Where are these pencils and all this paper going to come from that many are advocating use of after 1/1/00?

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), October 12, 1998

Answers

We have lots of pencils and paper already stashed away, and plan to get more. :-)

-- Bobbi (volfnat@northweb.com), October 12, 1998.

Ahhhh ha! Bobbi! YOU bought all the pencils and paper!!! Will you take those in trade or will you be offering them for the discount price of say, $5.00 for a #2, and $20.00 for a pad of paper? Or will you sell by the sheet? Will you consider one of my $10.00 rolls of toilet paper in trade? Hey, how do you think people got rich through the great depression?

Good question Hardliner!

My wife is a CPA in a firm that relies heavily on their computers. They are working on becoming compliant and I assure you they are in the minority. I asked her what would happen if she had to go back to ledger and pencil and she said, "that's how I started out, I could do it."

One huge point also is that going back to these systems WILL require a more expanded work force in these areas. Of course, that will also lead to higher cost in payroll and THAT bottom line will be felt by the consumer.

My question is this, how many of those NEW to the field have done work like this on paper? How many have learned ONLY on a computer?

It's been a long time since our country relied on paper and pencil and if there must be a return to these means it isn't impossible.

But, there will be a learning period required AND a panic if life is disrupted in this way. Can you imagine the backlash by the populous if this were required?

Not nearly enough thought has been given to the extreme kinds of reactions that the public, as a whole, will suffer through. We are talking about a major shift in thinking that will take a LONG time to work through. My gosh, just trying to get people to consider MINOR disruptions associated with Y2K is difficult.

argh...

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 12, 1998.

Maybe you'd better check this out.

(This is where pencils come from)

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), October 12, 1998.

Thank you Hardliner. I got goosebumps...

Excellent.

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 12, 1998.

But I don't like #2 pencils. What can I swap to get a .5mm No. 4H mechanical "drawing stick"?

Jean wants a Cyan crayon and a bright yellow highlighter? Any offers?

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), October 12, 1998.

Robert,

I know I have the crayon already, I'll check on the .5mm... I believe i still have some of those around here somewhere. Amazing how a computer can change a life, isn't it?

I would gladly give these to you, without trade, to show my desire to promote the need for friendhip, cooperation and the importance of community -- not just in difficult times but every single day.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if this spirit of cooperation were the end result of y2k? _____________________________________________________________

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), October 12, 1998.

LOL! Well, of course I didn't buy up *all* the pencils and paper! I am just an everyday person My small web site design business definitely cannot continue to be viable with just pencils and paper . I was sorta tongue-in-cheeking it here actually. We really do have lots of pencils and paper stashed away. One of the first things we thought of was books and writing materials since we both are avid readers and writers in this house. Anyway, the comment made about how some people have *never* used anything but computers for some tasks is something my husband and I often think and talk about; wondering just how this will all play out if TEOTWAWKI happens and we really do have to fall back on good old fashioned pencils and paper. It will be interesting to say the least.

-- Bobbi (volfnat@northweb.com), October 12, 1998.

I wonder where they'll PUT all the paper they pencil on. Right now, mountainous piles of the stuff cover every horizontal surface in Corporate America! Ooozes out of drawers. Lays heaped on the floors. Puffs out of shredder bags. News guy brings some. Mail guy brings some. UPS guy brings some, with Fed Ex on his heels. We throw it out; it comes back in. Seems to grow in the dark. Here's a hint: Take some of your firewood; build file cabinets.

-- Faith Weaver (faith-weaver@usa.net), October 12, 1998.

Wow thanks Hardliner :) I too have goosebumps. I printed it for my kids and spouse to read.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), October 12, 1998.

i have a houseful of nonelectric tools, including solar calculators and drafting implements, because hubby and i like them. we have at least 5 slide rules as well, including a circular slide rule, in our collection. if the lights go out, i think we'll still be in business, with some inconvenience, and have some left over to trade.

-- Jocelyne Slough (jonslough@tln.net), October 16, 1998.