How's Everyone Enjoying This Taste Of Life Behind The Iron Curtain?

[Yooper]

My wife got back from shopping the other day and while there were seemingly random, various shortages (depending on the store) she didn't come home empty handed. In fact, the only thing she wasn't able to find was yeast.

Anyway, we got to talking about her experiences out and about at the store. She remarked that she was amazed how quickly she went back into the shopping mentality from our time living behind the Iron Curtain:

"Wow, there's nothing here on this shelf. Wow, look at that person hurrying down that aisle! What's there? Better buy it even if we don't need it if there's any left!"

Not that she fell into the "old ways" and bought, bought, bought. Rather, it was interesting for her to notice how quickly her old shopping strategies and mindset came back.

So it got me to thinking. How's everyone enjoying their free trial of one of socialism's best bits: scarcity? Does it make anyone want to take a dive into the deep end and experience all the wonderful things life behind the Iron Curtain had to offer?

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), as we went back to various parts of the former Soviet Union over the decades after the end of the Cold War the overwhelming answer by those who had lived during those "good ole days" was, "Nope, never want to go back to that. While it's stressful having to choose between 100 varieties of corn flakes better that stress than the stress of no corn flakes."

Or is that answer not the answer this time? That this time it will be different? That THIS TIME the Utopians will get it juuuuust right? And that soon we'll be singing along with Belinda Carlisle for real?*

* Cold War music reference (1987, to be exact).

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[vraiblonde]

The last two weeks of March the HEBs in New Braunfels were barren. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before in the United States. Then beginning of April the shelves started getting stocked and about the only thing you couldn't get was toilet paper and a rotisserie chicken. By mid-April everything was back to normal. They still have markers on the floor for social distancing, but I think we should keep those for good and in fact we should have always had them. Some people are wearing masks but most aren't. People are going about their business and the bars/restaurants opened last weekend. Today the salons and other service businesses reopened.

So you all who are still living in Soviet conditions need to ask your state and local elected officials why.

 

[Hijinx]

They might let us out of this crazed shut down, but the shortages will be around for a while.

 

[Bann]

Today I was in Safeway in PF (after having gone to Weis and not finding everything) and I spoke to one of the managers. He said that for the grocery stores - these "shortages" are like having 4 back to back snowstorms. He said that some of the companies that are producing items are actually only producing 6 different items vs. the 15 different items they usually make and sell.

They're also buying TOILET PAPER from MEXICO! Sure enough, I saw pkgs of toilet paper with the lettering on them in Spanish.

Weis was just putting out chicken when I was there at 9am. I snagged two family packs (which I will now spilt into separate bags and that will last a few weeks)

I found toilet paper at Safeway. I got a Safeway "premium" brand. It was either that or the Mexican paper and it didn't look very uh comfortable.

No paper towels in either of those stores today.

 

[Grumpy]

Today I was in Safeway in PR

wow..you went to Puerto Rico ??

 

[Bann]

wow..you went to Puerto Rico ??

OOPS, dang it. Let me go fixee.

 

[BOP]

Today I was in Safeway in PF (after having gone to Weis and not finding everything) and I spoke to one of the managers. He said that for the grocery stores - these "shortages" are like having 4 back to back snowstorms. He said that some of the companies that are producing items are actually only producing 6 different items vs. the 15 different items they usually make and sell.

They're also buying TOILET PAPER from MEXICO! Sure enough, I saw pkgs of toilet paper with the lettering on them in Spanish.

Weis was just putting out chicken when I was there at 9am. I snagged two family packs (which I will now spilt into separate bags and that will last a few weeks)

I found toilet paper at Safeway. I got a Safeway "premium" brand. It was either that or the Mexican paper and it didn't look very uh comfortable.

No paper towels in either of those stores today.

 

[22AcaciaAve]

I haven't found it to be all that much different than any snowstorm prediction in Maryland. With the exception of hand sanitizer. That is the only thing that hasn't come back within a week or two. Everything else can be hit or miss, but it hasn't been sold out forever. I think if Trump hadn't started daily press conferences where he was pushing the shutdowns, people might not have panicked as much. But even with that, I have been able to get anything I wanted, just not going to hoard like the doomsdayers. The federal government totally botched the response to this, and the state goverment's followed their lead. Then they reversed course instead of following through. We'll see what happens with that. If you make a decision, stick with it. I think this will play out very poorly for those in charge.

 

[phreddyp]

I haven't found it to be all that much different than any snowstorm prediction in Maryland. With the exception of hand sanitizer. That is the only thing that hasn't come back within a week or two. Everything else can be hit or miss, but it hasn't been sold out forever. I think if Trump hadn't started daily press conferences where he was pushing the shutdowns, people might not have panicked as much. But even with that, I have been able to get anything I wanted, just not going to hoard like the doomsdayers. The federal government totally botched the response to this, and the state goverment's followed their lead. Then they reversed course instead of following through. We'll see what happens with that. If you make a decision, stick with it. I think this will play out very poorly for those in charge.

Please explain when did POTUS push a shutdown ? All I ever heard from him was governors had to make their own decisions about their own states . The Feds would assist where they could which is how a republic works .

 

[22AcaciaAve]

Please explain when did POTUS push a shutdown ? All I ever heard from him was governors had to make their own decisions about their own states . The Feds would assist where they could which is how a republic works .

Go back and listen to his briefings from late March and early April. He said, "We shut it down. And we did so to save lives." Did he give an order to do so? No, he did not. Which is why he had no control over re-opening it. Individual governors did that, as it should be. But there was no mistaking that the Federal guidance was to shut down and social distance. When he got impatient and wanted it re-opened, he said he had total control on doing so. He either remembered, or was told, that was not the case. He quickly back tracked from that statement. But there was no doubt, and you can go back and watch any number of his briefings, that he was taking credit for the outbreak slowing down because of the Federal guidance to shut things down. And he should take credit for that. Democrats were criticizing those moves, but he did the right thing according to about every health expert around the world. If anything, he may have acted to quickly to re-open. The damage is done to the economy, and it wont be coming back as quickly as he thinks. Politically, he should have just followed through on his first instincts and ran with that. The economy will come back eventually, not in 1 month, or even 3 or 6, but maybe a year from now things will be back to what they were.

 

[phreddyp]

Go back and listen to his briefings from late March and early April. He said, "We shut it down. And we did so to save lives." Did he give an order to do so? No, he did not. Which is why he had no control over re-opening it. Individual governors did that, as it should be. But there was no mistaking that the Federal guidance was to shut down and social distance. When he got impatient and wanted it re-opened, he said he had total control on doing so. He either remembered, or was told, that was not the case. He quickly back tracked from that statement. But there was no doubt, and you can go back and watch any number of his briefings, that he was taking credit for the outbreak slowing down because of the Federal guidance to shut things down. And he should take credit for that. Democrats were criticizing those moves, but he did the right thing according to about every health expert around the world. If anything, he may have acted to quickly to re-open. The damage is done to the economy, and it wont be coming back as quickly as he thinks. Politically, he should have just followed through on his first instincts and ran with that. The economy will come back eventually, not in 1 month, or even 3 or 6, but maybe a year from now things will be back to what they were.

Not even close he talked about shutting down the flights from China which he does have the authority to do then MADE the governors take responsibility for both the shutting down and reopening of their respective states . He could have shut down the Federal government but chose not too. Sorry bro you have been duped once again !!!

 

[black dog]

I haven't found it to be all that much different than any snowstorm prediction in Maryland. With the exception of hand sanitizer. That is the only thing that hasn't come back within a week or two. Everything else can be hit or miss, but it hasn't been sold out forever. I think if Trump hadn't started daily press conferences where he was pushing the shutdowns, people might not have panicked as much. But even with that, I have been able to get anything I wanted, just not going to hoard like the doomsdayers. The federal government totally botched the response to this, and the state goverment's followed their lead. Then they reversed course instead of following through. We'll see what happens with that. If you make a decision, stick with it. I think this will play out very poorly for those in charge.

Pssst.... Word in the heartland is, Trump, Gates and The Waltons bought up all the toilet paper, gloves, facemasks and sanitizer and are stockpiling it in the empty Walmart and Kmart stores.

 

[herb749]

Not even close he talked about shutting down the flights from China which he does have the authority to do then MADE the governors take responsibility for both the shutting down and reopening of their respective states . He could have shut down the Federal government but chose not too. Sorry bro you have been duped once again !!!

The ones causing the shortages are the media with their sensational stories. This is going to go on for a year. People are going to be out of work. Meat packing places are closing, there's going to be a meat shortage.

 

[stgislander]

The ones causing the shortages are the media with their sensational stories. This is going to go on for a year. People are going to be out of work. Meat packing places are closing, there's going to be a meat shortage.

Don't forget, Smithfield (a Chinese owned company) is sending the majority of its product to China.

 

[Gilligan]

Don't forget, Smithfield (a Chinese owned company) is sending the majority of its product to China.

A Hong Kong investment group owns Smithfield....and, at least up until a few weeks ago, Hong Kong investment groups were no different politically speaking than UK investment groups. They've been one and the same for 100 years....

 

[22AcaciaAve]

di

Not even close he talked about shutting down the flights from China which he does have the authority to do then MADE the governors take responsibility for both the shutting down and reopening of their respective states . He could have shut down the Federal government but chose not too. Sorry bro you have been duped once again !!!

The federal government has been teleworking for the last 8 weeks. I know, I work for a branch of them. I already acknowledged that the governors made the actual decisions, but as I said, it was with federal guidance. The White House advised governors in states where the virus numbers were increasing to close bars, restaurants, gyms, and any place where people gather. I'm not sure how much clearer that can be. That's guidance from the White house to shut things down, if you need to. But yes you are correct that technically the governors are the ones who gave the orders to shut things down and are the ones who will decide when to open them up.

The White House is laying out steps it is encouraging Americans to take as part of a campaign that it is calling, “15 days to slow the spread.”
They also want Americans to work from home if possible, avoid eating or drinking in bars and restaurants, and “avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.”

The White House is also advising governors in states with evidence of community transmission to close schools and says that states with evidence of community spread should close restaurants, bars, gyms, and other venues where people gather.

https://www.1011now.com/content/new...hutdown-amid-coronavirus-fears-568824101.html

 

[phreddyp]

di

The federal government has been teleworking for the last 8 weeks. I know, I work for a branch of them. I already acknowledged that the governors made the actual decisions, but as I said, it was with federal guidance. The White House advised governors in states where the virus numbers were increasing to close bars, restaurants, gyms, and any place where people gather. I'm not sure how much clearer that can be. That's guidance from the White house to shut things down, if you need to. But yes you are correct that technically the governors are the ones who gave the orders to shut things down and are the ones who will decide when to open them up.

So you agree Trump never said to shut everything down and he never said don't come into the office. Didn't take you long to change your tune . I am sure that you poured over hundred of press releases and came up empty . Now post some more drivel !

 

[Scat]

My wife got back from shopping the other day and while there were seemingly random, various shortages (depending on the store) she didn't come home empty handed. In fact, the only thing she wasn't able to find was yeast.

Anyway, we got to talking about her experiences out and about at the store. She remarked that she was amazed how quickly she went back into the shopping mentality from our time living behind the Iron Curtain:

"Wow, there's nothing here on this shelf. Wow, look at that person hurrying down that aisle! What's there? Better buy it even if we don't need it if there's any left!"

Not that she fell into the "old ways" and bought, bought, bought. Rather, it was interesting for her to notice how quickly her old shopping strategies and mindset came back.

So it got me to thinking. How's everyone enjoying their free trial of one of socialism's best bits: scarcity? Does it make anyone want to take a dive into the deep end and experience all the wonderful things life behind the Iron Curtain had to offer?

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), as we went back to various parts of the former Soviet Union over the decades after the end of the Cold War the overwhelming answer by those who had lived during those "good ole days" was, "Nope, never want to go back to that. While it's stressful having to choose between 100 varieties of corn flakes better that stress than the stress of no corn flakes."

Or is that answer not the answer this time? That this time it will be different? That THIS TIME the Utopians will get it juuuuust right? And that soon we'll be singing along with Belinda Carlisle for real?*

* Cold War music reference (1987, to be exact).

--- End of line (MCP)

I was in the grocery store last night and the pattern seems to be twofold.
a) The quick and easy stuff is non-existent. Pasta, sauces, hamburger helper, boxed mac and cheese, hamburger, chicken.......I could easily get a rack of pork ribs or a picnic though.
b) Demand is high because people are forced to eat in and the stores are not used to buying that much.Its also possible that the automated ordering systems are not working that well A system thats accustomed to ordering 5 and 10 now sees 100 and short circuits itself because the programmer never allowed for more than 24 of something without a high turnover history. Whens the last time stores had a run on all meats, all paper products, all bleach products, etc.

Reminds me of my time in Iceland at the end of the month before the supplies came in..

 

[GURPS]

The White House advised governors

and South Dakota IGNORED that at Advice

advised
verb
past tense of advise
Synonyms & Antonyms of advised (Entry 2 of 2)
1to give advice to

• a popular guidance counselor who has been advising students about their college plans for two decades

Synonyms for advised

• adjured,
• admonished,
• counseled
• (or counselled)

2to put (something) forward as one's choice for a wise or proper course of action

• she advised calling ahead for a reservation at the new restaurant

Synonyms for advised

• counseled
• (or counselled),
• recommended,
• suggested

3to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem

• the doctor advised with his partner before recommending the patient's treatment

Synonyms for advised

• confabbed,
• confabulated,
• conferred,
• consulted,
• counseled
• (or counselled),
• parleyed,
• powwowed,
• treated

4to give information to

• advised her as to the best way to get to the art museum by public transportation

Synonyms for advised

• acquainted,
• apprised,
• briefed,
• caught up,
• cleared,
• clued (in),
• enlightened,
• familiarized,
• filled in,
• hipped,
• informed,
• instructed,
• told,
• versed,
• wised (up)

5to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or risk

• advised us not to invest our money in what looked like a pyramid scheme

Synonyms for advised

• alerted,
• cautioned,
• forewarned,
• warned,
• woke
• (also waked)

 

[vraiblonde]

The White House advised governors in states where the virus numbers were increasing to close bars, restaurants, gyms, and any place where people gather.

I don't recall Trump saying that. Which doesn't mean he didn't, it just means I don't recall it.

There are a number of Governors who didn't issue stay at home orders or shut down businesses/social gatherings. Some city officials in those states have locked down, but the state itself remains reasonably unfettered. Trump himself hasn't shut down a damn thing, despite cries from the crazed Left for him to declare martial law and shoot anyone who dares to poke their head out.