Given personal experience with the U.S. Navy, perhaps I am more skeptical than most. Thus far, we seem to know too little about how the document was created, whether or not the information was verified, etc. For all we know, this document might have been written by an E-4 tucked away in some small cubicle surfing the web for his/her data.

The reaction to the document, in many senses, is more informative than the document itself. The zealots (on both sides) rush to judgement. For the serious pessimists, this is the "smoking gun." For the idealists, it is completely invalid. It is the same biases that make civil discourse on this forum so difficult.

On the subject of the forum, I have spent less time here of late. Personal and professional obligations have kept me rather occupied. To the delight of the serious pessimists (and the forum bullies), I plan to spend less time here in the future. After long consideration, I have accepted a new position... a political appointment, in fact. I will be the chief administrator of a local government. Ironically, I'll be responsible for the final touches on Y2K readiness. Of course, the elected officials felt my background in applied microeconomics and management were important. It seems they think traffic, water, sewers, growth, economic development, etc. will still be problems in 2000. They must have missed the memo on the world ending.

An old Navy master chief once told me "NAVY" stood for "never again volunteer yourself." Despite this sound advice, I find myself once more into the breach. I have worked in the private, nonprofit and public sectors. Unlike the rabid anti-government folks, I think every citizen ought to consider public service at some point... be it military, local government, or some other civic duty. As a Jeffersonian, I think there are many opportunities to participate and still respect the maxims of government--limited and local.

While I will not have the time to read the forum on a daily basis, I will weigh in to keep Andy and Co. from speculating too much about mind control drugs hidden in Cocoa Puffs.

Finally, I will consider hosting a Mid-Atlantic Y2K gathering. If we can find sufficient participants, I will make the arrangements for Saturday in October. Rather than the dull, old "how to work a Petromax" stuff, I suggest a party where we celebrate all the things the fatalists think we'll be living without soon. Tropical fruit drinks come immediately to mind. No rice or beans allowed!

Interested parties may email me. I'll report back on the demand in a few weeks. Would love to see wild-eyed Andy, heavy-breathing Spain or the ill-mannered Will join the fiesta. It just wouldn't be fun unless some of the forum bullies show up to learn how civilized folk behave in person.

Regards,

-- Mr. Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), August 21, 1999

Answers

Mr. Decker spilled the beans "While I will not have the time to read the forum on a daily basis, I will weigh in to keep Andy and Co. from speculating too much about mind control drugs hidden in Cocoa Puffs. "

I wonder what other cereals contain these mind altering/controlling drugs that they aren't telling us about.

-- Bean N. Sarcastic (Navy@lying2.us), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker:

To what do you attribute Andy's, uh, proclivities, then? Certainly he is Exhibit A that there are some mind-altering substances or forces somewhere. Can you provide proof that Andy eats Cocoa Puffs? Or is it your contention that there's not enough there to alter?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), August 21, 1999.

Flint do you like to mudwrestle?

-- Queen of Saipan (Her@Royal.Majesty), August 21, 1999.

"The reaction to the document, in many senses, is more informative than the document itself."

You were referring to reaction on this forum, if I'm not mistaken. Reaction OFF the forum is probably a more important guage. It was about 8 hours between the time the first "Pentagon Papers of Y2K" thread showed up here, and the AP story showed up on the Washington Post website.

You know darn well that this forum is always among the first places things are discussed. I don't know when they started talking about this on c.s.y2k. It may have been one hour earlier of later than here.

The point is that, even IF "they" were ready for this, and new it was coming down the pike (and from Steve Davis' responses, it sounds like they were taken by surprise) the "machinery" moved with lightning speed on this one. Why?

"In my line of work, that's what we call a clue..."

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker,

I wish you success with your new post. I also agree that public service should be a part of all citizen's lives at one time or another. Of course, I also believe in term limits, campaign spending reform and limits and other steps which would open politics up to "normal" folks without the big money ties and obligations...... Oops, beginning to ramble. Good luck.

Sincerely,

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 21, 1999.

Ken

Good luck with your future efforts. Unfortunately more commentary about the forum members and yourself than any real insight about the Navy document but oh well, I am with Pat, the past two days have been some kind of theater on and off the forum and someone is directing the script.

Unfortunately I will have to bow out from the party invitation althought it would be fasinating to see what it would be like :o)

""I will be the chief administrator of a local government. Ironically, I'll be responsible for the final touches on Y2K readiness.""

Will this mean community contingency planning????? If so the table will be turned no doubt as the wheel of life continues. Decker will be telling others to prepare.

Good luck.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker:

Although I re-located from the Washington, D.C. area to Northwest Arkansas a few months ago, I still know folks who live around D.C., and so I assume that your new post with a "local government" will be around the D.C. metro area Could you please tell us which local government that you will be the chief administrator for? I'd like to warn the people that I know, especially since you will now be handling Y2K "finishing touches".


-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker, Just so I am clear, because of your experience in the Navy, are you saying it would not surprise you that the Navy would use an E-4 tucked away in a cubicle to assess the Y2K readiness of utilities for all of its installations worldwide?

In your new role as chief adminstrator, responsible for the final touches of Y2K readiness, are you going to require a more thorough assessment of the local utilities? Do you believe that a thorough assessment of your city's utilities is important? Onsite visits? IV&V?, etc. Considering the stakes, do you think the Navy's approach was a bit lacking? Do you find it alarming that the Navy had not reached its current level of assessment regarding utilities two years ago?

Considering the duties and obligations of the Navy, it is a major component of the military might of the most powerful nation on the planet for God's sake, I would think that knowing, in GREAT detail, the status of their utilities would be of the highest concern.

Perhaps if all branches of the military, federal agencies etc. would have DEMANDED, not asked, this information from local utility providers much earlier, we would not be here in the middle of August with the level of unknowns that currently exist.

-- for real (for@real.com), August 21, 1999.

What was that famous quote about Clerks -

Chief administrator...

BWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ahahahahahaha ha ha

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 21, 1999.

Now, WHY am I not surprised? Yeah, "politically appointed chief administrator" for a local government around Dee Cee will be right up the alley for this sleeze-ball pencil-necked ass-kissing smoke-blowing snake-oil selling piece of shit. Gawd, Dee Cee has not yet seen incompetence until it sees the likes of double Decker!

And we understand about your time management conflicts that are coming up, dude. So you can bet that we will make sure that whatever time you can grace us with in the next few months will be "quality time". (And are you STILL planning to deliver on your promise to "a" regarding that ecomomic analysis that we have all been patiently waiting for? And if not, may this be considered as your FIRST broken promise since assuming your new position?)

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.com), August 21, 1999.

Good luck Ken. I'll miss the [latin crapola].

-- a (a@a.a), August 21, 1999.

KOS!

I think you speak for all of us!!!

Slough

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!

Come, bombs and blow to smithereens Those air-conditioned, bright canteens, Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans, Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Mess up the mess they call a town- A house for ninety-seven down And once a week a half a crown For twenty years.

And get that man with double chin Who'll always cheat and always win, Who washes his repulsive skin In women's tears:

And smash his desk of polished oak And smash his hands so used to stroke And stop his boring dirty joke And make him yell.

But spare the bald young clerks who add The profits of the stinking cad; It's not their fault that they are mad, They've tasted Hell.

It's not their fault they do not know The birdsong from the radio, It's not their fault they often go To Maidenhead

And talk of sport and makes of cars In various bogus-Tudor bars And daren't look up and see the stars But belch instead.

In labour-saving homes, with care Their wives frizz out peroxide hair And dry it in synthetic air And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough To get it ready for the plough. The cabbages are coming now; The earth exhales.

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker

Good luck in your new position.

And keep your...

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

Mr. Decker,

Much Success in your new endeavor. If you find to may folks there agreeing with you, stop back, I'm sure we can rectify that!!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), August 21, 1999.

heck, just tell me about the paaahhhty....when and wheyah...also i live in suburbs of dc....for what local government have you been invited to "clean up" someone's mess? please let it be fairfax county---from the prior post of their community conversation, it was obvious they don't have a clue. waaaaaaaaaaaahhhh and i have to live theyah. i want to go back to maine, wheyah they are storing beans and rice for everyone--at least if the legislation got passed.

-- tt (cuddluppy@wheresthefun.com), August 21, 1999.

It seems they think traffic, WATER, SEWER, growth, economic development etc. will still be problems next year. To tell, or not to tell; That is the question. Guess you got the job just in time; does it come with bunker privledges?

-- KoFE (your@town.USA), August 21, 1999.

Why does the term

"blind leading the blind"

spring to mind...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 21, 1999.

Oh I get it, do you have one eye DD?

Bwwwwwaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ha ha ha

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 21, 1999.

Mr. Decker,

More Or Less, Everyone here is a good person. You know that as well as I. Your party invitation, sounds.... possible...

I do, however, have to wonder at the timing of your departure. Something is strange about the sudden leave. (Laughter). But, I like the rest, wish you well on your new appointment.

Too bad for me, that I didn't take up my pen in your earlier posts, as I just might have gotten you to think to more extreme possibilities. You see Mr. Decker, I have seen a CIO leave, and I have seen the next in line for that position make a sudden departure. I have seen implementations of financial systems gone bad after 18 months of HARD work. Sometimes, OTS software ... for a lack of a better word... Sucks. And I'm not talking cheap software either. The implementation was on the order of Seven Million dollars. I have seen vendors not getting paid and supplies being cut off. Why, because the software wouldn't cut the checks. (Laughter) That hurts the economics of the institution. So you see Mr. Decker, all things are not reported.

(Laughter) Again, I wish you well on your future. Please keep us posted with a truthful assessment of the situation you find yourself appointed to. Cheers! (Laughter)

Donna

-- (cannot-say@this.time), August 21, 1999.

Ken

I would like to wish you the best in your new position. You would not be running "Blue Plains" perchance? :)

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), August 21, 1999.

Ahh, Ken,

Sadly, you appear to be clueless. I too was a Member until fairly recently, and your are mistaken, about many things it seems. Did you actually look for/at any of the Naval documents available? That is, prior to the recent flap and subsequent clean-up?

Take great care in decisions that affect many others. You may find it a greater challenge than simply looking after oneself.

Good Luck,

-- Spindoc' (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), August 22, 1999.

First, thanks to the well wishers.

Brian, as you well know, I have always advocated moderate preparations though not specific to Y2K. Why should I change my tune?

"Jack," I do not live near the DC metro area, nor is my new position near the DC Metro area. Rest assured, I do not plan to announce the specific jurisdiction. Enjoy your life in lovely Arkansas.

"For Real," I'll wait until I'm actually working to begin reviewing the material developed on Y2K readiness. I don't know enough about how the Navy developed its list to comment.

Andy and "Spain," I'm not surprised to see you dodged the invitation to show at a Y2K gathering. Frankly, I don't think either of you have the sand to show up in person. Just another pair of Internet bullies who are only tough behind a monitor and keyboard... Survive Y2K? You guys would be lucky to survive a cool breeze and light rain. (laughter)

"a," thanks, and in a few weeks, I'll post your Great Depression piece.

"Ray," don't worry. I have nothing to do with the Federal Reserve.

"Kofe," no bunker... If you want expertise and finding a hole and crawling in, see "Will Continue."

"Donna," I disagree. There are some good people here... and some who are a waste of skin. You have "Doomers" wishing for the death of people who simply disagree with them. Need I say more? I am not departing the forum... I just don't have time to follow it closely. I am not "running for hills," I'm taking a job where I can serve my community in a leadership position.

I can recite the extreme scenarios, chapter and verse. I can also point out how most of your "preparations" will not do you a damn bit of good if society melts down.

"Spin," time will prove who is right and who is wrong.

Regards,

-- Mr. Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), August 23, 1999.