I was watching the 10pm news here in SE Iowa tonight and they lightly, cheerfully announced the locations at the U of I that were designated to be shelters if the "y2k bug" should cause any power outages. It was another one of those sureal experiences we have all been having for the past year. It was so weird to hear it come in such a la de da way. As if announcing the location of a church supper. These are truly insane times. Help Mr. Wizard

-- a mom (news@10.com), September 28, 1999

Answers

humm...the message is changing quick, isn't it?

Thanks a mom.

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), September 28, 1999.

God help us all

-- Ed Yourdon (HumptyDumptyY2K@yourdon.com), September 28, 1999.

Yeppp...and they have 122 sites in this country called CIVIL UNREST CENTERS. Most of these are "closed" military bases.

Eyes Wide Open

-- david (djwolf@lanset.com), September 28, 1999.

I think the very tone of the message is very important to *control* the public perception...

I can hear it now,

"don't panic. there is no need to panic. one bag only, please. pets must be left at home unless they are a medical necessity. this is all for your safety."

All this done in a very la de da way as if we're standing in line at an amusement park. We've actually been programmed fairly well to accept this kind of situation without resistance.

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), September 28, 1999.

david,

Y'know, it's interesting that you mention that. At O'Hare airport there is a 'closed' military facility. I find it facinating that it's still filled with military vehichles. Anyone in the area can drive right past & see this on Higgins Av. very easy to verify, and widely reported that they are 'closed'.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), September 28, 1999.

ON OUR MONEY-IT SAYS''IN GOD WE TRUST''-would HE let us suffer? we honor HIM in all things-we-obey his laws-we -allow him 1st place on this forum.--why won,t he bless us?

-- IN GOD WE TRUST?? (dogs@zianet.com), September 28, 1999. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- IN GOD WE TRUST?? Here is my answer to you: He may be a SHE, and She/He may have already given you the POWER to help/save yourself, as well as self-trust, w/out some sort devine intervention. If you read the Bible or any news source it is easy to see that the God's/Goddess's do not care very much for intervention. People die by the hundreds of thousands by the hand of others, not to mention natural disasters, thousands of species disappear, what makes you think HE/SHE, meaning God/Goddess are going to do anything for you. Are you better, cause you are human? He/She didn't even do it for the Jewish folks during WWII, bet they prayed a lot harder than you are right now. Pls. trust yourself and trust that if there is a God/Goddess they gave you the ability to survive. Stop looking for someone else to carry the ball for you. It's your choice? Trust or act. rf

me@thatplacedotcom

-- me (me@thatplace.com), September 28, 1999.

From yahoo:

Universities Prep For Y2K - (STATEWIDE) -- Some good news for those folks concerned about the upcoming Y-2-K computer glitch. Just in case there is a problem, universities across the state will serve as warming centers for those people without power. The state's three major universities plan to open their domes or arenas as public shelters. Local officials say chances are slim the action will be needed.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), September 28, 1999.

Link for the Yahoo news article:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/local/state/iowa/story.html?s=v/r s/19990928/ia/index_2.html#3

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 28, 1999.

Thanks mom,

*Sigh*

And remember to invest in down sleeping bags... real warm... does not require a "shelter" to operate.

Camping anyone? (At home).

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 28, 1999.

See the bubble-headed bleached-blonde, comes on at five...

She can tell you 'bout the plane crash, with a gleam in her eye...

It's int'resting when people die, it's dirty laundry.

... Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down ...

(From the song "Dirty Laundry")

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), September 28, 1999.

Interesting that the phrase "warming shelters" continues to be used. This was also the phrase used when washington DC discussed how far behind they were a month or so ago. They were also going to have warming shelters.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), September 28, 1999.

And we are to assume these "sites" have power, food, water, and sanitation services available?

Don't simply nod your head up and down too quickly.....sanitation for several hundred (several thousand?) people isn't easy to provide. How do you wash hands - if the city/university water pressure is low/out or the area requires a "boil water notice" ?

How do you cook food/distribute food/clean up afterwards at these shelters? How much? How long? Who gets it, if rations start going short after 24-48-96 hours?

Look at the shelters in use in the Carolina's, and be ready not to have to use these "warming pens".

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 28, 1999.

Mrs. Rimmer recently attended a small meeting of local Red Cross officials for Linn county (just to the north of Iowa City).

According to information she received there, 6 locations within Linn county have been designated as 'potential shelters'. The locations will not be announced prior to any actual need to use them.

When Mrs. Rimmer inquired about food at the shelters, it was clear that the Red Cross, at least locally, is not preparing for any real problems. Their response was that these would be warming shelters only and that no food was being planned for. In the event food was needed, a Red Cross official indicated that they would 'purchase and get donations from local grocery stores'.

Mrs. Rimmer then inquired about how the locations of such shelters would be announced in the event of an electrical outage. The Red Cross official responded that police cars would certainly have bullhorns.

Clearly, the local Red Cross is treating Y2K as a non-event. Pray they are right because with contingency plans like these, who needs a disaster?

If you live in or near Linn county, you may not want to depend too strongly upon the local Red Cross. In any serious local emergency, I believe that they could be easily overwhelmed.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), September 28, 1999.

For the pollies who plan to go to these "Warm-up Spas," don't forget to take these VERY important items with you: Lice spray & shampoo, bleach, antibacterial soap, TP, paper towels, toilet seat covers, and face masks and drinking water. Stay away from the crowd as much as possible unless you want the flu or a cold. I heard that lice are immune to the medications for treatment. Try the Vaseline treatment if you find yourself with lice or crabs. Be sure to spray the toilet seat with bleach to kill germs and crabs. Good Luck! Bardou

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 28, 1999.

Speaking of insane...I recently attended a Y2K "town meeting" at my local city hall. My town is a fairly large suburb 20 miles west of Chicago. Me and the other 2 people who attended got to ask lots of questions. Five "panelists" attended as well and were there to field questions. The fire chief, a cop, the 911 center coordinator, the village computer specialist and a banker. The village's 911 coordinator seemed to be the most "aware" and was a little less likely to dismiss Y2K as a non-event. She said the village planned on having busses go around picking people up to take them to "shelters" if the need arised. I asked what they would be doing to keep people warm at these shelters. She said nothing. They were not calling them warming shelters. No plans were being made to heat them. Keep in mind that January in Chicago can be brutally cold.

My next question had to do with water. They responded by telling me the village had ordered 5 generators, one for each of the towns backup wells, although nobody seemed to know how much fuel they could store and long it would last. The Fire chief warned against storing gasoline in garages. When I suggested that as part of their information packet they inform people how to purify water, he laughed and said "boil it". I asked "with what"? I also suggested they tell people how to treat water with normal bleach. He got angry and said " I would NEVER suggest anyone use bleach in their drinking water!" I just shook my head and thought, with town leaders like this, most people are in for some rough times if things get bad.

-- Dale R. (dale@spicreative.com), September 28, 1999.

Been reading about Floyd "shelters" on those excellent threads here ... no heat, no food, no running water, porta-potties overflowing, ppl not allowed out, surrounded by stench and carcass-jammed wastewater.

Multiply by 100s of 1000s in the dead of Winter with panic, storms, freezes, rumors, sabotage, terrorism, and idiotically poor planning. Mix in brutal rage and betrayal.

We're staying home, thankee.

And re-routing donations to the Salvation Army rather than the Red Cross.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 28, 1999.

Diane,

The down bags can contribute to hypothermia if they get wet. I'd advise synthetics for most folks at this point.

-- flora (***@__._), September 28, 1999.

Quallofil is great. Also PolarTech III, or something like that (don't have those bags with us at the mo). In Cascadia where rain reigns we hafta go synthetic. For those traveling near the Oregon/Washington border, go to Oregon Mountain Community, Front & Davis, Portland. Lots of ski clothes, very warm & light & quick-drying. Layering. Sleeping bags, tents, hiking boots, etc. Nike Outlet store in NE. Ashton just bought Nike Air Gortex Hiking Boots there, terrific discount. Good for limitless trekking thru ice, snow, rain, trails. Hope it doesn't come to that. Label says "Made in China." Nuff said.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 28, 1999.

I agree...down is not too good once it gets wet. (great is dry snow, though!) Holofill is much better in damp climates. There may be other synthetics which are also good in damp (I've been out of snow country for half a decade, now.).

STAY DRY. You lose much, much more heat when you are damp than when you are dry.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 28, 1999.

A longer article about the Iowa shelters is at this link:

http://www.y2ktoday.com/modules/home/default.asp?id=2177

"Iowa universities offer shelter if Y2K bug bites"

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 28, 1999.