Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.

Well, everything I read is that New Orleans is pretty much a cross between a movie set for “Blackhawk Down” and “Zulu”. I am extremely glad that I live far away from this insanity that I neednt worry about roving gangs wandering the streets, breaking into houses at will and causing all sorts of chaos. On the other hand, there are going to be some economic ripples from this that I wont be immune from. The biggest one Im concerned about is the gasoline situation. Apparently, and perhaps Im reading this wrong, theres a good chunk of refining capacity that is going to be down for a while (as well as about 20 offshore oil rigs that are just completely missing). Theres already panic buying which, naturally, is driving up costs and driving down supply. (Hey! Supply and demand…whoda thunk it?) The girlfriend, last week, pretty much demanded to know why we weren't buying gas cans and stocking gasoline. When she said that we saddled up and filled the truck and filled our newly purchased gas cans. BUT….we've a trip to Billings next weekend that could use prety much all of that. Hmmm. Cant cancel the trip to Billings. I may have to wander off to WallyWorld and get a couple more cans and gas 'em up.

I'm also hearing that at least one major coffee company gets all its imports through New Orleans and that can of Folgers you like so much may be going up in price and scarcity.

One of the LMI came by yesterday and we were discussing things. I told him that I was uneasy and unsettled these days because of all this disaster footage Ive been watching. He asked what it would take to make me feel better. I thought a moment and said:
1) Money. The universal survival supply.
2) A well-stocked place out in the boonies we could run off to

For now, I'll settle for another 20 gallons of stabilized gas safely tucked away. The stockpiled gas isnt really a hedge against a price increase, its a hedge against a shortage. As in NO-GAS-signs-on-the-pumps shortage. 'Fuel' is in the top five on any list of things to stockpile..right up there with food, water, ammo, and meds…

The girfriend and I live only 9 blocks from our workplaces. Bank, grocery and post office are only three blocks past that. We dont need to drive anywhere really except maybe to WW or Costco once or twice a month. But I absolutely want to have the option of being able to hop into a gasoline-powered vehicle and leave town if I have to. Right now, between gas in the truck and in storage we've approx. 525 miles of range…not quite enough to make it to Billings and back.

I'd been slacking on the gas storage because of the expense of new steel cans ($27~) and my lack of what I feel was wa safe place to store them. (I really have no desire to store them indoors). Im planning on building a little doghouse-type structure along my fenceline, hidden in the lilacs, to house the gas cans. Keeps 'em away from the house, but hidden and nearby.