I love it!!! Stocks are soaring, the economy is booming and the birds are singing. What a wonderful time to be alive.

My only hope is that it continues on like this for the next 6 months. My worst case scenerio preparations should be complete about July. Hell, let the good times roll, it only gives me more time. I stopped discussing Y2K with firends family, and associates long ago. It is my well educated opinion that people are plain & simply "STUPID". Please people, don't waste your time trying to convience people that anything will happen. What ever happened to personal responsibilty for ones actions - we will find out soon. The only way the MORONS in the country will listen is when Peter Jennings comes on TV in mid november 1999 and announces that Y2K is going to be bad. By ttime we should all be finished with are own personal responsibility. Give em Hell boys and girls - This will be a year to remeber.

Matt

-- Matt (Butenam1@aol.com), January 09, 1999

Answers

I don't expect much trouble with the "Joanne-effect" or fiscal-year rollovers. Too easy to "cover-up". Even bank & stock-market problems can be controlled (to a degree) by those wonderful government folks who take such good care of us - BFG...

I predict things won't get ugly until utilities have problems, with lesser problems associated with supply problems as the wiser folks stock-up Oct-Dec. Unless the lights/water/fuel "go out" though, the media will say that stocking-up (even with supply problems) is "good for the economy".

My 2c

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), January 09, 1999.

I tend to agree. Things should stay together through sept. '99. Remember, they need to give the programmers and engineers as much time as possible. The government will keep a low profile as long as possible. After Oct. 1 it may not be so easy for them. As for the population in general, 3/4 can not spell Y2K. Just be in place by Oct. 1 and keep your head down.

-- curtis schalek (schale1@ibm.net), January 09, 1999.

This appeared in a Texas paper today. When people on this forum write about community preparedness, I think about who I would be trying to convince and that is as far as it goes.

LOTTERY WARNS ABOUT 'GAG' TICKETS THAT DUPE TEXANS

Now that dozens of Texans have been disappointed to learn they were victims of a hoax. Texan Lottery officials on Monday issued public warning about the statewide sale of "gag" instant scratch-off tickets that all purport to be $10,000 winners. The tickets, which apparently have available in Texas novelty stores since last spring, are worthless, officials said. "These 'gag' thickets are not a product of the Texas Lottery." according to the warning.

The bogus tickets, some of which say "Mega Cash - win up to $10,000" have humorous information on the back, such as "$5,000 and $10,000 prizes may be redeemed at Yo Mama's House or by mail using a claim form supplied by the Tooth Fairy. Please sign and mail your winning ticket and claim forum to Santa Claus, PO Box 777, North Pole. All winners are subject to people laughing at you. Valid only in your dreams.

But the gag tickets are no laughing matter to numerous Texans who have gone to the 24 claim centers around the state seeking to cash their "winning" tickets. "There's a lot of disappointment there." said lottery spokesman Leticia Vasquez. "We are seeing an average of four 'winners' a week at every claim center with a rash of them in the Corpus Christie area. *** I am no spring chicken and don't plan to waste any time on educating my neighbor about Y2k. I do plan on trying to obtain and sell some 'gag' tickets...... the tickets would get a much better reception.

-- Shaking my head in a small town (Stuck@intex.com), January 09, 1999.

This morning I saw one of the morning programs running a series called "Millennium Makeovers". It made me feel like I am living in a foreign land among people I do not understand. While Y2K is coming ever closer, the media is busy making sure that people have makeovers. My husband said, "well, you need to look good in the dark."

Regarding the economy and the market over the course of 1999: many financial planners, etc are predicting a 10000+ DOW by mid year. The market seems to be locked in some sort of buying frenzy.

Will the bubble burst? If so, when? Who knows. I speculated in a commodity in the 70's. I was fortunate to sell most of my purhcases prior to a MAJOR crash in prices. I missed a SMALL amount of potential profit while simultaneously saving myself a MAJOR loss had I held out. Anyone who firmly believes that the bubble will burst in 1999 may wish to get most of their "ducks in a row" sooner than later. It is just a thought.

-- Sue (conibear@gateway.net), January 09, 1999.

SELL OUT NOW OR YOU'LL REGRET IT!!

THE DOW IS NOT GOING TO REACH 10,000 AND Y2K WILL DEFINITELY CAUSE SEVERE CRASHES. WHEN IT IS NOW NEAR 9600 WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO WAIT?

-- (@@@.@), January 10, 1999.