QUICKENING: EXPERTS PLAN FOR Y2K "PEOPLE PANIC"

Its not going to be the machines that cause the most trouble in the upcoming Y2K cliffhanger--it's going to be the humans.

According to a Page One in Tuesday's NEW YORK TIMES, a chorus of regulators and authorities warn that Americans fearing for the worst may end up "inflicting more serius damage on themselves, their neighbors and the economy than anything the computers do."

TIMES reporter Barnaby Feder reports in a 2,000-word scare piece: "Planning experts are taking seriously a wide range of Year 2000 disaster scenarios starring humans, Including bank runs, hoarding of food and gasoline, fires caused by misuse of newly acquired wood stoves and generators, and a rise in gun violence stemming from the surge in firearm sales to those fearing civil unrest."

How many millions will read that in the NY Times paper in the morning?

GEESH...we are getting there..

Mike

-- flierdude (mkessler0101@sprynet.com), February 08, 1999

Answers

Mike Flierdude, the blame-the-awoken spin is starting to dradle.

But really, it won't take and won't fly. Ppl still can think. Keep up with the Joneses curiosity will spark that sleeping awareness in many ppl that not everyplace on the planet is awash in propped prosperity. "If the Joneses are onto an advantageous loop, ought we not be left behind?" There will be some percentage of scoffers who, by reading that article, will prepare to some extent in secret because they don't want to be left in the dark holding a leaky boat with no oars. Up the sewer back-up hallway creek without a paddle!

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 08, 1999.

Sounds more like a guilt trip tactic than anything else. I certainly wouldn't inflict anything on myself that I couldn't handle myself.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 08, 1999.

Looks to me like the Feds propaganda campaign is kickin in.

-Word Cartoon--

I had a mental flash after this phrase "a rise in gun violence stemming from the surge in firearm sales to those fearing civil unrest"

On the way home from the gun store:

"Oh, Evelyn, it's so nice now that we have our first gun. I feel so much safer"

"Yes, Waldo, I feel better, I have really been fearing civil unrest. But don't you think we should go parctice like the nice man said."

Well, I guess we should. But, it's so far out there to the range. Let's just shoot a few pedestrians on the way home. That ought to be good enough."

"Oh Waldo, you're such a genius. Can I have the first shot?"

-End Cartoon--

-- Greybear - who thought he got over having reactions to the anti-gun retoric years ago, but apparently not.

- Got practice ammo?

BTW, what state it it that has on their liscens plate "Live Free or Die" (Gotta love those folks)

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

Greybear,

LOL LOL!

Whoops! I'm late for my hoarders anonomous (H.A.) meeting, gotta go!!

Life is Short, Pray Hard

Deborah

-- Deborah (lauging@home.com), February 08, 1999.

Greybear --- New Hampshire, I believe.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), February 08, 1999.

Greybear - classic! LOL!

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 08, 1999.

On the other hand, given a continuous stream of these sorts of articles the NYT may be responsible for liberal yuppiedom's demise, following the roll over...if the majority of yuppies reading NYT do no preparation whatsoever...wow! and New York is cold weather country too!

Arlin [who wonders if post y2k there might be a crime called "media- violence" - i.e. being the direct cause of the deaths of a large number of people through false and misleading journalism...].

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

The "NY Times" and the "Washington Post" are the two most influential news-sources on the US east coast. I would say country, but I don't get out west much...

In my view the Times & the Post are trend-setters (really bad trends, but that is another story). I don't think the Times would print this without "blessing from Washington". If the Times is as carefully controlled as I think it is, it sounds like 1) the folks in Washington are worried and 2) they are trying to hold-off panic by making the Y2Kers sound like nuts.

The technique of characterizing groups as "nuts" has worked very well for media and government in the past. I think it will be effective again (for most people) unless either Wall-Street crashes, or utilities/transportation/manufacturing crash.

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@anonymous.com), February 09, 1999.

The thing I always loved about the 'good gray lady' was the hypocrisy. It was revealed ten years ago that none other A.M. Rosenthal, former Editor-in-Chief, had a concealed carry permit for a handgun. You can imagine how difficult those are to obtain in NYC. Of course (like Carl "Me? A gun in my house?" Rowan) he had no problem in leading the anti-gun fight his entire career. They lie and they lie and they lie. And then they lie some more. This sort of article will be picked up by every 'fly-over' paper in the country, now that the 'paper of record' has front-paged it. Remember, folks: only 10.5 months to go, so events are going to REALLY accelerate (wonder what city will get 'Reichstagged?')

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), February 09, 1999.

Greybear: Live Free or Die -- It's New Hampshire.

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), February 09, 1999.

Thanks flierdude, looks like it is not the govt or the corp who are responsible for what is going to happen. It is the people who are trying to prepare. ANYBODY GOT EARPLUGS?

-- me (justme@aol.com), February 09, 1999.

Spidey: Already "reichstagged" Oklahoma City.

-- A (A@AisA.com), February 09, 1999.

...Why today's NYTimes Y2K article is SO ominous...

Military Test Exercises For "Urban Warrior" & National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue Web-Site

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 09, 1999.