A comment on the TT frontpage. Quote: "Starting in 2000, three years
prior to the cataclysms, a period of crop shortages will be so severe
that alternative food production needs to be begun and practiced in
earnest. This is when you should become practiced at self
sufficiency."

This is an overstatement. It sounds as if already in 2000 the food
on the shelves in the shops was so short that people would begin
panicking and hording and large parts of the world would starve. I
mean at least in the Western world this was clearly not the case, and
also not in many other countries. And this year it is also clearly not
the case. Nor will it be next year. I think the average consumer in
the rich countries will *really* feel any effects of the crop
shortages only in early 2003. The scale of the crop failures is
arguable. The Zetas only speak about crop failures, but not their
extent. They say nowhere that literally *every* country will have
severe crop failure. Remember that most countries in the world have
had pretty normal crops so far. For example, here in Europe it was a
pretty normal summer. No crop failure and no food shortage. Likewise
in Russia and most parts of North America. Basically I mean the phrase
above must be reformulated. Maybe so: "Starting in 2000, three years
prior to the cataclysms, more and more countries will experience
severe crop failures, which will become worse exponentially until
early 2003. This is when a serious food shortage in the shops is
likely. You should become practiced at self sufficiency." I agree that
self sufficiency must begin, but it's actually NOT because of the
imaginary "food shortages" but the PS ahead. I mean the current
version sounds too hysterical and exaggerating. Not realistic! TT
makes itself a mockery with that phrase (like with the trash in the
2003 pointers, hehehe... ;-) ) Do you see what I mean?

Niels