Just a few minutes ago on NBC they announced that some planes may not be in the sky Jan 1, 2000. I guess none of us here knew that, huh? They also stated that Mr. Clinton has set a March 31st deadline for all critical government systems to be ready. Anyone want to take bets on if they are or not? The word is slowly getting out about how serious of a problem this could be. How long before the panic sets in?

-- shellie (shellie01@hotmail.com), February 22, 1999

Answers

Shellie,

no panic yet - the media aren't telling people to panic yet. And they'll lie about the March 31st deadline just like they have about every other deadline...

I still hold it's gonna be either sometime in October, or after there are four or five more explosions that can be traced directly to y2k remediation...*THEN* maybe some folks will panic...maybe...

Arlin [who is finding himself with less and less faith in the common sense of the general public in this country.]

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 22, 1999.

I've gotten over my panic well over a year ago and I know many of you on this forum have too. Lucky for us, because when the long lines form and the kicking and grabbing begins, I don't want to be anywhere near a store, gas station or bank. The word in my opinion is rapidly getting out, at least in my neck of the woods. My husband and I went to a gun show Saturday at the county fairgrounds. We've been to shows all over the State of California and have never experienced one like this. There were wall-to-wall people and the parking lot was packed when we left and people were still driving in. The door keeper was commenting to someone that they have never seen anything like it. I understand thousands attended a Y2K exhibition in Sacramento. So word is getting out, we just aren't seeing the violence....yet.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 22, 1999.

If you wanted an example of panic at the time of celebration, all you had to do was watch Moneyline on CNN tonight. I caught Myron bragging along on how he thought his prediction of 10,400 on the Dow would still come true. I agree with him. He also said that "it's the second half of the year where we might see some problems." Amazingly, I agreed with him again. Hmmmmm, scary that I should ever agree with CNN. But the markets will sound the warning "bell".....Mark my words!

-- John Galt (jgaltfla@hotmail.com), February 22, 1999.

Not quite the whole market, I think. Watch for the "smart" money to start shifting into bonds and Y2K compliant/Y2K integral companies: Dell (compliant PC's) , PLC/chip manufactors (bit late though isn't it), ATT, some power companies (once they've declared compliancy), a few others. Banks maybe - depends on how the fed shores up public confidence there.

Watch for "lists" of compliant companies too, - that will precede the general public shift. Try (if you want to anticipate the market, rather than get out altogether until things stabilize) to anticipate who (what company) will be able easiest manage to get through the troubles by being ready earliest.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.R@csaatl.com), February 23, 1999.