For those of you who worry that Joe Sixpack is getting an overly optimistic picture from the media, and is not exposed to the darker possibilities of y2k, I offer the consolation of the following screaming headlines and accompanying text from the popular tabloid "Weekly World News" of 1999-3-30:

Special Bulletin: Government Insiders Warn: Bank Collapse is Just Months Away
Year 2000 Computer Meltdown will... WIPE OUT ALL Savings & Checking Accounts and Make Credit Cards Useless... Act Now Before It's Too Late

Year 2000 will trigger a bank collapse, computer meltdown, world market panic, Unemployment expected to rise to 30 percent

Millions of Americans concerned for their financial security plan to withdraw all their money from the bank the day before the dreaded Millenium Bug computer crisis strikes on January 1, 2000. But the move will horribly backfire, experts warn - because the sudden drain on assets from the vaults will trigger a worldwide bank collapse!

"A run on the banks this coming New Year's Eve is almost guaranteed, which spells financial catastrophe on a terrifying scale," confirms respected financial analyst George K. Roynee.

"We're looking down both barrels of another Great Depression."

"Many hundreds of thousands of Americans will be left jobless, homeless, and starving, forced to beg, steal, or resort to prostitution to support their families."

Etc.

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), March 24, 1999

Answers

Thanks BH. Can I pick up this fine publication in the checkout line at my local grocery store?

-- Nabi Davidson (nabi7@yahoo.com), March 24, 1999.

Yeah, it's next to the London Times with the dumb drug "suspicions" Headline about the KLA.....karen

-- karen (karen@karen.com), March 24, 1999.

Haven't you heard? Batboy has started a software company and is planning to release his version of "the Silver Bullet." ;-)

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), March 24, 1999.

karen,

Are you from Kosovo, or just a good De-moo-crat???

-- Roger (roger@wilco.com), March 24, 1999.

More conditioning the masses to think controlling their own money is a bad, anti-social, disruptive behavior.

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), March 24, 1999.

Thanks Karen. I'll look for both of them the next time I'm in a 7-11.

-- Nabi Davidson (nabi7@yahoo.com), March 24, 1999.

The question is when will the government impose strict limits on the withdrawal of cash from banks to prevent the situation discussed in the article? Surely before 12 31 99. Will they wait until withdrawals become large in December or surprise everyone and do it in September or earlier? The ridiculous part is that gold is heading lower. Manipulation anyone? Is anything not rigged anymore? The morals and values of the Clinton Administration are something to behold. We interfere in a Civil War in Koscovow because of the killing and tell the American people that Y2k will be minor disruptions for a few days so that they do not prepare. People will die here and steps are not taken to warn them. They think that it is O K to spend money and risk lives overseas in that war but do not help the American people understand and prepare? Hypocrites and Incompetents in charge? Sparks was right on an earlier post tonignt.

-- Steve (sad@notstupid.com), March 25, 1999.

Roger -- Buy your propaganda at the 7-11 and don't forget to get Monica's book. You need entertaining. London Times is about as technical as you get, I'll bet - moo moo - hahaha, I am glad you don't live near me - karen - oh and don't forget, you can always prostitute yourself to support your family when y2k strikes

-- karen (karen@karen.com), March 25, 1999.

The CIA's disinfomation tool online

-- a (a@a.a), March 25, 1999.

KAY and JAY are at a downtown newsstand. Kay is furiously searching

through the tabs; Jay is standing behind him, a little embarrassed.

JAY

These are the hot sheets?

Kay pulls a copy of the Weekly World News from the stand and gives the guy a buck.

KAY

Best damn investigative reporting on the

planet. But hey, go ahead, read the New

York Times if you want. They get lucky

sometimes.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), March 25, 1999.

The WWN warned us six weeks ago that millions would die when our lawnmowers and electric shavers went berserk as a result of Y2K.

I never miss an issue. If it isn't the best investigative reporting it's certainly the most creative. Favorite headline ever: "Statue of Elvis Found on Mars."

-- Ned (entaylor@cloudnet.com), March 25, 1999.

Aren't those the guys that published photos of Clinton, Bush and Perot with aliens during the 1992 campaign?

They've just gotta be on the "inside"!

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), March 25, 1999.

karen said "you can always prostitute yourself to support your family when y2k strikes"

Sure, just like in Moscow. Today there are 80,000 prostitutes in that city alone. Don't prepare, and see what YOU will do for food next year if things get bad enough.

-- none (none@none.none), March 25, 1999.

Japan is also now prostituting its young people because of economic hardship. Karen...you are a fool.

-- a (a@a.a), March 25, 1999.

The question about Weekly World News is not whether they are a good news source, or practice "safe" journalism, or anything remotely like it.

The shock for me at the checkout when I saw it was "Ohmigod, a million people will see this today! Is it too late to get mine out?" (Business complications tying up my moolah till June or July)

Every time millions of people hear the topic of bank runs, they will have to either accept it, or dismiss it. Eventually, it's a 50-50 choice. "Oh well, I might as well do it."

(It's a funny system when FAITH in the system effectively is based on CYNICISM. I guess the Iron Curtain countries had that pretty strongly working for them until 1989. No one knew what everyone else would do, but once they did it, everyone knew. Communism had support 50 yards wide, and an inch deep.)

Problem is, the fractional reserve system needs us believing in it about 99-1, not 50-50. It needs us to NEVER think of an alternative to it. Needs blind faith. Eyes opening, that's bad news.

Ever see an oceanfront house hanging off a washed-away hillside after a storm? The hill's not growing any new dirt under the house. We're all just wondering not "if" but "which" wave will take it down.

Someone had an analogies thread awhile back (about two days, in my memory):

How about a game of Musical Chairs with 20 people, 20 chairs, and they're quietly removing 19 of them before the music stops for the first round.

I mean, do you really have to think about it very much?

-- jor-el (jor-el@krypton.com), March 27, 1999.