http://www.tampatrib.com/MGIHGTVTPBC.html Aug 10, 2000 - 12:35 AM

Big blow coming? Y2K food stash up for bids
JIM SLOAN
of The Tampa Tribune

Gary Britt of Plant City and five friends were ready for anything Y2K might bring. With the non-event behind him, Britt has 30 one-year boxes of dehydrated survival food ? with a shelf life of 10 years ? up for sale. VICTOR JUNCO/Tribune photo

Gary Britt was ready for the Y2K meltdown. Boy, was he ready.

Fearing the worst, Britt and five friends bought $35,000 worth of dehydrated survival food off the Internet.

Four hundred cases. Six No. 10 cans to a case. Enough to keep a family of four in freeze-dried heaven for seven years - or one person for 30 years.

But, when Jan. 1, 2000, came and the lights didn't go out, his friends gave the 45-year-old Elvis impersonator and sign store owner from Plant City a new job.

Food salesman.

``FOOD, survival,'' Britt's eye-catching classified advertisement reads. ``30 1-year units. 10 year shelf life. Price negotiable.''

It could be a tough sell. No beef Wellington with escargot and chocolate souffle on the menu here. Think dehydrated - broccoli, fruit and fruit drinks, powdered butter, corn, peas. Just add water and dig in.

Britt figures a month, two tops, and it'll all be sold.

``This is hurricane country,'' he says with a smile. ``If there was a hurricane, this product would go overnight.''

Britt said he and the other families are not stocking up because they are hard-core survivalists, ready to hunker down with assault rifles to defend their freeze-dried apricots from the hungry Y2K hordes.

``We were very nervous'' about a worldwide computer shutdown, he conceded. ``Is there anybody you know who didn't check out their computer? If they weren't worried about it, why would they do that?''

``We just took the next step.''

The food cost each family about $6,000, Britt said, enough for themselves plus friends and relatives.

``We felt like that wouldn't sink anybody,'' he said. ``It wasn't like we wanted to start the world over or anything. We thought it would be enough to help out our family and friends.''

When the new millennium arrived without Armageddon, Britt was ``very relieved.'' But, even with a 10-year shelf life, he knew there was no way he was going to eat all that food.

Figuring it would be easier to sell through one source, the six families stacked up the goodies in a shed at Britt's sprawling rural home off Knights-Griffin Road.

``I got the role of selling it because I'm a good salesperson,'' Britt said - ``or more likely, because I agreed to do it.''

He hopes to recoup at least 75 percent of the families' investment. So far, he's gotten four inquiries, ``one serious.'' But he's been out of town, competing as an Elvis impersonator at the Collingwood Elvis Festival in Collingwood, Ontario.

Britt has long crooned The King's songs, but he got serious about impersonating Elvis last month after encouragement from other competitors. Sunday, he heads to ``Images of Elvis 2000,'' a weeklong celebration in Memphis marking the singer's death.

But if you're interested in survival, leave a message and he'll get back to you. Although one item may be in short supply.

``The granola-blueberry cereal is awesome,'' he said. ``My wife has been eating it for breakfast.''

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 11, 2000

Answers

I didn't think that was really Elvis I recently saw driving a purple Cadillac thru downtown Tampa with a sign on the side that read "Eat What The King Eats -- Freeze-Dried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches -- $5/Can".

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), August 11, 2000.

What do you think the odds are that this guy knows the following names: * Gary North * Ed Yourdon * Michael "Your gonna die if you don't buy my stuff in the name of Christ" Huckster Hyatt * TimeBomb2000 forum

Wonder what name he posted with? ROFLMAO!

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), August 11, 2000.

Creep, it says that the food was bought by 6 families for less than $6000 each. Why do you lie so much?

-- (creeper@the.idiot), August 11, 2000.

I think he meant to say 'check out the six morons that...........'

-- Ra (tion@l.1), August 11, 2000.

No, he meant to say exactly what he said. He is incapable of speaking the truth about anything.

-- (cpr.makes.mountains@from.molehills), August 11, 2000.

You sound like someone with a sore asshole. How did that happen?

-- Ra (tion@l.1), August 11, 2000.

This forum has a sore asshole, his name is CPR. The asshole has a hemorrhoid named Ra attached to it.

-- (pass.the@charmin.please), August 12, 2000.

Yup, it says 6 families. What is that, 2 adults and 2 kids each?

Is your child worth $1,500? Or your wife? Or your friend?

<:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 12, 2000.

Sysman shows his true colors parrotting the BS from the SURVIVALISTS.

"It was only insurance. Isn't your family worth it?" That was the SALES PITCH FOR THE ***COMET INSURANCE*** these BS ARTISTS were selling along with the Books and tapes.

Did he work for Hyatt in sales or was it Craig Smith or Caton or Mike Adams?

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

That's right cpr, I did show my true colors.

And so have you. I guess you don't give a shit about your family, and their safety.

Screw you cpr. I've said many times that I didn't have anything to gain from Y2K. Not $.01. Got that cpr, NOT ONE CENT!!!!! The only thing that I'm "gulty" of is expressing my opinion.

My only question, cpr, is what do you have to gain from Y2K? Or do you just continue this BS for fun?

<:?=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 12, 2000.

cpr,

I'm curious about your motive(s) for starting this particular thread. Would you be so kind as to tell us which of the following guesses is/are relatively correct?

A) Helpful suggestion to others who overstocked as to how to re-equilibrate their resources, albeit with a playfully sarcastic thread title.

B) Discouraging folks from preparing for potential disasters whose probability forecasts are not as well-established as those for "mainstream" disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, market downturns, and so forth.

C) Pointing out that smart survivalism in the present-day U.S. needs to include consideration of the free-market aspects of non-disastrous scenarios, albeit with a sarcastic thread title.

D) Random illustration of the superb journalism of The Tampa Tribune, just because you like it (or for other reasons), albeit with an irrelevant thread title.

E) Compulsion to post thread title incorporating the words "Moron", "dried food", and some dollar figure, previously kept in check only by lack of sufficient appropriate justifying content to accompany it.

F) PTSD manifestation.

G) Therapy assignment by your PTSD group.

H) Admiration for the way some plucky Floridians are making the best of an awkward situation.

(BTW, if Montana residents are "Montanans", Nebraska residents are "Nebraskans", and Oklahoma residents are "Oklahomans", why aren't Florida residents "Floridans"? Is it because the "i" vowel preceding the final syllable of the state name requires a repetition of the "i" within the derivative suffix, as in "Carolinians", whereas the other vowels don't? Or am I wrong about the latter two? Are the proper designations actually "Floridans" and "Carolinans"? Note that I'm referring to state names whose final syllable consists of at least one consonant plus "a", such as Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa and Nevada, but not Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio or Utah [though Utah-dwellers are Utahns].)

I) ________________ (fill in the blank)

-- No Spam Please (nos_pam_please@hotmail.com), August 12, 2000.

I'm collating KNEE JERK REACTIONS.

Got any more stupid questions "spam"??

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

That's right cpr, I did show my true colors.

And so have you. I guess you don't give a shit about your family, and their safety.

I have some Alien Invasion insurance for only $100. It will protect you and your family from being abducted by aliens. Just post your credit card number to this thread, and I'll get those policies out right away. Don't just do it for yourself, do it for your family.

After all, it's not the ODDS, it's the STAKES.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), August 12, 2000.

...I'm collating KNEE JERK REACTIONS. -- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

Alright! Another CD?

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), August 12, 2000.

A friend of mine pointed out something rather telling about this story. This guy (or these people, whatever) lives in Florida.....a k a Hurricane Country.

And he's selling the stuff just as hurricane season approaches.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), August 12, 2000.

1254-05-1234-05 expiration 1-1-00

Um I'll take 3 policies please, after all, I just may give one to the creep nah better yet just make it 2 because I hope he gets abducted real soon.

-- cprsanass (sickofhim@gotit.net), August 12, 2000.

"Wonder what name he posted with?"

Zoobie? Andy? Midwest Mike (although Florida is not in the midwest, Mike might not have figured out that one yet)? Chuck 'Da Night Driver?

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), August 12, 2000.

I noticed the boxes had an Utah address on them. I wonder if Freddy the Freeloader sold him the delacacies?

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), August 12, 2000.

If this story were considered worthy of National media coverage w/picture then why would it seem anything but normal for it to appear on this forum? Most of us were very involved in Y2K, albeit on different sides of the issues. This guy in Plant, FL is but one of many who knee-jerked and spent big dollars on prep items. If it is so important for the family to have this insurance why not keep it? That is the part I cant fathom. BTW, Safe Haven Food Reserves was one of hundreds of resellers of long-term storage food systems and are now out of business. Many of the canneries are in Utah due to the decades old Mormon marketplace. During the prep purchasing frenzy that took place from Sept.1998 to May 1999, there were about 30 canneries total in the U.S. supplying almost a 1000 resellers, most of them operating on the Internet with no more investment than a web site. Of those 30, only 13 or so were large canneries that had been around for any time to speak of. I knew of some operations that were run out of peoples garages with manual can sealers and little or no sanitary measures in place. There were many of these and are not included in my estimate of 30.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), August 12, 2000.

Ra:

My personal opinion is "I don't CARE how people spend their money." Obviously it bothers others more than it does me. I've seen folks spend thousands on PC's, never read the manual, and use them as dust collectors or door stops. I've seen folks buy exercise bikes, other exercise equipment, gym club memberships, etc., and never use them. I doubt that any of them started their day with "I think I'll just waste $6,000 today." I suspect they all thought it a good idea [at the time.]

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), August 12, 2000.

Anita, so true.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), August 12, 2000.

One time, me and Poole and Doc was sitting around, just shooting the breeze(that's what Poole liked to call it) and making list of people we didn't like, and all at once, we just looked at each other, and I said, Do ya think it'll always be like this Poole? And Poole said, Ceeper, we're going to Make it always be like this... And I said, you're the man, Poole....you too, Doc....

But you know what? Those guys changed.....when I call them, their always busy or something.

-- --cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

Most of what Ceep says is true, except that was the last time I decided to humor him. Later, Doc said "Man, he was looking at you like a pit bull at a piece of steak". Don't get me wrong; I still want to be friends, but he's a little too intense, sometimes.

-- Stephen Poole, CET (Anewaddressn@tura.lly), August 12, 2000.

I am ready to EXPOSE the SNAKE OIL SALESMEN who use the NET to peddle FOF (Fear of Fat) to the FAT LAZY MORONS who buy $6,000 home gyms! DooDoo Doody, manufacturer of such NONSENSE as cross country ski machines, is a MAJOR shareholder in GENERAL MILLS! Keeping the morons FAT for the FLEECING with their PURE SUGAR BREAKFAST CEREALS! We also KNOW that the Co-fearleader of FAT is none other than...TOASTY TIM TOOTSIE and he is the CEO of the largest PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD! So, when the LARDASS moron CULT MEMEBERS of FOF get their scrips for hyperension, CAUSED BY OBESITY, these USED CAR SALESMEN all rub their oily hands in GLEE!

Of course, the FAT DOOMZIES will REFUSE TO SEE! But, the Prophets of FOF...WILL...be held accountable! If you IDIOT ZOMBIES had a brain you would SEE that the PROPHET OF FOF in the above article says..."The granola-blueberry cereal is awesome."!! Get out your wallets you MORONS and BUY THE BOOK, "Diet for a FAT planet"...published...by....DooDoo Doody! You doomzies are so pathetic!

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

That's what I mean....OK, Ceeper, I'll answer the phone next time....

-- Stephen Poole CET (anewaddressn@tura.lly), August 12, 2000.

So they bought $6k of canned food. Heck, next time a hurricane rips through there they'll be the most popular people on their block.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), August 12, 2000.

They won't be after they've sold it all.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), August 12, 2000.

I DID NOT POST THE FOLLOWING AND I SUSPECT POOLE DID NOT EITHER. But remember ZOMBIES, 2 can play that game. Trust us on that.

---

One time, me and Poole and Doc was sitting around, just shooting the breeze(that's what Poole liked to call it) and making list of people we didn't like, and all at once, we just looked at each other, and I said, Do ya think it'll always be like this Poole? And Poole said, Ceeper, we're going to Make it always be like this... And I said, you're the man, Poole....you too, Doc....

But you know what? Those guys changed.....when I call them, their always busy or something.

-- --cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

---

Most of what Ceep says is true, except that was the last time I decided to humor him. Later, Doc said "Man, he was looking at you like a pit bull at a piece of steak". Don't get me wrong; I still want to be friends, but he's a little too intense, sometimes.

-- Stephen Poole, CET (Anewaddressn@tura.lly), August 12, 2000.

---

I am ready to EXPOSE the SNAKE OIL SALESMEN who use the NET to peddle FOF (Fear of Fat) to the FAT LAZY MORONS who buy $6,000 home gyms! DooDoo Doody, manufacturer of such NONSENSE as cross country ski machines, is a MAJOR shareholder in GENERAL MILLS! Keeping the morons FAT for the FLEECING with their PURE SUGAR BREAKFAST CEREALS! We also KNOW that the Co-fearleader of FAT is none other than...TOASTY TIM TOOTSIE and he is the CEO of the largest PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD! So, when the LARDASS moron CULT MEMEBERS of FOF get their scrips for hyperension, CAUSED BY OBESITY, these USED CAR SALESMEN all rub their oily hands in GLEE!

Of course, the FAT DOOMZIES will REFUSE TO SEE! But, the Prophets of FOF...WILL...be held accountable! If you IDIOT ZOMBIES had a brain you would SEE that the PROPHET OF FOF in the above article says..."The granola- blueberry cereal is awesome."!! Get out your wallets you MORONS and BUY THE BOOK, "Diet for a FAT planet"...published...by....DooDoo Doody! You doomzies are so pathetic!

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

---

That's what I mean....OK, Ceeper, I'll answer the phone next time....

-- Stephen Poole CET (anewaddressn@tura.lly), August 12, 2000.

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

I didn't post this either.

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 12, 2000.

What about the thread that says you were trying to sail a boat around using a road map? Was that really you creep?

-- (cpr@like.sybil), August 12, 2000.

Folks,

I really am serious about my "Floridians"/"Floridans" question.

-- No Spam Please (nos_pam_please@hotmail.com), August 12, 2000.

Sorry to hear you didn't post that Fear of Fat thing cpr. I was LOL and thinking maybe you weren't a complete idiot.

-- (Genghis@shadow's.nose), August 12, 2000.

Yeah and just when WE think you the CREEP MIGHT have a sense of humor, oh darn. *sigh*

-- (creep@fan.NOT), August 12, 2000.

I didn't post this message either

-- did you? (no@not.me), August 13, 2000.