In Charlottesville, VA, the milk and bottled water are largely gone from our local Kroger store. Well...actually most-to-all of the gallon containers of milk are gone, and a FEW of the 2 qt. containers are still there. Also, while the bottled water shelf is bare of spring water and carbon-filtered water, there are a few (more expensive) distilled H2Os remaining.

Perhaps this is coincidence or holiday understaffing. Or perhaps something's up. What I do not understand is why people reach for the perishable items first in an emergency situation.

My place of work takes y2k seriously. We're all supposed to hook up our essential incubators and liquid n2 freezers to emergency power in case of surges and/or failures that night. If the power goes out that night, we're all supposed to show up and rescue the important stuff and put it in the storage (37, 4, -70, -130) that's hooked up to emergency power. Furthermore we were told not to plan any experiments between now and the 3rd.

-- coprolith (coprolith@fakemail.com), December 28, 1999

Answers

You know, I always wonder about the psychology of that. Workplaces telling their employees to "show up and rescue important stuff" but not telling them to prepare their families in advance.

So, everybody's going to go to work while their kids are at home with no heat, no water, and no school?

-- Alice Brown (alicebrown@yahoo.com), December 28, 1999.

I lived in Charlottesville, VA, for 4 years (moved in '98) and I have a good GI friend there. I can remember some trips to the Kroger (Barracks Road and Rt. 29) where I thought the shelves looked a bit bare. Usually I found out later that there was snow in the forecast. But I think warmer weather is heading your way this week, so there must be another explanation. Good luck down there. I hope VA Power doesn't let you down.

-- nance (nancyw@mailcity.com), December 28, 1999.

Coprolith,

You wrote: "What I do not understand is why people reach for the perishable items first in an emergency situation."

Seems obvious to ME, at least.

Milk and bread are the things those of us with families are "running out" to purchase all the time.

Just about everything else (with the exception of fresh fruits and vegetables) will "keep" for a while, but if the milk turns sour, or the bread becomes moldy, that's pretty much it.

Just my two cents.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), December 28, 1999.

I was in our Super Walmart (York, SC) yesterday and the bottled water shelf was empty of 1 gal containers! This is a full isle normally stocked to full height. Forgot to check propane cylinders but most of store seemed well stocked. Many trailers out side (maybe 25) but many were open and empty.

-- Hydrogen Dioxide (NoH20@gone.com), December 28, 1999.

Last night in the Ralphs in Ventura, CA, water isle was pretty well wiped out, didn't check the milk... everything else seemed to still be pretty well stocked... have noticed the last week or so they can't seem to keep the water shelfs stocked...

-- C (c@c.com), December 28, 1999.

To repeat my story from last night as an update, I was in my local Super K-Mart last night. No shortages of anything. Also, I should add, only about 15 people in the entire store.

I think it is incredibly difficult to spot any trends in shopping as things stand now.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), December 28, 1999.

Just returned from the WalMart superstore in Birmingham, AL. No shortages of anything. Piles (and I do mean piles) of coffee, spam, water. Also, I didn't see any y2k shoppers.

-- impala (impala@wild.com), December 28, 1999.

Last evening local COSTCO no water, no sterno,almost no toilet paper. However more than usual amount of canned goods.

-- tom (flstplt@yahoo.com), December 28, 1999.

For some who have prepped it is a psychological lift to run out and buy "fun" type foods since the other stuff is already taken care off. I bought chips and cookies etc. Things people could snack on while playing games...then if things get bad later we'll hit the hard core preps when necessary. I plan on buying donuts on Friday etc. First day of no electricity , necessary , can survive on poptarts, fresh donuts, chips and lunch meats from the frig. Have done before in snow storms..makes for fun with the kids and seems like a picnic for awhile. Mise well enjoy while you can.

-- More Dinty Moore (dac@ccrtc.com), December 28, 1999.