1. Is the herd still grazing, just hangin' out in the field?
2. Have they heard anything to make them stop, raise their heads, and look around? (i.e. - The symbolic snap of twig in the woods?)
3. Are they sniffing the air?
4. Has it started to move?

My take: In spite of noises in the woods and the rustling in the bushes, the herd in general is still grazing or chewing on their cuds....

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), February 05, 1999

Answers

I think the herd, when one does pick up its head, is wooed back to sleep by a single article, or column, reporter, or relative. When they get to the point that they won't be calmed, they will be on the move. It's easy to put your head back down when you didn't want to stop eating in the first place. Never mind that pack of wolves circling the herd.

-- James Chancellor (publicworks1@bluebonnet.net), February 05, 1999.

Here on the Front Range of Colorado, generators from 3-5kw are gone. Kero heaters are scarce, and the hardware store workers all have stories about little old ladies coming in for supplies. I'd say there hasn't been a twig snap, but they're definitely getting a little antsy.

MM

-- MarkyMark (m@m.m), February 05, 1999.

We should all hope there is a calm resurgent wave formation to preparations... no sudden everyone all in one day... just recurrent waves of increased preparations... I can no longer go to the grocery store to buy canned goods without someone making a knowing and approving comment... I went to Home Depot for buckets and the check out person asked did I mind her asking what they were for? I told her: I'm storing corn... She did not look spooked or taken by surprise...she knows... It is my feeling that many people are quietly, calmly and (despite the current labeling) quite rationally preparing. There may be no rush, no sudden knee-gerk reaction...

-- Shelia (shelia@active-stream.com), February 05, 1999.

A snap of a twig
The herd's ears prick
The familiar smells and sounds
of the border collie
And the cowboys' chatter
And sleep resumes.

-- A (A@AisA.com), February 05, 1999.

A,

You forgot the sound and smell of a truck pulling up lettered "Meatpacking and Rendering", that the herd members recognize. But since *they* were never put aboard that truck before...ZZZzzzzz

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 05, 1999.

I can honestly say that in South Florida they are still out grazing. Someone prove me wrong please. Last night at two separate grocery stores both customers and cashiers were clueless. We just told them that it was a good sale and we were stocking up and this is the way we shopped and they went right along with us, "oh yes, that's a good idea we should do that too but we don't have time blah blah blah". Unfortunately, they just DGI!

-- Mrs. Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), February 05, 1999.

I live in the Midwest. From the items that I see in the stores (and then not in the stores) I think that the people here are starting to prepare in a very quite way. This week, one of the news stations in my area has been running Y2K stories on the 10 o'clock news each night. Last night they had an interview with Karen Anderson (y2kwomen.com). It was a great interview. They said that everyone should prepare. I cannot find canning jars or a can lifter anywhere. I went to the hardware store today, and behold right in the enterance, there were many 5 gallon plastic containers of kero there. Never before have I seen any, and they had maybe 100.

(to borrow from the great bear....) Got jars?

Donna

-- Donna (donna@home.now), February 05, 1999.

The edge of the herd senses something's up before the rest, but only if they're downwind from the danger.

-- Nathan (nospam@all.com), February 05, 1999.

Funny she said that "oh yes, that's a good idea we should do that too but we don't have time blah blah blah".

We don't have time to waste.

Interesting. Mr. K

-- Mr. K (here@home.com), February 05, 1999.

I've come across many grazing bulls who are continuing to put money in the stock market, especially the NASDAQ/tech/internet stocks. They don't seem to be too worried about the bears at present.

-- Faze the Nation (dazed@confused.com), February 05, 1999.

DC metro area is still concerned with propaganda maneuvers around the impeachment trial. Generally speaking 'the herd' is doing nothing. Have found several churches working to get their people prepared in one form or another...interestingly the churches in question are mostly blue collar and mostly independents of one type or another - nothing from the mainline denominations that I've seen so far.

Mostly it's nonyuppies and conservatives preparing...and speaking from personal experience, both are minority groups around here.

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 06, 1999.

Out here in PA, the herd is mostly still grazing. I do know of some people who are preparing, but I don't know how much, as I don't know them that well, and it's impolite to ask. :)

Generators are still available, as are the staples, mostly. Very little is hard to come by, supply-wise. Glad I'm nearly ready.

-- Bill (billclo@hotmail.com), February 06, 1999.

I also live in the Midwest. Last night on the news they showed a store that usually sells 4-5 wood stoves per YEAR. They are selling 5-6 per WEEK, they say it is because of y2k.

My local grocery store has started carrying bulk bags of rice & beans. Last week the bean shelves were practically empty. An employee at that store told me they were having a hard time keeping any of the shelves stocked. I didn't mention y2k.

Someone mentioned that they couldn't find canning suppies, I have seen jars/lids in resale shops. Better than nothing.

Wal Mart is out of 5 gal fuel containers, and in the camping aisle they are out of water storage containers. They have two kerosene lanterns left, barely any sleeping bags, and more Coleman fuel than I have ever seen in any one place at any one time.

My husband is delivering record numbers of generators to Home Depot.

y2k media coverage has BARELY STARTED here. I hate to think what it's going to be like a month from now. BTW I haven't come accross a single GI. My husband, very few. Who are these other GI's? How did they find out? I haven't found a single community group.

Deborah

-- Deborah (stirringsheep@mid.west), February 06, 1999.

Hard to tell here in rural dairyland NY.

My newspaper column well-received. Local church doing big Y2K preparation thing tomorrow nite which will tell a lot. Our nearest town (3K people), thanks to a rabid long-time GI mayor, has already Y2K-compliantized all town generators (interestingly, a few of the big ones had non-compliant chips), upgraded local EMT, police and fire equipment (and, believe this, lit a fire under them to have their families ready so they aren't tempted to stay at home, good work, mayor) and purchased a diesel tanker for said town generators.

Most farms long-since have diesel generators, many townies too, though not all. Also, most folks used to just getting by on their own more-or-less, never did trust government for help and paternalism.

More specifically, some gensets still available, preparation going on quietly but steadily among many.

Our big wild-card is that 1/2 of 90K total county population is 2nd homes. If Y2K turns ugly and the NYC and Long Island folks try to high-tail it up here, there will be some interesting tensions that develop.

I wouldn't bet against us locals .....

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), February 06, 1999.

I bought my 5kw generator at the local Sam's in October. They had about thirty units of various size stocked in the shelves then. I walked through that section a couple of days ago just out of curiosity and they had one generator. Just one. It was a 2500 watt portable welder.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), February 06, 1999.