As I do every few months, I had planned on making a plug to get in shape if you are not already. There is not that much time left before the stress level for everyone will probably shoot through the ceiling due to Y2K related problems. If TSHTF, as I expect that it will, then being able to have a lot of stamina, flexibility, coordination and strength will pay off many times over. You can't do it all at once, but prioritize: if you smoke, are overweight, etc., obviously start there. (The last thing that you need on top of everything else with Y2K is to have to worry about feeding your nicotine craving.) Obviously, if you are out of your 20s, see a doctor first to get a checkup, especially if you have led a sedentary lifestyle. (As with everything else Y2K related, if nothing happens, what have you lost if you prepare physically? Getting in shape is the best decision you can ever make, anytime! Look good, feel good, etc., etc.!!!)

Prior to starting this thread, I perused the most recent batch, and am pretty much convinced that -- as many have noticed -- we seem to have a New Breed of trolls, quite a bit different than the usual variety. Out of nowhere, suddenly there are quite a few new posters aggressively trying to push the following: don't prepare, you have been brainwashed, Y2K will work out just fine, you are paranoid, you are a victim of snake-oil salesmen that just want your money, don't prepare, banks are fine, electricity is fine, companies are ahead of schedule, don't prepare, Paul Milne is a butthead, the experts say that there is no problem, don't prepare, etc. It only takes a couple of people with extra time on their hands to come up with this wave of trash, but at the same time, it is amazing how much could suddenly appear over so short a period of time. (And some of the names that they some up with -- "Mutha"?? "Uncle Poo Poo"?? I figure these folks are pretty young, but gosh, are they even potty trained????) I think that the answer is the same as always: Ignore the trolls! (And get in shape....)

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), February 02, 1999

Answers

Jack,

Also don't forget to exercise your brain.

It's one of the most important tools you have for sorting through the Y2K "troll tripe" and formulating your own preparation strategies. And keep exercising your "digit" freedom typing on the 'ole keyboard, after jogging around the neighborhood and internet blocks.

Diane, ... hup, two, three, four ...

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

Diane,

ROTFLMAOAPBFOTFTTGMB!! (and pounding both fists on the floor trying to get my breath)

You have supplanted your previous cyber image of an Elfin Maid lurking in a tree with one eye on your dinner-squirrel and the other on the road warriors trooping through the forest below, with one of a Roman Diana with full quiver and stentorous, yet feminine voice, putting a platoon of trolls through strenuous close order drill!

"Hut 2 3 4! Dubultuthurear, dubultuthurear, HWUA!

Gititon, Gal!

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), February 02, 1999.

Hardliner *Grin* ...

Don't anger a nature goddess when she has a quiver full of digital arrows. Both the Roman Diana and the Greek Artemis had their roots in the earlier Goddess Selene, of the moon, home and hearth. A male shift in "goddess perception" created the "huntress" image. The truth is she protects and nutures.

Don't forget that one. Now .. gimme 100 digital lines ... "I will use my brain to reach beyond trolldom..." and get busy exercising that military marine bod -- take a jog in the forest!

Diane

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

And don't forget to eat your warrior food, as prescribed at Paris Island: salad !

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), February 02, 1999.

FWIW -

I started doing yoga last year, taking professional classes with my ex- girlfriend. I didn't really like the classes, for a variety of reasons, and broke up with the girlfriend, but I bought a CD and a video and a couple of books. Now, I do a mini version most mornings and evenings at home.

My energy and agility have increased tremendously, my mind is clear and crisp. I've gotten so that I eat very little, I can be satisfied with a bowl of oatmeal, some soup, a banana or apple, and a half gallon of water a day. In fact, if I go out to eat and stuff myself, it feels disgusting and I regret it for days.

I still have a few beers a week and half a pack of cigarettes a day, and the rare other smokes. The roll around my middle is almost gone (i was maybe 10 lbs overweight at worst, not too bad, but I can feel a difference). My muscles are stronger, cravings for sugar and salt are gone, I'm not bothered by hot or cold, I sleep less.

The beauty of the yoga thing, is that you don't need any equipment, you can do little bits here and there (my co-workers are amazed that I can bend forward, keep my knees straight, touch my nose to my knees and put my hands almost flat on the floor. Most of them can't touch their toes. Some can't SEE their toes). You can do small meditations anywhere.

Anyway, I've been doing this thinking in terms, as Jack suggests, that if TSHTF, I'll probably need to be as clear and energetic as possible. Some of my family members are not in good shape, and I know that I'll need to be the muscle. And, it's good to do anyway.

I WOULD NOT recommend that someone who is not already in shape buy a yoga video and start doing it, NOT a good idea. You can get hurt. However, take a few classes first for the basics and then follow a program and you would probably do great!

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), February 02, 1999.

Out of curiosity, I'd like to know if anyone considers any of the following questions about reliability of information unreasonable:

1) Is there good reason to believe the source has an axe to grind? (Whether this is North or Koskinen).

2) Does the source's level of experience and intimacy with the material matter? (is Rick Cowles or Dick Mills a more reliable source of information about electricity than North or Koskinen?)

3) Am I bringing a bias to my interpretation of this source material? (Have I rejected an opinion with no knowledge of what it was based on? Am I accepting agreeable self-assessments as facts (either good or bad), and rejecting disagreeable self-assessments on the grounds that self-assessment cannot be trusted?)

4) How current is this information? (Should obsolete reports be granted the same credence as current reports?)

5) Are impossible levels of verification being demanded, and the information rejected if these demands are not met? (but only if we don't like the claims being made -- otherwise, we substitute exaggeration for verification and call it facts).

6) Is an evaluation internally consistent? (Does it consider reported completion percentages as meaningless when they're high, yet accept them as facts when they're low? Does it cite a source as reliable when that source says something they like, yet label that same source unreliable when it says something they don't like?)

-----

I don't mind bucking the current here by admitting that I find all of those questions entirely reasonable. These aren't my questions either - they were all posed by "mutha" in another thread.

This is a troll? If so, we have a new definition -- a troll is anyone who expects clear thinking from anyone here. In that case, this is no longer a forum, it's a circle jerk for religious converts.

p.s. Nowhere did 'mutha' say not to prepare. Saying that (s)he did so is a clear lie. Jack found it necessary to repeat this lie FOUR TIMES (I counted). The fact that nobody bothers to object to such blatent dishonesty says a lot about what's happening here. Think about it (anyone who still can, of course).

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), February 02, 1999.

Yeah, Flint, look how everybody is jumping on DeJager, now that he's saying something they don't like. Before he was a hero and a prophet. Maybe he's always one step ahead of the herd, while the composition of the herd changes... One the other hand, maybe he's an opportunistic idiot.

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), February 02, 1999.

Gee, Flint, I can see you sure have been doing your push-ups! As often as your good name has been unfairly wrung through the wringer regarding honesty by Paul Milne, I would hope that you would be a little less hasty to judge.

In discussing the New Breed of trolls, I presented a collage of what I have observed over the last several days. I did not attach everything to any one particular troll, just stated that this seems to be the general trend that this New Breed seems to be pushing. I especially emphasized their Don't Prepare mantra, because I find it the most distressing. Plenty of people might see Y2K as no big thing, but nevertheless are reasonable enough to simply take prudent steps to prepare for bad times (like even the Red Cross advocates, limited though it is). Goodness knows, I certainly would not want to soil anyone's good name, including Uncle Poo Poo, Mutha, et al.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), February 02, 1999.

Flint,

Some trolls may disagree, but I, and others are preparing for:

1) Natural diasters -- earthquakes, floods, fire, hurricanes, severe shifts in weather patterns, and unknown repercussions due to related potential events

2) Manmade disasters -- unknown Y2K repercussions, possible terrorist actions, stupidity and shortsightedness of our government officials {locally, city-wide, county-wide, state-wide, nationally and internationally}, global economic collapse, stock market bubbles, and laziness of an unaware populace

3) Ecological disasters - combined natural and manmade disasters such as global warming, abuse of fragile ecosystems, etc.

4) Personal disasters -- job loss or layoff, illness, hunger, thirst, need for shelter, etc. totally unrelated to to the above, but just a "fact of life" in interesting times

5) To help our fellow humans, to the best of our abilities, with all of the above.

There is no certainly, no "known" about Y2K. But, from what I can extrapolate from the key puzzle pieces, at this timing, I KNOW this will not be a "walk in the park."

Some, not all, "trolls" are just kidding themselves and trying to kid others too. They need to take a hard look "beyond Y2K" issues from a global perspective, and look back on earth, from the distance of the Moon. 'Tis a borderless world they will see, should they have eyes to do so. Very "small" and quite interdependant.

Diane

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

Jack:

I admit I can't read every post in every thread, but I have yet to see *anyone* say not to prepare. How can you call this a mantra? This is entirely your own incorrect inference.

So here we go again: the statistic tell you that your house is very unlikely to burn down. Are those statistics chanting any kind of "don't insure" mantra? Of course not! Are the statistics being devious? Are they trolls? Are they false? Did you decide not to buy fire insurance based on them? Come on.

I have seen posts by those who expect y2k to ultimately amount to no more than isolated and minor inconveniences, perhaps no more likely than your house burning down. I don't agree with these people, but you buy insurance against *unlikely* events, as well as likely.

Why continue to see what isn't there?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), February 02, 1999.

BRAVO- BRAVISE!!! Diane!

I can see you have kept your word at inventing your own brand of "Troll Relief". Very good. Isn't laughter wonderful in the face of impending catastrophe and the scoffs of fooles?

I have much catching up to do. It looks like a whole new cast of characters has appeared here upon the forum of which I have to choose for the next installment of the Bagga Saga.

-- INVAR (gundark@aol.com), February 02, 1999.

WELCOME BACK INVAR!!!

You've been missed. There is a new breed of trolls now that require your special loving "attention." Many of us don't have the time any more to keep up with the forum daily, so the Yourdinite Community Troll Patol is growing by leaps and bounds ... newbies, old threaders, middle of the charters, pollyannas, doom 'n gloomers ... we're all here, keeping watch ... on them and each other!

The 'ole US of A melting pot is creating Y2K chicken soup for the GI soul, right here in cyberspace.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 03, 1999.