Ive grown weary of the Polly yammering what are you going to do with all those expensive preps when Y2K is a bust. Or wont you feel foolish when Y2K is a nonevent and youve spent all that money.

Well let me state publicly exactly what I am going to do with those expensive preps and what I am going to do different with my life if Y2K is just a bump in the road. Maybe we can all make our if its a 1 plans public on this thread and hopefully put this Polly taunt to rest.

Shelter: I have a place in the country and in 1998 I lived 2/3 of the time rural and 1/3 in the city. If spring of 00 is nothing but blue skies, we will switch to 50/50 city/country. We will not give up our country home because we like the life so much. We will live half time in the city because of my work and to enjoy the city advantages.

Career: No fallen grid, no martial law, then I will get back to being a corporate video producer, full time. I now work half time at that vocation from my office in the sticks. Ironically, because of the low cost of living, I make nearly as much working half time from here as full time in the city.

Food: If the grocery store remains loaded in Y2K we will just not have to go there. The majority of our storage food will be eaten by us. What we can not reasonably consume will be given to a local food pantry called the Caring Cupboard. The freeze dried stuff (and we didnt invest in too much of that) will be shipped to a missionary family we know and love who can make very good use of it.

Water: Those big blue water barrels will be painted black, filled and placed along the wall in our little green house to lessen the need for heat input on cold winter nights.

Misc.: The water filter and petromax lantern will be given to yet another missionary family we know who can use them. The little bit of silver will be given to my son for inclusion in his coin collection. He will be happier than a hog in slop.

And the generator, the woodstove, the Aladdin lamps, and flour mill we will keep and happily use for years to come.

Im a card carrying doomer, prepped for a 7+, but more than ready and able to move on if Y2K is a zero. And under no circumstances will I feel like a fool. Im just having too much fun with this adventure called life.

-- Timothy (Farmer_Timothy@megavision.com), August 14, 1999

Answers

Timothy, everything you have said is completely reasonable, and should be an inspiration to everyone on preparing.

Now, watch the polly assaults begin....

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Tim:

No Polly has offered anything factual. Personally, I hope they're right and no provisions are needed. But unless they can prove that no provisions will be needed, then who cares about what they think? Like I care about opinions of people who don't back their postings with facts. Hear that pollys? Offer up PROOF, and I'll listen. Show me links, articles, etc. Without proof, your opinions don't count for dog**it.

-- darth (darthvader@slavery.com), August 14, 1999.

I agree. I hate going to the grocery store, so not having to go for months on end... NO BIG PROBLEM!

-- (cannot-say@this.time), August 14, 1999.

Yeah, but just visualize all of those polly's shaking their little heads thinking about the $50 or $100 more you could have made investing in the market instead of squandering it on basics. (Thanks for the good post, Timothy.)

-- Roger (pecosrog@earthlink.net), August 14, 1999.

Timothy:

The key is not burning bridges, as seen from your own perspective. We got a wood stove, we love it and won't heat the house any other way again -- better heat cheaper, smells good, looks good, etc. Similarly, we got guns and love them, and shoot as a hobby now, very relaxing and great fun. We've been rotating our stored food, so we started stockpiling food over 2 years ago, and none of the food in that pile is over 6 months old now -- and everything was bought on sale. So we know we will eat and enjoy what we've bought. And we'll get our credit cards paid off for the first time since forever and maybe even have some money left over. And so on. So our preparations have been to our benefit in every respect. I can't think of a penny we've spent that we'd regret even if y2k isn't even noticeable. And a lot of it probably should have been done just on principle anyway, since it never hurts to be prepared, or take advantage of sales, or have backups.

Of course, if I'd quit my job, gone into big debt buying rural property, taken a bath on the 401(k) to get the cash, and used the cash to take a bath on gold, and was left unemployed, sitting on big bags on nonhybrid seeds and reading "Farming for the Complete Idiot", I might feel differently.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 14, 1999.

Timothy,

Good outline of your own position. When I get that same question, I just turn it around and ask, "Won't you feel foolish, or worse, if Y2k turns out real bad and you didn't spend anything on insurance"?

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Yeah, but visualize all those pollys wishing they had invested in food instead of an over inflated stock market when food prices go up. And they will ,with the drought and all, even discounting y2k.

-- sue (deco100@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Flint,

You were doing real good until that last paragraph. Darn it Flint, you got learn about the "less is more" principle. Gilding lilies. That sort of thing. One thing I would correct you on right now, you don't need a gold bathtub to stay clean and healthy. So don't worry about that part of the preparation problem. :-)

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Gordon:

I think that last paragraph's important. After all, I live less than 5 miles from a 7-11. I probably live within 5 miles of about 8 similar convenience stores.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 14, 1999.

I've said this before on another post but I'll say it again. My husband and I will be in the best position financially if y2k doesn't hit, than we've been in years. All debts are paid off, we have several months food and supplies and all needed doctor visits are out of the way. We have discovered clever new ways of doing things that allow us to be more independent and saves money. we're much more organized, so we spend less time playing catch up because we're caught up. More time and more money, I don't think I'll feel the least bit foolish.

-- Mabel Dodge (cynical@me.net), August 14, 1999.

Flint:

Gotta agree with Gordon. With regards to your last paragraph, how do you know that gold prices won't rise? And if you are so certain that they won't, then why don't you go short in the gold market? Then you'll really come out a winner.

Not attacking. Just asking.

-- darth (darthvader@slavery.com), August 14, 1999.

Timothy,

I certainly empathisize with you. I've found that it helps to distinguish between Pollys and PollyTrolls. In my opinion (realizing others here strongly disagree) Flint, Decker, Anita S and others are Pollys. My definition of Polly: they use the same handle on all posts, try to provide explanations for their position, and don't start threads like "ALL YOU DOOOOM ZOMBIES ARE MORONS!!!!". They do not state that Y2K is nothing, usually predict at least some Y2K economic consequences, and typically acknowledge having made various degrees of personal preps.

PollyTrolls are a separate (in)breed; with constantly morphing multiple handles and sociopathic behaviors. It's pointless to interact with them, and fuels their obssessive need to hurt and ridicule others.

I admire the preparations you have made, Timothy, and the calm reason that your posts present.

-- RUOK (RUOK@yesiam.com), August 14, 1999.

darth:

Fair question. My interpretation of this thread was, how will those who prepare deal with being wrong, (if they are, of course). What I was trying to say (and obviously didn't say well) was that there are limits to preparation, different for each of us, beyond which we'd feel foolish if we were way wrong.

For me, those limits would be exceeded if I had taken financial actions which resulted in large losses. No, I don't *know* where gold or rural property will go -- either might be a great investment. The point I was trying to make was that I have been careful to make preparations which, while extensive, are NOT risky. With few exceptions, most of my preparations consist of buying ahead. Some items (like the woodstove and guns) are things I wouldn't otherwise have bought, but which we've made the best of and the best turns out to be a net benefit in our opinion.

Now, I emphasize that the point of risk is different for each of us, depending on both our expectations and our finances. If I were a millionaire, I wouldn't care about a few tens of thou$and$ one way or the other. Similarly, if I were as convinced of certain doom as some here, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night unless I felt I had done everything possible to ensure my safety, even at the cost of my savings, my friends, my career or whatever it took.

My point is that we all balance perceived risk against perceived gain, and for each of us, there's a point beyond which you're looking at what you consider a Bad Deal -- spending a dollar to buy a dime.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 14, 1999.

I'll be very happy for a nonevent. I've spent a lot of money because I've taken on some responsibility for family members and will have this responsibility for a period of time due to the commuitment. But how bad can that be? The money isn't wasted. They will have someplace to live and will be out of an area they wanted to leave, anyway. I'll have a nice place to vacation.

We will eat some of the food and give some of it to a homeless soup kitchen. I've shifted my investments so that they are more conservative and safe and I'm happy with that. I'll have some money left and best of all,if it's a nonevent, babies and little children won't die of starvation. I will be very, very happy with that!!!!

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Right on Timothy,

I haven't spent a dime on anything I wouldn't use anyway, just a lot more of it. Being on the tag end of the utillity chain, I've owned lanterns for years, just bought more fuel, I'll need it in the next 20 years Y2k or not. Same for fishing gear, ammo, food staples, TP, bleach, soaps, and on and on, I'll use it all eventual.

Ive allways had 2 or 3 weeks supplies. We have stoms here allmost every winter where the winds exceed 100 mph ( highest I've seen were 136 sustained w/ gusts recorded at 173, NOT where I live now thank you, I'm sheltered from it ) We were 2 weeks getting to town ( 30 ft dia redwoods across the roads, gotta saw for that? ; ) and 3 weeks without power. The 2 other familys near me were preped and we did fine shareing stuff.

I've helped 3 people put in expensive alternate power systems. One a college prof/ commodity trader/ ex-Marine. One a Broker/ trader/ Mormon. Niether GI's, just prudent, both hybred systems w/ backup gensets, both wanted off the grid, The other my folks ( Big Genset/tanks/fuel ) They live in the same area as me, subject to the same storms and run a Bed and Breakfast, all prudent moves.

I know dozens of Prepers in my area, most aren't doing anything more than normal, just more of it.

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 14, 1999.

Flint (and everyone else prepping):

Best wishes on your preps. I to am preparing and hope to be able to help out family, neighbors, etc. if the need arises. Like all of you, I hope that Y2k is a non-event.

Regards

-- darth (darthvader@slavery.com), August 14, 1999.

Flint,

This is just my opinion, of course, but right now I think if you invest in some gold you will be spending a dime to buy a dollar. Anyway, you can hardly go wrong, since the price of gold is right at the cost of producing it. Can't buy it any cheaper than that. And, as an old friend of mine used to say when confronted with questions like this gold matter, "Read your ancient history".

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

I will never regret any of the preps that I have made for Y2K. I have been ill for some time and have not been up to shopping on many occasions. Having a full pantry has been a lifesaver. I intend to continue stockpiling and rotating food and supplies. If things are good next year, I will pick up some of the things I wanted but couldn't afford. There will always be times when our preparations will be needed for storms, floods, earthquakes or whatever. Our power goes out quite often. I will enjoy our Alladen lamp and other supplies for years to come.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), August 15, 1999.

Gordon:

This isn't my specialty at all, so I can only echo what I've heard from others -- that what people are looking at isn't a play in the precious metals arena, with paper representing some quantity of gold in some physically irrelevant location. Instead, they're talking about taking physical possession of gold in some form (minted coins or even bars?), and taking responsibility for securing it.

As I understood it, gold costs a LOT more in this form, and costs extra to transport and guard, and then you don't get your full value when you trade it back, etc. So for example, if I were to spend $1000 on gold today, taking physical delivery and possession as soon as possible, and then changed my mind and decided to trade the gold back in for dollars, I'd end up with about $600 left, even if the nominal price of gold *had not changed*, losing 40% of my money just from the overhead of the entire transaction. Yet if you don't have the physical gold in your hand, a piece of paper saying you 'own' some gold somewhere is worthless. Is that right?

And if I have to quit my job to get at the money, and then pay a penalty to withdraw that money, and buy the gold with what's left, I can easily end up losing >50% of my money from all causes. And I'd have to be *damned* convinced that this is the only way to preserve *any* of my money, to knowingly throw away half to keep the other half. So yes, I'd feel pretty silly if I went to this trouble, lost half my money, and nothing happened. Bummer, too.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 15, 1999.

Gordon,

Anyway, you can hardly go wrong, since the price of gold is right at the cost of producing it. Can't buy it any cheaper than that.

That's not nessesarily true, alot of commoditys have sold at lower prices than the cost of production, like last year in the meats, and this year I suspect.

Looking at the Dec. 1999 Comex contract, it looks at a short time high and I expect it to go down ( looking at the techs, haven't been following this market so don't know the fundimentals right now ) The sell off of Gold ( Aus, S Arabia, Aus 2 years ago started it ) and then the recent news makes me think lower for the next few weeks.

Haven't looked at the V, IV, or delta for Gold Dec.!999 calls but think they will be a buy in the next few weeks.

The previous was for fun only, not for advice.

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 15, 1999.

Flint,

First off, if you buy US American Eagle 1oz gold coins, they will cost you about 10% above the spot price of gold bullion. Very little markup for the work of turning the gold into something easy to store and use. And these coins are legal tender, not numismatic, although you wouldn't want to spend them at the store since they say $20 on them. So, how much will anything you own be worth next year if you want to sell it? Gold coins, as noted here, are preservation devices, like a money market account, only safer, at today's prices. Look Flint, you just haven't done any research into this matter, and haven't owned any gold coins so you're naturally nervous about making a mistake in that area. The chance of your 401k being less next year, or even inaccessible, is far greater than losing money on gold coins, again presuming you stick to American Eagle coins, made by the good old US Mint itself, and passed on to you at fire sale pricing right now. PS: you can thank Andy's merry ole Bank of England for driving the price down to within your reach. Just like the gold ring at the carnival ride, you only need to reach out and grab it.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 15, 1999.

CT,

Sure, you are right that things, anything, can sell for less than the cost to produce it, but not for long. Businesses just won't keep producing at a loss for very long, which is why so many thousands of gold mining workers are laid off right now. What I was saying was a ballpark statement, and establishes a base for any commodity that is in demand and expected to remain in demand, even pork bellies. Traders will of course work very thin margins to gain profits, and need to watch a lot of movement charts, reports, etc. But for someone who is only trying to hold their wealth in a form other than fiat money or electronic credits, gold is attractive. Remember the Jews of WWII who sold out their assets in Germany, turned it into diamonds and other precious stones, and sewed that into clothes linings? That's the sort of trade off that gold offers right now, in coin form, to Joe six-pack and his family.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 15, 1999.

Flint, you are adding layer upon layer of one faulty assumption fueling another. For starters, go to www.ajpm.com, and you can get a feel for how buying/selling of precious metals works (www.certifiedmint.com is another excellent place to learn). For example, if you buy 100 1/10 oz gold American Eagles from ajpm, it costs $2,965. If you immediately turned around and sold them back (i.e., same price of gold), you would receive $2,865. In other words, you would take a 3% hit -- not a 40% hit!!!!

Regardless, there is a concept that you are missing: everybody has to make their decisions and place their bets regarding Y2K. Ignoring Y2K, for example, is still making a decision. If you quit your job, cash out of the system, move to the country, buy gold and silver, etc., and nothing happens -- yes, you come out the poorer for it. If you don't do this, but we have a Y2K meltdown that wipes out your 401k and all other electronic promises to pay, you lose your job because your company goes bankrupt, etc., etc. -- then you very much come out the poorer for it.

Nobody knows what is going to happen. You cannot say what is the best course of action unless you know what Y2K is going to bring. And you don't. You, like everyone else, just have to place your bets.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), August 15, 1999.

You only need to have to reach out and grab it, and once you have grabbed it, the government will call it in. How does that saying go? "History repeats itself?" Can you say Roosevelt. You know, Hillary Clinton talks to Eleanor every once in awhile....

-- ticklyears (ticklyears@ticklyears.com), August 15, 1999.

Jack:

I don't see how you can say I'm missing a point you and I both made, nearly identically. Maybe you missed that post? Anyway, I agree with you again. You make your best bet based on what you expect and how much you have to bet with. You feel foolish if you bet *against* your best judgment, and lose.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 15, 1999.

Gordon,

J6P, may do well if he takes possesion now, or not, I'm no seer. I think the market will drop before it snowballs in a few weeks ( time indetermenent )

For fun only, no advice immplied,

-- CT (ct@wave.net), August 15, 1999.

I used to run across alot of pollies that couldn't give me any facts (not vague feelings, or unsubstantiated reassurances) that Y2k would be a non-event. Now I just shut my mouth, and prepare.

I wonder if any of them have auto, fire, house, or health insurance? Likely, they'll rarely if ever use it, so WHY have it?! What's WRONG with some STARVATION insurance? Such a double standard. I imagine that the idea of starvation insurance means to them that their little world isn't so stable, and so nice as they think it is.

-- Bill (billclo@msgbox.com), August 15, 1999.

Gold coins, as noted here, are preservation devices, like a money market account, only safer, at today's prices.

They may be safer in some circumstances, but they are by no means, a "safe" investment. If the infrastructure goes away, your gold coins will be worthless. If/when it comes back, maybe your gold will have value again, or maybe not. This is hardly "safe." If you want safety, invest in durable goods, clothing, tools, and other items that people will want to USE. That will insure that you will have items of value REGARDLESS of what happens in Y2K.

-- (gold@worthless.soon), August 15, 1999.

bill:

I agree that insurance is great. We should all have it, all the time. I think you're reacting here not so much to what optimists have said (except some foolish extremists, maybe), but rather to a nonexistent 'polly position' created by doomies and projected onto those who disagree with them.

What happens is, some people argue that it's unlikely that your house will burn down (which is true). The doomie gang interprets this to mean that those people are saying no houses EVER burn down (false), and that therefore insurance is a waste of money (false), and so the doomies claim these people must not be carrying any fire insurance at all (unless they're lying hypocrites, of course). And once you've read enough posts by enough doomies making this same false argument enough times, you decide it must be true more by osmosis than anything else.

Despite all the times I've encouraged preparation and detailed my own preparations, I *still* read posts saying I'm not preparing! To too many doomies, the false logic is more powerful than the actual facts, often repeated! So the 'polly line' you're complaining about doesn't originate with the pollies at all, but with false accusations leveled against them by doomies. And I'm tired of that too.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 15, 1999.

Flint, anyone who is not familiar with a lot of your previous posts could just about interpret anything you say to mean just about anything, because they are so wishy-washy. In point of fact, yes you personally are well prepared for whatever comes down the road, but seemingly think Y2K is going to be a dud. Unless it isn't a dud, in which case it will be real bad. But it won't be. Or something.

And lots of pollies seem to spout the following: 1) Nobody knows what will happen with Y2K; 2) But nothing TOO BAD will happen with Y2K. Nobody can dispute 1); but 2) is nothing more than wishful thinking.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.com), August 15, 1999.

KoS:

Apply your description to fire insurance, and you'll see how it sounds:

I have fire insurance, so I'm well prepared if my house burns down. But I don't think it will burn down. Unless it does. But it probably won't. Or something.

Yup, that's *exactly* what insurance is all about. There are probabilities, which you assess as best you can. If you want to look at reality that way, then reality is wishy-washy as all hell -- some things happen, most things don't. We take guesses (as educated as possible), and we place bets, and sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. And sometimes we hedge, because we can't see the future.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 15, 1999.

Same here timothy. Of course, I had much of this in place before y2k surfaced- rural house/farm/off-gridsystem/spring/livestock/woodstove/ canning supplies/stored food- etc-just the way we live. But- I did decide to pay the remainder of the mortage- and will be debt-free by the end of the year-hopefully. And any of the extra stuff we'll stock up on- extra hardware, lamp oil, car oil and gas, ammo, livestock feed, toilet paper, soap, etc- are ALL stuff we'll use anyway- with most of it bought on sale! don't forsee wasting a thing- regrets? NONE at all.

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), August 15, 1999.

To --gold,

You say, if the infrastructure goes away the gold coins will be worthless. I see it exactly opposite to that. If the infrastructure holds, the gold coins, while not worthless, will not be used for payment of debts or purchases. *But*, if it collapses, a medium of exchange will be required, always has been. Can't barter and trade for everything you may need. Even the Indians used wampam in exchanges. Gold coins, or silver coins, have always been a favorite of humans, and will remain so, *especially* in very hard times. Save your confederate money boys, the South will rise again. Remember that one? Well, if you had saved gold coins you would be OK, but that paper money became totally worthless and rejected by all but a few collectors.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 15, 1999.

To All;

PLEASE let this be a BITR, I will feel GREAT!

I buy all sorts of insurance all the time, am I unhappy that I have not been killed in a car crash? I am very happy when I do not have to use my insurance. (and if you feel bad you did not get a debilitating sickness I suggest you go and see a head doctor right away)

Hopen for the Best!

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), August 15, 1999.

http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/DSA/VP/vp9913.htm

[snip]

Life is filled with risk and surprising outcomes. That is why we pay insurance premiums to cover improbable, but not impossible surprises that can damage our health, homes, cars, and businesses. Every such situation requires a personal assessment. Should your car insurance include a collision rider? If not, you can reduce your current out-of- pocket expense. How risk averse are you?

Right now, people are attempting to assess Y2K risk.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), August 15, 1999.

I think that gold or silver will be useful as a medium of exchange if our monetary system goes down. But what has been bothering me is, how do you know how much gold some other item is worth?

If you are trading one useful item for another, it doesn't matter how much the items are 'worth', it just depends on how much each party wants or needs what the other has. Each trade will be different. There will be bargaining but at least you have some idea of where to start.

But when you can't look up the price of gold in the newspaper, how do you know how much to ask or offer? If everyone is trading at a central 'farmers market' or 'trading post' I suppose a consensus will develop. but what if you're not?

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), August 15, 1999.

biker, the word to be used here is "negotiate". And it may be that, initially after a Y2K meltdown, it will be strictly bartering of things like food, tools, services, etc., nothing at the level of "money". Then, as things re-build, it may be a combination: trading of a week's labor for 15 gallons of diesel fuel plus a gold coin.

Nobody knows, we are all guessing here. But as mentioned many times, historically gold and silver have been of value through tough times, and are what I sure would call a good bet.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), August 15, 1999.

Timothy, if Y2K is a BITR, then I could TP my entire city in giddy celebration!

Seriously, I'm preparing for beyond Y2K, and all items purchased are for survival should bad events happen.

And they will, which is why I shan't cease preparing.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), August 15, 1999.

You say, if the infrastructure goes away the gold coins will be worthless. I see it exactly opposite to that. If the infrastructure holds, the gold coins, while not worthless, will not be used for payment of debts or purchases. *But*, if it collapses, a medium of exchange will be required, always has been. Can't barter and trade for everything you may need. Even the Indians used wampam in exchanges.

Then perhaps we'll use wampam.

Gold coins, or silver coins, have always been a favorite of humans,

And computers have never caused an enormous global problem that destroyed the infrastructure. Things change. The same could happen to gold and silver, especially if you happen to be in an area where very few people have any.

and will remain so, *especially* in very hard times.

Maybe it will, maybe it won't. It's a risk, not a guarantee.

Save your confederate money boys, the South will rise again. Remember that one? Well, if you had saved gold coins you would be OK, but that paper money became totally worthless and rejected by all but a few collectors.

Unfortunately, the situation we're entering is completely unlike anything we've been through so far in history, both in sheer magnitude and in the speed in which it will happen. Gold might keep its value, or people might find more value in a nice solid hammer or a sack of wheat. At least those are items you can use to stay alive, and aren't just a pretty rock.

-- (gold@worthless.soon), August 15, 1999.

Flint,

You comment that, "I think you're reacting here not so much to what optimists have said (except some foolish extremists, maybe), but rather to a nonexistent 'polly position' created by doomies and projected onto those who disagree with them."

Unfortunately, my experience is that almost all those near and dear to me, as well as acquantances, refuse to even consider that their lives might be affected at all. When I suggest that preparation for an ice storm would be prudent (I live in the northern half of Alberta where we get 20 below several times a winter with wind chills up to 90 below) ... when I suggest at least that much preparation, I am met with a refusal to even consider the possibility of such a thing happening to them.

People cannot see what they will not see.

-- Lois Knorr (knorr@attcanada.net), August 16, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California

I haven't bought anything that I won't use anyway. I'll admit, I've wanted to buy some things that wouldn't be used, but couldn't muster the family support to do it. I've about taken our food storage to the limit of what we can reasonably expect to eat. If Y2K is a dud, my family will not put up with eating only storage foods. Will I feel foolish in case of a dud? I wouldn't on my own, but there will be plenty of folks eager to rub it in, I'm sure.

When people ask me how I'll feel, I admit that I'll feel dumb for a few minutes or days, maybe. Then I ask how they will feel if they are wrong.

The statement that bothers me more than this question, and it's one I don't see outside this forum, is the idea that we'll feel so foolish that we'll lose all sanity and do something drastic like kill ourselves or go on a killing spree. Where the heck does that come from? Are the people who say this unconsciously telling us that this is what they would do if they prepared and were wrong? Is this what keeps them from preparing despite the overwhelming evidence that preparation is only prudent?

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage.neener.autospammers--regrets.greenspun), August 16, 1999.

If Y2K is only a BITR or when the food supply settles down, once we eat our over-the-usual-amount of stored food we'll have SO much room! Making space for extra supplies has forced me to organize my storage more efficiently and chuck out/donate a lot of junk I've been lugging around for years.

As for the stored food--I've been ordering from Lumen Foods since about 1988 or so. Lumen was about the only place to find a variety of flavored soybean meat look-alikes back then. None of it will go to waste.

Equipment? We've been procrastinating about solar panels for years. Any assist with the electricity bill is A Good Thing. And you KNOW electricity prices aren't going down any time soon! Much of the emergency equipment was bought right before or right after Hurricane Fran but we picked up extras at yard sales for only a few dollars.

And--sorry I forgot who said it up there--yes, becoming ill and having that wide variety of food and household supplies to choose from and not worrying about supermarket shopping is a marvelous relief and convenience.

It's not just Y2K. . .

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), August 16, 1999.

You know its interesting that people think there will be no value of gold if the infrastructure falls. I also find it interesting that gold has been coveted by man since creation, until now, or so some people say. Anyone who thinks precious metals are worthless has not held a one ounce coin of said material in their hand and examined it, IMHO.

Now back to the original question...

I am prepped for whatever happens... If it is BITR, great, I will continue to continue on. If it is worse, I am ready. I have not spent an outrageous amount of money to prep, I will use everything I bought eventually anyway, so what's the big deal??? My butt is no longer hanging out in the breeze for the "calamity of the week" to bite. And I will remain that way.

people... get real.

growlin' at the TV...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), August 16, 1999.