WORST IDEA 9/3/10: Hurricane shopping panic

Even if Hurricane Earl causes major damage, it's hard to imagine why the people in line in front of me at the grocery store will need the stockpile of the canned goods they have amassed. I can see buying a few cans of soup, a case of water and a few dry items. I cannot understand the logic of acting as if a hurricane might turn into nuclear winter. Bad weather might strand you for a day or two, it won't cut you off from humanity for months.