Bear with us for a sec. We have to work the counter-messaging angle on this information torrent. International, Domestic, all that stuff is peaking like the waves coming ashore in a storm surge.

Creative Section Leader DeMille got us in trouble with Socotra House Management last week about conveying a ‘sense of alarm.’ We forget what it was about. We have always maintained the parody of alarm had always been a key element in military intelligence planning, Then we asked if we could explain why he passed around a neat little list. It was different, depending on who had access to what military Commissary exchange of Class SIX liquor store.

It includes similarities.:

1. Ensure cars are topped off if gas.
2. Check medications if you need ’em.
3. Kids? you already gota list
2. Chargers for necessary electronics. Battery backups in case power out
3. Food fresh for a few days, shelf-stuff or cans for longer if necessary. Timing up to you
4. Specified consumables by individual requirement for specific items of consumables.
All: Hit the ATM and get daily convenient fast cash for short disruption (or longer)

Seemed reasonable, and not a lot different than we have started most of the months of our lives. It just seems like a nice time to take a look at the ready list and ensure you have what you may need to prevent a little inconvenience, you know?

There used to be a thing called “Civil Defense.” It sounds weird now, but we had a major cyber shut down with the CyberStrike outage that grounded the airlines and that was just a mechanical error, not a global energy disruption resulting from a major erupting regional conflict. Anyway, now common sense is considered weird, too. But we are glad we will have cigars and a shot of Cold Shoulder Rye in case we have to cool our heels for a while. Call it a shopping alert.

– Vic