This is my new stragegy.

I approached my next-door neighbor tonight saying..."My Mom keeps sending me all of this literature about Y2K..my Dad is a diabetic, so they are very concerned (he really is and they really are). and this is what they are telling me. (Give perinent info).."What do you think?' You can overcome objections based on what "Mom" said.

If they respond favorably, I am suddenly a Y2K convert and let the festivities begin. If they don't and come knocking on my door on Jan 5, ..."God, I wish I had listened to my parents!"

Just an option to those still looking for converts...

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 27, 1999

Answers

You don't want to be the only person on your block who is prepared.That could be dangerous. But you are right in being tactful in approaching your neighbor. If they know you have much supply & they (or their kids) are really starving, they'll be knocking on your door. I believe in sharing & helping. But some are a bit naive about being too gracious to the point of letting it be known you have extra to share with whoever. The next time they return, some may return with a gun at your head! No kidding. When people are starving & will die, the survival instinct kicks in!

-- Ray (Kcorner67@hotmail.com), February 27, 1999.

Neighbors: Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

Be very careful what you say to nasty neighbors. Try to be civil. Whatever evil grudges they hold against you and the rest of humanity must be fathomed before you declare your Y2K value. Use common sense. Those who are nasty now will be VERY NASTY when Y2K strikes.

Be prepared to show kindness and help them. Maybe, just maybe, they'll appreciate your help and can become GOOD neighbors.

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), February 27, 1999.

Time and Time again, I have said to keep your plans to yourself! Let them approach you first! And how do you know that your neighbor isn't preparing with the thought in mind that you haven't prepared? And they are expecting YOU to show up at their door step? People are afraid, secretive (me for one), and when a neighbor does approach you about Y2K, at least you both know what the score is. Plan accordingly to your own survival, and others come in last. Think barter......

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 27, 1999.

We have such a strange neighborhood, I don't know how to begin. It is suburban....everyone lives on about one acre....too far to walk and too close to telephone. Over the years, mostly over their dogs, we've developed certain animosities with neighbors on two sides. Two elderly couples make up the other two sides, and a fifth nearby does not speak very good English. Down the street and closeby are families who have lived here as long as we have (over 20 years), but we have never developed close relationships with any of them. Further down the road are new houses and developments, closer together, and perhaps with an opportunity for more cohesiveness among themselves.

Does any of this sound familiar to any of you, and does anyone have any suggestions on how to start some sort of neighborhood organization. We feel that it is important for everyone to be prepared, and aware. Otherwise, there could be trouble.

help?

Mary P.

-- Mary P. (CAgdma@home.com), February 27, 1999.

Mary,

I live in a similar area. We are perhaps more rural, we have 3 acres, but there are people around us with as many as 300 acres. You might consider what someone did in our area. They printed out some material about y2k and left it on mailboxes up and down the road. This was how I became y2k aware. This person did this last summer. So I know that at least someone in this area is probably well prepared. My husband and I have been preparing steadily since the end of last summer and have made good headway, but still have lots to do. This might be a way to inform your neighbors without revealing your plans.

-- grateful (mybit@cyber.space), February 27, 1999.

Roleigh Martin has put together a handout that can be mailed anonymously to neighbors:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/roleigh_martin/anon_1.htm

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), February 27, 1999.

Many of us are in the same rural-type setting. I am planning as if no one else in my area is planning, and they are not even considered in my plans other than for bartering. If they are not at that point in time prepared, and when they come knocking on my door for food I will ask them what do they have in exchange for 4 cups of rice? I am sure they will offer jewerly..things they think I would want. But I don't want trinkets. I want fuel, TP, tools, things that they will need to survive. Many will just be SOL!

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 27, 1999.

I have read Roleigh Martin's handout, and the one problem I see with it is his preparation recommendations. His suggestions on food stockpiling will seem ludircrous to those who are not familiar with the problem (make your own flour, stock soy protein powder, etc.) and hence the whole flyer will be ignored by the average city dweller.

A good premise, but in my humble opinion, it needs some revisions.

I still say that my best defense are prepared neighbors. I guess I just don't have Bardau's "Rambo Mentality" in me. Make no mistake, however...we are armed and will not hestitate to defend ourselves in the event or clear threats.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 28, 1999.

I made personal handouts from copied articles on banking, power grid, etc to seven neighbors. Chinese chemist working with lagre pharmasutical company said all embedded chips could be found and time clocks changed by computer , anytime ! NO problem . No one else called me; most didn't bother to ask my name. The dumbest of all was the vetenarian; her mother, who was a GI , I thought , took the literature and said she knew someone who lived near her that was interested and she would give it to him. DIDN'T seem to fathom that it could possibly affect her. Then the vet daughter came home. She looked right through me ! Total denial !! Like someone said, best to keep low profile. Looking for my second SKS now. Got ammo ??? Eagle

-- Harold Walker (e999eagle@freewwweb.com), February 28, 1999.

Thanks folks...depressing but interesting to know tht other neighborhoods are like mine. Add this to the Face the Nation reports...If it is so bad as for closed sessions, how can they sit on the tv and say it is so good? People just don't seem to realize the extent of this problem. How can the US be OK if the rest of the world (our suppliers) is not OK?

Got tennis shoes? (most are made overseas.)

Mary P.

-- Mary P. (CAgdma@home.com), February 28, 1999.

I don't think my mentality even comes near "Rambo," it is the reality of how I see it and what I think is happening with my neighbors, and that is nothing! I have one neighbor who are GIs--sort of and haven't been able to talk with them at any great length. They have planned for 3 weeks but I don't know if they just said that to throw me off or they are prepared for 6 months or a year. When the weather gets nice again we will find out more information, but I won't tell them to what extent I have prepared. Our preparation with them will be more in the way of security than food, that's the only thing they have to offer me. She's not in good health and her husband is practically deaf....so go figure!

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 01, 1999.