I work in a Fire Tower and I have had three co-workers steal from me after I gave them something or did them a favor.

Just this past Wensday I gave my fellow GI co-worker, a women who fills in on my days off, a book on NBC protection and my thanks for this was to discover my two pairs of binoculars missing I had in my Fire Tower.

This woman was not an ex-con, neither were my other two co-workers, they were just average U.S. citizens, one was a Sunday School teacher who also made off with a set of binoculars after I gave him a small black and white TV I no longer had use for.

What has this to do with Y2K ? I've reached a conclusion that no matter how fine a person may seem to be, even if they quote scripture, don't give them ANYTHING.

If they want something from you make them work hard for it, if you don't they WILL despise you and feel entitled to get more things ( food, water, etc ) from you for free ( ie stealing ).

Don't think just because you are friends or are related that that will make any difference. If hard times hit people will be looking for any softness on your part.

-- Stanley Lucas (StanleyLucas@WebTv.net), December 19, 1999

Answers

No good deed goes unpunished.

-- gale (guide@earthling.net), December 19, 1999.

Good Post Stanley, I've been giving this "line of thought" quite a workout lately. I'm the only GI among my family and friends, I have been prepping for awhile now. Completely at a loss as to how I'm going to provide for all those I know will ask, when they are in need, and I love them. Will take your advice under advisement while I am considering how to resolve this issue.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), December 19, 1999.

I have this same problem. People I love know I have some storage, besides the milk and egg and meat producers can't be hidden. I have a big garden. I'll demand work in it. And I'll pray

-- homeon the range (xxxxxx@yyyyyy.com), December 19, 1999.

Are you shure they took the binoculars? In our tower the binoculars are fed. property. which makes it a fed offence if you steal them. Be shure before you acuse. Smokey

a

-- Smokey (Smokey1057@aol.com), December 19, 1999.

Christians are obviously just as capable of self-delusion, rationalization, and rip-offs as anyone else. Maybe even more, since they have fallen for the chimera of Christianity.

Before flaming, recall that you do not have to be intelligent or moral to be a Christian -- all you have to do is "accept J.C. as your saviour."

-- A (A@AisA.com), December 19, 1999.

A, I am a christian too which makes what he did all the more reprehensible to me.

Smokey,

When I started working at my present Tower five years ago there were no binoculars so I bought a pair. The binoculars that are missing are mine, I paid for them, them and the others that were stolen.

I believe that if you come across as too nice, people don't fear wronging you like they do if you are a rather tough person. Perhaps soft is the more proper word, there is a difference between being soft and nice, mean and tough.

In any case make people earn what they get from you, that may not be sweet of you, but it is fair.

-- Stanley Lucas (StanleyLucas@WebTv.net), December 19, 1999.

Michael,

Thanks for the complement.

A,

I am a Christian also which makes what that co-worker did all the more reprehensible.

Smokey,

When I first started working at my present tower five years ago there weren't any binoculars so I bought a pair. The ones that are missing are mine, I paid for them and they are big binoculars, impossible to miss in a fire tower.

-- Stanley Lucas (StanleyLucas@WebTv.net), December 19, 1999.

Stanley,

You are right. Stay in your tower. Don't come down unless you spot a fire close by. A fire tower is a much safer place to be than the 30th floor of the Waldorf Astoria on new year's eve.

-- (upin@theair.com), December 19, 1999.

Hey doomers! Read these posts and then call pollies morons. "They stole my.......I'll make them work for my........" You people are too funny!

-- for real (for@real.com), December 19, 1999.

Stanley,

I agree with you 100%.

People suck, and if you give them the opportunity, they will screw you, especially if you are a nice person. If you give them something, they won't appreciate it... You have to make them work for it and suffer.

One of the many reasons I believe in the Bible is because it says that all people have a sinful nature and the only way that they can be saved is to admit it and ask God for forgiveness.

The older I get, the more I am convinced this is true. Sometimes I can't believe how horrible people are - even "regular" people that most people would consider to be OK.

This Y2K thing is making it all even more clear. I have had supposedly Christian neighbors laugh at me when I warned them about Y2K and then say they would just come over and steal my generator if the power goes out, or come over and eat my food if there are shortages. I have had numerous other people say they weren't going to prep, but if anything happens, they'll just come to my house. I have gotten phone calls from relatives I haven't talked to in years trying to weasel a free ride at Clyde's house if TSHTF.

Last year, when I was making a large withdrawal from my bank, the manager who was helping with the transaction said, "Well, now I know where to go if the banks close."

It's really a drag, because I'm one of those "nice guys" and I'm not too good at telling people to go f**k themselves (although I'm improving). So instead, I just try to have as little to do with them as possible.

-- Clyde (clydeblalock@hotmail.com), December 19, 1999.

I recently purchased a reserve pile of coal for my Y2K retreat. Found my neighbour was 'borrowing' some of it behind my back. This really upset my wife,as we have gome out of our way to help the guy. Coal is now locked up at the bottom of the garden which is real pain to get to (and nobody else round here locks anyhing up). We will now think twice before helping our neighbour out if TSHTF.

What gets me is that if he had asked I'd have happily helped him out.

Moral - I might be compassionate, but I am not stupid. I would have shared at least part of it with him post millenium if we had problems, but he has had his share now ...

-- Rob Somerville (merville@globalnet.co.uk), December 19, 1999.

Even quoting scripture doesn't make one a believer. As for Christians being more whatever for falling for the "chimera" of Christianity, Ayn Rand believed stealing was OK, and stole Nathaniel Branden from his wife. She even fictionalized the experience in some of her novels,yet her pontificating would lead one to believe she was a "decent" person. Watch what they do, not what they "say". That goes for Jesus, too.

-- Schlomo (steverromano@snet.com), December 19, 1999.

I confess, I stole them. I needed help trying to find your brain.

-- for real (for@real.com), December 20, 1999.

um, did Jesus do something bad?

-- missed (that@somehow.somewhere), December 20, 1999.

for real,

try turning them around then everyone won't look like ants

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 20, 1999.

I know how you feel Stanley.

I gave a guy some fairly nice guns with the hope that he would start buying his own preps, and partner up with me. Naturally the guy never spent a dime on preps, and he kept wanting to know where my bug out place was...I've since give this guy the big brush off and never told him where I'll be when TSHTF.

If things go InfoMagic forget all about bartering or trading work for food. It's all going to be lone wolfs, and Charlie Manson type families robbing and killing each other.

BTW did you all know that Charles Manson has what appears to be a large following. His fans have a website dedicated to him (some even believe Charlie is the messiah). Charles Manson was transfered to *high tech* Pelican Bay prison in N/W California.

-- Ocotillo (peeling@out.===), December 20, 1999.

This is why I'm planning on selling food to my neighbours rather than giving. I'll sell at sticker price regardless of what's happening in the shops, and I'll take a cheque, even drawn on a defunct bank. I also plan to suggest a 3-way split between my neighbours on either side, so that we're all in the same situation.

Just a thought.

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.