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To: underbyte
I "think" that Section 9 housing occupants losing access to drugs will be the least of it.

The problem is going to be FOOD. Most people aren't aware that at any given time, at any population center in America, that there is less than 72 hours worth of food on the shelves in grocery stores, and not much more than that in the "warehouses"...which really aren't warehouses anymore, but rather "distribution centers".

The faster and more efficiently the food companies can move and sell consumables, the higher their profits are. Things that sit on the shelves cause a reduction in profits. Things that hit the shelves and sell quickly bring better overall profits. The goal in the industry was to streamline production and delivery and this, combined with IT automation has created a concept known as JIT (Just In Time) inventory. I think another term for the same concept is "Inventory On Demand". It means that the food producers keep up...plus just a little... with demand, and cut costs by minimizing production overages, which sit on shelves and cause profit reductions. The consumer isn't aware of this, and they go along blissfully ignorant. But the fact is that any type of infrastructure collapse whereby trucks and trains can't, or won't operate is going to cause a huge problem with food distribution channels....in well under a week. This is why after Katrina at NOLA it was so important to get aid into the place within a few days. Because the authorities KNOW that there simply isn't that much on hand! It's been this way for the past 10 years or so now. I don't track the industry heavily anymore, so I'm slightly out of the loop.

I wouldn't worry about a deranged bunch of druggies looking for dope, although I'll have to admit that I wouldn't be overly enthused to see them coming. However, I AM very concerned about groups looking for food, who are ordinarily supplied through the Government Handout System. These people will not only be hungry, but they BELIEVE that they're OWED something!...and that combination could make them very dangerous indeed.
57 posted on 09/11/2008 7:50:54 PM PDT by hiredhand
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To: hiredhand
The Just In Time inventory method allows a company to significantly reduce its costs. It basically shrinks the required size of the warehouse or distribution building. Thus, the companies warehouse lease costs are much lower. IMHO - It really should be up to individual consumers to provide themselves with a disaster storage of food. Mine is about 10 days worth now and I am slowly increasing that. I live in earthquake country however.
61 posted on 09/11/2008 11:33:08 PM PDT by justa-hairyape
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