1030 Hrs
WallyMart was stripped at 6AM, of water, canned meat, any paper goods, canned beans, bulk rice, vitamins, butter, and so on. But still had plenty of small cans of propane, so I added to my supply there, and lightened their pile o' Chef Boyardee in the main aisle. Couple other odds and ends too, but mainly just ticking off a few last things.
Every cart I saw in line had bottled water and what paper goods they could find.
The supermarket was better off, but still some notable holes there as well.
I may go by Costco in a bit, mainly for the humor factor.
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We see that the White House is drafting an EO to try to end our reliance on ChiComia for medical supplies.
Pity about the horse getting out of the barn, but it's damned nice of them to buy a new lock for the stall door now.
But it's going to take some punitive tariffs before suppliers will unlatch from that Chinese slave-labor teat.
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1300 Hrs
Was paying a bill in the same parking lot as the local Costco.
All those people that couldn't go to Disneyland?
They're at Costco.
Three-ring circus, no elephants, too many monkeys, and a lot of clowns in a Volkswagen.
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43 comments:
This is what globalism gets you.
Been to two medical facilities today. Not a sign of preparations or change in procedures or even signage. Did hear while I was there that they had to put the masks behind the counter because everyone was making off with them. Screening amounted to "have you been out of the country?". Eavesdropping was interesting. One clinic has zero N95 masks. Lack of direction or guidance from county health departments are maddening apparently. 2 weeks isolation still being given out as recommended protocol after exposure. People just don't seem to grasp the seriousness of what's coming.
The more I'm hearing from my personal intel from reliable sources the more I feel like Bruce Willis in Armageddon when he finds out his crew are the only plan the government has to save the world. The powers that be don't seem the slightest bit concerned about getting ahead of this. I mean for starters close the damn schools for fuck's sake! SMFH
When I warned my California contingent that the schools were about to be closed, the response was "Halleluja! I wont have to fight to get them out of bed in the morning." No concept of isolation. Parents were still going to go to work (kids are teens). Imagine where they will be doing during the day unsupervised.
Two parents are DEA and LEO.
And these are children who sprang from my prepper loins.
God help them because I can't.
We got our first (reported) case in the State last night, I'm tempted to see how much the stores here get wiped out today. I was at Costco yesterday and from what I saw I was the only person not buying toilet paper. Still don't get the panic water and toilet paper, this isn't dysentery.
I know people who don't buy TP until they are on the last roll. None stored in the house. No one wants to run out.
n
@JNorth
Water-do you trust your water supply to be uninterrupted? even if you're on a well, do you trust your power supply to be same?
TP-better than using your hand, especially if water becomes as above. Of course, you could switch back to old catalogs and newspapers, but having that convenience is nice donchathink?
Seeing stores filled with panic buyers here in Jackson, buncha assholes. (that would be the Jackson that's only 20 minutes from Wyoming.)
Finally got lineups and empty shelves in London, Ontario. This is in part reacting to (1) first lady has virus, (2) schools closed for 3 weeks, (3) rumors of Canada closing all borders/air traffic. Now they're waking up.
The horse left the barn, the barn is on fire and almost burnt to the ground, and now people are thinking about a door lock.
Sams club in southeast Alabama out of tp, but trying to wheel in pallets that were stripped bare before they could get to their destination. People be trippin’
Living in northwest ontario, right at the tip of lake Huron. We're so far north and west that most people are white (and wawa Indian.)
Grocery stores are stripped bare of everything that everywhere else is stripped bare of.
It's a bizarre feeling to go outside. The news about coronachan is all-consuming.
Big Mennonite area as well. Haven't seen one for a month.
Texas A&M has extended Spring Break and has informed students they are considering doing the balance of the semester via online learning. Engineering students worried about the labs, etc. This would be a good thing, as most students won't return to Aggieland but stay at home. After the scare with the international (Chinese) student who was symptomatic but tested negative and self-isolated at home, stores have been stripped of any lysol/clorex/purell product.
Had the convo with the older son who was the JROTC QM in his senior year at military prep school about reviewing their needs and re-organizing their SHTF pantry. Turns out daughter-in-law, a hippie from Silicon Valley, CA knows more than we, so that didn't happen - until she decided at the last minute to be in the crowded to the ceiling Costco today buying $500 worth of shit with no plan or no idea what she needed. It is what it is.
I tried to concentrate more recent preps on the basic OTC meds that come from China or India and therefore I feel once current stock is expended it may be some time before more is available. Younger son in SE FL was told to come back next week for his med refill, none was in stock.
My best guess is if the numbers do runaway, Congress is going to put themselves in extended recess and flee to their safe zones, leaving DC behind to burn. That includes their staffers. Only so much room in the lifeboats, dontchaknow. Which means the party will just be getting started in the District of Criminals with no one to stop them from enjoying the "space to destroy".
Tic Toc.
Small town NW Texas, nursing home that is part of a large chain. Corporate has them not quite locking it down, but changed the code and are controlling access. Has decon chemicals, and is treating everything that comes in (including mail. Have to chat with boss about legality of giving them the mail and them distributing it, but I have no objections). No masks/gloves on them as of yet.
Yep, Sam's today had NO water, toilet paper, or paper towels. But I got a case of chili (no beans). :-)
I have been making a point of going out to see what the stores look like. It's interesting and strange to see what gets selected as the item of choice. First, it was TP. Then, hand sanitizer. Then, rubbing alcohol and aloe gel. Then, zinc cold meds, like my favorite, Zicam. So far, the elderberry stuff isn't moving. In previous flu seasons, I watched that stuff disappear like it was made of gold.
Today, at sam's, the aisles were literally stripped bare. The food aisles with beans and chili and ramen, etc, were empty. The pallets of salt were a mess of torn paper and spilled salt. If you wanted a 25lb sack of sugar, there were about 6 of those. The TP, snot rags, and paper towels were gone. There wasn't a loaf of bread in the entire store. The frozen chicken, milk, and eggs were gone.
At my local grocer, the canned goods and cereal and cooking aisles were very low, with large stripped areas in each.
I just came back from my local wally world, and can report volume was brisk, but no panic that I could see. Macaroni was pretty sparse, so was canned soup. No bleach, no TP, no paper towels; that entire shelf was empty.
Meats and condiments were still plentiful, and so were regular breads and sandwich meat.
I went there to stock up on non-food items, got the last large bottle of generic gel-tab ibuprophren. Got some vitamin C and some multivitamins, and some utility knife blades. Also got some what used to be CamelBak brand drink mix tablets that are now a different brand; these work great for adding flavor to a camelbak, one tablet handles a full 3 liter bladder. They are a staple for me for doing firearms classes, keep me hydrated.
I haven't seen an panic either. I've seen determination, quiet calm. More stress during a hurricane, but also more fellow feeling.
I would like to express the idea that all this "panic" buying is A Good Thing (tm).
Every one of these people now has supplies to help them get through whatever comes. They won't be a burden on the more prepared. They won't be in line at the food delivery convoy, they won't be RIOTING in the street and BURNING DOWN stores.
Every single one is in better shape for a disaster than they were, and less likely to rob, steal, or murder me for my food.
It is AWESOME that they are stocking up.
Preppers in particular shouldn't be worried, as they should have their needs covered long ago with only fresh food and touchups needed.
If you are one of those looking for TP this week, why? This has been coming since January and is only one of a multitude of potential and real disasters, including the most personal- like loss of a job, or a sick loved one.
Aesop's been pushing preparedness for years. Dozens of other reputable and knowledgeable people online have too, Selco and Ferfal among them. There is a whole industry built up around prepping fer Pete's sake.
The people buying today may be late to the party, but they should get a pat on the back for finally taking responsibility for at least SOME aspects of their lives.
nick
@ Ned2,
"Water-do you trust your water supply to be uninterrupted? even if you're on a well, do you trust your power supply to be same?"
You don't need a power supply if you're on a well. As long as the foot valve is functioning properly all you have to do is disconnect the pipe(s) from the well head and lift it/them up and down by hand. Water will come gushing out that 1" + pipe as long as there's water in the well.
Rule 1 - Know your equipment.
@ Charles
You presume a bit much about some well depths in the mid west. Do they make foot valves for 150' wells?
there are a couple deep-well hand pumps, sucker-rod style. Someday I hope to have one. for now it's generator and fuel stocks carefully rotated.
Central Ontario reporting in. Local grocery store had a line up at 7 am before the doors opened. Sales were brisk and busy all day. Reports are that the company has limited all purchases to a max of 4 of the same item. Local stores have little supply on hand. Good news is that the main distribution centers aren't running out of stuff and are upping their deliveries by a factor of five for the current situation.
In other news, most government organizations are affecting a shut down at all levels to reduce community spread. This is a good thing in my opinion.
Out of ramen and TP here. Otherwise? All good. TP?
Well, I do have a cat that I'm not on good terms with.
Anti-malaria drug mixed with zinc hampers the ability of the virus to replicate.
https://youtu.be/U7F1cnWup9M
From Too Near Detroit:
Late last night, Governor announced schools would close effective Monday for at least 3 weeks.
Stopped today at local gun shop, which has expanded hugely since opening a few years ago--a friggin' miracle since it's in the city limits of Ann Arbor--the University of Michigan (looney liberal central). The store was busy, but not jammed. Sales guy helping me with a new holster said "it's crazy--people buying guns/ammo for a virus! It'll be all over in two weeks when the weather warms up."
Stopped at Menard's. Love their selection of vegetable seeds! They also sell a lot of food items, and were well stocked with canned soups and other things long gone at Costco.
Charles in VA,
So, there you are.
Remember that when I was posting a comment about the looming issue with the coronavirus and you were dismissive about the problem, I said that you should diary the issue and check with me in 30 days.
You responded, "Yeah. I'd be more than happy to check in with you in a month. In the mean time, you won't see me walking around with a modified car boy duct taped to my head. It ruins my sight picture."
How's it going with you now? Still maintaining your sight picture, I hope?
@Charles in VA I've got 600 feet of well pipe, weighing hundreds of lbs. You gonna come and jack mine?
Stopped at the local grocery-Raleys-in Folsom. They still have plenty of water, fresh veggies and fruits, frozen goods were pretty plentiful; canned goods, Ramen of any flavor, bread and rolls were sparse and picked over. NO toilet paper,paper towels, kleenex, or table napkins. Eggs were limited, but cheese was plentiful. Evidently we love our bologna, because it was gone. I assume that moms are planning on the school closings. The liquor section is full-I give that til next Saturday. Medicines were hit and miss but they did have lots of Advil and Tylenol. I'm putting on armor for Sam's Club tomorrow. Costco is across the freeway exit and it is crazy there.
GOOD THINGS have come out of this. The cluebat has now hit Hippie Dippie Heather and her husband Dumocrat Desmond. They now realize that there is no Bernie Gubbermint Gibs so we are all equal. Being in tech & intel doesn't mean shXX and your neighbors will hate you for your bar b cue. So much for Globull Citizen and Climate Taxes to save Gaia. I have not seen any wholesale buyers running supplies to the Hood-everything is going straight to the on-grid mansion. The schools (K-12 or College) will now be seen for the soul sucking, money pits that they are. 3000 government jobs will become self evident that most of government is make work BS.
@ 9:23 PM,
I've pulled 900 feet of pipe with a 1 HP submersible hanging on the end of it with only two guys, so yeah I could do it. Besides, you're only lifting 4 or 5 feet of pipe and water (plus the pump if it's submersible). It doesn't start getting heavy until you clear the water level in the well. If you've got a 900' well with only 5' of water in it, you've got bigger problems than upper body strength to worry about.
I did 2 years of nothing BUT pump and well work. I know whereof I speak. So you can take the advice I've provided, or you can go jack yer own any way you please.
*Kudos on the word play, wanker.
@ Survivormann99,
Yeah, I'm still doing fine here in VA. They aren't digging any mass graves here yet.
The roads are all still open, traffic is normal, and the stores remain fairly well stocked. As a matter of fact, I was in the local ER on Monday afternoon and almost none of the staff were wearing masks or gloves.
Your attempt at putting the spurs to me would have been more impressive if you could point to an example of me saying Kung Flu was a nothing burger from the start. Unfortunately for you, I never said any such thing.
I'm sorry I hurt your feelings a month ago and you're still stewing over it. Sounds to me like you've got bigger issues to deal with than Kung Flu.
...and thanx 4 playing.
@ Tim L @ 7:20pm
ALL well pumps incorporate a foot valve Tim. Otherwise they would not hold a prime.
In a submersible pump the foot valve is incorporated into the pump body itself. In the case of jet pumps, the pump motor is on the surface and only the foot valve is submersed.
I understand that all wells are not equal, however the principles involved are the same the world over.
And yes, they do make hand pumps you can install in your well casing using a 5/8" garden hose or similar.
Here is but one example...
https://www.legacyfoodstorage.com/products/emergency-manual-well-pump-25-50-or-100-feet
If you search using the term "emergency hand pumps for water wells" you will probably find something to fit your particular circumstance.
Personally, I've got a jet pump configuration that I've custom wired to interface with my Generac 8500. But if the power fails AND the gas runs out, I know I can still access fresh clean water...it'll just be a little more work.
Hope this helps.
Charles in VA
Chinese are already paid better than Ukrainians. Lucky that, no?
@Charles in VA: Thanks for the well pump 411. Time for me to do some googlefu.
Sitrep from S. New England: Hit the grocery store at opening. Well picked over. No paper goods, eggs, cleaning supplies aisle was bare, no vinegar. Produce and meat hit hard. Overheard staff talking: Th and Fri the store was a zoo. Trucks for the day were in - there might be more later. Of particular concern was I overheard that in a 'diverse' urban area about 25 mi away the store chain branch was closed because people were fighting over items.
Went to store #2 for vinegar: got the last 2 jugs. Rest of the store was in much better shape than the first store.
BTW: both baking aisles had been hit hard.
Went to local mom and pop (literally in this case) hardware store for some items. Their cleaning supplies were nearly untouched. If you missed something maybe a place like this is a good stop to make.
We currently live a couple hours outside of Chicago. Our stores were pretty stable. Over the last month or so, we'd end up with one person at a time getting a clue and deciding to stock up, but apart from hand sanitizer, not many empty spaces.
Yesterday a swarm of locusts with Illinois plates showed up and more or less stripped everything bare. Turns out word spread on social media in Chicongo. We're pretty much set, so I wasn't about to set foot in there, but I watched from the parking lot for a bit. One guy came out with a whole cart of OTC meds, and proceeded to dump them into his trunk, which was already mostly full of OTCs. Obviously not for himself -- he's almost certainly planning on making a bundle selling "loosies".
Heard later from one of the workers that they had to create a queue because they had a pallet of TP they were bringing out. Injuries still ensued. Worse than any Black Friday they'd ever seen here.
One of the stores imposed a two item limit. Not two of each type. Two items total.
That's the real urban-rural divide -- civility. It's like they are a completely different species. No wonder cities are blue hellholes.
Guess moral of the story is our current location is too damn close to the diversity.
Chicago developers and politicians pushed the diversite' out of the city into the suburbs. Thanks guys.
They've done it here in Houston too. Lots more diversity in my neighborhood in the last two years than in 10 years before that.
In fact, there has been a VERY recent uptick in cleanly dressed young hispanic males walking around with attitude. That correlates with reports of street drug shortages. People are out 'fronting'. Flying a flag, so to speak.
Not gonna be good for us, and def time to increase personal security stance.
nick
@charles,
"the coronavirus is now confirmed in 49 states. West Virginia is the only state not to have a case by Friday evening."
--you mentioned that upthread, with a bit of gloat. Do you REALLY think VA is magical and somehow has avoided any cases? Or could it be that they simply haven't tested.
"I was in the local ER on Monday afternoon and almost none of the staff were wearing masks or gloves."
--um, that isn't something that is a GOOD sign.
nick
BTW good info on the well pumps. Useful, and from a knowledgeable position.
In Quebec 80K small town 1HR south from Montreal. Hit a few stores yesterday for several hours, stores were packed, the usual shelves as described above by others starting to be depleted. Overall still plenty of stuff. I was the only one wearing a mask, let alone an N95. I also had on goggles and nitrile gloves. A few laughed, a few surprised singled me out to others but 90 % acted totally nonplussed that is they pretended to not have noticed me. I overheard people talking in envious ways of friends leaving today on PLANES to warmer shores. Our dim-witted socialist multiculturalism loving freak drama teacher acting in name only as our PM still refuses to close any borders and we still have lots of flights from China, Italy or Iran coming thru at several airports weekly and no tracking, no temp recording whatsoever just a smile and a "Welcome to Canada" what could possibly go wrong ? Absolutely nothing, right ? My only hope is that we don't get the same stain Italy seems to have. In QC we happily have a smart take-charge guy as PM that is really well-liked so things provincially are better. Schools are now closed for 2 weeks since yesterday so stores will be even more of a zoo today. In urban centres meaning Montreal and it's surrounding towns which houses half the population's province (somewhat equivalent of a state) has been way more of a madhouse with people in a few stores fighting over TP. The urban stores shelves are getting depleted. Cops in many stores. There are still plenty of people in complete denial of this and MSM still rosy-coloring facts. The message is for SOME people to have 14 days of food and claiming if you get sick not to worry we can handle it. Except if you read here and there there are many reports of drs and nurses infected in two paragraphs articles. One ever so-smart idea put out there by our Top Men is we're planning on volonteers (!!!) to mann Hospitals depts, provide support for the sick at home and more moronic ideas of the same ! Absolutely stunning stupidity ! But not one single thought in MSM on what happens a month from now with the supply-chain. People will be experiencing major mental crisis pretty soon. Everyone saying not to fall into panic-mode when no actual preppers are in panic mode but the non-prepared are the ones that will be experiencing real panic pretty soon and loosing sleeping worrying.
"Patients with the new coronavirus keep the pathogen in their respiratory tract for as long as 37 days, a new study found, suggesting they could remain infectious for many weeks." https://nationalpost.com/news/world/new-study-suggests-coronavirus-can-live-in-patients-for-five-weeks-after-contagion?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1584202088
People are beginning to wake up. Here in Phoenix AZ, cI went into my local Fry's (Kroger) grocery store yesterday afternoon to pick up a few small items and it was packed. Entire shelves were stripped bare. All soup, ramen noodles, pasta and pasta sauce completely gone. Rice all gone and beans mostly gone. Canned meats all gone.
Then went to neighborhood Target store and they had plenty of things like soup, pasta sauce, etc. Was not crowded st all. Then went to Basha's (local independent grocery chain) and while somewhat depleted, they still had ample quantities of all of the above items. Also not crowded.
So it is hit and miss. If one has the time to go to several places, most items other than paper products, hand sanitizer, and bottled water can still be found. I have been going around partially to fill a few perceived small shortcomings in my supplies, and partially just out of curiosity.
Bit here is the scary thing. While a lot of people have finally realized that this threat is real and that they are woefully unprepared, the MAJORITY of people have still not woken up yet. I say this because in my own complex of 18 units, only ONE other family besides myself and wife has gone out and stocked up on the basics. So let's say that as of yesterday maybe 10-20% of households have stocked up to some degree. Just that much has caused some bare shelves and greatly depleted stocks. When the other 80% do finally wake up, then we are likely to see EVERYTHING stripped bare. It will be like nothing we have ever seen in our lifetime.
I have been trying to explain to those who will listen that their normalcy bias could get them killed. The last worldwide pandemic was 100 years ago. Nobody that went through that and knows what it was like is still alive today. And nobody who is alive today can imagine what it would be like. That means people have an ingrained lifelong normalcy bias that is very difficult yo override. People simply cannot get their minds wrapped around this thing. That in a nutshell is the most fundamental problem we face.
@ Nick @ 9:58 am,
VA IS magical, Nick...just not in the way you mean it. Any calm and confidence I project is not due solely to my geographic location, but my faith in God, my accumulated knowledge from a wide range of topics, and my personal preparedness.
My father did 2 tours in the CB's. He taught me it was better to have a wide breadth of knowledge than to simply know everything about only one topic. Both approaches have their pro's and con's, but I'm happy with the choices I've made in this life.
I've sailed the world, seen the inside of nuclear reactors, hung upside down by my boots in well casings, worked the flight decks of aircraft carriers, built homes, fought fires, prospected gold, been on the receiving end of incoming fire, designed and built my own radio, created and administrated several web sites...and those are only a few of the high notes.
I don't know everything about everything, but I do know quite a bit a whole lot of things. If I don't know about something, I keep my mouth shut until I learn about it from someone who knows...and then I speak cautiously. That's why I'm drawn to sites like this one and The Woodpile Report. I see kindred spirits. Contrary to popular theory, I'm not here to troll or to stir shit. Nor am I here to roll over and beg for sympathy. I'll be as reasonable and well mannered as I'm allowed to be.
On a side note about well pumps...NEVER disconnect your well lines until you have secured it from falling down the well case FIRST. Clamp it, rope it off...whatever you're sure will hold. There are no 2nd chances in that situation, so be sure not to FUBAR yourselves!
@George True: Another major difference between KungFlu and Spanish Flu is that the US was much more rural at the time. And much less 'diverse'.
Anyone know what's up @ Woodpile Report?
Anyone know what's up @ Woodpile Report?
I read that his wife died, a long expected event, but....
Saturday at both Wallyworld and the smaller chain and local stores wasn't too bad - lines were normal for Saturday (busy but checkout took less than 5 minutes), pretty much everything was in stock to some degree except toilet paper and hand sanitizer, with reduced availability of things like chicken, bread, frozen goods, and canned goods. That may change today and into tomorrow as the first positive tests for people here were confirmed last night and officials have shut down the schools.
My local WM is empty. Open, for some reason... But empty. Not kidding. Wife went there and took 27 pics of different shelves, and the aisle is unidentifiable because out of 27 pics, there are zero items visible on the shelves.
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