Aloha, y2k effects have arrived early in Hawaii, A dockworkers slowdown and pending strike has started panic buying over the last few days. Costco and other retail outlets are showing signs that they will soon be out of what seems to be the first item sheeple rush,toilet paper! reports of a potential shortage of fresh mainland veggies and other goods are making the rounds.shelves are looking rather bare When attempting to alert the locals of the need to plan for shortages at community meetings over the past year ,we used the shipping strike of the 70tys as an example of what could transpire with y2k. It's incredable that the first items rushed are toilet paper rolls. Does this mean we Americans are an anal retentive people? or is this a precursor of the loose bowels that may develope due to the population finally getting it? For those investing perhaps it's time to buy Charmin. anyhow, will keep you posted. we expect a shortage of corn cobs by early next week, Do any of you hayshackers have a suggestion for alternatives ?

-- (merek@aloha.net), October 19, 1999

Answers

Actually if we were truly anal retentive we wouldnt need toilet paper at all. Think about it.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), October 19, 1999.

Old phone books.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), October 19, 1999.

Newpaper...lots and lots of newpaper.

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan@Yahoo.com), October 19, 1999.

A badeh (spelling check?)

Outside of that, attach a garden hose inside the house and make your own badeh.

-- Mr. Friendly (laying@low.somewhere), October 19, 1999.

"bidet"

-- Count Vronsky (vronsky@anna.lit), October 19, 1999.

The phone book pages are like a tissue and the most recommended. Newspaper has ink that runs and one would need to be concerned about it causing a female vaginal infection.

Merek, one thing to advise people if the stores still contain flour, is to buy some, and learn how to make noodles fast. One can of stew served over noodles can feed more people. Flour is by far more the staple than rice. Flour maketh many a more thing. It is also a more effective filler. No one must be touching the flour if the store imposed rationing is on a bag of rice. One also needs to make sure one has a lot of salt or all the pineapples in the world won't be of much use to oneself.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), October 19, 1999.

Paula .... PAULA!!! Omigod, I think Paula's body has been taken over by Trolls. Anyone else get the feeling that evil pollies and government agents have taken over the proprietary and on-line identities of legitimate posters, in order to sow dissension and disrepute??

-- SH (squirrel @hunter.com), October 19, 1999.

Shredded cocoa nut husks(dry of course) should do the trick. They are free along most beaches, especially the big beach in Hilo.

-- johan (reisch@c-zone.net), October 19, 1999.

Another local free source of alternative TP is dried shark skin. Use fine, not coarse grit! Shredded palm fronds work too.

-- johan (reisch@c-zone.net), October 20, 1999.

Paula's always been a quasi-troll.

In some very large countries (India for example) they don't use anything. They just squat beside the road wherever/whenever the urge hits. They only eat or shake hands with the right hand. Hhhmmm. Think it's time for some more TP shopping.

-- prefer TP (thanks@very.much), October 20, 1999.

Yes, it's eerie... almost like a dress rehearsal. In my local grocery store, an hour away from COSTCO in Kona, I found piles of bags of rice, flour, beans, paper goods, even the much-sought-after T.P.

I spoke with the owner about the strike. She seemed a little concerned, because they couldn't get anything from the Hilo side of the island, either.

I will check back tomorrow to see if the impact is rippling up here.

The worst part is the fear that this strike won't be over quickly, and that we are already on "the other side".

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), October 20, 1999.

... the other side of Y2K, that is.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), October 20, 1999.

Same here on Maui, Hawaaian Grocery Stores, Ltd Wailuku reported they normally have one to two months' supply of rice in warehouse, but Monday it was all gone. They receive shipments every three to four weeks, but aren't expecting anymore this week. Ooka's sold 30 days worth of rice in two days, Longs is selling tp by the single roll, stand in line and Costco's tp was gone. Word of mouth, their rice is gone too. The Maui News reported the popular items are rice, toilet paper, disposable diapers and pet food. A warehouse distributor said shoppers will next turn their attention to Kleeex and soap.

It was an eerie feeling when I went to the store Monday to pick up some baking items to help my daughter prepare for a school bake sale. We just looked at each other in disbelief over the crowds and she said, "It sure is a good feeling to be prepared already". I can tell you that made me feel very good that my preparations make her feel safe and secure. This experience is an eye-opener of what may happen later this year when y2k late preppers hit the stores and on into the next year if our shipping distribution lines slow down. I am happy to sit this madness out.

Aloha

-- Susan (mainaga@maui.net), October 20, 1999.

CBS radio news, 2:00 AM EST.

90% of products imported.

"Official" quoted as saying no need to panic, we have at least 45 days worth of food.

But shortages of TP, rice, SPAM already showing up at the stores.

No kidding.

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), October 22, 1999.

When news of the "TP rush" at Costco broke, Sara and I decided to try and buy some more rice to add to our larder, just in case the strike lasted till the rollover.

We have been trying to get people to prepare for almost two years now through the TV show we have been trying to get on the air and some videos and a newsletter we produce. As all of you know, the denial is so thick no one want to hear anything. People everywhere remind me of the "Stepford Wives"... the blind leading the blind.

Some of my friends and many on this forum have stated that its too late to try and "convert" anyone, "don't waste your time", no one is listening, there's not enough time to prepare now...

Well, as I was packing the 250 lbs of rice away I thought, this food, which cost less than a hundred dollars, could feed a family of four for a year if necessary. And it only took a half hour and a quick trip to the store.

So, there is still time, and everyone you warn may have a family that won't go hungry because of you.

Remember, we are in a battle of information warfare. The only thing that separates us from the people in denial is information.

Play connect the dots with enough facts and you can convert anyone. The facts don't lie. And, one of the biggest parts of undertanding Y2K is just plain common sense. When you play connect the dots... and then look at the global implications... and the interconnected, long-term patterns... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that we are in a world of trouble.

And the isolationist thinking (if one can call it thinking) that we'll be OK when the rest of the world is crumbling is beyond me. Countries like Paraguay with 5.4 million people are crying NOW please help us because we know everything will fail. But "we're gonna be OK". Most of South America is toast and they already know it. But "we're gonna be OK".

A number of years ago a "little incident" in Bolivia ( they were considering not repaying their loan to the US) almost toppled the entire financial US financial system because 9 out 10 major banks in the US have major holdings in South America. And its all based on trust(Citibank had 95% of it investments in South America).

So go ahead Y2K... devastate South America... "we're gonna be OK".

When I think of the global ramifications of Y2K I can't help but think of these famous words...

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were:

any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,

and therefore

never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

John Donne (1572-1631) __________________________

May you all be blessed with the spirit of aloha and ohana to get you through the tough times we are about to enter.

Keith.

-- Keith Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), October 22, 1999.