I suggest you all take a trot over to Scary Gary's site and read the post,"Has this begun in your town yet? If so, you better get out the check book." Is it time for another state of the herd report on this forum yet?

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), September 08, 1999

Answers

Link

Yesterday afternoon I picked up 2 gallons of water at the local grocery store. (There were at least 50 gallons on the shelf.) I had to go back last night (my husband went with me this time) and I thought I would grab 2 more gallons while I was there. The shelf was bare. I kept telling my husband, "But there were a LOT of gallons here this afternoon!" It was like a hurricane was coming or something. Weird!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 08, 1999.

Lehman, How do you find anything on Scary's site. He's got umpteen different forums and sites!

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), September 08, 1999.

Thanks for the hotlink. I disagree. We heard numerous reports like this in January and February. It definitely was not true then. I seriously doubt the herd is moving. (Usual disclaimers for Alladins, generators, etc.)

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), September 08, 1999.

Puddintame,

Try using this site for Gary North. it seems to be the easist to read, for me anyway. It has the latest information in every category he runs on his y2k site.

http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/latest_.cfm

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (buffgun@hotmail.com), September 08, 1999.

The stores were low on goods on the evening of the last day of a 3 day weekend. What does that prove? Nada! That happens every holiday. I've seen that many times on Sunday night. Most stores only employ skeleton crews on Sunday. Due to the Holiday and having to pay overtime most stores probably only had minimal stock crews on Monday as well. Hence empty or poorly stocked shelves. The herd is not moving. They are still chewing quietly.

-- Scott B. (sebram98@yahoo.com), September 08, 1999.

SOB, Thanks for the link. I was wondering how anyone every found anything in scaryville.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), September 08, 1999.

I'm sure the herd isn't moving. I'm a garage-sale junkie, & almost every g.s. I've been to this summer has featured candles. The very least anyone could do to prepare for a black-out is to hold onto their candles, don't you think...? But also on display have been oil lamps, camping equipment, fondue pots, tools, warm clothing, knives, you get the idea.

I live in the Ohio suburbs. Hereabouts, no one's preparing.

-- Nope (dont@think.so), September 08, 1999.

Oh, another thing: People are still getting rid of firewood. We picked up several cords for free this summer. Ironic, I think, that if things get bad, they'll probably be stealing it back!

-- Nope (dont@think.so), September 08, 1999.

Ain't happening in NM either. One grocery store has been cutting prices on it's Y2K supplies it bought in anticipation (50 lb. bags of rice, white buckets of soup mix, beans, dehydrated potatoes, Yum!).

Some areas sheeple may get it sooner than others. Here in the land of manana, all are fast asleep......

yawnin'...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), September 08, 1999.

State of the herd report from N/W AZ.; nothing unusual to report--the herd went "Moo".

-- CS Man (csm@smoke.com), September 08, 1999.

There has been good disaster research done on the herd moving. It won't move till disaster has happened visibly or it is within 24 hours of the hurricane.

It's not going to be visible tomorrow, over this 09/09/99 thing that is not 99/99/99.

People think the market discounts future changes, but it doesn't discount them much in advance - I think 3 months. That would be the end of September. That MIGHT move the herd.

-- ng (cantprovideemail@none.com), September 08, 1999.

Here at the Prison Store they are almost out of 'mondo' sized condoms and 'Prep H'.

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), September 08, 1999.

Remember, too, people have been back-to-school shopping for the little angels and may have just picked up some other things while they were out.

-- Mr. Mike (mikeabn@aol.com), September 08, 1999.

6 months ago I thought people would start to move around August. In August I really figured right after Labor Day. Now its after Labor Day and I dont think they will do anything before December. Only if someone in very high places slips up or if parts of the government are shown to be doing massive stockpiling, will the masses do anything.

Screw it, its too late for EVERYONE to stock up for a month. Finish your preps and just sit back. At least we wont be panicking if any panic arises.

-- stasher (stasher@stashit.com), September 08, 1999.

All quiet on the Northwestern Front.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), September 08, 1999.

The herd will not move until lightning strikes. Probably in the last week of December. Buy your supplies while they last.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), September 08, 1999.

In NW OH nobody is mooooving to stockup.

Except me and a few other nutcase doomers.

Hey, *Nope*: What's your sector of Ohio?

As Gayla has posted weeks ago, some cities and regions have higher GI awareness and action.

I live in Pollyannopolis.

When I hear those cowbells clanging, I'll let you know.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), September 08, 1999.

Scott, what happened here had nothing to do with the 3 day weekend. The shelves were full Tuesday afternoon, empty Tuesday night.

Mr. Mike, the kids around here started school in the middle of August.

Next?

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 08, 1999.

Nothing noticable here in south-central PA. My neighbor just gave me a bunch of firewood. It was in her way. Nothing strange in any stores I've been to. Scary Gary just looks for that kind of stuff. I don't mean to bust on him because his site is where I started to get it. But he does have a little different agenda than most.

-- (rcarver@inacom.com), September 08, 1999.

Here in PNW all is quite. School back in session, autumm coming around, pretty low key. My personal opinion is that unless something very big happens we will roll on this way for the rest of the year. Y2K has lost it's drawing power for now. Most don't care about it. You know, maybe "they" are right. Life's to short to worry about everything. :)

-- (owner@yahoo.com), September 08, 1999.

NE Ohio- MOO? Hain't even heard a lil'moo, much less see a herd.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 08, 1999.

And in NorthCentral Ohio---Nada! An occasional person will tell of canning more veggies than usual or storing more toilet paper than usual---you know, 3-5 day storm......but no herd approach as yet...

-- So too here (mdanse@usa.net), September 08, 1999.

It has been my feeling for a while that the herd will not start to move until the weather begins to turn and the days start gettting shorter, sort of like the primordial instincts kicking in. Colder weather, shorter days, Thag starts thinking, "Unh, cold. Unh, dark. Unh, winter coming. Unh, need food. Unh, (perhaps there's something to this Y2k thing; I'd better get some 55 gallon water jugs, propane tanks, firewood and tuna fish) feel funny. Unh, snork, zzzzzzz. Unh, FOOTBALL!!!!"

-- Kurt J Ayau (Ayau@iwinet.com), September 08, 1999.

S.O.B. That "latest" link is the one I have bookmarked - definately the way to go when it comes to Scary Gary's site. Ususally, he posts early in the a.m. (est) and stops around early afternoon, but sometimes if you check later you will find he has added a new link or two.

Gayla: Weird is right. Did you ask the store manager about it?

Gang: Here is the Northeast I am in the Land of the Don't Get Its. Nothing has changed. People are still asleep. You can get anything, including gensets and other items that there are spot localized shortages elesewhere in other parts of the U.S. While this is great for those who are still doing basic preps, it scares the crap out of me since it means that the vast majority here aren't preparing much, if at all.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@com.net), September 08, 1999.

Our neighbor farmers' GI quotient seems to have risen considerably in the past few months which bodes well for making some deeper alliances with seeds, planting, animals, machinery and security (we're already country neighbors as you rural folk will understand).

Generators are being sold like popcorn around here and electricians to install them before year end are scarce.

More generally, though, not a whole lot has actually changed in the nearby towns, at least visibly.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 08, 1999.

very small ripples here..just enough to take notice if watching closely. Ran into a few people stocking up at Sam's

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), September 08, 1999.

It has come to Orchard Super Hardware now advertising as "your y2k supply source" on the radio (KFBK around 4:50 this afternoon). This is new in my neck of the woods, Sacramento. Is this a national campaign? Pete

-- Pete (phytorx@lanset.com), September 08, 1999.

Well, I went to WalMart today and bought 30, 9 roll packs of TP. The check out lady said we must have a lot of bathrooms. I told her yes, 17 at last count. Someone in the parking lot commented on it, also. Them I ignored.

I've seen some signs up in local stores (Meijer's and Menards), but nobody is paying much attention.

-- Jon Williamson (pssomerville@sprintmail.com), September 08, 1999.

There's a thread farther down the list about Hannaford Brothers supermarkets (Shop N Save) in NY and New England having a big y2k stock-up sale, with signs and y2k checklists and the like. I've talked with store managers and company execs who expect a big rush in December. Maybe they're trying to spread out the demand, but here in northern New England, the herd is watching the first leaves change color and chewing their cuds.

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), September 08, 1999.

here in pa the local paper ran a y2k story, talked to the local grocery, walmart, variety store. the grocery stores talk about not having any "back room", what is on the shelf is what there is!!! the walmart talks about rapid ability to replenish the store. the variety store talks about good sales in wood stoves, generators and having a good supply of these items on hand.

all in all they said no need to stampede, just go back to sleep.

electroman

-- electroman (getn redy@keystone.com), September 08, 1999.

In the Baltimore/Washington media market, I still haven't heard one peep, even about the official statements saying that Baltimore is really in the bottom of the readiness barrel. In the lists of utilities/cities provided by the GAO, Bennet, Dodd, et al, and even Kosky (I think?) we also appear not to have any time for testing or contingency planning on the calendar, with a remediation completion date of Dec. 31. Not only does there not appear to be any herd movement shift, but the media isn't even mentioning these official statements. What does it take to get their interest, I wonder?

-- Kristi (KsaaintA@aol.com), September 09, 1999.

I have been buying bottled water at my local grocery store in Tulsa, OK. (2 gal. a week) for some time. Starting about 2 weeks ago, the store has been selling out of most brands of bottled water as soon as it is stocked. When I asked the checkout clerk about it, she said she thought it was due to stockpiling for the millineum (sp). She said that the store buyers would not stock more due to lack of storage space. Also, as we were talking, the woman in line behind me took quite an interest. She said a friend of hers has been trying to get her to prep. The thing that got me was the expression on her face -- sort of a shocked - oh my god, maybe this is going to be bad expression.

For what it's worth -- there seems to be signs that the herd may be changing direction here.

-- quietly lurking (lurking@tulsa.ok), September 09, 1999.

Been running into some really wierd stuff at my regular grocery stores lately. I live in the PNW and am friendly with all the checkers around the 5 or so grocery stores I frequent (sales, doncha know). I have been stocking up for the last year a little at a time. Well, over all this time I have had very brief Y2K discussions with most of them only when asked about number of items (in a friendly way), or how do you use some item (Eco Fuel). Well, for the last few weeks the checkers hunt me down when I am ready to check out just to see what is in my cart and write their lists of items to get! I have been pleased but nonplussed. I make no secret of stocking up and encourage others. Well, it looks like it may have done some good.

At least they are not saying "I'll come to your house".

Just keepin' on, keepin' on

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0nospam@hotmail.com), September 09, 1999.

Don't expect the herds to move until it's JIT.

-- karen (karen@karen.karen), September 09, 1999.

This thread reminded me of a post from last February; I laughed so much, I actually bookmarked it. Enjoy!

------------------------------------------

Another blasi February day. The herd is half asleep, chewing their cud. Moo. Whats this? Another Y2K story in the paper? Yawn. Theyll probably reassure us again that our microwaves will work, and elevators wont fall out of the sky (or is it planes?). Moo, chew. Hmmm its on the front page of the Washington Post and is about a report by the Senate Y2K committee no one has access to more information about this then they do, might as well read it. Moo. WHATS THIS??? MOO! ACK!

"The report, scheduled for release this week by Sens. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah) and Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), includes a letter to Senate colleagues describing the problem of computers' ability to recognize dates starting on Jan. 1, 2000, popularly known as Y2K, as a "worldwide crisis" and as "one of the most serious and potentially devastating events this nation has ever encountered." MOOOOOOOO! SNORT! HOW COULD THIS BE????? FARMER CLINTON HAS TOLD US THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE A WINTER STORM!

The herd starts to awaken. Nervousness spreads. Didnt they just print a story that Washington DC would not even come close to fixing their computer problems, and could not "guarantee public safety" after the first of the year? MOO? Will that be the only city this happens in? Moo? Did I hear the the National Guard, FEMA and the Red Cross are making emergency preparations for next year? Moo? Could it be? Moo? Oh, good, here comes farmer Clinton to talk to us about it.

Farmer Clinton: (wagging his finger at the herd) THIS WILL BE A MINOR EVENT. I PROMISE YOU. IT WILL BE A BUMP IN THE ROAD.

Moo? We believe what he tells us, right? MOO? He wouldnt lie to us, right? MOOOOOOO? Didnt he tell us the government would be done fixing their computers by September 1998? Moo? Then March 1999? Mooooooo? Now it looks like they will miss that? MOOOOOOOO!

-- Bessie (down@the.farm), February 24, 1999

-- Spindoc' (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), September 09, 1999.

I have worked 33 yrs. for a major grocery food store chain. I have seen all the food purchased for many years. NOTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW. Some people are stocking up for Y2k, about 1/10%. Otherwise, no one here in my part of Southern Cal is doing anything. I have noticed that Campbells soups now have experation date on them instead of factory codes. I'm stocked for a whole year for six people. If I'm a fool,as some say, oh well, I guess I am. It takes three days to get two days worth of food to stock on the shelves. Dont wait to long. I have seen the shelves empty in twelve hours during normal Thanksgiving buying. NO special emergency, JUST a annual holiday event, and the shelves are empty in a few hours. I have seen people come to blows over who was where in a line on a normal weekend. Dont be caught in line during the Y2k panic shopping. Get your food now, save some money, the prices will be higher later, garanteed, and spend the extra time with those you love.

-- Stock Clerk (Stockclerk@the store.com), September 09, 1999.

Bessie link:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000XF7

-- Spindoc' (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), September 09, 1999.

Friday, 10 September 1999 15:33 (GMT), (UPI Spotlight)

STOCKING UP FOR Y2K

AUGUSTA, Maine, Sept. 10 (UPI) - Some major New England supermarkets reportedly (Friday) are beginning to plug Y2K readiness, stocking their shelves with bottled water, canned goods and bath tissue.

The big chains are facing competition from the Internet, where web sites are promoting Y2K survival kits featuring bulk products, canned goods and dehydrated foods.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 10, 1999.