This was in my y2kboard inbox. I know this has been presented here before, so please keep the flamethrowers pointed this way!

"Duh says only a few correctly placed terrorist acts could take down the whole grid."

Any comments? Considering things like our relationship with Iraq, what's his name that just !X<.>X! 2 of our embasies (spell check!), and considering the state of DOD, not to mention the general state of the country on the magic date? Could be a very good time to take advantage of us, no?

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 08, 1999

Answers

,,,,a few successfull t-acts could take down a large portion of the grid, but the grid is very well protected, so i hear.

-- bud (lurker@computers edge.com), February 08, 1999.

Come on Bud, you not serious are you?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 08, 1999.

serious about what the grids vulnerability or the fact that i`ve heard it`s well protected? Serious about both. Leaving a delicate subject behind us, what thinks you the chances of Russia`s, China`s, etc. etc. grid holding up? And what happens when political leaders think ( or whatever it is they do ) then act?

-- bud (lurker@computers edge.com), February 08, 1999.

anybody wanna hypothesize on what happens if someone takes down one or more of the AC to DC to DC to AC bridges between the different parts of the US grid? sane thing to do? no. dangerous? certainly. possible? you betcha.

On the other hand, the whole grid wouldn't neccessarily go down, nor would it neccessarily stay down for any length of time. It's a patchwork, but that's a strongpoint in this sort of scenario.

just my 2 cents' worth, Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 09, 1999.

Bud,

I think just about all the grids and "infrastructure" type things have a life expectancy depending on the 8 to 10 questions.

By that I mean if things get wild enough I don't there will be a lot of the normally good hard woking folks who will be worried about the "grid" or what ever their regular job was.

When the dust settles (it will sooner or later) they will get back to their work but on a MUCH more local level.

On the other point of vaunerablities. I saw some factiod the other day that asserted that 26% of the African continent was wilderness and 29% of North America was wilderness. Don't know if that is exactly true but the gist of it is that there is a LOTempy space around us, and a lot of ways to encourage the grid to come down if one were so inclined. And as has been aptly pointed out we are not the most favorite nation to a lot of folks in the world.

We are living in a MUCH more fragile world that most people think.

-- Greybear

- Got batteries?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 09, 1999.

Thanks folks. Personaly I think it's a minor worry. I'm more concerned with things like BigDog's report showing how "average" numbers were being computed, and the report I started a new thread on, saying the industry average, at this late date is, 44% done and tested. Funny, I'm a programmer neck deep in Y2K work, but one of my biggest concerns is starting to be the power. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 10, 1999.

Sysman,

Water concerns me just as much as power does.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), February 10, 1999.

I think this forum is collectively in a degree of denial. Sysman if you can worry about the U.S. grid, Speak to yourself thoughtfully on the grids of other nations. The "Iron Triangle" in the U.S. has a good chance to survive. But so what? Other nations will be at war,the situation will evolve on the international front.....to what? Do you expect cavalry to arrive?....The politial leaders of the world will not come up with a novel approach to an old problem.

-- bud (lurker@computers edge.com), February 10, 1999.

Hi Bud, believe me, the power is not my only concern! I'm simply using recent news on a specific topic as an example. It IS important, so is water, how about oil? But I hope it won't get to a 10. I'm hoping we get enough fixed so it doesn't get to war, or riots. Do I have any proof it won't get that bad? That's why I'm here. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 11, 1999.

San Francisco goes down for hours over a little problem and you guys don't think terrorist activity is a potential problem ????? A well coordinated effort with hits all accross the US, at one time, would certainly cause some damage. Get rid of a few transformers that have to be replaced and your talking days before things could be up and running.....

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), February 11, 1999.

Hi Dinty, good point. It didn't take much to screw up a big city. I think the grid, is at best, going to be strianed. It may not take much to do it in. The world may be a little involved in other problems, leaving us open, and the bad guys know it. Just one more thing to consider, on top of all the other "great" news, posted here recently, about NERC. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), February 11, 1999.