The Aloha State

[tombldr]

Any Hawaii-philes among us?

My latest brainstorm is, HI as where I may settle for the dark years ahead. Never been, but I'm going there this month to case it out. I read nothing about it in the 'surviving peak oil /the coming depression' writings.

HI would appear to offer geographical security (if cheney doesn't blow it up) from the soon-to-be-desparate masses, no need for heat or AC, aerable land, plenty of rainfall (those pineapples don't get irrigated by water from 6 states away!), a civil, progressive, highly 'international' population.

Shortcomings? Mainly, price. But if I can merely preserve capital during the collapse, if not grow it by being properly invested (commodities like energy & precious metals, shorting the stock market esp the home builders); I may be able to secure a nice piece of land on one of the less tourist-dependent islands, at a post-collapse price. And then there's environmental collapse, rising ocean levels, tsunamis, ah, what other natural disasters threaten Hawaii?

So this is a "jump ball" for those who know a thing or two more than myself about the Aloha State.

[stonefruit]

before you make that decision remember that hawaii has 1) pearl harbor, 2) the nuke sub base of the pacific, 3) the hq of the pacific command, 4) several nsa stations, 5) 2 years worth of fuel for the pacific command, 6) barking sands missile range, and 7) observatories on haleakala and mauna kea that do sdi related work.

it would definitely be incinerated in any nuke war.

re coping with peak oil/social meltdown it also has 1) extreme overdevelopment with attending inflated real estate prices, too many people, too little water, 2) an urban design every bit as car dependent as l.a. and 3) a near total reliance on imported food/fuel/goods.

[tombldr]

Thanks Stonefruit for the HI info. I heard much the same at another bbs where I posted the query, and bought a book on the state as well. I've cooled off to it. It's the most militarized of all 50 states.. a geostrategic prize, and a likely nuke target when the energy wars get hotter and China, Russia maybe India decide that if invading it's not an option, than we can't have it (as a base) either and yep, mushroom clouds. 'Sides, alot of indigenous haven't forgot the crooked way which the US "aquired" HI, and after the meltdown, it could get unfriendly fast. I decided not to even take the exploratory trip there.

The wind has most recently shifted back south of the border, to Panama this time.

www.escapeartist.com/Altos_Del_Maria/Mountain_Garden.html
www.escapeartist.com/Isla_Solarte/Isla_Solarte.html

I realize that the weakness of escapeartist.com is it emphasises the positive, like a travel brochure (no crime! friendly cops!); thus my interest in digging into the nitty gritty some more. I bought a lonely planet book on Panama, but it's really geared for the traveler, not the relocator, and lacks much of the 'dirt' I'm sleuthing for. But as it stands, Panama/Costa Rica are at the top of my queue for further exploration. So, what do y'all know?!