From the Owensboro Messenger Inquirer. Fearful of Y2k power failures, folks are asking: Will there be enough firewood. The article is about John Gamauf in Ohio who sells firewood and the response he is having to his wood sales which are doing very well. In the same section, Home and Garden, is another article about generators being on back order. There are several small inserts in the section conerning what type of firewood to buy, different fireplace inserts, and tips on buying a generator. I find these articles interesting because it is becoming more apparent that people are preparing. The articles are positive in nature without the usual "nutty survivalist" innuendos. Firewood is one of the basic things needed to survive. The fact that people are stocking up says a lot more then watching the stock markets or the gold prices. I think it is just a matter of time before the masses wake up and the stampede starts. Now I will try and give a link, if it does not work, try www.messenger-inquirer.com

Firewood

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), November 07, 1999

Answers

My link didn't work. Maybe someone will link it. It is worth a read.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), November 07, 1999.

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Link?

-- (will@it.work), November 07, 1999.

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Better Link

-- (it@did.work), November 07, 1999.

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(Old news but it's still instructional)

Hormel Foods reported a fantastic third quarter:

Hormel Foods Announces 40.8% Third Quarter Increase In Net Earnings

AUSTIN, MINN. (August 19, 1999) - Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: Hormel) today announced net earnings of $29,550,000, or $.40 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended July 31. This represents an increase of $8,556,000, or 40.8 percent, over third quarter net earnings one year ago of $20,994,000, or $.28 per diluted share.

For the first nine months of the year (39 weeks), operating earnings were $99,956,000, an increase of $23,219,000, or 30.3 percent, over operating earnings of $76,737,000 for the comparable period of fiscal 1998. Operating earnings per diluted share were $1.36 as compared to $1.01 for the same three quarters of last year.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.

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I live in Florida and I don't even see an ad in our local paper about anything to do with preparing. I was so mad this morning that there wasn't a single story in our Sunday paper that I threw the damn thing out.

We have mostly warm weather so I guess no one is worrying about freezing to death - but I wonder if they worry about eating.

Disgusted

-- Lornna Mitchell (doone@digital.net), November 07, 1999.

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The same thing here in Miami. No news whatsoever. Life goes on as if nothring will ever change. It is indeed surreal.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999.

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Hormel may be reaping the benefits of the high protein diet fad as much or more than from Y2K concerns.

-- Bill Byars (billbyars@softwaresmith.com), November 07, 1999.

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Generators? You need Generators? Come one come all..... in our area there are enugh and they are even ON SALE this week. Home Depot and others have stocked up in anticipation of a Y2k rush that never happened and so all those generators are ON SALE. Just travel to WNY.

-- Rickjohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.

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You don't need to buy Hormel to get a high protein diet. I'm thinking about cans of chili, SPAM, ham, bacon, long term storage stuff that people are buying. If Y2K is a BITR, I am sure Hormel's profits next year won't be what they are today, nor will TP producers, etc. This was one of the fears manufacturers were worried about, people stock piling and if it's a BITR, people will be using their stash for months and they are stuck with huge inventories and no buyers. But they shouldn't complain, they are reaping their profits now.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 07, 1999.

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Lornna- There was a special section in our MN Star Tribune today on Y2K. And believe me, if you're familiar with the party line, this is one big advertisement for it. Extremely worthy of being thrown out. In fact, it pretty much sets things back to don't worry, be happy mode. And the numerous quotes included from Mr Greedspin have had a detrimental effect on my stomach.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), November 07, 1999.

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Hey Gia.. I'm in the Twin Cities and I agree with you completely about the special Y2K section in the paper. Interesting though that on one page the power companies are pretty much guaranteeing that electricity will be ON and then on the next page, Northern Hydraulics has their big ad for generators. They have also gone up in price about $400 since this summer.

-- Diane (DDEsq2002@juno.com), November 07, 1999.

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Here in Visconsin, we've got more generators than ever, also more firewood dealers.

Maybe God is being extra good/gratious to people --- there certainly are opportunities to prepare so far.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), November 07, 1999.

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The Wall St. jocks may find Hormel a great "put" option in the event that Hormel's stock price responds euphorically to the profit rise.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), November 08, 1999.

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Tag closed. :-)

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), November 08, 1999.

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Better.

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), November 08, 1999.