I'm so pissed of at people like Bennett who are now making comments like (I'm paraphrasing), " I expect there will be no major disruptions in the US due to y2k" and then turn around and say things like "Asia however is going to suffer major problems" as if the US and Asia are economically independent. What do you take me for, you idiot. Please cut the hogwash crap and remind your audiences that we are talking about a GLOBAL, SIMULTANEOUS, COMPUTER GLITCH NIGHTMARE on a world that is INTERCONNECTED by wires, economices, stocks, businesses, politics, etc. Even John Pasqua had the courage to say the truth, "even if we (ATT) get all of our systems fixed, it won't matter if everyone else we are connected with does not"(paraphrase). What goes for ATT also goes for a country in this global system of commerce and politics.

There, I feel better now. Excuse me for my poor use of the english language.

Off to get more food.

-- James Chancellor (publicworks1@bluebonnet.net), November 18, 1998

Answers

James ... spot-on old chap...

CONSIDER ALSO THE FOLLOWING

Constant manipulation of the markets by the Fed; LTCM and Bank Of America bailed out big time to stop the house of cards collapsing; the IMF intervening world-wide this past year to no avail; a crisis group set up by the G7 to do in effect the IMF's job; Russia already trashed; Japan waiting in the wings to go under; the EURO debacle waiting to happen (and,incidentally taking much needed programming expertise away from the Y2Kthreat); er..., um, what else is there? Oh yes, the Central and South American economies in serious jeopardy; the Jo Anne effect making it's presence felt; the mass of evidence staring you in the face every day that Y2K remediation work *will not make it IN TIME*. There is simply not enough time to fix everything.

Most westernised countries are way behind the USA, which is in a shambles already if we are to believe all the reports emmerging daily.

The US is not an entity unto itself - it does have to trade. If our trading partners go under, so do we.

Leave your money in the markets if you wish. You do not have to be a genius to work out what is going to happen.

I could go on. The markets will be manipulated until even Mr. Greenspan cannot stop the consequences of "chaos theory".

The banking system will be toast, no question. When that happens the domino effect kicks in...

Got wheat?

(I like that one:-))

-- Andy (andy_rowland@msn.com), November 18, 1998.

I've got to admit, is kinda of neat - all that supposed power these "leaders" have over all the things, people, and political or banking symbols they dominate -

....and there isn't d**m they they can do about the date changing, or the computers their intricate system of interleaved copper strands leave so vunerable. Little bitty 0's and 1's, that don't care about politcal power. These political beasts are humbled by a tiny copper triangle of comunication, command, and control.

And the people they can so easily dominate and intimidate now? They rely so heavily on the iron triangle (power, gasoline and transportation, and water) that most cannot envision trying to live without it. But, again, the triangle doesn't care what the politicians say, it only cares what the politicians do to get the technicians to get the work done. Correctly.

A bad job done in time isn't good enough.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 18, 1998.

Mr. Chancellor,

It's great to see you vent a little and you have to know you aren't alone in your frustration. I feel EXACTLY the same way.

For some reason I keep thinking about Jurassic Park when I contemplate y2k. Perhaps it's because my son wants to watch the movie a million times a day.

Right now, we can hear the distant thump, thump, thump as a cup of water vibrates on the dash with each foot step. I'm waiting for the scene where the T-Rex comes into frame and the bathroom walls fall away exposing the lawyer as he cowers on the toilet... remember what happened next?

I was thinking about walkie talkies today... think they'll be a good investment for security?

Mike =============================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), November 18, 1998.

Very funny, Michael, I was thinking about walkie-talkies today too! I saw these little Motorola jobbies in a store window for like $49 bucks each, they have a two mile range! And Mom got a catalog to order batteries for about 1/4 price...

And JC, yes, they do take you for an idiot. They are desparatly hoping that you are an idiot.Their entire economic system as it is currently configured depends on you being an idiot, and their plans for you once it falls apart are based on you remaining an idiot.

But, you're not an idiot...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), November 18, 1998.

If you really want to get a feel for how interdependent we are with other countries, try looking for the country of origin tag on every new item you buy. Clothes, shoes, electronics, etc... China, Korea, Japan. Start taking advantage of the cheap "dumping" prices now. If y2k takes out production in those countries, it will be a long time before you buy a $20 pair of boots at Walmart.

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), November 18, 1998.

Thank you for your kind responses. It helped my self reality check.

-- James Chancellor (publicworks1@bluebonnet.net), November 18, 1998.

It will certainly be a check on everyone's reality!

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 19, 1998.

James

I watched a news story on CNBC last night(Nov.18) about Y2K and the banking industry. The reporter said it is very "ify" whether or not they will make it. Bank budgets are up 20% from just two or three months ago with their Y2K spending.

The reporter also said there is little or no chance of General Motors getting compliant. They have about 100,000 suppliers.

He also said they expect bank runs and there is about $1,100 per depositor in the banks....and then commented that the Federal Reserve is printing billions to hopefully cover the runs.

Aren't you all glad to have a jump on Y2K?

Dave

-- Dave (dave22@concentric.net), November 19, 1998.

We all need t-shirts that read stuff like:

"Got Water?"

"Got Heat?"

"Got Wheat, rice and beans?"

Vent on!!!!

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), November 19, 1998.