Hey Paul, looks like you've gone mainstream!

"In a worst- case scenario, the turn of the century could lead to long- term power and communication outages, food shortages and public health and safety concerns."

Alliant Energy Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure: http://www.alliantenergy.com/yourenergy/y2k/impact.html

What impact will the Year 2000 Problem have?

The impact won't be limited to large companies - Year 2000 problems at large companies could spread to small businesses, and vice versa. For example, a Year 2000 glitch at a large manufacturer could lead to a plant shut- down. The plant's suppliers would lose a major customer, and the plant's customers would lose a major supplier. If the situation escalates, thousands of workers could lose their jobs.

The Year 2000 Problem also could affect the infrastructure that forms the foundation of our society. Many municipal water systems and sewage treatment plants are controlled and monitored by computers. Police and fire departments depend on computers and microchips for their emergency communications. Hospitals keep medical records on computers and use thousands of microchip- driven devices to keep patients healthy.

In a worst- case scenario, the turn of the century could lead to long- term power and communication outages, food shortages and public health and safety concerns.

-- Matt (Butenam1@aol.com), January 22, 1999

Answers

Yaahh! An honest view for a change. Looks like corporate spin is turning more ominous.

-- a (a@a.a), January 22, 1999.

Unfortunately not all corporations. Alliant is just an exception. They have a CEO who should be running the whole country and a Chief Counsel who should be sitting on the Supreme Court instead of giving all their talents to just one company.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), January 22, 1999.

"could lead to long- term power and communication outages, food shortages and public health and safety concerns."

"could spread to small businesses"

"could lead to a plant shut- down"

"could lose their jobs"

"could affect the infrastructure that forms the foundation of our society"

Yes yes yes these things 'could' happen. This isn't the question we're interested in. If any of us had a heart attack, we *could* die any minute. Will we?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 22, 1999.

Flint,

You're right, none of them answer the "big" question (What's going to happen?), but each of the possibilities help define the appropriateness of any given preparation. I'm certainly not going to bet the ranch on electric appliances if the power "could" go out long term, etc. I see much value (to the population) in honest disclosure of conditions society wide.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), January 22, 1999.

Flint, you've heard all your life that you "could get a heart attack". But when before now has a power company told you that you could wake up in a twilight zone overnight? Alright, you could, and you couldn't. Which one will you bet on?

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 22, 1999.

"Yes yes yes these things 'could' happen. This isn't the question we're interested in. If any of us had a heart attack, we *could* die any minute. Will we?"

Oh DO come on Flint! - don't push it... :)

Andy

Two digits. One mechanism. The smallest mistake.

"The conveniences and comforts of humanity in general will be linked up by one mechanism, which will produce comforts and conveniences beyond human imagination. But the smallest mistake will bring the whole mechanism to a certain collapse. In this way the end of the world will be brought about."

Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, 1922 (Sufi Prophet)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 23, 1999.

Andy, I'm not saying these things won't happen, and yes the possibilities are somewhat informative. But they're too general. I know there are hard data somewhere that could be used to quantify these possibilities a little. Which small businesses are most at risk from which large businesses? They know what they're facing by now. Which jobs are most at risk? Does it appear regional or industry specific? On and on.

I'm tired of the 'bad things might happen' stories. A little more focus would likely help those most directly in the line of fire. Even individual soldiers can take more intelligent action with better information than simply 'the enemy is fighting us'.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 23, 1999.