Perhaps this isn't the place for it, but perhaps it is. Does it make any sense for those of us here to have some idea of where in the world (litterally) each other is and perhaps even get some of us in the same areas in touch in the real world? If it really is a 9 or 10 knowing where a few other people with common sense (we hope) live might be a good thing. Or would that just lay us open to others knowing where to look for easy food? (Presuming they skipped some of the posts about self-defense.) Part of the reason I'm feeling fatigued (talk of burnout on another thread) is not having others to speak to face to face about this. Virtual reality can only go so far, and if there really is trouble we may not have that. Continuing to share what works and what doesn't, be there for support, etc. may not be the point of this forum, but it is about how to survive and deal with the aftermath. So, in public I am willing to at least say I'm in western Oregon. Anyone else nearby???

-- Tania Baildon (tbaildon@yahoo.com), October 27, 1999

Answers

Tania: What a great name. That was one of the names I wanted to name to give my second daughter. Anyway, you're right. It would be nice to be with like-minded people. I, for one, will publically state that I am in the foothills of central Calif. and am looking for others right now to network with. It is definitely a major challenge....which leads me to believe that very few people really believe Y2K is a non-issue.

Shepherd

-- shepherd (mjmcinnes@aol.com), October 27, 1999.

Tania

Like you, I use my real name...anyone with net savy can already figure out where I live.

I would urge you not to worry, 3-4 months from now there will be plenty of people to talk to face to face with about this.

One of the great tragedies of our era is how we all learned to depend upon society so much that we don't depend on our neighbors. The worse it gets, the more that will reverse.

You will be a leader, if only because you understand the problem in much more detail than most of your neighbors...

Thom

-- Thom Gilligan (thomgill@eznet.net), October 27, 1999.

Thom: You answered while I was answering...but, anyway, that is an excellant response. It will become quite apparant to those that are in need whom will lead them into the future. Those who so auspiciously depend on the social "status quo" to maintain their present lifestyle will become the nobody's soon. What did Jesus say about the servant becoming the master and/or the master becoming the servant! Keeep up the good words! Shepherd

-- shepherd (mjmcinnes@aol.com), October 27, 1999.

Hi, Tania! I also believe that it helps to talk face to face with like minded people about issues (Lord knows we've talked face to face with enough non-like minded over the last year!). My solution has been to write directly to a few people who have posted something that got my attention...sort of like a pen pal (which I have several of around the world, that I write to with paper and pen...) I find it helpful to me to develop a more personal relationship with these people...share ideas, plans, achievements (we even mailed some tapioca starts to one person). I was frustrated that a couple of people who I wanted to correspond with had used fake email addresses.

We live in Hawaii, and I've contacted two other people here (who I could tell were in Hawaii, by what they wrote), and I don't know if we'll ever meet, but I have the feeling that we will someday. I've also written to a couple of people in Illinois and Michigan. They write to me about winterizing the house...lighting the first fire in the fireplace...harvesting pumpkins....I write to them about picking bananas, the dock strike, and our first snow here in Hawaii, on Mauna Loa!!

My husband and I run a food buying club (about 120 families order their food from us, and it's shipped over from California), and so we talk daily with people about food storage, etc. It is comforting to know that so many families around us are preparing to some extent (different families have different beliefs about y2k, but they all have enough food to keep their families fed for a couple of months).

But I find it satisfying to also be in communication with people I don't know, in other places, and to share ideas.

I think it's a good idea to communicate. Reach out a little. We can't let this y2k thing turn us against each other and cause us to become totally fearful of other people. Most people are good folks, and interesting!!

Thank you for letting me share!

Margo

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), October 28, 1999.

Aloha Margo & all:

I'm on the garden island of Kaua'i.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), October 28, 1999.

And Aloha to you, also, Mad Monk! Is the tapioca sprouting yet? You should begin to see lots of new leaves by now...did you get a lot of rain last week? Margo

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), October 28, 1999.

Western Oregon also. Stormy today too.

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), October 28, 1999.

Ohio

-- Kimberly Hott (ckhott@urec.net), October 28, 1999.

Queensland, Australia. Warm and Sunny (what else?!)

-- JQ (onca@hotmail.com), October 28, 1999.

northern Calif mts- 1.8" rain last 24 hours-fall colors still holding on beautifully-Howie

-- Howie (biggguy79@hotmail.com), October 29, 1999.

Yeppers Howie, we must be near eachother.

-- narsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), October 29, 1999.

anybody got a list of michiganders i can peruse? I'm hoping I can work with my neighbors as well, i even stored food and seeds for them... but, If it gets really bad, i am afraid they will turn on me & each other... oh well, just keep on, & pray i guess, anyway the more the merrier from michigan!

-- jeremiah (braponspdetroit@hotmail.com), October 29, 1999.

Trinity Co-in a beautiful mountain valley,south of Weaverville-anyone out there sort of close by?-Howie

-- Howie (biggguy79@hotmail.com), October 29, 1999.

Yes, Howie, next county over in Siskiyou.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), October 30, 1999.

Hi, I'm in South Florida. VERY South, as in near the entrance to the Florida Keys. At least I do not have to worry about heat. Although we do live about 8 miles from Turkey Point, Nuclear Reactor. Anyone else reading this from South Florida? Can anyone explain to me the use and purpose of Potassium Iodide? I understand it has something to do with Nuclear readiation. Joseph

-- Joseph Holbrook (caris@prodigy.net), October 30, 1999.

Try out: http://www.ki4u.com/

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), October 31, 1999.

1) Iodide prevents the uptake of radioactive iodine by the thyroid. Period.

2) NE Ohio

3) Meeting folks HELPS IMMEASURABLY. You find out that there are other people like you, generally 37 deg C, an arm or 2, an eye or two, a nose, a couple ears, you know, all the usual stuff, and none of the other stuff (horns, forked/spiked tongue, spiked tail, scales, phlogiston/brimstone breath, tinfoil hats (OOPS one of our attendees in Mich DID have a tinfoil hat..LOL))

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 02, 1999.

I'm in a small town about an hour from Toronto. Anyone else in my neck of the woods?

-- Bryan Poirier (bryan.poirier@scotiabank.ca), November 02, 1999.

I want to thank Porky for the potassium iodide site. Very helpful!!!

-- Amy Marsh (canaryclub@aol.com), November 02, 1999.

Tania;

My thanks to you. You have spanned a very useful and important discussion. I would like to expand the discussion into a larger topic

Here in Ottawa, we have been using the analogy that the more of us there are building lifeboats, the more of us there will be to pull others from the water if/when the time comes. Unfortunately, there is mounting evidence of a coming flood.

Ed, as I understand it, is now working on his Humpty-Dumpty project... how to fix our world after it breaks. Clearly this is the ultimate. However, I would propose that there will be a time between when the world breaks and when it gets fixed when there will be a lot of people in trouble. Potentially very serious trouble. And if readers of this forum are like us, your capacity to take people into your home is limited to a very small number. I would suggest one of the major questions before us then, is what can we do to expand our capacity to help others. It has always been upon those with more to come to the aid of those with less. It is the basic tenant of our humanity, even though we see it practiced less and less.

With that in mind, we considered what we might be able to do for people outside our home environment in two different scenarios:

- minimalist preparation for the last minute types, and;

- emergency response after the fact.

Under last minute minimalist preparation, we came up with a five items:

1) fill the freezer with food. Even if the power goes out, most northern climates will keep it frozen during January and February.

2) remember the root cellar approach. Hardy vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc.) will store for months in cool, dark places

3) know who among very close friends/relatives has a fireplace, or preferably a wood stove. Buy some wood. (By-the-way, many farmers barns have old woodstoves and old cook stoves which, although rusty, still function)

4) make sure the barbecue propane tank is full for cooking

5) have a couple of larger (5 gal.) bottles for carrying water, a river or stream to get it, and a way to get through the ice if need be. Get a bottle or two of Javex at home for purification.

Under the heading of emergency response after the fact, we came up with the following:

- know who the emergency leaders are in your community and where they can be reached

- consider who might become a leader in a time of crisis; churches, church support organizations, community groups, etc.

- consider where there might be locally available food supplies other than at the obvious places; consider local food manufacturers, small local farmers, agricultural associations, co-ops, etc. (We have identified an organization that produces very large volumes of food for disaster relief agencies. It is not glamorous stuff, but it is nutritious, ships and stores well, and requires only boiling water to prepare.)

One person who wrote to this forum suggested we will be the leaders if Y2K becomes a crisis. I think that potential is definitely there. However, I believe that leadership has three essential qualities: knowledge of the problem, knowledge of a solution (or at least a partial one), and an understanding of how to marshall people and resources to bring the solution and the problem together in the most effective manner.

All of us have knowledge of the problem. We must now figure out what kind of assistance we could render on a small scale basis in our homes, and on a larger scale basis in our communities. Third, if we have leadership qualities, we must prepare to step up to the plate and lead. If not, we should identify those who might lead. Our knowledge can help them immeasurably.

deColores

Paul, Ottawa Canada.

-- (pfm@attcanada.com), November 04, 1999.

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

The fact that someone sees Y2K as a serious problem is a real good first screen. This would tend to outweigh whatever kooky religion, politics or hair style they might have, for me anyway. But, meeting local GI's at this late date could be not the smartest thing to do. Unless they live within walking distance, there may be not much way you could stay in contact if Y2K is a bad bounce. I sure wouldn't mind discovering one in my own neighborhood, though! Shepherd, you wouldn't happen to live near me, would you? :>

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), November 05, 1999.