How do we have so many tents, yet so few masks?

Just watching MSNBC, and noticed so many tents going up in Central Park, Golden Gate Park, Grant Park, etc., and thinking about the whys and wherefore's of shortages.  It struck me: they seem to have shortages in weird areas, and abundance in so many other areas.

Actually, I ran out of AAA batteries this morning, and I don't know what to do.  Think of it, those batteries keep us connected in this crucial time.  If we run out, TV remotes will go dead.  Damn!  The computer mouse will die.  Clocks will stop all over the house.  And light bulbs...there goes reading.  Slip and falls.

We can no longer just go to the store.  They're all closed.  And those that are open are out of essential supplies, toilet paper, batteries, light bulbs, hand soap, there's a dirth of cleaning supplies, and on, and on, and on.

We need to think about this.  What will happen if we run out of ???  What substitutes will suffice?  Planning.  Any suggestions?

The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

Cass wrote:The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

Could you send me some toilet paper?

That's the only thing that I've come close to running out of.

I usually can find it in packs of 4 or 6 when I stop at the drug store, but it's gotten close a few times.

And for the record, I have two tents and two masks.

Cass wrote:The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

As we run out, we'll know what we are short of. But when stores run out, what then? Every restock of things in short supply is gone by 9:30 am. We have to make due, otherwise.

Any home remedies, or substitutes, in mind? For example, Windex is a marvelous substitute for so many things. (In fact, I use it for making sink fixtures shine). White vinegar and baking soda is a great cleaner... mix it 50/50 with blue Dawn dishwashing liquid for cleaning everything. Coke cleans car batteries. Black pepper seems to work for stuffed up noses. Vaseline for shining shoes. For coughs and sore throat you can boil a whole garlic in water for an hour, squish in orange or lemon.

But I don't have anything lying around for AAA batteries.

Maddog wrote:

Cass wrote:The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

Could you send me some toilet paper?

That's the only thing that I've come close to running out of.  

I usually can find it in packs of 4 or 6 when I stop at the drug store, but it's gotten close a few times.  

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AwrXnCWUYIteUB4A5g9PmolQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBya2cwZmh2BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwM1BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--?qid=20091006093310AACqWDq

In the old days, down on the farm, they would save used-up corn cobs for this.  Worked great, unless one wanted a detail-polished anus.

Original Quill wrote:

Cass wrote:The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

As we run out, we'll know what we are short of.  But when stores run out, what then?  Every restock of things in short supply is gone by 9:30 am.  We have to make due, otherwise.

Any home remedies, or substitutes, in mind?  For example, Windex is a marvelous substitute for so many things.  (In fact, I use it for making sink fixtures shine).  White vinegar and baking soda is a great cleaner... mix it 50/50 with blue Dawn dishwashing liquid for cleaning everything.  Coke cleans car batteries.  Black pepper seems to work for stuffed up noses.  Vaseline for shining shoes.  For coughs and sore throat you can boil a whole garlic in water for an hour, squish in orange or lemon.

But I don't have anything lying around for AAA batteries.

recharge em quill.....carefully

get 2 discharged ones and put em end to end

+=========- +=========-

take wire from the CENTER pin of a 5v 500mA power supply....to the positive end of the pair and from the barrel to the negative end


switch on and leave for a few hours.....


DO THIS OUTSIDE...since there is a slight risk that the batteries might object and explode or pop, making a right old mess......but it DOES work and often you can do this up to 5 times.....

Don't forget to reserve a place at the A@E before you start

Victorismyhero wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

As we run out, we'll know what we are short of.  But when stores run out, what then?  Every restock of things in short supply is gone by 9:30 am.  We have to make due, otherwise.

Any home remedies, or substitutes, in mind?  For example, Windex is a marvelous substitute for so many things.  (In fact, I use it for making sink fixtures shine).  White vinegar and baking soda is a great cleaner... mix it 50/50 with blue Dawn dishwashing liquid for cleaning everything.  Coke cleans car batteries.  Black pepper seems to work for stuffed up noses.  Vaseline for shining shoes.  For coughs and sore throat you can boil a whole garlic in water for an hour, squish in orange or lemon.

But I don't have anything lying around for AAA batteries.

recharge em quill.....carefully

get 2 discharged ones and put em end to end

+=========- +=========-

take wire from the CENTER pin of a 5v 500mA power supply....to the positive end of the pair and from the barrel  to the negative end


switch on and leave for a few hours.....


DO THIS OUTSIDE...since there is a slight risk that the batteries might object and explode or pop, making a right old mess......but it DOES work and often you can do this up to 5 times.....

I'm impressed, Vic. But I think I'd better leave that to experts. With me, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

safe enough nicko///just let em cool off before you pick em up....

seriously it does work, but there is no doubt a slight risk......

Maddog wrote:

Cass wrote:The end of February is when I knew this was serious. I planned. I brought home candles and matches and extra batteries and a few flashlights. We have a few things of bottled water. Every week I went shopping I bought extra for ourselves and the food pantry. Before my work
closed on March 16, I grabbed 40 books and some DVDs off the shelves and made sure I had all my work files with me. We have some cash on hand. We stocked up on prescriptions and over the counter meds. We DID NOT HOARD. We ARE NOT Preppers. We DID NOT panic.

I’m a planner but being married to the military reinforced it. But a lot of it is plain common sense.

But I’m lucky in that I was able to prepare. There are those who cannot. Hence food pantry items. But there are a hell of a lot more people who could have prepared better but laughed it off and are now bitching like mad. There are some who still are not taking this seriously.

Could you send me some toilet paper?

That's the only thing that I've come close to running out of.  

I usually can find it in packs of 4 or 6 when I stop at the drug store, but it's gotten close a few times.  

Have you tried any of the dollar general/family dollar/99cent stores?

I’ve noticed it really just depends on when the trucks arrive and doesn’t make any difference what time you get there.

If ya get desperate sure. You have to send brisket in return

Cass wrote:Have you tried any of the dollar general/family dollar/99cent stores?

Are they open? That's where I usually get my batteries.

Original Quill wrote:

Cass wrote:Have you tried any of the dollar general/family dollar/99cent stores?

Are they open?  That's where I usually get my batteries.

They are here, because usually they are the only “food” stores in rural areas.

If you do, buy recharge ones and a unit or buy on amazon.

Cass wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Are they open?  That's where I usually get my batteries.

They are here, because usually they are the only “food” stores in rural areas.

If you do, buy recharge ones and a unit or buy on amazon.

Well, but, Dollar stores are everything for only a dollar. They seem to pride themselves in staying true to that custom. The recharge batteries are too expensive.

The package(s) I usually get are 4 x pack, usually Panasonic or Energizer.