Good observation. In the wake of Hurricane 'Iwa in '82 (only a Cat 1, but it ravaged the islands) this was definitely the case. Our area was really whacked with the storm surge and flooding, but a few miles down the coast, hardware stores and restaurants opened a day after the event despite having no power. They were selling off-menu stuff like cold cut sandwiches. I remember a chain burger joint whose owners had brought their personal grills.

Looking back I'll say it was probably just as good psychologically as economically for the business owners. There's something to be said for inserting a bit of normalcy into a disaster.

This is what I have been looking for, resourceful entrepreneurs who keep business going even when the current state of the infrastructure does not support normal business operations.

Make sure you have plenty of cash before disaster strikes.

Jeanette Isabelle

Am I the only one who finds Art_in_FL's post to be offensive and inappropriate in general, especially to the topic at hand, and a blatant violation of forum rules?

Specifically, the rule: "There are myriad places online to debate politically and emotionally charged subject matter. ETS is not the place."

Also: "If the discussion in a thread veers away from that of the original topic, please start a new thread under an appropriate subject title."

I'd say that a long rant about the evils of Wal-Mart, and calling President Bush a "dictator" and comparing him to the Myanmar junta violate both of those rules. Not to mention being tedious and puerile.

David

I agree with much of what was written so far.

I would add it depends on the adaptability of the individuals involved with the individual businesses.

After hurricane Andrew when our grocery store was out of power, they were still conducting business in the dark because the workers could critically think and conduct business with flashlights and calculators.

It's kinda funny and reassuring to see people walking through the grocery store with flashlights, young people helping the older ones who couldn't see as well...

The folks I saw working had a certain air of pride still being able to function like like that.

I wouldn't expect it now- that was what, 92?

The kids working in grocery stores can make proper change WITH a computer telling them how many pennies, how many nickels, how many dimes. I spent 20 minutes in the grocery check out today, not because I was silly and went shopping on a Sunday, but because the young person behind the register was out of fives and the manager was unavailble, but she a mess of ones in their drawer. *shakes head angrily*

2 nights ago (fri night) we had a storm go through that knocked out the power to the local Kroger store. After the power was back on (out for just under 2-hrs) I walked down to Kroger, all the lights were on but the store was closed. I was in there today and asked why they did not open when the power came back on, I was told that the computers needed to be reset and no one could do it till they called in a tech guy (or gal) to do it.


Sad that something so simple as a power outage for a few hours can completely stop the store from doing the one thing it’s suppose to do, sell things.

In the little town of Atwater, CA, former home of Castle AFB, there is a hardware store (Ace I think, but not sure), that to this day (I was in there two days ago, and I doubt that they have changed in that time), they have little stickers with prices on EVERYTHING, a couple of old fashioned, time worn, receipt gizmos, and a cash register that they can work by hand. Power out, no problem, they can fill and light several of the many oil lamps/lanterns that they sell, along with fuel and matches, hand write the reciepts as they do every day, and keep in business. Sadly, the same can not be said for any other business in the town, or probably the county. Or maybe the state...

Time and jobs have changed. This started with Henry Ford and went on through McDonald's and now every job an business has been modified. Before Ford cars were produced a piece at a time, often one at a time, by a team. Over time each member of the team would learn skills and master jobs and would get pay raises. You start on day one putting on the wheels but the job trains you. In a few years you could assemble the entire automobile by yourself.

Ford changed that. Now the guy who puts on the wheels just does wheels. He could have an entire career just putting on wheels. He is a wheel specialist. there is no additional training nor career path for a wheel guy. Once you master the job that is all that job will ever be.

The first McDonald's were pretty much like all the other mom-and-pop burger stands. Everyone learned all the jobs. As you learned jobs you became more valuable and could demand more money. After a few years you were pretty much capable of setting up your own burger stand.

That changed to an assembly line. Narrow jobs. But also the machinery changed. The machinery takes all the skills out of each job. The grill tells you when to add patties and when too turn them and when they are done.

A long time ago many retail cashiers had to be nine-key trained. They would know or look up each price and insert each manually. A god grocery cashier had a salable skill and could beat the laser scanners of today. The trained cashier also made a dollar an hour over what other employees made. The cash register didn't tell you how to make change that was another part of the job you had to learn. A skill you could develop on the job and a skill you would leave with.

Now, with laser scanners, you can pull any slob off the street, stuff them into a smock and they can function, for the most part, as an effective cashier. They don't get paid anything extra, because they haven't had to learn anything, and when they leave they haven't picked up any salable skills.

The jobs don't teach. The employees don't learn. The boss sees employees as interchangeable parts and the employees see the job as something they do for eight hours. A situation where they do as little as possible while realizing they are getting paid as little as possible. Neither side has any loyalty, or much respect, for the other.

Sadly, you have just described the good old US of A today...

Some companies are learning, I am pleased to report. I live in south Florida and am not happy to report that the eyes of three hurricanes came over my house in 2004-05. The grocery store where we shop (Publix) was down during the power outages caused by the storms.

Last year I saw some interesting construction activity going on behind the store. I was elated when I saw a big CAT diesel generator with a several hundred gallon tank installed on the pallet they had constructed. I also received a report last month indicating that a number of gas stations in my area had installed emergency generators.

A little progress in a sea of confusion. I'll take what I can get.

Craig.