Interesting quotes from statements made to the U.S. Senate Special Committee

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Interesting quotes from testimony made to the U.S. Senate Special Committee

ED YOURDON, Author and Director of Y2K Advisory Services for Cutter Consortium

"When it comes to Y2K preparedness, though, we citizens are often subjected to ambiguous, undefined, emotional rhetoric - not only by the media, but also by government spokespeople, whose remarks are duly recorded by the media - that makes it far more difficult to have the kind of thoughtful discourse that we need, in order to make prudent decisions."

"But while I personally believe that preparing for a one-month disruption makes far more sense than a 3-day disruption, I believe even more strongly that the choice and decision must be a personal one, based on our own assessment of our own unique set of stakes."

PALOMA O' RILEY, Director of Research for the Cassandra Project

"We need to be reminded that the responsibility to care for ourselves and each other truly and rightly rests with us. Needless discomfort, inconvenience, injury and sometimes death are the result of over-dependence on emergency services, and lack of personal emergency planning."

"Pervasive denial and skepticism abound because 'happy talk' is working, unfortunately, and is having a greatly undesirable outcome by creating for some a false sense of security."

LIZA K. CHRISTIAN, former Executive Director Rogue Valley Y2K Task Force

"An urgency to prepare, but don't worry, be happy? That is an oxymoron. One statement cancels out the other, resulting in procrastination, and lulls the population into a false sense of security."

"The nature of the Year 2000 problem is complex and challenging. To date, no one has discovered a guaranteed solution to the vast global interconnectivity and interdependence produced by computer technology and the Information Age. Apart from a "silver bullet" or revelatory insight, we are faced with a formidable task to remediate every aspect of technology before the deadline."

KERRY BROCK, Director of Broadcasting, Media Studies Center

"The governments' own Y2K Czar, John Koskinen, advises journalists to continually drive toward the facts . Though it seems obvious to journalists in the know, Mr. Koskinen seems to avoid facts."

"If Y2K failures are a fraction of what the government believes they might be, in the post- millennium blame game, journalists will haunt the people responsible for duplicity."

BARBARA COCHRAN, President, Radio-Television News Directors Association

JAMES ADAMS, CEO, Infrastructure Defence, Inc.

"... the media are only as good as the sources that are available to them, and in the case of Y2K the political leadership has abrogated its responsibility and left the stage empty."

"How people react will largely determine the course of that crisis. A well-informed, knowledgeable public will be prepared. They will have taken rational steps to mitigate the damage and ensure the safety of their families, their businesses, and their communities. Whereas an uninformed public, taken by surprise, will panic. Those who learn very late of the possible consequences and the danger they face-as many of the people in the poll probably will-have little time to prepare and will react unpredictably. Public awareness is vital."

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), May 25, 1999

Answers

From Bob Bennett:

"Like fires, floods, storms and traffic accidents, Y2K requires an insurance policy against its unforeseen consequences. That insurance policy comes in the form of reasonable preparation, with the emphasis on reasonable."

Maybe the media will run with that....?

Did you notice where Bennett called us internet Y2Kers the Wild West?

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), May 25, 1999.


Feels like that sometimes:

"Oh Lord, Annie, get the kids inside. I just saw Mad Dog Milne and he's a-gunnin' fer ol' Flint. I need to go warn the sheriff and get some dep'ties over to the C.S.Y2K Corral. Jeremiah! Ruth Anne! You get in here and you mind yer Maw, understand? I'll be back soon as I can!"

8-}]

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 25, 1999.


Consider the following: (Note the last sentence of both statements.)

*********** Testimony of Paloma O'Riley, Cassandra Project on "Individual and Community Preparedness for Y2K"

"For example, there is much of what is coming to be known as 'happy talk' coming from our administration, government agencies, corporations, and institutions. 'Happy talk' is designed to lessen anxiety about Y2K among the general public, supposedly to prevent "a panic". When asked, "panic" is defined as people pulling their money out of the bank or selling off stock. It's disheartening that "panic" equates not with accidental injury, civil unrest, looting, etc., but with the disruption of the economy. With a few notable exceptions, their concern seems not for our families' health, safety, and welfare, but with not rocking the economic boat."

Testimony of Cathy Hotka Vice President of Information Technology National Retail Federation

"The U.S. economy is the envy of the world. But end-of-year panic among normally reasonable people could disrupt this economy, and affect the holiday season for retailers who rely on it."

************ I believe this is the crux of the problem.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), May 26, 1999.


Marsh - Absolutely. Pamela really took it to the mat. Who would have guessed she had it in her? I say, more power to her.

-- Sorry I'm at work (abcdef@aol.com), May 26, 1999.

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