During and after an ice storm a couple of years back, folks around here were without electricity for almost a month. We were on the generator for about 2 1/2 weeks here.
When I lived in New Orleans during the 60s, there was no power for weeks. In both cases, we managed, and we managed without whining about it.
In both cases, it was understood that living in certain places can come at a cost. In New Orleans, there was the danger of hurricanes. Here, it is the problem of being so isolated that help, if needed, is slow to arrive. In both cases, it was and is worth the risk.
If Floridans don't want to stand in lines for water, they can (a) fill containers before the storm comes, or (b) move inland.
The sick and elderly might, in fact, have a right to complain. Their plight is real. Those standing in lines for 10 hours could have spent half an hour filling water containers, another half an hour gassing up the old jalopy, and still another half an hour making sure there were enough canned goods to get them through. Let's see, an hour and a half vs. 10 hours...I guess for some, that's a real hard choice.
Travis, I live in Florida and have gone more than three weeks without electricity during other hurricanes. There's a truth to living in Florida and the folks without food a day later are not living in anything even close to reality. But your point is well taken - and if there is an EMP attack, many will die. Homeland Security is letting us down when they don't tell the truth about what's going to happen. It would be like Florida, but a million times worse.
Bad analogy. It isn't likely we are going to get advance warning of an EMP attack. Also, if you are elderly and live in a high-rise, you might want to be even MORE prepared for a storm in which it is almost certain your building will be without power. But those aren't the people in this story doing all the whining, are they?
"I don't think you'd be laughing, no, not one bit."
Well said, Trav. I can't remember a time in history when I've been more of a freak about stockpiling canned goods, pet supplies, blankets, medical supplies, and gallons and gallons and gallons of water than I have this past year.
I'm predicting at least one big blizzard and one big ice storm up by me this winter. We've already had a 40-million-dollars-in-damage tornado this season...just one town over.
Whiners, whining about any aspect of their lives, only spur me on to action to help keep MY future whining to a minimum. ;)
Upon describing to him the enormity of the then-looming Y2K Bug disaster-to-be, my father's reply to the incoming TEOTWAKI situation was "OK, I'll just toss another log on the fire and go back to my book."
Upon SHTF situations arriving:
Some are unprepared and will be distraught.
Some are prepared and will cope.
Some live self-sufficiency and will hardly notice a change.
So in addition to providing the elderly with Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and lord knows what else, because THEY CHOOSE to live in hurricane country, we're supposed to drop everything because they didn't get extra water delivered at the start of hurricane season? And didn't a couple cases of canned food in the pantry and extra meds? Cripes, Wilma gave everyone TWO EXTRA DAYS to get ready. Earthquakes and tornadoes aren't nearly so curteous.
What I see are people who fought in WWII who have gotten so used to the government taking care of their every need that they have lost the ability to take MODEST steps to care for their own well-being.