and forth between high 70s and humid and nearly freezing. Been feeling a lot more like June than April.
pvdfan@reddit
Illinois on a whole is the tornado capital of the US this year. Over 100 tornadoes already, which is more than double the 2000-2024 average for the entire year. Thankfully it hasn't quite got as bad where you are, but the central part of the state feels like Oklahoma in 1990's weather documentaries.
fd1Jeff@reddit
I lived in the Chicagoland area from the mid 90s until about four years ago. I remember how about eight or nine years ago, there was a thunderstorm in February. That’s right, thunder, lightning, and rain in February in Chicagoland. I have lived in northern climates for most of my life, an additional 15 years or so not in Chicago, and I had never ever experienced a thunderstorm in February. There was snow on the ground, and we had a thunderstorm. ?????? That is one of the many things that really convinced me how screwed up things are.
I don’t want to mix up my years, but either the year before or the year after, there was an entire week where in February where a daily temperatures were in the high 50s or mid 60s. Yes, an entire week. I saw people jogging on Lakeshore Drive and their shorts over and over again. This whole week seem to pass without comment.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
I was in central minnesota the winter of 2006, think brainerd lakes area. We had thunderstorm and hail and rain over the christmass break. I was staying on the couch in a sun room and remember being scared the roof was coming in.
And then thinking how abnormal that weather was and that it was only going to get worse. Weird to think back and know how it has gotten worse.
rmannyconda78@reddit
The storms are no joke, here’s a tornado I captured a few miles away from me on my drone.
Right-Cause9951@reddit
2 days of 85+ and now on Monday under 40 for the early morning. The powers that be think we are going to entertain data centers and climate controlled food supply centers together.
It will be interesting watching the House of Cards go down.
rmannyconda78@reddit
Location: Grant county Indiana.
Last Tuesday, strong storms rolled through, massive hail and rain, plus it was rotating, though no tornado from that supercell. The hail was golf ball to egg sized, cracked my picture window and punched a few holes in my siding. The storms have been pretty violent this spring, and a field fire happened today, according the Grant county scanner freaks. That’s the fate of the Midwest it seems, fires and severe storms.
As for society, no shootings, lots of reports of aggressive uncontained dogs, including a pit bull x boxer mix which ran off leash at me while I was filming a liminal space short form video, owners did not even apologize. Here’s some tea for ya, a guy running for county commissioner got arrested for resisting arrest and OWI. Whenever a woman in particular gets arrested, all the men go on the county busted FB page and either insult or say things like “i can fix her”, or other disgusting things (this is based on how attractive said person is), personally it gives me sleazy vibes when people do that. Lots of people being extremely aggressive and or stupid on the road.
Economy is poor, new high end apts are being built right on the river but with the amount of low paying jobs, scummy employers, and rising prices who can afford it. A can of monster and a snack at the convince store can cost nearly 7-10 dollars. Used to get a ton more for that price, even at the convince store, a gallon of milk and some cheese cost nearly $7-10, used to cost $3-5. Gas is sitting around I think 3.76-3.95/gal. DoorDash is not profitable currently, lots of poor offers, barely profiting on it, less tipping, more customers being rude.
As for me personally Getting my stocks rebuilt. About to get my large garden planted this may, got several tobacco plants in pots I grew from seed as well as sunflowers. The way things are going I encourage anyone who is a prepper to go over their stocks. Im definitely gonna be hunkering down not going too far from my area because people get crazy this time of year. I’ve rediscovered the old pirates online MMORPG game, renamed as the legend of pirates online. I enjoy it as much as I did when I played it in 6th grade.
Here’s footage of that storm as it approaches:
https://youtu.be/Lrauq-cRem0?si=OvQ7aJ_5PQaB0NUR I really liked that song used, fits the mood of footage involving severe weather.
Footage after it passed: https://youtu.be/4HNsTLNBTIw?si=DgSIvmHlk2_Ojl-g (audio got fucked up when editing) that storm had one of the cleanest anvils I’ve seen. The air was eerily still after it hit.
A hailstone from it: https://youtube.com/shorts/ZHwgyJ8eD3c?si=pM7WVk1r6IUEx-eJ
(Damage to my window from the hail, it sounded as if my house was getting beat with a hammer)
rmannyconda78@reddit
A small hole in my siding from the hail. These storms are no joke
lavapig_love@reddit
Dang. I don't have a lot of practical advice for that. Maybe in the summer you can buy a lot of epoxy coating and coat the roof and as much of the siding as possible in it. Add an additional layer that might kinda slow down some of the hail a little bit...
rmannyconda78@reddit
A old article but you know a place is fucked up when it makes news clear across the Atlantic
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/man-carrying-gun-without-licence-14158822.amp
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PushyTom@reddit
Location: South Carolina, US
We have been in a drought and the local media is finally starting to take notice. Today, a meteorologist on the local NPR station said we would need a foot of rain to come out of the drought. This is on top of 90 degree temperatures last week.
ShyElf@reddit
This is currently a record short-term drought for this day of the year. The SE currently needs around 7" extra rain just to fill the surface soil to normal. Filling reservoirs or refilling groundwater would be on top of that.
In the summer or early fall, once drought sets in in the SE, it almost never gets better without a tropical system. It sets up a high pressure that bumps the rain around it to the Mississippi and Ohio valleys instead. They still get broken by tropical systems in the summer/fall. We're running out of chances for the normal winter/spring reset.
PushyTom@reddit
Thank you for sharing this.
CannyGardener@reddit
In a time of extremes, a foot of rain doesn't seem too far out there. I was talking to some of my family in KS that does big farming. They said they got almost 10 inches of rain a couple weeks back. 10 inches in one storm. Of rain.
PushyTom@reddit
Fingers crossed for some extreme rain here!
Iheartriots@reddit
Mississippi Headwaters Region. Rain and moisture continue to fail to come. No snow for three years. Little to know rain. Insect and bird populations in notable decline. Raptors are doing well though. Lots of trees down due to storms. Northern Minnesota is set to burn. Red flag warnings for fire danger are always being announced. Wetlands and pothole lakes are drying up. Emerald ash borer has been seen.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
People really don't fathom how much water is just... Missing in the landscape.
AlwaysPissedOff59@reddit
Location: Great Lakes State US
The insanely hot spring continues, with swings from 80F to 35F in 24 hours. I have plum trees in full bloom now, which is something that should be happening in the first 7 -10 days of May. I grow lots of daylilies, which bloom mostly in July here. Last year they started blooming the last week of June; this warmer year I'm expecting to see flowers before June 15. We shall see.
More importantly, this was a week of thunderstorms and heavy rain in my area - 6+ inches (15 cm, I think) in 7 days, with 2/3rds of that coming in two rain "events", but rain nearly every night. Now, this would just be "weather" if it were just heavy rains, but the storms were large, violent, long-lasting (several hours long for each of the last two) and produced multiple tornadoes and large hail. The large hail, in particular is not normal in my part of the US. "Normal" would be pea-sized and maybe nickel-sized (1 cm for non-USians), which can damage crops and gardens but will not damage houses or vehicles. The hail we got in these storms was ping-pong ball to goose-egg sized (1" to 2.5" or larger). Hail this large causes lots of damage; the egg-sized hail especially will break car windows, irreparably dent vehicles, destroy roofs and chip vinyl siding. I know from experience that a single, short storm like that can cause upwards of $30,000 damage to an average-sized house. We also had six tornadoes spotted in the same corridor of our county within 90 minutes.
If this is April, then what will July and August be like?
GreenHeretic@reddit
I can't wait for summer here at the southern end of Lake Erie - Humidity and oppressive heat or thunderstorms, no middle ground lol
lightweight12@reddit
Don't forget all the smoke we'll be sending you from the West ...
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
I remember those glorious sunsets down here in Orange county NY a few years ago! s/
rmannyconda78@reddit
The storms have been no joke, golf ball sized hail cracked my window
whereisskywalker@reddit
Tons of flooding from the rain. I have never seen anything like it up there.
keinezeit44@reddit
Location: Upstate NY US. We've had two tornado watches during hot days so far this April. In April! It used to be that we'd rarely have tornado watches the whole summer.
With the exception of some hot days, it's been chillier much further into the spring than usual.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
Upstate - Adirondacks? Catskills? Binghamton? Albany? Plattsburg? Buffalo? Elmira?
LPhermanos70@reddit
Location: USA
I saw this protest on youtube. It made me really sad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3VhVN9IdoI
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
It is sad. The veterans protesting were standing respectfully and not acting in any way provocative. Where were the zip ties on January 6, 2021?
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
Location: Manila, Philippines
Last weekend, we experienced danger level heat indexes (42 to 51 Celsius) up until yesterday. On personal observations, the ambient temperature inside my room during daytime reached as high as 37 Celsius and only dropped to 33 Celsius at night. Needless to say, it's uninhabitable without AC. For the first time in a long while, I also suffered heat exhaustion despite going out for an early morning bike ride where the temps peaked at 30 Celsius at 8:00AM. This is related to collapse as summers have been increasingly unbearably hot.
Lord_Vesuvius2020@reddit
Are you hearing about any gasoline shortages due to the war?
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
Oh yeah, about that. There were a total of 294 gas stations closed as of last saturday, most of those being in high-density areas or with heavy vehicle traffic. IIRC, my country has one of the higher prices for diesel which is wreaking havoc on the prices and purchasing power of the common Filipino.
As far as mainstream news go, we're still able to get fuel which pushes the red line for how much reserves we still have. But knowing what's happening in Iran right now, that relief might not last long. It doesn't help that our government doesn't want to go all in on supporting the country amid this crisis while neighboring countries have taken drastic steps.
PorcelinaMagpie@reddit
Location: Indiana
Economy: Absolute shit but everyone knows that. Three months ago I was flourishing at my recent remote job. Then I got laid off again for the second time in two years. Thirty minutes ago I finished picking up trash and leaves from a fence line at my current big box store job. I honestly don't think myself, or anyone that has been decimated in the white collar job market, will be landing something anytime soon. I recently told a colleague of mine that I've had zero interviews for jobs I'm highly qualified for. He said that until companies are sure we aren't stepping into WW3, hiring freezes and/or layoffs will continue. How much more insanity can we take?!!!
I don't have anything else to say that hasn't already been discussed or will be discussed. Please stay safe out there.
existing_for_fun@reddit
I was laid off 10 months ago.
White collar job. That was my 3rd layoff in 3 years at the time.
I have other means of income, so it's not dire. But it still stings and my income is lower.
I haven't had an interview in 9 months. Strong resume with appropriate education, certificates, etc.
rmannyconda78@reddit
Definitely working on staying safe, definitely going to be hunkering down for the most parts in the coming months (save for work and filming) things have been getting hot.
RottenFarthole@reddit
Location: Sweden
We are having near summer like temperatures in April. A regular april should still be kinda cold, maybe some snow left on the ground but I'm walking around in a t-shirt and it looks like it's getting even warmer tomorrow. Our weather app says we'll get 16⁰ celsius but I've learned that the real temperature is always a couple of degrees warmer than what they say. So probably like 18-19 degrees. That's borderline summer territory...
OddGold348@reddit
Location: Southeast USA. We had a very small amount of rain Sunday AM. Barely enough to wet the ground. No chance for rain until the weekend. No significant precipitation since late January/early Feb. To say there is a fire danger would be an understatement.
somebitch@reddit
We are in GA and have been experiencing 85-90 degree heat for weeks now. It’s unbelievable. Also, our produce CSA is starting early, next week actually, because the food is already ready!
KingofGrapes7@reddit
Location: Massachusetts
I have previously mentioned how gas was sticking to $3.70-$3.99 in my route or work. I can now report one of the maybe five gas stations on that route is $4.16. It might have been that amount for awhile, they don't have a big sign listing the prices which I suspect is an attempt to get you in hit you with the price and hope you need a refill enough to deal with it. I did not and drove away. I had to go up to New Hampshire as well. To try and explain is gas stations in towns and right before the highway were over $4.00 and most stations on the actual highway were still in the upper $3.00 range. Again there is probably an attempt to trap people who dont know about the other stations of dont have the gas to make it. I got lucky this time. Up and down from thia trip took about half a tank from my Camry. Getting to the mountains is further and will be more expensive that sucks. I dont mind hiking in the Middlesex Fells but mountains are mountains.
I cant even comment on Iran much at this point. Its over, it's escalating. The Strait is open, its closed, its open but WE are blockadeing it. Amazing how all of our power and reputation has been completely undone because some people thought 'soft power' meant weak and thought they needed a war to look strong.
Weather has been mostly rainy which is good but I dont know if it will be enough. Temps are bouncing between 50 and 80. One minute the window are open and shorts are on and next its jeans and a sweatshirt. My dad talks about putting down grass seed next month and all I can think about is how that grass is going to roast in the summer or alot of water is going to be wasted keeping it green.
Kenpoaj@reddit
Also MA here, i empathize with the grass thing. I worked on my dad for YEARS to try to change his view on the lawn. What ended up working was one year, convincing him to do no-mow may to help the fireflies that we hadnt seen much of in years. After that, there was a huge increase, and he said "I think ill do this every year. Its also just less work."
That fall I worked on my mom with "what if instead of just not mowing, you expanded your garden to include some native plants. Theres a whole bunch that are really pretty like scarlet beebalm and fall asters. Theres this native nursery I found just up the road..."
It took about 4 years total, but now their yard is about 1/4 wild, just let it grow. 1/2 gardens, flower, vegetable, etc. and 1/4 grass, unfertilized, unwatered, and kept to the tallest setting on the mower. And its gorgeous still, so it can be done well, if the person enjoys the yardwork.