Posted on 03/23/2020 9:51:15 AM PDT by Mariner
Yesterday's thread here:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3827099/posts?page=1
I don't know if this is true, but it has the ring of truth to it. At least to my ears. But here's what is purported to be a letter from F. Scott Fitzgerald, quarantined in 1920 in the south of France During the Spanish Influenza outbreak. Boy, I wish I could write like him.
Dearest Rosemary,
It was a limpid dreary day, hung as in a basket from a single dull star. I thank you for your letter. Outside, I perceive what may be a collection of fallen leaves tussling against a trash can. It rings like jazz to my ears. The streets are that empty. It seems as though the bulk of the city has retreated to their quarters, rightfully so. At this time, it seems very poignant to avoid all public spaces. Even the bars, as I told Hemingway, but to that he punched me in the stomach, to which I asked if he had washed his hands. He hadn't. He is much the denier, that one. Why, he considers the virus to be just influenza. I'm curious of his sources.
The officials have alerted us to ensure we have a months's worth of necessities. Zelda and I have stocked up on red wine, whiskey, rum, vermouth, absinthe, white wine, sherry, gin, and lord, if we need it, brandy. Please pray for us.
I don’t even know what my wife thought, but as long as our prepping supplies were tucked away, she didn’t mind. But when she saw what was taking place in Asia, even in January, she was all-in for stepping up the prepping into high gear.
At this point, the only thing that limits us is freezer/refer capacity - which is pretty high, but could always be higher!
” hence empty shelves of TP, pasta, meat, milk, eggs, runs on freezers, etc.”
I see shelves refilling in the next couple of days..
For the people who purchase food in a panic buy. You just need to keep an eye on your supply now and top off as needed.
Keep topping off so when there is a real shortage you will have a couple months supply. Welcome to prepping great for ice/snow storms, hurricanes, and virus now.
Like mr. mm.
So instead of hearing *Do we really need so much stuff*, I am now hearing about plans for a root cellar in the new house.
We preppers have been vindicated big time.
Buy a pressure canner and canning jars.
A LOT of meat can be pressure canned for later use as soups and stews, which are good hearty meals that double as comfort food.
Here’s the brand I have and I love it.
All American Pressure Canner
https://www.allamericancanner.com/
Lucky you!
We don’t really have the geology here for those.
I’m at the topping off stage.
He’s just going to cordon off and insulate a corner of the basement so that it has two outside walls (plus the floor).
It will need some ventilation to maintain proper humidity, but he’s an engineer and does HVAC for a living so knows how to design one that will work very well.
Social distancing should stay in effect.
If I’m sick, give me malaria meds. It sure beats death.
Rand Paul needs to be punished severely.
Italy records lower numbers because they abandoned nursing homes letting the people die.
It’s not the CDC’s job. They are not the Emergency Prep people.
Each hospital should have, in the emergency prep storeroom, 4 weeks of PPE to deal with this type of ongoing mass casualty event. That is a joint commission requirement. Someone should be asking each hospital administrator why they are running out so soon.
The answer? They tapped into them during the “normal” flu season. This makes their supply budget look good through Q2.
No one is talking about that.
In addition, the national stockpile is managed through the emergency Preparedness Office which is under Homeland Security/FEMA.
The CDC is a bunch of scientists. They don’t DO planning or prep activities.
It is important to understand the mechanics of how tis works. The CDC screwed up the testing because they think they are the smartest kids in class. They Did NOT screw up any materials shortages—that’s not their gig.
I went to Publix this morning. Arrived at a little past 8. They had senior morning and it was packed! Many items out of stock and widespread use of 2 item limits.
I was masked, gloved as were the overwhelming majority of people. Everyone was respectful of distancing thankfully. Didnt have to fake a cough.
I did manage to score hamburger and chicken breasts. All are in garage freezer now.
It’s amazing that people are still panic buying. I went there because my family is already tired of venison.
Another note is I saw plenty ty of people in and coming out of the Planet Fitness. 20 and 30 somethings mostly.
““Birx starting to talk of focus hot spot locations this morning NBC. Sounded like preparations to relax economic side.”
I like the focus hot spot idea, but it’s going to have to come with limitations of egress in and out of the hotspot for everyone except commercial traffic, or it won’t work.
How will that go over with people?
Same here. My crazy score definitely got better with my wife. She never disagreed with prepping and seemed to agree with points I’d made but after 10+ years of no shtf, I think she pretty much just put up with it the way married people do with each other.
Just to give you some perspective...if you were tracking tax revenue receipts and looked at the first 15 days of April in past years...the slope would make you think the government takes in tens of trillions every year.
Reviewing a small segment of data is OK. It’s just important to present it with caveats and be very careful with projection from it.
You mean...like every summer?
Ok, wow.
I remembered the 1 and the 3 LOL.
If it were a price is right game I’d have lost.
Do you work in Epic?
“I don’t even know what my wife thought, but as long as our prepping supplies were tucked away, she didn’t mind. But when she saw what was taking place in Asia, even in January, she was all-in for stepping up the prepping into high gear.”
I finally convinced my wife in early February that she needed to be prepared to stay home for maybe 2 to 3 months. While I was away at work, she finally “got it” and by mid February she was ready for a year. :)
I’m topping off too, but there are somethings that I am missing that are frustrating. Back in Jan, we bought some Clorox wipes, only to find out they are bleach free and not on the EPA list. So I ordered some. They are forever lost in transit.
Then I ordered seed potatoes in Jan because I lost all my potatoes to rot last year. They never came. I ordered more in Feb, different company, they shipped in March. I never received them. They made it all the way to my hometown then shipped from there to California (?)
Usually my local tractor and feed and seed stores have them by now, but no one has any.
We can live on rice for a while, but I want potatoes for the long haul.
“It’s amazing that people are still panic buying.”
I don’t think it’s all panic buying. That’s a narrative to hopefully slow down purchases.
Weren’t we all concerned about the items we need for our supply chain that came from China not coming over anymore and what shortages that would cause?
No one is talking about that anymore.
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