You forgot all the bottled water manufacturers...
I figure that with all the crack-downs on plastic bottles that they had to hatch a scheme to boost sales...
MeanMrMustard
JoinedPosts by MeanMrMustard
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33
The Evil Masterminds Behind COVID-19: Charmin and Cottonelle
by keyser soze inof all the things people decided they needed to stockpile for a potential quarantine.
all of the stores around my area ran completely out of toilet paper this last weekend.
people were piling it into their carts and vehicles as if they were going to be holed up for a year.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
Update on buying patterns:
Some more curious purchasing activity has occurred. What is your opinion?
The main grocery store in my area had its meat section cleaned out today.... except for ham. Spiral ham, glazed ham, bacon, etc... small ham, large ham. Just about every part of a pig you might want was there in abundance.
I don’t normally buy my meat at this store. The price is too high and the quantity is too low. The bulk stores do much better at it. I was curious because last Thursday I was doing my normal shopping and the meat was kinda gone, but not really bad. So I drove over to check it out. Aaaannnnd, there’s meat! Lots of beef and chicken.... but.... no..... ham.
So, why are the people who buy in bulk cleaning out the ham, while the people who buy at the normal overpriced grocery buying everything except the ham?
All these strange patterns...
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
@days of future passed:
Yeah, what’s the worst that can happen? You shower off after each use? It’s rather ridiculous, the panic. But let’s be real, supply lines are not being halted. There will be more. Just check you local drug store and grocery in the mornings.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
@days of future past:
Check your local drug store. Even during the peak TP buying frenzy, I went into the local Walgreens and they had TP. The zombie’s, in their blind, unbridled panic total forgot that anything other than the big box stores exist.
But don’t worry too much. In a pinch, eat cereal or ramen. Get some food, but don’t go nuts.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
So, the local grocery has restocked the TP. But, they have sold out again (well, just about... there were about 10 packs left, but it’s there) Went in today to get some root touch-up for the wife, and had to wade through long lines (although far shorter than last week) of the TP / water bottle hoarders.
FYI for all those obsessed with bathroom supplies: You completely overlooked the kitty litter aisle. If all else fails, there are jumbo litter boxes, liners, and fresh step just waiting for you to stockpile.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
In my area, the panic buying has really picked up. I get the idea of slowing the rate of infection, so, as it makes it way through the population, we aren’t forced to ration medical services thereby choosing who lives and dies.
But why in the living hell are people going for the TP and water bottles?! W....T.....F?!
Last Thursday was my normal shopping night. As mentioned near the beginning of this thread, about 3 weeks ago, I did some light stocking of canned goods and various non perishable items - all stuff I would eat through anyway if this turned out to be less severe than expected. I went into the bulk buying store ... and....
..... and ....
... It seemed dead. Empty. Hmm, I grabbed a cart and went about my business. Got some more canned veggies, fish, got some fresh chicken. Meats seemed picked over, but not bad. Snacks, milk, etc. All normal stuff. I noticed all the fresh produce was gone, but meh... who cares. I don’t get that here anyway. I was able to get all my normal items without issue. I noticed plenty of rice, sugar, flour, eggs, meat, canned foods, soups, pastas, etc.
Then off in the distance, I hear a crowd on the other side of the store. Lights are flashing and fork lifts are bustling. I walk over to see a mass of people frantically buying toilet paper and paper towels. And, of course, they all had massive packs of bottled water. What is this madness? I just stood back and took pictures. When I got to the front of the store, I realized I had a good 45 minute line wait. As I got closer to the register, there was a teenaged girl, about 18, and she was visibly panicked. Highly agitated. She had, along with her family, carts (plural) of water and paper towels. She also was wearing latex gloves, and verbally snapped at her parents as they attempted to load packs of water bottles into the self-checkout line, only to overload the weight limit.
I have absolutely no forking idea what these people are thinking. None. Water bottles, TP, and paper towels. Why? Why?!!
Oh, and the food that was purchased : fresh produce. Why!!!??? It won’t last for more than a week.
Why can’t people panic rationally like the rest of us?
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
-
-
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
It’s creeping pretty close to me now... each day it expands its domain.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
Basic necessities are important. You never know what is going to happen. What if there are many people sick and utilities don't function as a result of the staff not being there? It's possible that water might be cut off because there is a leak and no one there to fix it or whatever, or shipments of things they need are delayed.
But we do have some idea of what is going to happen, even in a worse case scenario. For example, let’s say that everyone finds out that 24 hours after dying of Covid19, the dead awake and want to eat brains. The zombie apocalypse is actually upon us. All water facilities are abandoned. Perhaps they will be staffed for the next day, but likely people will bugger out of there quickly. Even then, the water will be on for a few days at least. It doesn’t just shut off. There still water in the towers, and water will still flow to the towers for (probably) weeks before something shuts down. Nevertheless, I have days to grab whatever containers I have available (and I have plenty) and fill them with water. Hell, I would fill the tubs too.
Food? That’s a different story. There is a 2 day supply chain - max - for food.
I guess what I am saying is that I’m seeing people leave the food and buy the water bottles.
They need some food, and for Christ sakes, grab some spare medicine. If the zombies start roaming, I’m grabbing my shot gun and heading to the drug store first.
What they should do it limit purchases, one or two per customer. They don't because retailers and manufacturers like the economic boost it gives them - they don't care who buys it as long as it's bought.
And water is low hanging fruit. It’s a waste. Buy food. Buy medicine.
There's also the issue that the bulk packs of toilet-rolls are big and bulky so empty shelves are easy to achieve and more obvious than when a smaller shelf of some item is out.
This too is odd to me. Ok, so back to worst case... zombies are out and about. Toilet paper will definitely be limited availability soon. Grab your shotgun and run to Home Depot. Snag a bidet. That will keep your ass clean for the remaining time we have water pressure, as well as the toilet water.
Obviously at that point you are OK, but you would need a plan to get out of town and find natural resources.
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656
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) - Status Update Thread
by Simon inthis topic is to focus on status updates & advice (no opinion or politics please).. status.
latest status is that it's serious, probably isn't going to be contained and most large companies are making contingency plans, cancelling large events etc... which i don't think would happen if it was just people being alarmist.
the incubation period means it may have already spread further and infected many more people than are currently known, so expect jumps in the numbers over the coming days and weeks.. tracking.
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MeanMrMustard
WTF? Things have changed a bit in my area. It looks like people are buying lots of bottled water. Target has tons of displays pushed forward, and people are loading carts full of generic brand bottled water. I watched it for a bit. They are selling it by the cart. The local grocery has barely any water left (bottles and gallon jugs). This seems ... odd. Even if a full quarantine went into effect and you were boarded and sealed into your home Chinese-style, why would your water service shut be cut? That seems like the one resource you don’t have to worry about right now.
Edit: just noticed this from a couple posts up. JeffT noticed the same thing:
They other big one was cart loads of bottled water. Do they think the water is going to get shut off?