FOOD SHORTAGES HAVE STARTED! I was at my local COSTCO here in the Pacific northwest and they were all sold out of the 25 and 50lb bags of rice,pinto beans, and black beans. They usually have two huge pallets of each size and food for a total of 12(twelve!) pallets of food-AND THEY WERE ALL GONE! They were almost out of cans of Dinty Moore stew and chile(less than 1/10th of a pallet on what is normally 3 pallets). One of the employees I spoke with said that they can't keep any of the bags of rice and beans in stock-almost as soon as they get it it's gone. Generators are all on backorder and propane tanks are flying off the shelves. Overheard several people there talking about the shelf life of canned food in prep for you-know-what People- the panic has started! If you arent' done preparing your food supplies by now you are almost all out of time! Get it done soon! The herd is stirring and soon it will be too late!

-- get your food now! (herd@stampeding.com), February 19, 1999

Answers

Hhhmmm, nothing of the sort the last time we went to CostCo. The print & TV news have been focusing on Y2K lately. We'll go to CostCo in the next couple of days to see if this might be true.

This post does not ring right because NorthWesterners don't get that excited about anything, not even Mt. St. Helens blowing her lid :)
And, there are so many stores so stuffed with everything. The great NorthWest is primo farming country, and rarely runs out of anything. There are major grocery/all-purpose stores on almost every corner. We know for a fact there is absolutely no panic in the Pacific NorthWest. In fact, not even the subduction zone earthquake coming our way will create a panic when it hits. Slugs, on the other hand ... ;-D

Ashton & Leska in Cascadia, the bountiful grow-everything on paradise on earth

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 19, 1999.

If this is true you are irresponsible. If this is not true you are irresponsible.

-- KoFE (noproblems@this.end), February 19, 1999.

Down here in L.A. I've noticed that Sam's club can't keep in rice or beans in any sizable number. DOn't know about the Northwest but down here you can't get any waterfilters or freeze-dried food either. Common goods like tp and canned food are in abundance though, no shortages of those here in LALA land yet. As a matter of fact LUcky's had a big sale on tp that I used to help stock-up. Walmarts been sold out of Mossberg shotguns though. I think that we'll see lots more shortages of stuff as Jan 1 approcaches and people make thier preps.

-- weblord (food@thought.com), February 19, 1999.

Stopped by Sam's after work today here in FL. They had 4 small generators, and more rice and beans than Cuba (which isn't saying much!)

-- Online2Much (buying@leisure._), February 19, 1999.

Another drunken Friday-night post. Actually, such posts are very funny to stupid people! Err... so I've heard...

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), February 19, 1999.

Leska, I thought I warned you about feeding the trolls.

You know how quickly they multiply when they have food. You talked nicely to one and another one showed up, and then poor Online got suckered in.

-- De (dealton@concentric.net), February 19, 1999.

How can I say this?

Preparation is not synonymous with panic. While I've seen a few people preparing, I've not noticed anyone panicing. Shortages are indicative of preparations, not panic.

Remember that we are preparing so we don't have to panic.

No, there's no real panic that I can see yet but there are some occassional/temporary shortages. I'm having trouble finding the Dietz Little Wizard lanterns (both Lehmans and Cumberland will take your order but neither will even give you an estimated delivery date). We just ordered a generator and won't be able to get it till late April / early May.

Gary North and company seem to have snatched up all of the 'strike anywhere' kitchen matches - guess I'll just have to strike on the box.

My local Sam's continues to stock 50lb bags of rice - they don't carry large bags of beans. They have been completely out of generators for several weeks though. The manager told me that they expect more but are unsure when. Seems thay are having trouble getting them

As for beans, well I'll bet Gary Hansen will still sell you soybeans if you are interested, I got mine from him and didn't have to panic (and neither did he). Aldi's still has tons of cheap canned goods. The local supermarkets are all still open.

But replacement wicks for my KeroHeat kerosene heater (#129) are NOWHERE to be found. However, I'm still able to buy as much firewood as I can afford at the same price it was going for last fall. At least today.

The gas stations still have gas. My lights are still on. I've got water. Had nice hot shower this morning. Went to work. Ate a good supper.

No dead bodies on the street. This is very, very good. Haven't seen the black helicopters yet but I'm not so sure I won't. Martial law has not been declared -- though the good folks in Kingsville, TX are just a bit concerned.

Hang in there, I'd ask them when they get their next shipments, then be there on that day. Consider soybeans (but only if you like them).

Whatever you do, keep preparing.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 19, 1999.

De, don't worry, we know that isn't you. Called CostCo; they got in a large shipment this morning and are not out of anything. Was 99% sure it was a troll but wanted to back up & rumor control.

This is the type of trolling the govt fears, but it does not need to, because the people simply do not listen easily. The Y2K crowd is among the most skeptical we've ever met, and is sharply on the look-out for any hint of scams. All the ridicule and mocking have served only to sharpen the wits of those intelligently preparing. There will be no panic or stampedes.

Ashton & Leska in Cascadia, where all is calm and plentiful

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx x

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 19, 1999.

In northwestern Ohio there are no shortages, only barren spaces on shelves yet to be filled by the JUST IN TIME shipping procedure. However, I am annoyed that my local Wal*Mart hasn't had any new shipment of Diamond book matches since Sunday. The problem with their ordering system is that they only order that which is purchased. Then they must await shipment from a larger warehouse to fulfill the displacement. Normal procedure, normal wait.

When the common masses awaken, there will be entire shelves empty. So far, no panic here. Relax. Prepare. Let normal restocking occur.

Lighten up. When the REAL PANIC happens, NO ONE WILL BE JOKING!

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), February 19, 1999.

Arnie:

I debated the cost of purchasing cords of wood versus purchasing a chainsaw and doing the work myself. The latter option happened, and now I'm ready to cut firewood with my 16" Homelite chainsaw. In the worse case scenario in which I lose my factory job, I can supplement my income by chainsawing wood for those needing it.

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), February 19, 1999.

Yes.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (Cook.r@csaatl.com), February 19, 1999.

cosco does not sell black beans in dry bulk

-- trollkiller (xxxx@zzzz.com), February 19, 1999.

I bought a 20 lb bag of rice for $3.99 at a local grocery store, Clipped a coupon out of the paper to get that price, limit two. Taco Bell refried beans 50 cents a can. There's plenty of stuff here. But I think a shortage is being seen in oil lamps, campstove fuel, candle wicks, and wooden matches at WalMart. Shotguns are being sold in record numbers, no Mossbergs available.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 19, 1999.

Must have been Raley's, Bardou. I did the same thing. Lots of good sales on rice here in Northern California right now for those celebrating Chinese New Year. I'll wait till Cinco de Mayo to stock up on pinto beans and possibly rice again. Memorial Day and Fourth of July will be a good time to watch for sales on charcoal, fuel for gas barbecues, paper plates, etc. Y2K or not, you can count on the grocery stores to lure people in any way they can during holiday weekends.

-- Pam G. (Pam95818@aol.com), February 19, 1999.

Yes, it was Raleys in Grass Valley, CA. Are you near there? Raley's rarely has any bargains, but I felt that one was a good one.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 20, 1999.

dinosaur: We will probably also invest in a good chain saw and try to get some full logs delivered. It was the time thing that pushed us towards the already cut and split side. We had so many other things to do that we felt the added cost was worth the time saved. We still feel that this was the right decision although long term, a chain saw and a few hand/bow saws are probably good investments.

There are woods around us but not owned by us. We believe we could work out a trade with our neighbors if need be though...they are pretty good folks and we can do more together than separately.

We do love the new wood stove. It's one indulgence that will be staying regardless of how bad (or not so bad) this all turns out. There's just something about a warm fire...

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 20, 1999.

No, Bardou, I'm in Sacramento, but I'd recognize that Raley's sale coupon anywhere. Last month, I bought 20 pound bags of rice at Safeway for $4.49. Love those Safeway coupon books!

-- Pam G. (Pam95818@aol.com), February 20, 1999.

A big chunk of the reason generators are in short supply was 600,000 people without power for a couple weeks down this way last month. Everybody was buying generators (of course - lots of folks have freezers with stuff in them worth more than a generator) and the stores and such in the area kind of sucked them all in from a pretty large area. Production should catch back up pretty soon - lots more around now than there were three weeks ago - around Memphis anyhow.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), February 20, 1999.

Dinosaur: I don't know how much wood you've cut in your life, but it ain't easy work. If you live in the north you will need at least 6 cords to see you throught the winter. How are you going to get it from the wood lot to your home. The wood unless left for a year will be green and a bitch to burn unless there is a good hot coal base. A homelite chainsaw is a toy. Get a Jonsered or a Sokia 0250. But it is better to have a plan then no plan.

-- Jim P.E. (outstrip@hotmail.com), February 20, 1999.