It may just be me, but I have spent alot of time lurking on other y2k sites, and there seems to be a sudden increase of sour notes in the old trala lala la song! There has been a sharp change in attitude out in cyberland. I even noticed the change on Westergaard's site. They have been middle of the road on y2k, for quite a while. Could it be, that truth is slowly finding it's way to the surface? Could it be, that people really read the Senate report? Has anyone's opinon on this forum changed for the worse in the last two or three weeks? We may be in worse shape than we think!

-- Scotty (BLehman202@aol.com), March 10, 1999

Answers

Hi Scotty,

I have been lurking and occassionally entering into discussions for well over a year. My take is that there may be a heightening of attention on Y2k (for the GI's) only because the time is getting shorter. There are the April dates coming which tends to increase the anxiety of some folks (which is understandable). We all have to make decisions on preparations often before we're ready financially or emotionally.

I don't know if the truth is finding its way to the surface (your scenario may be accurate) . . . or people are beginning to feel much more stress/anxiety/intensity/urgency. People are beginning to quantify being only 9 months out (maybe 21 days for some) -verses- a year or more.

Just my 2 cents,

Tim

-- tim daniels (tim@commonsense.com), March 10, 1999.

Reading the Senate Report - scan, front-to-back, by industry, by interest... again, again, and again.

Anger.

and fear. and fight.

Fetal positions in the middle of the night.

But, that was yesterday.

Today, this morning. I'm clear again.

That's just the way it is for me.

Thanks, Scotty, for questioning the shape we are in.

~C~

Last night, I met with a broad representation of our local population (Wilmington, NC) at a Y2K Seminar hosted by Barnes and Noble. The first part of the program was a "what we're doing locally" update from Altell(wireless), BellSouth(telephony),

-- Critt Jarvis (critt@critt.com), March 10, 1999.

I think you are right, Scotty, as far as it goes. What I mean by that is that I think it obviously it remains to be seen if the truth is really surfacing, or it's a temporary concern over the state of the world in general.

Specifically, virtually all the people deeply concerned about Y2K readily state that its not only the technological problem, but the phychological response and social unrest that could follow. When you add to the mix, as everyone here has, Russian nukes, Chinese and Korean nukes, biological warfare, "unrealistic" (as they call it) stock market prices, and the rest --- who wouldn't/shouldn't be "sour"?

Still, there has seldom (historically) been any thoughtful preperations for a disaster more than a day or two before it happens. Hard to believe it'll really be any different this time. My opinion still swings, but consistently more and more toward the dark side - - - unless something reaslly weird or miraculous happens. As has often been said, the US and the world (you and me, in other words) seem almost perfectly set up for a hard fall, but we've escaped a few times before (I'll believe it when I see it this time).

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), March 10, 1999.

It's just this damned uncertainty...gives you a gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach.

-- Eye On Y2K (bugscaresme@mellinium.com), March 10, 1999.

we already had two 5kw generators which we have used hard and heavy in the past. But yesterday hubby went out and bought a 40 kw diesel gen. We really won't run it more than we would the other two, but we can run EVERYTHING wide open when its on. We can wash and dry clothes, take baths, bake bread in the oven, cook on the stove, etc. We still won't have refrigeration except what is in our RV and we won't have freezer or lights. We dare not run lights at night as I don't want the world to know we have the generator. Its big enuff that the gov't would come in and take it if they needed it. Also we have an elderly neighbor on kidney dialysis and I might have to do that twice a week for her We paid an extra $900 for some kind of governor that will allow me to use my computer and also the kidney dialysis machine.. We have 1000 gal of diesel, but still could run out of that so will use very sparingly. Still will have to fill water jugs for drinking/cooking. Will still fill bathtubs for flushing toilets. But what a joy for me that I will be able to do the washing in a washing machine. My hubby can run his welder, drill press, air compressor, saws, etc in his shop to do repairs for us and friends. So, yes, we have become increasingly anxious and have gone from a 5 to about an 8. The fact that our local non producing electrical co op is buying and installing generators for businesses in the area certainly doesn't give one much confidence in having any power. John Koskinen can talk all he wants about the grid not going down but there will be "local problems", doesn't mean much. Wherever I AM is LOCAL!!!!

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 10, 1999.

Taz, for your info, in a recent Dick Mills column, the term "localized" has been determined to mean confined to a STATE.

His wife called the government Y2K hotline and received that definition in response to her question.

Interesting, ain't it?

-- Y2K Girl (suzan@acornworld.net), March 11, 1999.