Yeah.... I'm not a fan of that list. I'm not sure who was on the board that approved it- I might try to find out, just so I can send them a nice bronx cheer. Too many people in this state try to make a statement in everything. *mutters* It makes sense for the stereotypical Vermonter who has a wood stove and a gas or oil cook stove and oven, but that stereotype is NOT the majority. Most Vermonters live in apartments or fairly modern homes without survivability features, in one of a couple of population clusters.

My roommate and I would probably be OK- she's a little flakey and is prone to losing things like her keys, but she solo'ed the top half of the AT and still has most of her gear. The only saving grace half of my neighbors would have is that they are refugees, and I have no doubt that most of them have a stock against hard times. I LIKE that half, they got out of Somalia, Sudan, Bosnia, Iraq, Burma, all kinds of unhealthy places and are pretty good people for the most part. It is is the other half that I'm worried about.

And there is a reason I put the word "newspaper" in quotes when discussing Seven Days- they are erratic. Mostly the focus on arts and culture and the oh so in section of the population. Oh well, they are publishing my letter, and last week they had a nice article on cold rooms and root cellars, so maybe, just maybe, they are starting to take seriously. A few months back they had a BIG section on state plans for an epidemic. So someone in their editorial staff takes it seriously, and they might be the best investigative reporting in this state, but that is a pretty scary statement.