Yes, we are on the homeward stretch. We have all the biggy reports behind us, we are all just hanging out now talking about cannibalism, stock market, earthquakes and floods, internet spying, and whatever anyone can twist to make it sound like a Y2K subject. Three months and a week to go, what will they bring to us? Have you been canvassing the hood asking people if they are prepared? Do you have your food ready to give to the food banks for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Do you plan to take the homeless or less fortunate into your home for the holidays and Y2K? What are your plans for the next three months?

-- Onward James (Onward James@OnwardJames.xcom), September 25, 1999

Answers

Aptly put James. I stood out in my yard this morning talking to the nearly tame yearling fawns who been hanging around here for the last few weeks, guess the mother is weaning them as she is hardly ever with them. I went to Wally world and bought them a mineral block, some deer corn, and some mollases deer candy, they seem to like it. I'm hoping I don't have to eat them, or if I will have the heart to if it becomes nescesary.

I'm in kind of a bittersweet mood, feeling a little fatalistic. Still prepping but hoping for the best. I'm going to spend the next three months trying to have quality time with wife friends and family, enjoying life, go out to the movies, eat at good resturants. A lot of the best things about American life may not be available next year.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), September 25, 1999.

OJ,

Please do us a favor, stop baiting us and move Onward back to bed.

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), September 25, 1999.

The Bait: "Do you have your food ready to give to the food banks for Thanksgiving and Christmas?"

Are you insinuating that those who prepared wasted their time?

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), September 25, 1999.

were on the home stretch given a quarter left almost and gloom and doom is gone because we just entered Libra. Libra is the polar opposite of gloom and doom

-- Feller (feller@wanna.help), September 25, 1999.

I think I know who this troll is.

The insinuation may be that we are ignoring the hungry people in need today, waiting for the big one.

I heard a polly say this publicly the other day, I thought it was rather presumptious.

IMO a concerned Polly that believes people will be dumping their canned goods at the nearest shelter in the months following the rollover should be happy, because after the holidays the guilt induced holiday donations drop off dramatically (which this person would know if he actually worked for any length of time in such places), so this would be a boon when it's needest most.

If that is not what you meant Onward, please do not take offense.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), September 25, 1999.

Wrong Deborah, I am not a polly, I am not a troll. I said nothing about giving your stash to the food banks. I asked if you all have some food set aside (maybe that's how I should have worded it) to give to the food banks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Don't you watch TV during the holidays when the food banks and churches are all pleading with everyone to drop off canned goods, etc? You know, I always wonder what happens to all those hungry people the day after Christmas, I mean you just don't hear anymore about their hunger until the next Thanksgiving. I'm getting anxious to see what happens this year. Do you all supppose the chairities will be using the word Y2K in their plea for donations?

Nothing earth shattering, besides the stock market dropping 500+ points last week has happened. Yep, we're on the home stretch waiting for the axe to fall, December 31, 1999.

Mr. Kruschev, fatten up those little Bambis because I think you're going to be eating them before Y2K is over, they love bird seed too!

-- Onward James (Onward James@OnwardJames.xcom), September 25, 1999.

"What are your plans for the next three months?" I'll keep on prepping until the stores close.

"Do you plan to take the homeless or less fortunate into your home for the holidays and Y2K?" My charity to other people is information, delivered on my website, in hundreds of posts on Y2K forums, when I give lectures, and by innumerable informal unplanned exchanges with people (often strangers) face-to-face.

The food I buy is 100% either for my family (defined as those currently living in my household) to eat in post-1999, OR for barter for something we need more than we need the food. As we feel no guilt for our behavior, and direct charity is not within our beliefs, guilt relief by giving any alms to grasshoppers in 2000+ is not included.

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), September 25, 1999.

> What are your plans for the next three months?

Just to keep on what I've been doing diligently for the past year and a half...prepping to try and assure my survival and that of my 10 year old son....

Bought a 100 gal/hour Holley electric fuel pump ($68 from Summit Racing) yesterday, some fittings and about 15 feet of hose. Will use these to pump from the rear tank on my Ford Super Duty XL van and into the ethyl alky drums I bought. Hope to have a couple hundred gallons in stock before the fuel prices go thru the roof again. I hate having gas in the interior of a vehicle and think this is a much safer way to haul it. Guess storing gas will become a bit of a hobby: Fill both tanks, drive up into the hills to my place, pump the front tank dry and then suck about half the fuel in the rear tank out...say 25 gallons. Next time I run to town repeat the process. Will have lots of gas if I don't procrastinate too long (here in CA the local gas prices dropped from $1.65 to $1.32 so it's time).

Adding more food/vitamin/medical stores as sales permitt. For the relatively short period I feel I might be buying food for (ie., 1/ 2000-12/2000) stuff from Costco/local markets should be fine. I have about 8-9 months worth of food half of which is dry canned courtesy of a couple trips (and $700) spent at the local Mormon cannery. Now I'm concentrating on variety, more spices, meats and recreational foods (as my kid calls 'em) like Balance food bars, chocolate, hot coco, spiced cider drinks and a bit of wine for Dad.

Got to buy more clothes too for the squirt and myself. Have 2 new pair of booths on the shelf but need to buy Alex (my son) more shoes (which the little weed ooutgrows constantly). My best raingear is brite safety yellow...might be wise to have some a bit more discreet.

Finally, still studying virology and epidemiology as I feel this is the worst case threat. Planning to build a home brew UV air treatment unit to put the house under positive pressure if need be, buying masks and filters, buying books on the subject, disinfectants, etc.

Revamping my power system. Just got a wind plant (AIR403 from Southwest Windpower) to put up; have to paint it and get the tower assembled. Getting a new rack for my existing (8) 75 watt solar panels with room for 4 more and a total of twelve. Buying 6 more 75 watt panels. Getting 4 new Trojan L-16 batts and hydrocaps for them. By winter I should have ample power and be able to minimize my genny runtime. BTW, I've been offgrid for several years so my power system isn't exclusively for Y2K (power lines are 100 feet away). Just like the independence of making my own power.

I have a big list on the wall which has a hundred or more items to get: more potasium iodine tablets, more .22 ammo, Biersdorf bandaids, sterile vaseline gauze for burn treatment, a couple more tarps, motor oil....the list goes on and on. Have to add another pair of glasses...picked mine up today and the frame failed catastrophically. I'll fix it somehow and relegate them to backup status....

Lots and lots to do still. I believe next November/December (2000) may be much worse than January/Feb. so I'll like keep my preps/buying at a high level at least thru June or so at which time I may be able to slack off.

DCK

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), September 25, 1999.

Hello Don Kulha! I have 12 Trojan L-16 batteries and at one time priced the hydrocaps from the place in Fla. I thought it was pretty expensive, considering the number you would have to have for 12 batteries.Where did you get yours? How much did they cost?? Also, please tell me what "Biersdorf bandaids" are actually!

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), September 25, 1999.

jeanne: Do you like to mudwrestle?

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 25, 1999.

"Three months and a week to go, what will they bring to us? Have you been canvassing the hood asking people if they are prepared? Do you have your food ready to give to the food banks for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Do you plan to take the homeless or less fortunate into your home for the holidays and Y2K? What are your plans for the next three months? "

The next 3 months I'll concentrate on savoring each day, as I've been doing since I've become a GI. Each time I taste food, walk around in my cozy house, chat idly with my friends, look at my well fed kids, drive around doing my errands, I am keenly aware of how beautiful it all is and how priviledged I am.

I will donate food, money and clothing during the holidays like I always do, but perhaps a bit more as a special Y2K donation. I donate throughout the year.

I will not take in anyone at Christmas or New Year, I'll be spending the holidays at my bug-out with my family and waiting to see what happens. I have a generous hart, but I've learned to prioritise. First I take good care of myself so that I can take good care of my family, and when I'm sure my family is safe and well fed, I can then go on and help others. Doing it any other way would be risking my generous hart's helpfulness and then no one would benefit from it.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 25, 1999.

Hi Jeanne.......Hydrocaps are pricey (ie., about 7-8 bucks apiece) but in my estimation worth it. Cheapest I ever bought them is about $6 per from a friend in the biz (special deal). Understand the manufacturer in FL only sells at full retail so query places like Jade Mountain, Alternative Energy Engineering, Backwoods Solar, Energy Outfitters, etc (see links from our website). Biersdorf bandages are the finest bandaids on the market (cloth reinforced, better pads, etc.) but tough to find.....

-- Don Kulha, KE6QHP dkulha@vom.com Healdsburg, CA _________________________________________________________ Home Power Magazine - "The Hands-On Journal of Home-Made Power" About off Grid Living Since 1987 - Download Our Current Issue Free! Visit our Website at http://www.homepower.com Order Line: (800)707-6585, Subs, Back Issues, Books and CD-ROMs

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), September 26, 1999.