Most of us here have already finished making the preparations we felt prudent for an uncertain Y2K future. Now the question is what will the general public do, and how will the government and media handle the situation...

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991118/tc/yk_food_1.html

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 18, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Thursday November 18 1:57 PM ET

White House Urges Calm for Pre-Y2K Grocery Buying

BETHESDA, Md. (Reuters) - The Clinton administration Thursday urged consumers not to panic and hoard milk, bread and toilet paper before Dec. 31 out of fear that the so-called Y2K bug will cause grocery shortages.

In fact, grocery stores around the country have cleared their computer systems of any Y2K glitches and will have plenty of food on hand to greet the new year, U.S. officials and industry groups said.

``The food system is not at risk from the Y2K computer bug,'' U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said standing near the meat aisle in a crowded Giant grocery store in suburban Washington, D.C.

``We are urging consumers to relax and treat the new year just like they would any long holiday weekend,'' he said, speaking above pinging elevator music to a hoard of reporters.

The Y2K glitch refers to a design flaw that could trip unprepared computers and the systems they control on Jan. 1.

There had been concern that several operations at grocery stores, including the computer-run scanners at the checkout aisles, would fall victim to the Y2K bug. But the grocery industry assured that they were largely ready for 2000 after spending billions of dollars to fix any problems.

Officials cautioned, however, that there could be isolated problems, but that they were prepared to quickly ship food to those locations.

The biggest concern voiced Thursday was that people would panic and wipe out grocery store shelves, only to have the extra food rot at home.

John Koskinen, chairman of the President's Council on Y2K, said consumers should have a couple of days' worth of food on hand and should buy nonperishable items, such as canned goods, water and toilet paper, before the Christmastime rush.

``It helps to prepare early,'' he said.

Grocery stores generally keep between 30 and 60 days' of food on hand, either in the store or in nearby warehouses. Some stores have added a couple of extra days' worth to their supplies, industry groups said.

``Unless people panic unnecessarily, there will be plenty of food on hand,'' said John Block, President of Food Distributors International and a former Agriculture Secretary.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 18, 1999.

(snip)

"We are urging consumers to relax and treat the new year just like they would any long holiday weekend," he said, speaking above pinging elevator music to a hoard of reporters.

(end snip)

A HOARD of reporters? Gotta love it.

-- Don (whytocay@hotmail.com), November 18, 1999.

" Grocery stores generally keep between 30 and 60 days' of food on hand, either in the store or in nearby warehouses."

Really???

-- db. (dciinc@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

"a hoard of reporters"

Damn! Knew I forget something.

Anyone know where I can get several cases cheap?

-- they should (make@good.kindling), November 18, 1999.

The use of phrases are GAWD AWFUL RIDICULOUS!!!! THIS IS HOW DESPERATE THEY ARE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION!!!!!!! What do you think of the ridiculous quote about buying so much food that it ROTS at home???????? Yah right buddy, if I buy four days or two weeks of food, it will rot!

-- tt (cuddluppy@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

I enjoyed watching Mr Koskinen swipe a purple box of Millennium creal across the scanner. I hope he has some in his pantry for his long holiday weekend.

They could have used the time responsibly. They didn't. They will be held accountable. The elected politicians who poopooed Y2K will be voted out. They will be fired. Their shills will be fired.

We will see the rise of new political parties.

Our legal system, based on obscuring the truth, will succumb to its excesses. We will see a new value placed on information.

We will see many changes.

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999.

"...food rots at home..."

Hello! We're supposed to be buying NON-PERISHABLE FOOD. Boy, these guys are scared - it's a good thing Billy didn't do the speech, the panic would have hit immediately (instead of right after the movie Sunday night).

Besides, since NOTHING WILL HAPPEN WITH Y2K, we'll have to go out and BUY MORE FOOD. Isn't that a GOOD THING for the economy?

Geeze!

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), November 18, 1999.

TP!!! I knew I forgot to stock up on something!!! And I've got megapounds of beans!!! AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!!

-- helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), November 18, 1999.

db,

That quote is absolute rubbish. A grocery store runs through almost it's entire inventory between 2 and 3 times a week. If you ever worked as a stocker at a grocery store you can confirm that. It's simply amazing the amount of cereal people eat in the U.S. Amazed me every time.

Margins at a grocery store are so slim that they do it through VOLUME. But maybe I am completly wrong. Worked also as at the headquarters for a big grocery chain. We did the ordering, advertisment, personell, warehousing for about 125 stores. It's incredible how huge volume's of food can be moved around quickly.

Bottom line: If any grocery store has 30 day's worth of supplies hanging around there store they won't be in business long.

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), November 18, 1999.

``We are urging consumers to relax and treat the new year just like they would any long holiday weekend,'', lying sack of shit Glickman said, as he urged corporations to stockpile critical supplies and prepare for the worst.

-- a (a@a.a), November 18, 1999.

That explains why I got sick from eating fish the other day...it was 30 days old!!!! Damn, so much for the term "fresh"...

So I'm guilty of hoarding...my sentence: Reading polly postings.
Have a nice day,
John 9.5

-- John 9.5 Galt (jgaltfla@hotmail.com), November 18, 1999.

Now, how are they going to get that food from the warehouses to the stores? They wanna borrow my wheelbarrow?

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), November 18, 1999.

Grocery stores generally keep between 30 and 60 days' of food on hand, either in the store or in nearby warehouses.

Can anybody confirm that? I thought it was a lot less.

Even if you believe the numbers, mention the "S" word in Richmond, VA (that's "snow", for those in the deeeeep south) and the shelves are instantly bare. Whether its 30 or 60 days on hand makes no nevermind. During a major snowstorm (like in January 1996), the shelves stay bare for a while.

-- Pete (pberry1_98@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

Under non-panic conditions, the "supermarkets" on Kaua'i keep 7-9 days of stock on hand. This is a lot more than normal because we only get barges in 1-2 times per week...so cannot always restock until the next barge comes in. I understand that the typical mainland supermarket is almost completely restocked every 72 hours...

Where did the reported get the information?

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), November 18, 1999.

Maybe they just got their numbers mixed up. Should be "3-6 days of inventory, and you should prepare for a 30-60 day storm.

Good idea though, put a politician in every store. They could give out cooking with food storage recipes. They might even learn what those who pay their salaries think and want. Nahhhh, silly idea, they don't want to hear that.....

-- Bill (bill@tinfoil.com), November 18, 1999.

After last winters 3 day storm I went to the store and found very little left on the shelfs, even the paper towles were all gone. Ever notice that the shelf that looks full may only be 2 or 3 boxes deep? Unless you like dog food, the place can clear out in a day or two. BTW ,I went to Wendy's for lunch today and noticed the reciept date was 11-18-98. Come to think about it mabe that was the date it was cooked.

-- I get paid to do this (Jeff@workgoofing.off), November 18, 1999.

It's nice to know I haven't lost my sense of humor. You all managed to make me lol. I keep catching my son handing me what I call "Clintonesque speech". That what the above caca is. Like I think it was HELEN said...how are they going to get MORE food to the store if there are problems with oil supplies? There aren't any guarantees on fixes for that. My gosh I hope for everyone's sake for once Clinton is right about something.

beej

-- beej (beej@ppbbs.com), November 18, 1999.

Sorry...It was SHARON who offered the use of her wheelbarrow.

I wanted to ask HELEN if she'd stocked up on her Beano to go with those beans...rofl

beej

-- beej (beej@ppbbs.com), November 18, 1999.

I suggest we keep this quote for prosperity:

www.senate.gov/~y2k/hearings/990302/heschel.htm

Michael S. Heschel Executive Vice President Information Systems & Services The Kroger Co.

At any given moment, Kroger typically has about 35-36 days of inventory in our distribution centers and stores. In some categories such as prescription drugs, we have up to three months of inventory in the system. Also in our system are products we make in our manufacturing plants, such as bread, milk, and a variety of grocery products. These levels of inventory, which we call "safety stock, D insure that Kroger customers can obtain the products they want when they want them. Safety stock also provides a supply cushion in times of unusual demand surges such as severe weather.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), November 18, 1999.

I expect to hear similar statements as those used for the fas in your car. "You should buy a half a can of beans."

I'm beginning to suspect that Mr. Clinton has a little trouble with the truth.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), November 18, 1999.

Rarely has there been a plainer example of "disconnect" in an article:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991118/tc/yk_food_1.html

[snip]

The biggest concern voiced Thursday was that people would panic and wipe out grocery store shelves, only to have the extra food rot at home.

[snip]

``It helps to prepare early,'' he said.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 18, 1999.

Sorry for the dupe post. [fixed Sysop # 3]

Also see pg. 140 of the Senate 100 day report at www.senate.gov/~y2k/documents/100dayrpt/genbusiness_100days.pdf.

Can't cut and paste...PDF file.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), November 18, 1999.

Hey Mad Monk,

Do you know if the barges go straight to Kaua'i from wherever, or do they usually stop on Oahu first to dump loads there.

Unprepped folks on Kaua'i could be even more hosed if everything gets unloaded on Oahu first.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), November 18, 1999.

The "milk and bread" comment said it all. That was a speech to hopefully reach The Day Before The Storm People. "Milk and bread" (And toliet paper) is exactly what they purchase as "emergency preparations." (They're really stupid.) The comment about it "rotting" also said a lot. If one doesn't have utilities IDIOTS the "milk and bread" will ROT.

Toliet paper doesn't save oneself in an emergency situation. It is the last item The Day Before The Storm People should be reaching for.

"Buy early and non-perishables." They were actually trying to help those Day Before The Storm idiots who will be activating.

Let them control and handle those Day Before The Storm People if they think they can. They can't but they don't know that. The Day Before The Storm People will arrive having shopping cart riots for toilet paper and wiping out the shelves of bread and "extra milk." Then as it rots and they realize they can't drink and eat toilet paper they will riot yelling, "Feed me, water me, and change my newspapers!" All emotion and no intellect swaying this way and that in a sea of faces stamping feet, and then as animals begin their looting "Ahhh, Ahhhhh, I'm getting me a t.v. too, the Gobmint didn't even offer me a glass of water, Ahhhhhh, screached as they swing from their vines poop dropping unnoticed from themselves.

If Uncle Sam really thinks it can control the animals who are we stop it from trying? I think they should be controlled.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 18, 1999.

What utter bu--sh--!!.

Grocery stores do not carry 30-60 HOURS of food, much less days. I have checked (1st Hand) with friends in industry, and at local stores: Perishable items are stocked daily. (wal Mart twice a day) They reorder 2 days ahead (on average) Nonperishables stock less frequently (twice a week on avg).

Inventory is THE BIGGEST EXPENSE in grocery business. They dont keep any more than they have to. Basically, just enough to last untill the next truck arrives. Hence "Just In Time" inventory. Duh!

-- MegaDude (CWHale67@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

30 to 60 days of food. Hmmm...they must mean all of those jars of capers, tins of marinated octopus, and pickled pig's feet that seem to linger on the shelves for months at a time.

-- Ludi (ludi@rollin.com), November 18, 1999.

Day Before The Storm People. Good concept, bad acronym (DBTSP) and hard to say. Come on, folks, put your minds to work, we can do better.

First-Drops Shoppers? Storm Day Horde? Flurriers? Shopple? Stormpeders? Hey, this is kinda fun. Thanks for the break.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), November 18, 1999.

Am I missing something here? Is this a story about the scanners or the distribution system.

There had been concern that several operations at grocery stores, including the computer-run scanners at the checkout aisles, would fall victim to the Y2K bug. But the grocery industry assured that they were largely ready for 2000 after spending billions of dollars to fix any problems.

Officials cautioned, however, that there could be isolated problems, but that they were prepared to quickly ship food to those locations.

These reporters need to do a little better job of breaking down the potential problems:

Ordering food from the warehouses: dependent upon computerized inventory systems, programs to identify need based on projected purchases, telecommunications to place the order, etc.

Distribution of food TO the stores: dependent upon ordering systems, fuel for the trucks, safe routes of entry to any particular location

Restocking of shelves: dependent upon having staff reporting to work (Big potential variable), electricity in the stores, inventory checking systems

Sales of food: Scanners, availability of credit transactions, debit transactions, ability to take checks

Re-ordering of food by the store chain from distributors: dependant on..etc

You get the point!

This story tells us everything is fine because the scanners are working, but if there are problems, preparations are in place for the quick shipment of food..Excuse me???? What does one have to do with the other?

And if there are problems with not having food on the shelves, what caused it? Why can you automatically ship more food. Wouldnt it have the same problem of not getting through? And where is all this pre-positioned food? Rotting in trailers at the Wal-mart? Oh yeah, it must be non-perishable..

Sorry, Im rambling.I just cant believe the lack of logic in a story like this. It makes me wonder:

IS THERE ANYONE LEFT OUT THERE WITH A BRAIN??????

-- Duke 1983 (Duke1983@AOL.com), November 18, 1999.

---again, read between the lines. over and over, prepare for 2-3 days. 2-3 days is the time that 'they' think it will take to "relocate" huge masses of people. they AREN'T planning on panic, what they are planning on is your cooperation with their depopulation goals. it's already happened several times in this century, there are still thousands of people alive who lived through massive governmental pogroms, and all these pogroms were instituted when the government had screwed up so bad they were about to fall. cmon, it's EASY to see the parallels. why is this so hard to see? Y2k is NOT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE ARE FACING. the internationalists want a maximum of 500 million people on the planet, not 5-6 billion. and they want it NOW. still plenty of slaves, and all the old masters left over. what else are the obvious lies for? so the politicians can get nailed at next election? No, it's for something else, just keep the herd comfy and calm for just a little while longer, then everything's going to be ok, trust us, it's for your own good, there's nice warm food and hot showers ahead, no need to panic, just get on the trucks, this evacuation is for everyone's good, that's it, we'll give you a receipt for your belongings.....did you get your flu shot? everyone who needs a flu shot over here in this line, that's good, no pushing now..what's that/ yes maam, we suffered a cyberterrorist attack..no maam, it wasn't y2k, that turned out to be a big nothing...no maam, we don't know who did it, probably middle eastern suicide terrorists or something, the authorities are working on it...yes, maam, plenty of hot food after you get off of the trucks........

guess history books aren't any good unless you read them zog

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

There's also a Wall Street Journal piece about this, which, although it's not better, may explain the 30-60 day bit a little better:

"According to industry experts, wholesalers and retailers carry a 30- to 60-day supply of nonperishable food."

That's more sensible. Yes, that means capers and jarred pig's feet and tinned octopus. And, much of that is in wholesaler's warehouses.

Whoever wrote the Reuters piece was just a dolt.

USDA's Glickman: US Food Supply Plentiful for Y2K

-- (pshannon@inch.com), November 18, 1999.

Roland,

You may be correct about the 30-36 day supply under NORMAL conditions. I bet we do not see NORMAL conditions at the end of the year. Those who have not prepared will panic.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), November 18, 1999.

I beg to differ. It is not the person who wrote the piece who is a dolt. It is the person(s) making decisions based on "the public will panic" who are dolts.

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999.

>>>The biggest concern voiced Thursday was that people would panic and wipe out grocery store shelves, only to have the extra food rot at home.<<< What am I missing? My gov is worried about food rotting in my home? They must be kidding! Unless they know already that my fridge will be without power!

-- W (nopower@home.com), November 18, 1999.

What about the foreign exporters that we buy a large portion of our food from?

What about the importers that receive this food at ports and airports around the country?

What about the trains and trucks that transport the food products from importer to manufacturer?

What about the factories that do the processing, canning, packaging of food?

What about trucks and shipping companies that deliver the food from the factories to the stores?

What about the gas stations where the trucks have to fill up so that they can pick up the food?

The list goes on, and on, and on.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), November 18, 1999.

'Ol BITR Kosky, went to the grocery, to get his 3-day supply

But when he got there, the shelves were bare, waiting for just-in- time.

Stupidity at its finest. Unreal!!

Costco here I come (again)!!

-- nonperishable (karlacalif@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

Sheesh!

I *AM* CALMLY BUYING GROCERIES!!!

What if... people panic necessarily... not unecessarily?

Will toilet paper... rot at home?

Inquiring minds.

;-D

Diane

(Doancha just l-o-v-e CostCo?)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

Damn...that does it. I'm headed to Costco tomorrow early....

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 18, 1999.

I know I've spent at least 0(zero) seconds worrying about the fallability of scanners. Every time these morons tell us things are great, I drop another $50 on supplies. I wish they'd shut up already.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), November 19, 1999.

Grocery stores generally keep between 30 and 60 days' of food on hand, and the biggest concern voiced Thursday was that people would panic and wipe out grocery store shelves? Huh? Wouldn't that mean that the store shelves could only be wiped out if every family in the U.S. did panic, and all ran to the store to get their 30-60 days worth on the same day? Stormpeders, indeed! LOL

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 19, 1999.

People.... Let me tell you all from first hand experience, 30+ years of it. grocery stores work on a just in time restock schedule. The whearhouses also work on the same type of schedule. A little more space ,but just the same. Stores have two -three days of merchandise when completely full! Lots of things never sell. More items,however sell out completely every few hours. The more modern the store the less backstock there is. By what you need now. It may still be in your home in a few months. But if you need it, it will be there for sure. I can't say the same about aquireing more later in the year.

-- Joelman (Stocker@the.store), November 19, 1999.

y2k dave,

I know this. Everyone was screaming and asking where they got the 30- 60 day figure from. I was merely supplying the links to the sources.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nohwere.com), November 19, 1999.

Diane - toilet paper is ok as long as you vacuum pack it with an oxygen absorber. Some people stir in diatomaceous earth, but you end up with dust clouds at inopportune moments, so experts advise against it.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), November 19, 1999.