NYC Tinfoil Gathering

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Actually, it was aluminum foil.

Mara Wayne, Bingo1 and I along with 4 lurkers got together at McSorley's in Manhattan. (The lurkers can introduce themselves here if they choose to. C'mon gang, say hi! -- Stan, where were you??? You shoulda brought the dog!) And, yes, the place was overcrowded. Eventually, we got a table. One of the lurkers wore a foil skullcap. Throughout the course of the evening, it was fashioned into a Statue of Liberty crown. And, we were afterall in New York, nobody seemed to notice.

We forgot to toast John Koskinen at the GPS rollover until 10 minutes after, we were having a good conversation. When we realized what time it was, we decided to toast Ed Yourdon instead.

From McSorley's, we went to "The Temple of Drink" down the street, the place where the waiters dress up as monks and shush you if you talk too loud. Actually, I'm not sure, but they might be REAL monks. They certainly act that way. I've been told that all the profits go to a monastary upstate; who knows what to believe anymore?

After that, it was on to Sahara East, the place with a mosque next door. Nobody else in the group was interested in smoking one of the giant hookahs that they offer filled with rich, dark tobacco. But, the place smelled great! I can always go back there another time for a hookah-full.

We talked about everything and nothing. It was just pleasantness. We didn't come to any grand conclusions about anything, that wasn't the point. I suppose if anything, the conclusion we came to was that people will never agree on things unless terms are defined, and agreed upon by all parties. That seems to be one of the big problems with Y2K debates, and with communication in general. We need to define terms and agree on those definitions before we can truly understand what we are debating.

Oh well...

On the way home Mara gave me a copy of the "Weekly World News" that she brought as a goof, to read on the subway. Front Page:

"Dead Sea Prophecy... the government DOESN'T want you to know ... a billion people will be penniless ... WARNING: rich people are already stockpiling canned food and cash..."

The story inside says: "Banks will collapse, money will be worthless - and chaos will reign." You get the picture. Doesn't mention Y2K.

The NEXT page has a story: "Govt. still using computers from the Stone Age. -- The federal government's obsolete computers are going haywire, jeopardizing the welfare of Americans in every area from air safety to crime and wasting billions of dollars.

"Declared one expert, "This is a nightmare, and it's getting worse!"

The Weekly World News sure is a hoot, huh?

Nobody on the subway seemed to notice. The perfect ending to a perfect evening!

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), August 22, 1999

Answers

Bad computer code does not care.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), August 22, 1999.

I got e-mails from a number of people who were disappointed that they couldn't make this gathering, due to such short notice. There seems to be another one shaping up for the weekend after 9/9/99, which is a Thursday. Anyone who's interested in that gathering, again, somewhere in Manhattan, please send me an e-mail. I'll keep track and send something out in a couple of weeks. Actually, that's only three weeks away! Also, there's a gathering shaping up in Hartford in October, if any New Yorkers are interested in THAT one, I'll probably take the train.

It was really great to meet you guys! Hope to see you again in three weeks!

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), August 22, 1999.


ps...wish I could have been there!

When I read about WWN I immediately thought of the scene in MIB when Tommy Lee Jones goes to the newstand to get the real news from all the tabloids : )

Mike

==================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), August 22, 1999.


The Navy claims that New York is doomed. Might as well booze it up and live it up, while you're still alive! If I lived in new York, I would sell everything and move to a small town!

-- Y2K ready (Y2K@ready.com), August 22, 1999.

Thanks, ready. Everyone who was there has a contingency plan. And, it doesn't even necessarily require selling everything. Actually, there were only two of us who live in the city. In the meantime, NYC is a fine place to get boozed up.

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), August 22, 1999.


Oh my god, I can't believe you people are so wild. I'm still hungover. And those luntaic prophecies! I'm starting a scrapbook. Heh heh.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 22, 1999.

Hey, now. I can't believe you guys had a good time without me. [grin]

We were getting ready to head into the city (a little late) but the operators kept insisting that McSorley's didn't have a phone number. And I had no idea how to get there. I thought Bingo1 might call me on my cell phone when you all went looking for grub, but it didn't ring. [sniff]

I'm glad you had a good time, though. Met some GIs at the dog show. "Bring on the worst," one man shouted! "Me and my dogs are Y2K ready!"

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), August 22, 1999.


That, Sir Stan, will depend on how big the dogs are....

If the canines are too little, then he's not ready.... for human predators.

If they are too big, and he might end up lunch .... for his own canine predators.

If he has too many canines, and he won't have enough lunch....for himself or his canines.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 22, 1999.


Robert,

His dogs are big; they can snap pit bulls in two... in less than five seconds. I shudder to think what they would do if they had no kibble. However, I would not question their loyalty. Personally, I would avoid his location by many miles.

Nonetheless, there are upcoming dog shows in Connecticut, Atlanta, and another one in New Jersey. I hope to go to these and possibly meet up with folks.

Bingo1,

Gabby got one first place and two second places. Lots more work to get her in shape for future shows, but it may be that I have a future world champion (in breed). Her temperament has hardened a little over the weekend, however. Prolly, she was pushed just a little too hard. Or... she picked up some bad attitude pointers from the other dogs. [grin]

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), August 22, 1999.


You are invited, then dear sir, to partake of our hospitality when you arrive in these far climes.....email me when you have a date and a more firm schedule.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 22, 1999.


Hey Stan,

curious - what breed is Gabby?

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), August 22, 1999.


Hey Stan,

We called your cell phone 3 times; no answer, but messages were left on your voice mail. By the way, this lurker is not ashamed to admit being the wearer of the heretofore maligned aluminum foil chapeau. However, credit must be given to its designer and original bearer, my beloved "taller half".

-- Brother of Bingo1 (boblandau@aol.com), August 22, 1999.


I dunno - Gabby does shound more like some kinda of cat though, doesn't it? 8<) (Hint: its probably a four-footed furry thing .... with a new-found nastier temper, eh?)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 22, 1999.

Sorry I missed the fun, but I had a little hangover myself after the birthday party we had at my place last night for an old friend. 26 people here last night, and 8 were still sleeping in various places this morning!

9/9 itself doesn't look good for me, since it's on a Thursday, but the 10th or 11th should be OK. Stay tuned. I've got an old pair of green pants that I'll wear in your honor, pshannon!

Later folks.

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 23, 1999.


Bobby,

Sorry, I didn't get to meet you all. Im wondering now if Meg gave Bingo1 the number of the cell phone that stayed home this weekend.

Robert,

Thank you for the invitation. I'll find out when the Atlanta rare breed show is going to happen and let you know.

Andy,

Gabby is a fila brasilieros. Her father, Kinzer, was on the cover of Survival Magazine a few months back.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), August 23, 1999.



What NYC Tinfoil Gathering? No one told me about any gathering!

McSorleys? Oh yea. I was minding my own business - which in McSorleys means I had three mugs of dark in my left hand, one in my right - dis guy approached holding a white card with the mysterious acronym G-P-S. "Does this, as he shoved the card under my nose, mean anything to you?", inquired the stranger (as in, "this guy's stranger than most folks in the bar).

My mind being clear, as this was only my second round of four darks, I decided NOT to swing the hand with the three mugs of dark at him (the mugs were FULL of the delectable ale, after all). Slowly & silently I repeated the mysterious acronym - "G" "P" "S". "G" "P" "S". Hmmmmmmm.

Then it clicked. "You must be Patrick!," I wailed happily (I had just decoded the mysterious acronym, after all). "Nice to put a name with the face," I gently slurred. "Light or dark?" I asked not caring too much about the answer. Patrick responded by choosing the former. Wrong choice. His lips never touched a light the entire evening. It was "chewy beer" time!!

I know, I know, you're providing us with too much information Bingo! OK.

I'd like to thank pshannon for loosely organizing the gathering. Ah h*ll, it was completely unorganized! We flew by the seats of our pants. And I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Nice to see ya post Bob, but you simply must change your sig!!!

Mara, Mara, Mara...what can I say? I would have enjoyed spending more time speaking with you Saturday evening/Sunday morning. You are a fascinating person. Perhaps I'll be inspired (read permitted by wifey) to attend the next gathering. :)

Stan & Meg - look out your front window right now. Now look at the tires on your vehicle. Notice how flat they appear to be? Appearences are not deceiving in this case! The rest of what I have to say to you two will be taken care of privately. I wouldn't wish to tarnish my forum image of being one with a "gentle nature". (Big G)

Sorry 'bout the hubbly-bubbly Patrick. The ingredients were all wrong. :D

Best Wishes,

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), August 23, 1999.


Jeez!!! Looks like I killed yet another thread!

OK, I admit that I embellished the above just a tad. It wasn't meant to be a blow-by-blow account. :)

Until We Meet Again...

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), August 23, 1999.


Nope, you didn't kill it...

I'll say here what I told you off the forum:

Again, it looks like another is shaping for for the weekend after 9/9/99. A number of people who couldn't make last weekend expressed interest in a later date. Also, some of us who were there felt like we just didn't get enough time.

So, what I was thinking about doing in Sept. is suggesting that there be a lunch gathering AND a dinner gathering on Saturday, 9/11/99. That way, people can go to one or the other depending on their preference. I would go to both, and obviously, anyone else who wanted to could also. That would give us more time to hang out and chat, and also let some people choose if they wanted to be there for lunch or dinner. Whaddya think?

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), August 23, 1999.


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