I've been lurking here for quite a long time. I've seen a lot of things that have been helpfull. I've also seen a lot of horseshit.

Polly this. Doomer that. Polly this. Doomer that.

Far be it for me to suggest to anyone what to do, but I think it might be time to get the people YOU CARE ABOUT rolling. I've been trying to get people to prepare for some time, and I've had a little luck. The people who are most important to me could't give a shit.

My preps are all done. The other people in my family don't have a clue. I've got one brother who works for UPPCO, or Wisconsin Power, if you will, who says everyone will be manning all substations on Dec31. My Sister works for the Dept. of Social Services, and she's want's to borrow my Vacuum Packer.

Sorry fellas, but I just can't believe that everything will be ok.

Too much has gone in the other direction.

627

-- 627 (627@thefarm.com), April 16, 1999

Answers

What makes you think we haven't? No friend or relative leaves my house without at least 1/2 dozen articles/reports showing what we're up against. Some are listening and storing up food/water, but most aren't.

I've told about a dozen people they're welcome here (I've got a generator, oil, deep-cycle batteries, a well, guns, ammo, etc) but they'll be responsible for bringing their own food. Even so, I'm buying enough food to last 10 people for at _least_ 3 months in case a few extras show up. They'll be sleeping on air mattresses but at least they'll be warm with a roof over their heads.

I don't want to turn away anyone but believe me I will if I have to. I've done my part by trying to educate them, the rest is in their hands...

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), April 16, 1999.

627,

I got the people I care most about "rolling" over a year ago. We are in pretty good shape regarding the basics, and we're going to work on the extras from here on out.

I think the reason you see so much bickering on this forum is because those of us who do see catastrophe ahead feel an obligation to warn others where we are able. Needless to say, that rubs some folks the wrong way (i.e., Pollys who think that because we are preparing, we WANT bad things to happen).

Sorry, but your advice is really pretty useless for those two factions (Pollys vs. Doomers) on this board. Those of us who believe there will be problems ARE preparing, and the Pollys likely WON'T prepare (at least not for much more than a long weekend).

-- Nabi Davidson (nabi7@yahoo.com), April 16, 1999.

Nabi,

Sorry, but your advice is really pretty useless for those two factions (Pollys vs. Doomers) on this board. Those of us who believe there will be problems ARE preparing, and the Pollys likely WON'T prepare (at least not for much more than a long weekend).

Then there's a third group: people like me who've _always_ kept a little extra on hand, and have never taken power, water, or other modern conveniences for granted.

This comes from growing up in a small town down in coastal Carolina, I s'pose. [g] Every time a thunderstorm passed through when I was growing up, we were likely to do without power -- often for several hours. After Hurricane Fran, I went without power for several days. We had the standard flashlight, batteries, radio, and extra food then, and keep them around now -- regardless of Y2K.

What's really happening is that a lot of people who haven't been through outages are considering this for the first time. Maybe that's a good thing. No one should just assume that the gas stations will always have gas, the grocers food and the utility electrons.

And yet, on the Y2K issue itself, you'd probably consider me a "Polly," because I'm convinced that there will be no major problems -- an outage or two, maybe, and perhaps a few nuisance shortages which will make "oh, well" pieces at the end of the news for a few weeks.

--Stephen
http://www.wwjd.net/smpoole

-- Stephen M. Poole, CET (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), April 17, 1999.

Yeah, Stephen, if you've only got "a little extra on hand" for Y2K, I consider you a Polly.

-- Nabi Davidson (nabi7@yahoo.com), April 18, 1999.

Nabi:

I think your emphasis misses the target by a bit (not much, though). It seems that everyone here is doing special preparations. The disagreement is between those who are *sure* they'll need those preparations, and those who believe they're *unlikely* to need them.

My reading is that very few here really want to see a total collapse in order to rebuild a world more to their liking. Many of us see our preparations as an insurance policy. I think very few of us will ever be in a position where our survival would be chancy or impossible without our preparations. But since we don't know who (if any of us) might be in that position, and since such a position can't be ruled out, we all prepare.

I think that the evidence we have is sufficient for what it's worth to inform people into preparing. I don't think it needs to be exaggerated or misrepresented so as to frighten people into preparing.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), April 18, 1999.

Also, don't forget, in periods of supply shortages ... prices rise. The SF Bay Area is a prime example of that one at the moment. Think gas prices.

Preparing now, could well be a cost-effective strategy.

Y2K impact is already "economic" in terms of remediation expenses being the most astronomical in history.

Expect it to have continued economic consequences, beyond the turn.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), April 18, 1999.

Diane: Y2K impact is already "economic" in terms of remediation expenses being the most astronomical in history.

Astronomical compared to what? Diane, that's just not so.

There have been several events in the past century that have cost far more. (WWII springs to mind, for example -- particularly if you -- correctly -- adjust for inflation.)

Shoot, we spent multiplied _billions_ on the Gulf War, and Clinton currently shows every sign of spending at least that much on Kosovo.

This is one of those statements that may "feel right," but in fact, is quite incorrect.

--Stephen
http://www.wwjd.net/smpoole

-- Stephen M. Poole, CET (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), April 18, 1999.