We are newbies and we are are curious about the statement "Anyone who lives within a 5 mile radius of a 7-11 is toast". We live right by one.

-- moonpie (moon73@surfree.com), December 04, 1999

Answers

You are not a NYC taxi cab driver are you?

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), December 04, 1999.

I believe this is a quote from Paul Milne, who for years has predicted social collapse due to y2k failures. I suppose Paul means to say that once the 7-11 is empty, houses in a 5 mile radius will then be looted. Paul also some time ago predicted a series of statements that would be given out by organizations, that would begin with "all mission-critical systems will be fixed" and would end at rollover with statements to the effect that contingency plans are in place. I believe events have just about tracked his sequence so far.

-- Les Holladay (holladayl@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

One of my favorite doomers (aka Paul Milne) here uses this to mean people in populated areas are at greater risk (toast) during periods of civil unrest (rioting, looting, fighting for food) and/or military intervention. Also much more difficult to be self sufficient in the suburbs/cities than to be out in the woods/farmlands which lay much further from 7-11's than we. I have a 7-11, deli, and "Quik-E-Mart" all within a mile of me. It means "population". You can still be okay, Paul will surely assure you..if you have planned for and know up front what problems might arise from being in a populated area. Of course, Paul might assure you solely cause he's a nice guy...because we all know...he really believes that line. Hope I got that right, Paul. ;-)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), December 04, 1999.

I would like to thank everyone for their replies. That is pretty much what I figured they meant. Tho I'm not too worried as my husband, an ex Navy Seal, would consider looters a handy food source.

-- moonpie (moon73@surfree.com), December 04, 1999.

Here's the Pollyanna progression discussed in the previous post.

Paul Milne posted the "Pollyanna Progression" yesterday, but it is more than that for me.

1. We will fix all the systems

2. We will fix most of the systems

3. We will fix all the Mission Critical Systems

4. We will fix most of the Mission Critical Systems

5. All of the Mission Critical systems can not be fixed.

6. There will be some mission Critical systems failures

7. We will use paper and pencils to work around what was formally called 'Mission Critical' and now is recognized to not only be not mission critical, but we never needed then in the first place.

Tom' s Take

-- John Ainsworth (ainsje00@wfu.edu), December 04, 1999.

moonpie:

The logic goes as follows [as near as I understand Paul's logic]. In case of civil disruption, the greatest danger exists in the areas of the greatest population density. Part of the 7-11 marketing strategy was to place outlets in an area of maximum density in a 5 mile area. Hence, if you live withing 5 miles of a 7-11, you are toast. The nearest one to me is over 100 miles away. Wow!

Best wishes,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Nobody in the real world gives two hoots about Paul Milne........he is infamous only in the minds of extreme doomers.........

He is known for his cutsey-wutsey statement about living within 5 miles of a 7-11 Store though.

In reality, those that have it hardest in the world live in countries that don't even have 7-11 stores.

Milne would do well to move to one of those countries and get a bite of reality.......perhaps then he would not be so critical of the country he lives in so much.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), December 04, 1999.

Moonpie,

As your ex-navy seal husband the best way to set up and protect our home if we have decided to stay put in a populated, suburban area.

Please post it here. Or, if it is too much to put down, maybe he could recommend a book.

Thanks

-- Dale (info@spicreative.com), December 04, 1999.

Craig:

Hey, I resent that. We have no 7-11 stores and our county has the lowest unemployment rate in the US.

Best wishes,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Sysops, there was an interesting post to this thread that quoted Paul Milne. Was it deleted because of the content of Milne's quote, or was it because Milne's quote made him and other doomers look bad?

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), December 04, 1999.

There are several issues with the five mile radius theroy.

First, if gasoline and electricity are out, people will have to walk. Most people can't walk five miles. Let alone five miles out, then five miles back.

Second, it won't be summer. Most likely the weather will be cold - possibly rain or snow or both. Can you picture people walking five miles out then five miles back. Now I know not everyone is located exactly 5 miles from the nearest 7-11. However, most people cannot walk significant distances in bad weather and return with "booty" to their clan. Having trained for marathons all around the calendar, I have first hand knowledge of being outside in good weather and bad, light and dark and over long distances. Believe me most people can't do it.

-- gary (a@a.com), December 04, 1999.

Gary:

Your response may be valid; but it doesn't apply to me [I can' respond for the rest of the people in the country]. Can I move 5 miles and back, through snow, sure. I've done it before and I can do it again. I won't find a 7-11; I will find a field full of cows. Will I find food? What do you think cows are; food?

Best wishes and gone again tomorrow,,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Z1X4Y7.......... Wwell I used to subscribe to the theory that one could eat a cow.

However, being a major fan of Bart Simpson and still struggling to cast off the yoke of the Biblical Fundamentalists who take everything literally, I find myself unable to partake of the said beasts.

After all, when Bart says "Don't have a cow man" what else could he possibly mean??

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), December 05, 1999.

Gary: Think hungry people. What choice do they have?

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

7-11 said they intended to have y2k supplies available big-time around the New Year. Paul Milne replied that if you live within a five mile radius, you're toast (too much population negating any benefit from 7-11 preps). I personally appreciate that 7-11 is taking y2k seriously.

-- Chicken Ma (gotta@getgoin.com), December 06, 1999.