In light of the recent discussion regarding oil on the other forum (see http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001gGj), is anybody adjusting the scope of their preps? If so, how? I'm still trying to evaluate my own preps and see what needs to be done.

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), November 04, 1999

Answers

Not so much adjusting the scope of my preps, Libby, as confirming those already made and followthrough with earlier plans. The propnae freezer arrives tommorow -- they tried a drop ship today but evidently did not have a lift-gate on the van. I'll hitch that up next week, pour a concrete pad around the wellhead next week, take delivery of hearthpad later next week, and spend the rest of November and into December installing the freezer, two woodstoves, two wood- fired hotwater heaters, work-around plumbing for all this. Etc. Definitely not slacking off. As to oil: got 500 gals diesel stored -- b tu there is in fact only so much anyone can do.

-- SH (squirrel@hunter.com), November 04, 1999.

Libby, I dunno--it looks bad. I don't feel cheerful. We might could stretch our preps to one year. And what then? You know?

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 05, 1999.

Libby,

After reading the oil threads,it really got me to thinking also.I know the best long range plans are to have your own farm with a good well,since I don't,I have stored some extra water in barrels and have a portable back pack type water filter to get water from a stream within driving distance via a bike.After writting about me riding a bike (shudder),It would be so much better to have a three wheeler with a basket.

What comes to mind is places like China,with alot of people using bikes and public transportaion.That might become the standard in all countries,if we are lucky to still have the busses running.

I finally understand why the dire predictions were made,the loss of oil will cause great suffering.I also understand why Martial Law is being concidered for 120 cities and the plans to transport food and water to them.

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), November 05, 1999.

Mara, in re. stretching preps out for a year. IMHO, there isn't too much to be depressed with that. That's more than a lot of people will have. And presumably you won't be sitting on your butt for that year. Depending on circumstances, you should have worked out ways of getting more supplies during that year. You'll just have less stress since you won't have starvation hanging over you or yours during that time period. Of course, this is all IMHO... :)

-- James Collins (jacollins@thegrid.net), November 05, 1999.

I am with Mara -

Looked at my lamp oil and kerosene, for instance. When that runs out, there is no more. I may not be able to find a local substitute unless our ranchers and farmers have the capacity to make the transition to ethanol production. (And I don't doubt their ingenuity to do just that.)

I do not have the financial resources to produce my own power through solar or wind. I guess there is a limit to how much I can prepare. I am a pretty creative person, which allows for some amount of flexibility. So are most people who live out in the sticks. I hope that I will have that in my favor when I have to solve unforseen problems down the pike. Sometimes one has to recognize that they cannot plan for everything and place their fate, beyond a certain point, in the hands of their faith or the adapatability and ingenuity of the human spirit.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), November 05, 1999.

Uh, Marsh, ethanol is a lousy fuel choice IMO for a source of light. It stores indefinitely and is clean-burning, but burns with very little light (a dim blue flame). Oils from rendered animal fat or even vegetable oil are smoky, but supposedly give brighter light. I'd check into these as backup sources for when your stored POL is gone. Still, why run out in any reasonable time frame? I know a family living without electricity now, using kerosene lamps as their sole source of interior light, and they only use one 55-gallon drum per year. Go buy 3 or 4 drums, and your lighting situation will probably be ahead of most of your other preps.

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), November 05, 1999.

I added five gallons of gasoline to my food preps at my bugout location in case I can't get gas in the area and I need to get back into the city.

The solar panels should be up by Thanksgiving hopefully with a few weeks for testing and optimizing. Sound familiar?

Added more canned soup to the preps last night. Felt good anyway.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), November 05, 1999.

Still just rounding out our preparations...and replenishing what we've used. I just went through our master list and high-lighted those things that we still need to get. (Pasta, tomato sauce) Shortly, we'll start on "last minute items" such as flour, cheese, hard candy, etc. Some of our garden will kick in early next year (as will the eggs from the 16 layers); we can be relatively self sufficient for at least 6 months to a year...if it goes all the way to 9+ or 10. Our preparation level was for more people that we are likely to have in the household at rollover.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), November 05, 1999.

Subject: Oil & Gas industries- - Monitoring in the year 2000.

Has anyone asked the question: What is the best way to monitor the health and well being of the gas/oil/propane industries during the year 2000?

For example, how can we monitor refineries? How many are failing, being worked on , out of service "permanently", out of service "temporarily", etc.? What is the status of pipelines? Status of the Alaskan pipeline? What is the status of oil/gas wells? What is the status of crude oil-- shipping, unloading? Are there web sites? Daily newspapers? TV? Radio? Indexes somewhere? How will President Clinton monitor this?

What is a good way to monitor year 2000 happenings in general?

Thanks for your help.

\Dick Dernberger Bloomfield Hills, Michigan dickdern@compuserve.com

-- Dick Dernberger (dickdern@compuserve.com), November 08, 1999.