I just finished watching CNBC's Money Bowl with Craig Smith and Maccaroni (sp).. ? I though Craig was very, very good, and I appreiciate CNBC airing this program. Maybe the DGI's will get on the stick and do something. Macaroni hee hee, was quite a bit more Pollyannish. I've seen more y2k programs in the last week, than in the preceding three months. Don't panic when you see the empty shelves of lamp wicks. Craig made a point of stressing what happens when the power grid goes down; exactly what Yourdon has been saying all along. Yesssss!

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 01, 1999

Answers

Couldn't believe it myself. His answers were given in a thoughtful, calm way so that he didn't sound like a "y2k lunatic". Was impressed that they mentioned the government's and Red Cross' recommendation to store a few weeks of food and WATER. The thing that amazed me was the list of things to consider (wish it had stayed on the screen longer) including RELOCATION!! Sounds like Milne!! I'm sure this is going to be the big news all year long now. Stock up now!! Kitty in VA

-- Kitty in VA (kittyfelton@webtv.net), January 01, 1999.

Lou M. is the y2k guru for the Gartner Group. He knows whereof he speaks. Somewhere along the line Gartner has changed its tone on y2k. They are much more pollyanna. Gartner has access to information and I have to listen to what they are saying. But for him to say that he doesn't see any major problem in the U.S. is beyond me. Craig Smith did call him on his optimism. But that resulted in the problem I now see developing bigtime.

Last night I watched the Crossfire program on y2k with two friends. Dennis Grabow the semi-doombrooder, was set up against Rauch from Morgan Stanley, the pollyanna. My friends kept saying that they didn't know who to believe. I see the media picking up on y2k and then pitting the two opposing views of y2k. I told my friends that the only way they can know is to research and read for themselves. On both shows the pollyannas refer to the the 10q filings. We all know that that those filings are lawyerspeak, inadequate, and deceiving. I found that when I listened to what was said about embedded chips I never heard anything positive by the pollyannas.

Another thing. Everyone seems bent on no need to panic. No need to panic, no need to panic. Everything will be just fine. I'm in panic mode now that everyone seems to be focusing in. Smith was good and held his ground but he kept undercutting his message by saying everything would be o.k. I'm afraid we will not hear very many ala North or Cory scaring people into preparing. Fear is healthy when warranted. "Its not paranoia when your fears are based on facts."

-- bbrown (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), January 01, 1999.

....."Everyone seems bent on no need to panic. No need to panic, no need to panic."

We've seen that one coming for a while. Look at the Janet Abrahms article, in which she admits the government is focused on avoiding panic. Sen. Bennett admitted slyly that he has to consider not generating panic.

Seems to me that if they're having to start now they're fighting a losing battle. You can hold the lid on for a while, but every one of these shows reinforces the idea that ,"gee, maybe I should do something. Anything."

Once panic begins, just a little, the first place it will really hit will be the financial system -- the banks. Uh, uh!

Is SAMs open on New Years Day?

-- De Lewis (delewis@inetone.net), January 01, 1999.

Oh my! I must have been panicky when I wrote, "Don't panic when you see the empty shelves of lamp wicks." Ha! Quite a trick....meant to say "shelves empty of lamp wicks." One of the best buys at Wal-Mart is their delicious White Corn and Black Bean Salsa. It's a Sam's brand, and half the price of other salsas. Add more black beans and white or yellow corn and it more delicious.

After I watched Money Bowl, I then saw 3 more Y2K programs: Burden of Proof, a Special on Y2k and another that I can't remember what was. Y2K!! Smokin'

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 01, 1999.

Good point delewis. Those who aren't sure about y2k will still play it safe with their money. I have a hunch about the first week of January. Could people in the market decide the new year is a good time to take their profits? I have a relative who is waiting for the new year to cash in her stocks and go liquid. North's three stages to cash summed up this strategy pretty good. After cash, the next step is withdrawal.

No Sam's isn't open today. I'll be there on Monday. In the meantime I'm watching the mummers for the last time? ;-) Have a blessed New year! Also there was a good 700 club this morning. Should be replayed tonight. b

-- BBrown (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), January 01, 1999.

A word about the media and the Gartner Group:

Last time y2k appeared on Crossfire, about 6 months ago, former US presidential candidate Pat Buchannan ridiculed even the bump in the road prospect and called the whole thing a hoax created by consultants. Now, knowing Pat, this was obviously done out of stupidity.

However, it is a fact that the Gartner Group has been commissioned by the US Government in a BIG way to help bring order from the federal y2k chaos. Now I ask you - are we going to get an unbiased opinion from a company whose bottom line is directly proportional to how well they contain the y2k panic?

-- a (a@a.a), January 01, 1999.

Get real, people. Would any of you actually prefer a general panic? At minimum, it would make most efforts at preparation difficult, at worst, impossible.

With the outcome massively uncertain, and no solution for everyone in the headlights, trying to avoid panic is a rational executive action. By default, this is turning out to be an intelligence test of sorts. Responsible people in and out of government have been making the information available for quite a while. Some notice, some don't. GI/DGI, right?

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 01, 1999.

If you want the gov to provide misinfo so you have more time to provide than you are slow and also selfish.

I'll take a panic right now. It'll save more lives, settle down eventually, and keep a lot of neighbors off my doorstep.

But really, when you tell someone not to panic what do you think they are going to do? It is sort of like people in movie theater saying, 'I smell smoke....' What do you think people hearing that are going to do? Wait until they see the flames?

b

-- bbrown (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), January 02, 1999.

I agree with bbrown. I've been preparing since July 98. That's enough of a headstart. What people really need to start doing, in addition to preparing as best they can, is to begin dealing with the fear aspect. See WRP 106.

-- a (a@a.a), January 02, 1999.

Gilda, it sounds like you and I were doing the exact same thing New Year's day...! I thought the CNBC show was Great. The way I figure it, take what Lou says about what will happen to "other countries" and super-impose it over the U.S. I didn't really think he was *all that* pollyannish.

Craig Smith was excellent. He looked totally credible and he warned people, backed it up with facts from the Red Cross and other agencies, then calmly said don't panic.

The guy who commentated the show was a definate GI, not about to be snowed over. Excellent job, imho.

I agree with bbrown too. I would rather have people start a mini-panic now, buying up supplies while they can still be refreshed every 3 days. In the end it will work for *all* of us.

It's seriously becoming main stream now and I think I'm glad.

-- Lurking (again) (sneak@peak.com), January 02, 1999.

* See WRP 106. *

Where, please?

-- fly . (.@...), January 02, 1999.

Fly, Cory Hamasakis DC Y2K Weather Reports -- Updates from Washington DC...

http://www.kiyoinc.com/ current.html

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 02, 1999.

Diane,

DC Y2K Weather Report Number 106

Not Yet Available. Web publication date: Dec. 31, 1998 Will contain:

It's Jan. 2, 1999 at my house.

-- fly . (.@...), January 02, 1999.

Fly:

See the post Cory #106.

I just brought it up to the top.

It's the only copy I can find anywhere.

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (La) (buffgun@hotmail.com), January 02, 1999.

Sorry fly,

http://www.kiyoinc.com/ WRP106.HTM

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 02, 1999.