this may be a stupid question, but what is the difference between "stocking" and "hoarding".i have been learning and practicing food storage for 14 years, just because i feel that the world is an unstable place and feel people should be prepared to take care of themselves without having to depend on the government for at least a month in their homes. yes, with y2k we have extended that one month to 4 months, but does that mean we are "hoarding?we stocked up slowly, alittle each week, didn't leave the stores shelves empty or cause any runs on toilet paper. who decides what is hoarding? is being prepared in an unstable world against the law?

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), December 08, 1999

Answers

If yu have something somebody else want's, that is hoarding. If they have something you want, it is stockpiling.

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

IMHO

Stocking is for your personal use

Hoarding is for price gouging in times of crisis.

Of course a capitalist would say a crisis is a window of opertunity.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), December 08, 1999.

My guess is the "hoarding" may be a setup for future "rationing".

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 08, 1999.

What real difference does it make? The important question is whether you and your family have food to eat in 2000. Keep a low profile and hoard, hoard, hoard.

-- cody (cody@y2ksurvive.com), December 08, 1999.

Aren't you glad our storing-? stockpiling-? hoarding-? of food, supplies of any kind and cash have not caused the stock market to crash or shortages to occur? Our DGI friends can probably thank us to some degree for the good economy.

-- Connie Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 08, 1999.

Hoarding is for price gouging in times of crisis. This is the right answer! There's no way the average person is going to hoard anything. And this late in the Y2K game, when most of America could care less about Y2K. I feel that the people stocking up in case there's an imergancy situation like snowstorm, tornado ect ect, are just plain smart:o)

We shall see what the deal is in just a few days/

Merry Christmas everyone! Rooster

-- Rooster Cogburn (Gotitlate@wow.com), December 08, 1999.

As the Holy Book says, a bag of gold for a loaf of bread!

I might settle for a Rolex President...

Kook - Butcher, baker and candlestick maker, Visa and MC accepted for now...

-- Y2Kook (Y2Kook@usa.net), December 08, 1999.

It's the usual thing. Hoarding is an ugly word. If you store away food (or water, or gas), it's stockpiling. If the other guy does it, it's hoarding. It's sort of like the difference between a recession and a depression. In a recession, the other guy loses his job. If it's a depression, you've lost your job.

-- Tim the Y2K nut (tmiley@yakko.cs.wmich.edu), December 08, 1999.

To me, in addition to the above, hoarding is buying more than your share WHEN THERE ARE SHORTAGES. What most people here have done is just the opposite. Buying extra supplies when they are plentiful and can be readily replaced in the supply chain. In fact, they ease Y2K shortages, since they will likely not be buying when items are in limited supply.

-- John (jh@NotReal.ca), December 08, 1999.

Actually it seems there's a little truth in the use of BOTH words. I had read that in order for one to HOARD, it required buying when there is a shortage. The MW dictionary doesn't seem to indicate that.

hoard - a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away. Hoard in MW Dict.

stockpile - (noun) A:a reserve supply of something essential accumulated within a country for use during a shortage B:a GRADUALLY (caps mine) accumulated reserve of something... Stockpile in MW Dict.

You can follow links to other forms of the words for a complete picture.

-- miriam (miriamwebster@dictionary.com), December 08, 1999.

"Stocking" is what the corporations have been told is the prudent thing to do.

"Hoarding" is what the general public has been told is a ludicrous thing to do.

-- a (a@a.a), December 08, 1999.

this scares me the most about y2k. i believe they will keep the definition fluid to use it against whomever they want to. i am also worried about folks who would have something against someone and "turn them in". i believe it happened during the depression.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), December 08, 1999.

"...What is the difference between "stocking" and "hoarding?"

A label.

And who's using it about whom.

(i.e. Newsmedia/dot gov's labeling individuals not corporations. Bet Chevron, Exxon/Mobil, Texaco, Shell, et. al., will re-write the definition of "price gouging..." next year).

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 08, 1999.

There's no difference between the two so hoard on!

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 08, 1999.

Stockpiling: What a person does ahead of time to prepare for an emergency.

Hoarder: During an emergency, what an unprepared person calls his neighbor who stockpiled.

-- Clyde (clydeblalock@hotmail.com), December 08, 1999.

hm

you had an extra /

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 08, 1999.

If the gubmint and corporations do it, it's stockpiling. If we do it, it's hoarding. See, isn't that simple? sarcasm off

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

The answer is right in the governmink's own publications. Three Day Storm. That's it. 72 hours worth is an acceptable stockpile. More is hoarding. You'll have to share with the idiots who spent their time off work watching soaps, springer, nascar, wwf, porn... They will complain that you did not buy them enough snackfoods. Do not get on the white bus and go to the friendly, warm shelter when Rodham and Gomorrah come knockin.

-- Homecanner (tomatoes@mygarden.com), December 08, 1999.

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

Hoarding is what we're doing now when we spend our hard earned money in legal supermarkets, whose shelves are full and being replenished. Stockpiling is what the government will be doing when they take it away from us.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 08, 1999.

And then there are the shades that reflect what supply you have in mind.

Water? Better empty those water tanks, you are hoarding too much water.

I could see basement shelves filled with generators as perhaps being hoarding, unless of course you have a storefront, in which case you are being an entrepreneur.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), December 08, 1999.

I prepare, you stockpile, he hoards.

BTW, I used 2000 less gallons of water in Nov than in Oct. So if I had used the same amount, and kept 2000 gallons in a storage tank would I have caused any disruption?

Of course I would have.

We are through the looking glass here people.

sean

-- sean (prepare@stockpile.hoard), December 08, 1999.

Stockpiling... What you do before a crisis.

Hoarding... What you do after a crisis.

Simply a matter of timing.

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), December 08, 1999.

Laura,

Stockpiling - planned preparations, of which you have carefully considered what you do and don't need, and acquire accordingly.

Hoarding - unplanned, panicked grabbing of ANYTHING without regard or thought as to whether you will use it for any benefit.

Y2k prepping is stockpiling - carefully thought out preparation.

-- luann (flataufm@hutchtel.net), December 08, 1999.

dear folks, thankyou for all the insightful info on differences between stocking and hoarding. have learned a great deal from all of you on many different areas, however i also appreciate the humor that lightens up such a serious situation. hope you and yours will all stay safe and healthy through what ever comes our way.thanks again,laura

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), December 08, 1999.