A Time For Cool Heads On The Forum And ...

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

... a time to complete your preps. Q3 1999 begins July 1. IMO, you should be out of the stock market by July 15 and done with all critical preps by August 31, 1999. Even though we're personally > 90% there, the last bit will take a disproportionate amount of will and energy to complete (not unlike programming projects, come to think of it).

From a citizen's point of view, pre-Y2K is nearly over. We are not going to have reliable information on Y2K remediation. We are not going to have reliable information on government plans for Y2K responses. Let that soak in once and for all. You will not receive MORE accurate data than you already have with respect to decisions you must make for your family. Don't let this render you a deer frozen in the headlights. Finish up.

IMO, most of the recent threads on censorship have been largely a tempest in a teapot. For those concerned, I would wager, though it's not my decision, there will sufficient, though perhaps not unlimited, opportunity on TB2K over the next six months to talk dirty and attack everybody. Who cares, ultimately?

Those of us who are GIs need to keep cool during June, July, August and September and finish preparing. TB2K DOES need to focus on preps over the next three months (including, broadly, scenarios related to types of preps) because after three years of Y2K alarms about supplies being raised, we are now truly entering the end game.

We will have plenty of time in Q4 1999 and Q1 2000 to analyze Y2K itself as it finally unfolds for real.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 08, 1999

Answers

Spot on,Big Dog. We could with a banner running at the top to remind us - every time we come to the forum.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), June 08, 1999.

Hear hear! Aye aye. Aaaaiiiiee

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 08, 1999.

My greatest failing has been getting started, but not quite completing, certain areas of preps. A huge sigh of relief when the wood stove was installed in January and the practice cord of wood arrived. But I have almost run out of that wood. Thanks to Puddintame's warnings a few weeks ago about the growing unavailability of firewood, I am now busily stacking (and restacking after the piles collapse...) I have a water filter and a small hand washer, but I haven't practiced with them yet so I don't yet know if they will function in the way I intended them to. And I need to set up doctors' appointments on matters that might require follow-up, since I want them out of the way by early to mid fall so the insurance can be completed this year.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 08, 1999.

Agreed! -salute-. But, BD, what about those of us who are basicly done with their work? Can WE go out and play? Just a little?

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 08, 1999.

Will Continue ... oh, okay, if you insist (said by a guy who is trying to get his golf game to 88 regularly before the sheep end up having to keep the fairways clipped ....)

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 08, 1999.


Big Dog,

I agree, we are in the end game. That's why I have put more thinking into my preps and, hence, my unusual thread on a Milne 10 scenario and community building. I am taking my money out of the market very soon (whatever small change is left!). As I rush to finish my Human Sues, I continue to feel challenged by the huge expense of a wood burning stove and cords of hard wood. I am left wondering whether it is still worthwhile to focus on house anchored preps or focus more on camping or other things.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), June 08, 1999.


Good assessment BigDog, Things always seem to get interesting after Labor Day with regard to the stock market and now y2k. We have completed most of our preps with the exception of solar.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), June 08, 1999.


Stan - How flexible are you really? Really depends on your circumstances. Camping in New England in the middle of the winter with my two cats and elderly parents is out of the question. I live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, and I am willing to gamble that staying put is the safest decision. I agree there are scenarios that I would be SOL, for instance, if the house burned down or looters moved in.

I bought two stoves, an insert for my livingroom fireplace and a standalone to winterize a three-season porch. Although I purchased both stoves because of Y2K, I later realized that I will use the porch stove a great deal, regardless, and for the cost of a stove I essentially have a terrific addition to the house. The insert is insurance so that my parents will never have to go to a shelter. (That was my overriding reason to prep in the first place - the stakes are way too high.) Stacking the wood is a lot of work, but it isn't an extraneous cost over the long run if I can turn off the furnace or expand the living space. For various reasons (including my GAS furnace), a portable generator was not the right answer for me.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 08, 1999.


BD

As far as the Forum goes from what I see posted today nothing has changed. Still lots of interesting info.

keep it comming!

Brian

-- Brian (imager@home.com), June 08, 1999.


I disagree that the "threads on censorship have been largely a tempest in a teapot." There are some of us that take our freedoms seriously. Censorship is odious, and can be dangerous. It has happened right under our noses about Y2K, where employees have been censored for wanting to tell, or have told about Y2K remediation. And I think it was condescending to imply that we just want to talk dirty and attack everybody. That is certainly not true on my part, or many others. However, while I do not mind swearing in the context of a discussion, I too object to taking up two whole pages with "fuck you" covering the screen, which happened on here by some nutcase.

Having said that, and stating my opinion concerning the stupidity of censorship, I am not going to mention it again, or respond to posts about it. I do think it's a good idea to focus on preps since half a year has passed. I hear "time's winged chariot" drawing closer.

I have no idea what TB2K is, and what is Q3 and Q4 1999, and Stan, what are Human Sues?

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), June 08, 1999.



Gilda -- the part about talking dirty was an awkward attempt at humor. I wasn't intending to be condescending and I hope I understand (and share) why regulars from all stripes have strong feelings about this and any prospective changes to the forum.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 08, 1999.

Good post Big Dog! I for one am most interested in reading money= saving tips on preps and ideas that will come in handy in tough times. So much of this BS on the forum lately is a total waste of time....wish everyone would correctly title their post so one could tell if it would be worthwhile to read - or just more empty wind.

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), June 08, 1999.

Sorry Big Dog, I like humor but I missed it. The heat's got to me I think.

Jeanne, I do not consider censorship BS at any time, but I do agree that it would be great if people would title posts properly. I really dislike those that say, "Read this if you DARE!, or "Warning, check this out!" Of course, I'm so silly and curious I always bite, and usually it's nothing I'm interested in. I would like titles to say. "Help With Fleas" or "Growing Medicinal Plants." There are some very informative posts that I'm just not interested in, or I've already been there and done that. Proper titles would save a lot of time.

Anyway, BD, thanks for replying with your usual thoughtful answer.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), June 08, 1999.


Help with fleas:

http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/pets/fleas-ticks/fa q.html

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), June 08, 1999.


Agreed. I have no idea how much longer supplies will be available, but we should obviously take advantage while they are still there...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 09, 1999.


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