Much discussion and many concerns relate to those who do not understand (get it) Y2K. My own rate of perception was very slow! 1996-squibs of references to a year 2000 software flaw were of no readily apparent significance to me. In 1997, a friend urged my attention to the issue while I was very busy with other matters. Friend persisted through the summer;could be a problem. Then I finally searched the web for information and I was awakened in a few hours as if I had been struck with a bolt of lightening. My own experience helps me to understand those who are oblivious. Looking into glazed eyes when I have commented about a flaw in computers and our essential life-sustaining systems has required me to look into my own mirror. Those were my glazed eyes up until 18 months ago. Now, my attempts to share insights begin with asking what a person would miss most if it's availability were to be interrupted. Responses vary with the individual. Many relate promptly to legal adictions. My favorites are tea and coffee. Next questions: do they grow here and how do they get here? Message to myself is to focus first on what is most important to others in order to elicit their curosity and interest. What was your rate of perception and how do you share it with others? Your responses will be appreciated and valued.

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 10, 1999

Answers

So,

How will you feel when the lights do not go out? How will you feel when the phones still work, when the banks still have money, when civilization does not die after the date change. Will you still sound as sanctimonious as you do now? Jes wonderin'.

-- Y2K Pro (sceptic@here.com), March 10, 1999.

Watchful: I posted about my own "rate of perception and look into the mirror" just a couple of weeks ago. The thread was called Reflections in the Mirror". You may find it interesting, Rob.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000X Zl"

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), March 10, 1999.

probably, like the rest of us, ecstatic!!!

unregenerated Hippy

-- nopenodope (z@z.z), March 10, 1999.

In the late 80s a programmer told me there would be problems at the date change so terrible that he planned not to go to work that day. I figured since I'm not a programmer, it would have no effect on me. A couple of years or so ago I started to see references to the problem, and I began to take it seriously right away. It wasn't until I read Gary North's pamphlet last Spring that I realized the full import of the problem. I have since tried to tell friends and relatives, with very little success. My husband (who required some persuading at first) and I are preparing for a several month crisis. If it gets worse than that, we will die.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), March 10, 1999.

Watchful--

I "discovered" the Y2k problem in March, 1998. Sad, but true. I was given a Chuck Missler tape by a family member, and I remember thinking as I listened, "This sounds so awful, it can't possibly be true!" (Go figure....) I think the reality of it was too much to take in at once. My second thought was, "Why hasn't this been in the news?"

By the time June rolled around, my husband (who is *not* an "alarmist"), suddenly became very alarmed and I started searching the net regularly. Needless to say, we went from stunned to angry to scared to *determined*. Now, we're working hard at getting ready.

We tried telling our neighbors, printing info, etc., but NO ONE WAS INTERESTED. And that's still the case, nine months later. They all have small children, too. I don't know what's going on in their minds....We're planning on buying some extra supplies, but we can't feed the whole neighborhood.

I called our City Y2K "coordinator", and he says they've already designated certain schools as shelters for Y2k. The City Engineer told my husband they're planning on "NO ELECTRICITY". We're on the St. Paul power grid. This info did not phase my neighbors in the LEAST.

My family is about 1/3 GI, and 2/3 DWGI. I don't nag them about it, but they know how we feel. I hope our caution and planning might rub off on them.

You're right about asking people what they might "miss". One relative just spent $500 on a homeschooling program--computer centered, of course. I asked her, "What are you going to do if we don't have electricity?" She said, "That's a good question." Silence.

My turn to *sigh*, Diane. :>)

-- Scarlett (ohara@tara.net), March 10, 1999.

My rate of perception is growing daily. The higher the stock market climbs, the harder it will crash. My mother told me of numerous Y2K specials on television. When enough frightening Y2K programs are being broadcast week after week while the viewers notice the economy is still humming along with no severe problems, then I predict they will become inured, bored and irritated with the Y2K topic much as with the recent WJC scandal, and so they will tune out Y2K and switch stations.

Soon there could be a greater arrogance, a blind confidence, a conceited pride that overtakes the majority of the DGIs. That's when I suspect America will be completed surprised by a heinous event. Then a massive panic will start. That's what nobody wants.

If everyone would work together and make adequate preparations, then all could pass through the coming crises relatively intact. But the majority with whom I work and see have the classic Wait-N-See attitude. Although they are much more aware now of Y2K and think about its issues, they're still sitting on their large padded muscles!

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), March 10, 1999.

How are you my friend, Watchful. We were both here earlier today:

"I understood the two-digit year problem when I was about 16. I didn't really "get" the societal Y2k problem until my mid-forties."

<:)=

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

PS - I see we have a sceptic with us, Mr(s) Y2Kpro. Should I waste a little time and try to enlighten? As you know, I'm working on an idea to convert the DGI. Could be time to put it to the test. Your opinion? <:)=

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

Sysman

Yes - please convert the Sceptic so we can see how it is done. I have a neighbor like Scarlett - 3 kids, thinks it is all hype and that it is "stupid" that her husband - a fireman - can't have New Years off because they wanted to go to a party. No matter what I have said or what I have shown her, it is still all hype. I finally gave up and told her good luck on feeding your babies hype. I think sometimes that it is too much for some people to get. They just can't handle that something this big might happen so they deny deny deny. Question is, will she/they go off the deep end when it does and what do you do then?

By the way, thanks to all on this forum for the info and support. Really helps when you have a bummer of a day or wonder if you are the one who is losing it!

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), March 11, 1999.

I suspect that when the date change occurs, and nothing of signifigance happens (outside of minor irritants) that the current crop of sanctimonious Y2Krackpots will be deeply depressed.

So many of you, with little knowledge of computers or programming see yourselves as "experts" and the rest of us "don't get it". Have you considered the possibilty that YOU are wrong?

Just becuase you have read the flawed analysis of Gary North (how many times has he predicted the end of the world?)does not make you correct.

-- Y2K Pro (sceptic@here.com), March 11, 1999.

Y2K Pro doesn't get his head out of his ass very often to see and smell the real world does he?

Don't waste time trying to convert the DWGI's folks. Idiots like the guy above aren't moved by facts, no matter whence they came or whom they came. Makes no difference to them. Their blind faith in the gov. and tech. systems to solve everything won't be shaken until it is way - way too late for them to do anything to prepare for it.

Let 'em perish.

Be wise as serpents folks. Save yourself the scorn and ridicule by morons such as Y2K Pro (NOT!).

Pearls before swine folks, pearls before swine.

-- INVAR (gundark@aol.com), March 11, 1999.

My perception of the problem went from about 5% to about 95% the day I stumbled onto Cory Hamasaki's site about the time of his 'day 500' newsletter, whatever date that was.

Scarlett, I've wanted to invest in Robinson's K-12 curriculum, but the fact it was all on CD is what held me back. Anyone know where that kind of curriculum (preferably Robinson's) is available on 'fiche?

Thanx!

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), March 11, 1999.

Hey Y2K Pro, anyone who has studied the global y2k situation and doesn't realise that y2k will (at least) murder the economy, is a MORON. This ain't just my humble opinion, it's a fact. Unfortunately.

-- humptydumpty (no.6@thevillage.com), March 11, 1999.

Y2K Pro - Why do you call yourself "Pro"? Ever done any programming? "So many of you, with little knowledge of computers or programming see yourselves as "experts" and the rest of us "don't get it"." Well, many of us here have some knowledge of programming. See this current Thread . How about 1,000 years of experience. How many years do you have? I look forward to your reply. <:)=

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

Y2KPro is one of those many folks out there who appears to be tightly focused on the date rollover and can't see the larger global economic context, and the implications of problems in the rest of the world.

Even if this country is only riddled with "minor irritants" at the date rollover, (and I believe this is likely at best) the situation in the rest of the world may prove to be dire. We cannot function in this country, at the current pace, without the rest of the world. We don't make anything here.

Doom 'n gloom and death 'n destruction are things that we can only speculate on, there is no proof of what will happen. Hoever, if you look at the horrible shape that the world is in economically RIGHT NOW, and throw in an information disrruption on top of that, I believe it becomes obvious that things are going to change radically. I also believe that what things end up looking like afterwards will not be anything like what anyone can imagine...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), March 11, 1999.

Like PShannon pointed out, as bad as the first few days are or are not. Short of nuclear war on 01/01/00, the REAL problems will occur further down the road from rollover.

At rollover all of LA's water resevoirs will be full and the aqueducts will be flowing. At rollover the natural gas storage tanks in Chicago will be full. At rollover the power companies will (hopefully) have their fuel stockpiles at their maximum capacities, At rollover the railroads will have fuel for their locomotives. At rollover the majority of people in America will have some amount of food in their houses and the warehouses and stores will still be stocked.

Now try looking one year ahead from today if the rollover goes badly.

By this time next year, will LA's thirty-day supply of water be kept replinished by the aqueduct system? If not, how many have died of thirst? Will there be any natural gas getting to Chicago? If not, how many have died of cold? Will the railroads have fuel and be operating at enough capacity to carry the needed loads of food? If not, how many have starved? Have the existing social and political structure organized and started food distribution programs should the current system break down? If not, how many died fighting trying to get food?

People who concentrate all their Y2K awareness on the rollover are as blinded as those people who look at their home and place of work and conclude "No Y2K problems at either of those places. Ergo, there is no such thing as Y2K anywhere in the world. It's all hype." Big Y2K problems do exist beyond the boundaries of our personal worlds just as Y2K problems are going to occur beyond the rollover date of 01/01/00.

Don't become myopic and fail to look further than the first day on next year's calendar. I don't expect new revelations about the "Y2K problem of the day" to stop until the third quarter of next year. And if things hold together until then without any major disruptions, then I'm holding one huge Labor Day cookout with lots of Cajun rice and beans.

WW

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), March 11, 1999.