An event at my grocery store.

If say a solar event knocked out most electrical devices and communication then we basically are back in the 1800's. If this was to happen then people are not going to be just waiting around for something to be fixed. They will be walking out the store with the food regardless if it's been paid for or not.

This could be a real scenario down the road. First thing people think of in situations like that is survival. This is another reason people should at least have 3 months of food storage. It's something I have not been able to do because I lack the resources($$$) to stock up on food. I live check to check. I'm even thinking about getting a credit card just so I can prepare. It maybe my only recourse and something I never thought I would have to do.

I will have to offer a counter point. In December 2007 I believe it was, on the coast of Washington, a windstorm blew through the area, and tree falls cut off my county from the outside world. The power main between the town and the Grand Coulee Dam was cut. We could not leave town nor could outsiders enter, the resultant waves made any large scale transport by a sea a non option, the 100 mph winds cut off our airstrip that could only accommodate small air craft. The local radio station had a back up generator and so we were able to get news that way.

It took several days before power and water were restored and the path was cleared for repairmen from Seattle to come to finish the job of clearing away the fallen trees, repairing the power lines and bring in loads of batteries, ice, and food stuffs. During this time when I was out and about, taking in the sights, and checking if my neighbors needed help, I saw no riots in the making, the repair crews were startled at how much support and how few complaints they got, There were no shootings, standoffs, or lootings.

It takes only one or two out-of-control people in a situation to trigger others. Remaining calm without being overly introverted, and perhaps being just a tad unaccepting of this behaviour can be a counterpoint to it.

CAN. If you have several of this type of on-the-edge loud pushy panicky types in a location, I'd suggest that you leave. They feed off each other. And if they suspect that you aren't on their side, they will try and target you.

Sorry, just had to pipe in and say how much this situation reminded me of Steven Kings novella "The Mist" - not the movie, the novella, it goes into much more detail about human behaviour.

Considering it was also in a grocery store after a storm, is kinda eerie.

If you haven't read it go read it, especially the OP, you'll see the similarities.

Amazing how humans expect to be able to "control" any situation, once control is lost (either through an electrical fault such as this ATM, or pure ignorance) people lose their minds.

Just accept that sometimes things are just beyond our control. But try getting on the mic to say that to the angry mob!




[edit on 10-8-2009 by marker3221]

Small glitches in the system as described by the OP is why I always take out 200 dollars out of every check I get and stash it in my home safe.

Electronics mess up and can be offline for an extended amounts of time with no way to get life sustaining cash. My little practice has come in handy a few times already.

I suggest everyone do the same.

due to my "paranoid" feelings i bought a scanner and when our power went out for a couple of hours I was the only one who knew what was happening!!! the sheeple were walking around outside really in a loss of what to do an why??? i laugh about it now but always wondering WHEN, the event will happen.. best be prepared than be a victim...

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


very interesting to say the least.reading through your thread, i couldn't
stop thinking this would make a great twilight zone episode.

submitted for your viewing small town middle America.a quiet little town
made up mostly of the common suburban law abiding citizen. what these people don't realise, is there is soon to be some very dark clouds forming
over head.dark clouds indeed, formed only in THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

C grade students

Originally posted by weedwhacker
reply to post by TeddiRevolution

 

Reminds me of an original Twilight Zone episode ( Season One, #22 ) "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street".

Rod Serling, writer, creator of the show, was extremely plugged in to the psychology of his fellow Man.

You are absolutely on the point! It is a powerful reminder of how tenuous our hold on this society and our planet really is.

I firmly believe that this is a wake up call, and it will get much worse before it gets better.

Some believe (I am deeply pondering this) that the 'sheeples' as they are, will be relocated to another reality because they have no desire to deal without fossil fuels, soy lattes, and soccer practice. However, not before we are going to be unplugged and asked if we want to stay in a world without glaciers, ruined labyrinths of our old cities (those not underwater), and then being faced with the monumental task of building new societies that are divorced from our current consumption based lives.

Nostradamus also talked of this, and I don't know the quatrain but he mentions grass growing waist high in the streets. Well, my question is what does a History channel Nostradamus program (where I heard the prophecy) correspond to what someone else who is possibly in contact with extra-terrestrials is saying (Cosmicparadigm.com)?

I don't know. I am not storing massive amounts of food or water, and in that case, money would be worthless and oil will stop flowing. What would I do? Survive as best I can.

My family wouldn't understand why I would hoard food at all, and I just don't have the resources. My friends were contemplating such an occurance nearly four years ago, I never believed, but now I am deeply concerned.

This grocery store occurrence, and many more happenings are most likely leading to a conclusion that we only have limited choices on. Most western nations are running on steam. There is no money, and they are still wasting currency on wars and worthless projects while the average joe suffers endlessly.

Heck, if anything these current world events are telling me is that as long as people are willing to work at McDonald's (or other servitude work) this capitalist system could limp on without hard currency for a very long time. It won't however. It can't.

Most people refuse to accept such dire statements, many are aware, but just like the rest of us, our hands our tied regardless. The nicest sleepers when exposed to stimuli they are not capable of comprehending, will follow Maslow's pyramid of self actualization all the way to the bottom, instantly.

Without their needs delivered consistently, they will behave like unactualized animals and will require massive amounts of effort on others to handle the needs of even one person who regresses.

Just like those guys in zombie movies (night of the living dead is a great example) who refuse to leave their 'safe', 'secure' spaces (no matter what the danger), and then when the group decides to leave, the individuals will insist that they are right, and everyone must stay with them.

Then, when the group leaves, the person follows, while still refusing to cooperate for the well being of the group, and usually manages to get others killed in the process, then blames everyone else.

You see it on ATS all the time, people who are viciously offended when someone offers potential oddities, and phonomena only to say "it's a bird, stupid, why are you bothering US?" They will not make it one foot in a 'real world' as was previously mentioned, where you don't work 9 to 5 every day and go home to lawnmowers, cell phones, and conveniences that do little except chain you to them.

Five minutes of waiting in a grocery line should never create a toxic, violence drenched situation where the grocers are afraid for their lives. This all boils down to social conditioning, and how can you fight for liberty, freedom, and justice, when we are so conditioned to convenience that the only things that truly offend, are sex and violence on TV, family morals violations, and the loss of services that should be FREE!

Phillip K. Dick wrote about this (and was beautifully performed on screen) in Total Recall. These bastards would charge us for our air if they could (although for clean, cold air, we already do), and for providing it, they are free to do as they wish. We pay for everything, and this grocery store incident illustrates what happens when we lose stuff that may or may not be necessary for living.

What I just said, might just offend a number of people. Sorry for the long post, but all of these issues are interconnected and the lynch pin was pulled a long time ago.

I really, really, wish this isn't how it is going to be.
I hope I'm wrong.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by GideonHM]

Its like the twilight zone espisode where all the power went
out in the neighborhood and how quickly they start getting
paranoid and start pointing the blame at each other.

With the way the economy is going this is probably going
to be more common.

If you've ever wondered how quickly some people will turn to animals, read the book "One Second After".....It's about an EMP strike in America and the aftermath....Very heavily researched and shared with congress. Most city dwellers will turn feral within 1day without electricity on a citywide scale...

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


here's an odd observation to this story, perhaps one that is't apparent to most people.

Now, maybe it's my area seeming to be more laid back and such, but I'm more shocked at how impatient people were, how much there was a "you owe me' mentality, as well as whatever happened to carrying money on yourself?

You see, this is what happens when you buy into the fear they peddle on the news, and what people reinforce with each other. Why don't you carry money on yourself? Why do you have to whip out your bank card to buy a pack of cigarettes, don't you even carry a $10 bill on you?

Whats with all this 'I will not leave without these groceries' business? are things that bad that if you don't get your purchase right now, you'll starve?

reply to post by smilinggrandma


"Sheeple are going to go crazy" you nailed that to the wall. I sumitt that the word crazy does not implicate the maddness that will follow a financial collapse. I am simply stunned by the many that refuse to see this dark cloud approaching. My God all this deception and so many sheeple. Death is much preferable. I am not critizing any who believe otherwise. That is by choice and I will respect that so I apologize for my past abruptness. I wish everyone well and pray that they will seek and fined what ever will bring them peace knowing that internal peace will be hard to discover in the days ahead.

reply to post by CoffinFeeder


It is a child-like reaction to stimulus. That demand, is an attempt for that shopper to get their way. I WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT MY GROCERIES! ME, ME, ME, ME! HOW DARE YOU GET IN MY WAY!

There is no logical thought process. If something gets between that person and what they believe they must have, i.e. the US is a free country (it isn't, show a bag of weed to a cop and see how free you are), and if you get between me and my constitutional right to eat my way to obesity, boy will I get mad.

Start a war and her kids aren't dying, she won't respond. Draft her children, and she will fight (possibly), but it is only for her children, others just get to benefit from her presence, en masse, if there is enough of a following. She will conform to the social order.

Show Vietnam on TV, you have a revolt. Keep Iraqi footage from surfacing, and the people will simply watch whatever is on the tube till they sleep, then they usually go back to the same regimen day after day.

Screaming things like that is evidence of a very child-like mentality many people possess. In the UK, less than 40% of people even know where their kidneys are! Ask them if they know where their lungs are, and it is almost as bad. How can you not know where your lungs are? Programming, and to interrupt this mental stasis results in violence.

reply to post by GideonHM


It may have been long but I enjoyed every word. I sensed an acceptance of what may actually happen (I believe now it is a given). You have a very good grasp of reality as it is and not as many pretend it to be and I do not blame them. Whatever you believe is your business and again I will respect that. No more harsh and basically worthless comments when spoken out of hate instead of concern for all.

If you haven't seen it, the Stephen King (book or incredible film) The Mist is a good insight into what happens to people when their routine and system of life is removed.

Coincidentally, it also occurs in a grocery story.

Thanks for the story

reply to post by RolandBrichter

If you've ever wondered how quickly some people will turn to animals

can i ask why you have such a low opinion of animals?

Goes to show how much people rely on technology and government and how they willingly do so. Even though the situation that developed was ridiculous and shows the true nature of man, it is what would happen. People would freak and things would escalate into violence and even death for some.

It is saddening that this happens but most of our society are sheep...

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


This guy explains it in his blogs.............

www.myspace.com/abstractopinions

This is why people should learn to live on cash.

Quit using debit and credit cards. When your cheque is deposited into your bank account, go withdraw almost the entire amount.

Using cash allows you to budget your money far more efficiently. Not to mention as it leaves your hands you notice your money dwindling.

Too many people get caught in the trap of repeatedly using their bank or credit card, they attempt to keep a running total of what they have spent - but most people who do this can tell you they often underestimate.

Not to mention, I could know practically everything there is to know about you by examining the last 12 months of your debit and credit card purchases if you use them exclusively.

It's not even government that you need to worry about in this case, corporations and thieves are much worse in that case.