As I drove from Florida to Indiana, I noticed the building boom everywhere. Must be the largest expansion since the end of the Big One(World War II as Archie Bunker used to say). And according to the polls, very few are worried or preparing, right?

I think this must be very misleading and there is a big gap between what people are saying and what they are doing. Here in northern Indiana it is common to shop at Aldi's (a discount grocery store) and 3 out of 4 carts will have case lots and nobody raises an eyebrow. While there doesn't seem to be any shortages yet, Wal-mart is hard put to keep up the lamp oil supplies. The well man says he is backed up with orders for hand pump wells. Used wood stoves are sold the minute they hit the Shopper.

So around here at least, people are preparing but keeping a low profile.

On another note,when the electric company came to put our poles in and they were asked about it, the response was that they had been called in to work on the roll-over. The workers said there was no need for them to do that as this small county is completely compliant, BUT they buy all their electricity...so-o-o if they get it they can deliver it but if they don't, they can't. Makes sense but isn't very reassuring!

-- sue (deco100@aol.com), May 27, 1999

Answers

Gee, Sue. The polls I've read stated that 52% (close enough for MY memory) of the population is/plans on preparing in various degrees.

Maybe those people we all know who say they're not really are but don't trust us?

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

I tend to agree that people are keeping a low profile. We were forced to once the FBI and other Government officials decided to brand us all as "cultists". There are more people preparing than are willing to admit to. The Feds and big money did a great job of getting many of us to sit down and shut up. And that, my friends (like Johnny for example) is just ONE reason why I choose to use an alias, rather than my true name, which would be easily found out if they REALLY wanted to know, but why help them any? I've grown weary of all the labels being thrown around in the hopes of protecting bank accounts. That IS the bottom line, as I see it. It's also what has gotten us into this crisis and is the contributing factor to our Country being for sale to the highest bidder at the highest levels. That, plus the fact that we don't have enough hand-pumps and rice to go around. If you aren't prepared by now.....JUNE 1999....don't come looking for us with a pitiful look in your eyes (pitiful indeed).

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), May 27, 1999.

Free speech comes with a price to high to pay for some!

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), May 27, 1999.

Money IS NOT THE CORE ISSUE HERE! Surviving in the northern U.S. in the dead of winter without power, heat, et al., IS.

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

Flame away: the core issue is different depending on your situation. We always heat only with wood and already have more than we need for next winter. Staying warm = no problem. We have a hand pump, so water is not a problem. (Plus we drank out of our creek alot as kids w/o noticeable poisoning.) Water = no problem. 1000+ quarts of home canned, plus grains and venison whenever we'd want it. Food = no problem.

However, if Y2K is bad enough we could all be out of work. If it that bad but not terribly worse, there will still be taxes and other things we'll want to pay for. So in that case, money will be the key issue.

Cash in a safety deposit box. Yes, I've heard the warnings about bank doors being closed. If it's that bad we won't need the cash, and regardless we won't need it anytime in a hurry. A thousand or so on hand and as much as possible in the box. That is my "core issue".

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), May 27, 1999.

Sue: Can't say if the polls are off or not. Here almost all of the things people are buying elsewhere for y2k are common purchases all the time, so it is had to judge. For example, 2 of my neighbors are trying to buy generators because the past few summers the mini tornados have taken out our electrical power for 5 or more days causing many of us to lose everything in our freezers. Also the budget grocery store here always has tons of shoppers buying canned goods by the cases so they wouldn't even bat an eye if i did the same. And i have never bought anything by the case except soda and toilet paper.

Almost everyone that i talk to still thinks that everything is going to be business as usual. This evening another lady on my road told me that 'They"(who ever they are) said that it isn't a problem anymore because 'They' worked on it and now the power and phone companies are fixed. She also went on to ask me if i was preparing and not wanting to tip my hand i said i was storing water and wood for heating. She then told me it was sinful to hoard things anyway and that i should just live each day as it comes! I politely told her my own selcted bible story on why we should be prepared at all times and left it at that. Later, on reflecting , it came to me that she had very little to worry about because 1. her husband works for his brother in a blacksmith shop---no unemployment happening there. 2. she works in the local hair do joint---if they close she can cut hair in exchange for other goods or services. 3. They make maple syrup in the spring so they have a huge water tank on the side of the sugar shack. and 4. the have chichens that supply them with eggs and poultry. I guess i wouldn't worry so much either if my everyday life already provided me with so many things others are now racing to find!!!

-- kitten (kitten@vnc.net), May 28, 1999.