After following how the Y2K issues are treated in the press and what our courageous leaders have to say about the issue I have made a key modification in my prep' list.

I have deleted "radio" and "batteries for same" from my list. Exactly what service would I get from these in the event of a problem anyway? News about how good things are? Reports on how we can beat these "cyber-terrorists" if we suspend just a few more articles of the Bill of Rights? Tidings from DC about how this Administration, in cooperation with the Chinese Government have contrived to vastly reduce the amount of suffering and hunger felt on the West Coast? (Talk about a "News Flash")! I might as well buy some cheap walkie talkies and give one to a shady used car salesman.

At least at this forum some pollies state argument "A" followed by "because of B". This is far more than I get from any politician (who aren't saying what they know) or journalist (who don't know anything anyway, don't know what to ask, and wouldn't know who to ask if they did).

This whole issue has just furthered my conviction that public debate and inquery are a necessary part of policy making and, as a member of the working taxpaying public I get zilch in value for the funds taken from my pay check. (The only exception being the small percentage used for defence).

We really only have each other in this likly crisis. Be prepared to help out those around you. If we leave 'em to the Fed's they'll starve.

Keep your hand on your wallet and your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), July 21, 1999

Answers

Also there is a perfectly good battery powered radio in that automobile sitting in your driveway...

Snoozin'...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), July 21, 1999.

Seems to me that a radio would provide SOME level of information on what's going on - and a link to the outside world. A short-wave would be helpful to pick up stations further away.

Without a radio, the only news on what's happening is out your front window. You'll internalize and never have an inkling as to what's going on. I think there's benefit to one anyway.

I invested in the Baygen crank radio (no batteries) with short-wave. It was more expensive than I first thought, but we've used it quite a bit so far as we do a lot of camping, so it's not a frivolous expense.

The big question...where would you tune into? Who would likely have the best information BBC? CBC? Radio Ukraine?

Newbie...DoBee

-- Newbie (Newbie@lurker.com), July 21, 1999.

We too opted for a short wave radio, as I prefer to know what is going on around me even if I do have to "interpret" the bulletins. But as for batteries, we bought one of the baygen hand powered lights, which also has an adaptor to power any 6volt equipment, and this has cut down the outlay on batteries. Rechargeable ones weren't any good!

-- liz (thehalletts@bigfoot.com), July 21, 1999.

I addition to a basic battery powered radio (& cassette player), I am opting for a Ham no-code technician radio license (and radio). That will give me the potential to find out what is going on in the rest of thw world if comm. goes down...and to tell others how it is going here.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), July 21, 1999.

Guess I was a bit grumpy. Sorry all.

So, once I have select a radio, what beacon of truth do I tune in to? I don't listen to the radio. Right now I read all my news and get one periodical from Liberal/Conservative/Libertarian ideologies. Then I read how each of them cover the same issue. I should get all sides of the story that way. At least it's a shot at it.

Watch six and keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), July 21, 1999.

eyes open,

Maybe we can listen to music. Is that so bad?

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWAyne@aol.com), July 21, 1999.

For music, I just bought a ukulele...

News (reliable news, that is), on the other hand, might be a bit more difficult to obtain. That's why I'm looking at something that might allow me to converse with someone afar.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), July 21, 1999.