Another trip to the grocery reveals how bad it is ..

OK, we aren’t drawn out quite as as bad as the DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST S**thole of South America.

Price controls don’t work, and people who are prone to freak out about Trump tweets, or surprises on their favorite reality shows are hardly prepared for any potential disruptions to their otherwise ‘normal’ lives. Empty shelves on a few items really isn’t that bad however.

A quick tour through Meijer today revealed what really matters to the panicked herd ..at least in THIS neck of the woods.  Empty, to near-empty shelves might only be so in a temporary way (unlike any ‘socialist’ country), in this part of the world, but we can at least note what people worry most about being without.

Starting off, the Vitamin aisle was fairly well decimated, with nearly all the chewables gone, and in particular those yummy gummies!  Healthy treats for sure, and even testing is always on the mind of today’s crisis families. Nearby, the absence of any temperature measurement device from the shelves comes as no surprise as seen in the picture to the right.

Hand pump soap shelves were barren in spots, but some stock still remained.  Listerine and other mouthwashes also down in stock.

And as we all know, cleaning the hard surfaces with disinfectant is one of the recommended healthy practices to rid ourselves of the Wuhan Virus.  Yesterday, there were no wipes and many other cleaning products were limited in supply.  Today however, the shelves were still clear of the wipes (at left),  But there were boxes at the base of the shelving that were already 80% emptied.

I believe those boxes were purposefully left for customers to grab from. We scored with Mango and Hibiscus scented wipes!

Of course health and sanitary items are top on the list. And we’ve all heard about Toilet paper and other paper products, right?

One would think that the country had succumbed to Listeria, instead of a Chinese respiratory virus! A shelf holding several days of supply for even the busiest of supermarkets finds itself devoid of product.  This condition has been the same for several days since the paranoia of dirty fannies first began!

The second best solution in the event of an empty roll (where that becomes it’s own crisis), is the ol stand-by.  Yep, you know of what I speak – the box of Kleenex always nearby is often the bathroom guarantee of ‘cleanliness.’

Yeah, it could be that folks think they’ll be blowing their noses a little more, or maybe ..a lot more.  However, the TP disappeared long before the snot rags started declining.  In these pictures on the right then left, restocking began, even with a few boxes on the shelf, and then the stockers just left the product as they had for the wipes, knowing it will all eventually sell and they can grab empty boxes later anyhow.

This is not to say that the stocking guys are shirking their duties at all.  Truth be told these guys are busting ass to make sure that all the good folks who patronize their place of employment are well taken care of.  I don’t believe I have ever seen as much stocking activity in the middle of the day since before Meijer went 24 hours.

In fact I opened a discussion with one of them as he tore open the boxes of soups and other canned products in a particular aisle.  He was very invested in his work, but he didn’t miss my point that there would be a glut in the coming weeks of many products.

The fact that this market based system has the ability to support with abundance, the wants and needs of so many without any shortages would bear out in over ordering should not be lost on anyone.  He replied that already the computerized ordering has taken over. “We normally get 4 trucks a week, now we are getting 4 trucks a day!”

Not at all surprising.  Flour Sugar, baking soda, yeast and many other baking supplies as well as rice, and oats etc., are finding empty shelves even when restocked daily.  This Gold Star bag to the right looks hurt and lonely, but he’ll be just fine, self rising and all.

Other items which are a little more perishable (or not) that seem to empty fast in the store are Eggs, and milk, canned vegetables, canned fruit, Mac-N-Cheese, Pancake Mix, and the ultimate insult?

Ramen freaking Noodles.

All of this is mostly just fun to point out however.  People who get scared about living without their precious conveniences will act very quickly to secure such things when the chips appear down.  Imagine such impetus being applied when we have a real crisis imposed upon us.

Imagine an entire cultural change where such a thing as ‘democratic-socialism’ is put in place?  Will such shortages be as short lived as these minor ones?

When price fixing and limited supplies become the norm, will we be able to ramp up manufacturing to accommodate a rush on everyday goods as is happening right now?

Venezuela is used in the title of this piece for a very good reason.  That particular South American nation is a canary in the coal mine of governments that ought not be.  It is a warning to the world that Socialism didn’t work in the 20th century, and still does not work even now, in an era of bounty.

I cannot imagine how such an economy would deal with the panic that a Wuhan virus would inspire.

A panic when ALL other products are also in short supply and more valued than one’s self respect.

You Betcha! (10)Nuh Uh.(1)