What? Me worry?

[jfeatherjohn]

OK, I hate fomenting mass hysteria, but I'm seeing a trend.
Today, I did one of those ugly "row by row" shopping trips to my local Krogers. Then I went to Wally's to find a couple of obscure things that I didn't want to burn a bunch of gas looking for amongst the "local" vendors.
I was thinking, "Man, there are a bunch of empty slots here."
Then it hit me...deja vu...I had thought that same thing over the Ipast several weeks.
Now, I know that Eric is going show and lecture me on "just in time". Well, I've got an MBA; I understand that and have used it.
On the positive side, I found the obscure stuff, and dry beans...and a pork hock (which I couldn't find a few weeks ago).
I fully understand that we have more food in our grocery stores tuat about anyplace in the world...something is different.
Maybe I should shop more at Safeway...
Anyway, maybe the rest of you aren't crazy...that scares me a little
bit.
Just a thought...

[Graf]

I to have noticed alot of empty shelves at times recently. Heres a fact that will put things into perspective. Yes we have alot of grocerys in local stores, however most grocery stores maintain a 3 day supply. In a SHTF senario those shelves will empty very fast, add the mass hesteria factor to that. Thats why when SHTF I won't be going near the stores but rather digging in.

[Rick]

First, his name is Rick, not Eric. If you want a lecture, try a class.

[ElevenBravo]

You present a good argument for a "second pantry", which I have in the plans as soon as I can get some shelves built. At this time due to budget I will focus on LTS foods such as canned goods. I hope to add some dehydrated meats mainly beef when funds allow.

Canned goods, ready to make bread mixes (Bisquick), dehydrated eggs (OvaEggs), Nestle Nido powdered milk (best powdered milk Ive ever had!), various pastas in mylar and some #10 cans of dehydrated beef are what I have planned.

I will try to not have ANY glass bottles, for in the event things must be moved for transport ("bug out"??) then they will not be lost to easy damage.

My consumption/potable water is good right now, can always find room for more but Ive got no backup food at this point. Not good.

Good luck my friend,
Andrew

[Rick]

EB - Take a survey of your home and location. Determine what the greatest threats to you and your family are then rank them in the order of most likely to least likely. That will probably be weather related and a few man made events but add in whatever YOU think they are. Once you've done that then you can invest your money and time in those things that will pay the biggest divide and mitigate the biggest risk. I'm not saying don't stock food. I'm just offering you a way to make the most of finite resources.

[finallyME]

Anyway, maybe the rest of you aren't crazy...

Man, are you wrong. Especially Eric. He is the craziest person here.

[jfeatherjohn]

First, his name is Rick, not Eric. If you want a lecture, try a class.

I really did confuse you with a fellow at another place...not even about survival.
My apologies.
Classes begin when?

[jfeatherjohn]

Rick makes sense.
My concern is not collapse, but what these empty shelf spaces are trying to tell me. The last two years, Krogers has been the only major grocery to show a profit (this does not include Walmart). With their internal supplier model, they do have more inventory control than most.
I haven't been into the much bigger Frys (Krogers) in weeks. That might tell me something.
I only find this ineresting because I don't remember seeing this since the 70's gas crisis, when no truck moved unless it was stuffed to the brim.
Perhaps it isn't about the food, but about the fuel.
I'll just keep watching.

[Rick]

No worries. No blood, no foul.

This same issue has been raised multiple times every year since this board's inception. Posts regarding famine in the U.S., riots over food, etc. abound in the archives all the way back to 2007.

This year's corn yield is projected to below last month's estimate of 10.8 billion bushels, which would be down 1.6 billion bushel from last year but still ahead of 2002-3, which was another extensive drought season (anyone remember that?).

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_...s/cornprod.asp

Soybeans will also be below last month's estimates but still ahead of the game.

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_...rops/soyac.asp

Let's not forget about the 32 million acres currently in the Conservation Reserve Program, much of which could be converted to production.

http://sustainableagriculture.net/pu...serve-program/

And let's not forget about all the field corn being converted to ethanol.

[kyratshooter]

Want to see mass hystaria?

OK we will use a "real life" and believable senerio for those doubters among us.

Forcast a 12" snowstorm in North Kentucky! make that snow a regional complete midwest and Applation Mountain event. Close the roads from Missouri to to the smokey mountains all the way from Chicago down to about Huntsville, AL.

I have seen the shelves at Kroger almost stripped in less than a day. Have that same snow storm close he interstate highway system for a couple of weeks and combine the situational problem.

Now go to your shelves and see if you have two weeks worth of food. It is really that simple. 6 months supply would be better and a year is a dream few of us can attain in our present culture.

The amount of food in the warehouses is not the key to accessability, the key is the fuel that brings it to market.

[Rick]

Actually, that happened in 1978. Most of the Midwest was shut down. No famine. My dad, a trucker for 32 years, spent 4 days at my house because the interstate was closed. No famine. Remember the I34W bridge collapse into Minneapolis? No famine. Remember the closing of the bridge on Interstate 64 this year into Kentucky? No famine. Of the 3.5 million truck drivers less than half are Teamsters. Teamsters, by the way, don't go on a general strike, they go on a jurisdictional strike against the company they have a contract with. It happens all the time. No famine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1978

Want to see mass hysteria? Just look in these threads.

[karatediver]

EB - Take a survey of your home and location. Determine what the greatest threats to you and your family are then rank them in the order of most likely to least likely. That will probably be weather related and a few man made events but add in whatever YOU think they are. Once you've done that then you can invest your money and time in those things that will pay the biggest divide and mitigate the biggest risk. I'm not saying don't stock food. I'm just offering you a way to make the most of finite resources.

OK Here Goes in order of most likely to occur (#1) to least likely considering I live in a rural area no where near any high value targets.

1. #1 Threat Alien Invasion. Must get armed to repel alien hordes. Stock up on ammo, guns, and surplus Vietnam era military gear.
2. Zombie Invasion. Similar prep to #1.
3. Chinese Invasion: They don't want to just sell us cheap junk. Prep similar to #1 and #2. They're laying off people at work but that will just give me more time to practice using my guillie suit I got overseas on ebay in the city park behind my house next to the elementary school.
4. Nuclear Attack: Must get fall out shelter built and radiation suits. Start looking for shipping container and asking beer drinking buddy to help dig the hole in the back yard even though the water table is less than three feet most years.
5. Dirty Bomb: See #4
6. EMP Attack: Make entire home one giant faraday cage. Reminder to self to pick up more wire at Home Depot.
7. Biological Attack: Stock up on Bio Chem Warfare Equipment from eBay. Average temperature is well over 100 degrees here in the summer and that 3XL suit might be a bit snug but that equipment will save my life!
8. Chemical Attack: See #4
9. Terrorist Bomb and Shooting Attack. Buy flack jackets on eBay and more magazines for concealed carry weapon.
10. 2012 John Cusack Earth Obliteration. Buy private plane with extra fuel tanks and build own runway.
11. Civil War II. Get ready to fight against entire might of United States Government. More ammo, more guns, more surplus Vietnam era military gear. Also watch more History Channel shows about warfare to become expert. Buy more snacks for T.V. Time. Rent Red Dawn.


Least Likely To Occur Events (Low Priority). Not nearly as exciting as Zombie Hordes or Civil War so very low priority.

1. Home Fire: Probably a go bag, fire detectors, etc. I'll check the batteries after changing out my mags to prevent the springs from not being springy first.
2. Job loss. No need to work on resume and save money for a rainy day. Might be nice to have extra food in the pantry in case job loss is long term and to lower or get out of debt. I'll get to that after getting another 5000 rounds of ammo and getting my guillie suit set up better.
3. Storm damage, natural dissaster, earthquake, truck accident chemical release, or flood requiring evacuation. FEMA will handle all that, I've got bigger fish to fry. That EMP weapon could be unleashed any day along with the zombie virus. Need to finish that faraday cage and get that old tube type radio purchased off ebay.
4. Serious illness or death of a spouse or dependent child. We're in perfect health aside from being overweight, high blood pressure, borderline diabetic, etc. But hey, with the extra junk in our trunks when other folks are starvign we will be good to go. We having no savings to pay medical bills but I've got a roll of pre 1964 dimes I plan on using to pay for things when the whole system collapses. Besides, who can save money when you are preparing for the hordes of zombies. Which reminds me, need to buy some more surplus flack jackets on ebay for cousin Billy and his girlfriend who plan on moving in with me as part of my survival group after the collapse.
5. Long term power outage due to accident at to power lines, substation, or storm damage. I got batteries in the flashlight so I should be good to go! I'll just drink my pool water. I'm good to go. Must get back to planning for zombie hordes. Spent too much time already thinking about this other, unimportant stuff.

Looks like I've got my priorities strait Eric regardless of what your evil twin Rick keeps saying! Could Rick already be infected with the zombie virus? Maybe he's working for the chinese! All I know is don't listen to Rick, listen to Eric.

[hunter63]

I figure I just need enough stashed till December 21st..............
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[Rick]

Excellent! May I suggest the ACME LASER DISINTEGRATOR for those alien hordes?

[karatediver]

Excellent! May I suggest the ACME LASER DISINTEGRATOR for those alien hordes?

Excellent suggestion Rick or is this Eric using Rick's account? Already sent away for the plans. My beer drinking buddy and me are going to build it while watching the game this Saturday right after we get done digging the hole for the bunker.

[Rick]

Oooh. Sorry. Not a good plan. What happens if you are in the hole digging and there is a zombie invasion? You'll both be trapped like rats. And, if you are drinking beer, won't that elevate the threat of a dirty bomb by your friend? Again, if he sets one off while you're in the hole.....well.......

[karatediver]

Oooh. Sorry. Not a good plan. What happens if you are in the hole digging and there is a zombie invasion? You'll both be trapped like rats. And, if you are drinking beer, won't that elevate the threat of a dirty bomb by your friend? Again, if he sets one off while you're in the hole.....well.......

Daggummit, it's hard to argue with that logic. We'll build the laser first.

[Rick]

When you go in to get the parts just tell them Eric the Lecturer sent you.

[jfeatherjohn]

Why haven't you built the laser already?
I'm halfway done with the ditch for my partical accelerator.

[kyratshooter]

Alright, somewhere in the midst of "It will never happen to me" and "The sky if falling!" is an area filled with people that stop each night to purchase what they will eat for the evening meal and the next mornings breakfast. There is no other food in the house except for a can of tomato soup and a box of corn flakes.

Four days might not do them in. One bridge going down in Minnisota might not have an affect on me in NKY. (Rick you are really streching the rubber band here) Snow in Kansas might not cause a famine in Alabma. Joe next door being unemployed for 2 years and HIS family living on beans and rice, while they wait for his disability check for depression to arrive, does not mean I am in a famine situation.

A nationwide disaster might do the trick. Seems that the concept of a national emergency has vanished with the end of the Cold War.

So has the memory of the Killing Fields of Cambodia, the goologs of Russia and the "Harvest of Sorrow" in the Ukraine, the starvation of the Warsaw Getto and all those nasty things that "can not happen here".

Perhaps it is the fact that I taught history for too long and remmber more than names of dead white guys and dates. I can point to way too many famines engineered by the governments that used food supply as a weapon to keep their people in line.

I do not trust anyone that has a vested interest in maintaining ther status or power, or anyone that is dependent on that group for their allotment of food.