The Pandemic Response

[jaybreak]

I was in Wal-Mart yesterday and they were decently stocked except for a few items. I went there mainly for some of the freeze-dried food in the camping section, as I buy some once in a while for safekeeping. None of it was there except for a few packages. There weren't some cleaning supplies and things like that, but there were meat, eggs, water. Hardly an apocalypse but disruptions, even the perception of disruption, can inspire haste in some people.

[Ed Hurst]

One local grocery chain is working themselves so hard that they have made an unusual appeal for more workers. What surprises me the most is that, after a week or so, the huge rush to stock up has not slowed down one bit.

[IainH]

Apart from a few empty shelves, mainly vitamins C and certain household products, the atmosphere inside Walmart in Lenoir, NC was just like any other week day. I saw old people, couples with babies and even one old lady on oxygen, in a disabled go cart. I went to the gun store to buy another magazine for my pistol and found that they had my ammunition. Woo Hoo! Now, I have my shtf stock and practice rounds (gotta maintain proficiency) Woo Hoo! Caldwellians are considerably calmer than their Wataugite neighbors. Caldwell is full of well armed hicks who ain't worried about "farn" virii while the carpetbaggers of Watauga County are spooked, scrambling for food and weapons, kinda like the proverbial chicken sans head. "Government will save us". Ha He Ho Ha Ha, y'all thunk we prepperizers were kooks; whooz laff'n now ya dinguses?

[jaybreak]

Apart from a few empty shelves, mainly vitamins C and certain household products, the atmosphere inside Walmart in Lenoir, NC was just like any other week day. I saw old people, couples with babies and even one old lady on oxygen, in a disabled go cart. I went to the gun store to buy another magazine for my pistol and found that they had my ammunition. Woo Hoo! Now, I have my shtf stock and practice rounds (gotta maintain proficiency) Woo Hoo! Caldwellians are considerably calmer than their Wataugite neighbors. Caldwell is full of well armed hicks who ain't worried about "farn" virii while the carpetbaggers of Watauga County are spooked, scrambling for food and weapons, kinda like the proverbial chicken sans head. "Government will save us". Ha He Ho Ha Ha, y'all thunk we prepperizers were kooks; whooz laff'n now ya dinguses?

Resident Yank here. I, for one, never thought the preppers were kooks, at least for their prepping. Some of them are kooky for different reasons. But I found nothing wrong with prepping in itself. It's a far better practical strategy than relying, as you said, on the authorities to "take care" of us.

How far do you take prepping?

[Ed Hurst]

Here in Oklahoma, I would consider the extreme level of "fortress" prepping too far. Our fellow Okies aren't likely to become our enemies. Keeping a stock of canned goods, any weapons you know how to use (know in the wider sense of tactics, etc.), and things you will use that tend to disappear during panics -- those were good things to stock up on. Of course, some of us can store only so much, but your heart knows what you need to be obedient to God and trust Him for the rest.

[IainH]

My goal is one year. In my worst case scenario, I would need enough food to last from the beginning of SHTF until my first harvest. We had an ice storm hit, several years ago and were without power for six days. We stayed with my parents, they had power. That experience made being prepared go from thinking about it to taking action. I spread my food buying over time. When the grocery store has a sale on non perishable food; canned foods and Kraft macncheese I buy as much as I can afford. I don't have any of the "prepper foods", you know the stuff that is marketed towards preepers, just regular food. Pounds of dry beans, rice and pasta, salt and any old thing that I think will come in handy. Outside of that, I've spoken to my neighbors before about "what if" scenarios. I haven't said anything yet about the CV yet, I'm biding my time until situation ripens or withers. Our little community is a tasty treat for marauders, it's close to US 321 which is a four lane highway from Gastonia to Boone NC. It's like I tell my wife, "I know you don't like to think about it but, I don't have that luxury. I have to think the unthinkable and formulate a response"

[Ed Hurst]

There is no a high probability that the State of Oklahoma will not reopen public schools until summer. The board will meet later this week and this is already one official proposal likely to be affirmed. This forces districts to jump through hoops coming up with ways to keep staff employed. Veloyce isn't likely to lose her pay, but there are plenty of folks not so well protected.

On another note, I have this odd sense that I am not granted spiritual authority to pray for the whole nation, only for Radix Fidem family and my own state. I'm going to suggest this is because the Lord intends to bring about a growing decentralization, and you folks need to pray for your own locales.

[jaybreak]

I'm going to suggest this is because the Lord intends to bring about a growing decentralization, and you folks need to pray for your own locales.

Good idea. I will make a note of this for next Wednesday and mention it specifically in the prayer announcement.