http://www.newsmax.com/showinsidecover.shtml?a=1999/10/18/213343

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With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

For the story behind the story...

Tuesday October 19, 12:10 AM

If Y2K Is No Big Deal, Why Is the State of Pennsylvania...

A NewsMax.com reader sent to us the State of Pennsylvania's Y2K preparedness guide, "Year 2000: A Consumer's Guide for Y2K Planning."

The guide is introduced with a letter from Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker.

"Some people are predicting catastrophic consequences. However, there is no foundation for this extreme position," Lt. Governor Schweiker writes.

But then we began paging through the state's Y2K preparedness guide.

Under the section "Things to Do When Preparing for Emergencies," the guide recommends stockpiling two weeks' worth of non-perishable food items.

So we thought, when was the last time anyone in America needed a two-week supply of food?

The guide also suggests a three-day supply of water for each family member.

Interesting! Sounds extreme to us.

Under the "Safety" section, the guide advises the use of electric generators. Another section - "Entertainment" - suggests citizens get plenty of games and cards ready for the boredom that will come "without electricity."

The eight-page guide details dozens of areas to begin preparing - getting two weeks' cash out of the bank and medical supplies - for the non-emergency we know as Y2K.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), October 19, 1999

Answers

Florida, too: the Lt. Governor said:

Brogan said he thinks Florida has done more than many states to ensure that both state and local governments are ready for the date change many fear could paralyze the computers that run today's society.

"We are going to be ready, but everybody has a responsibility to be prepared with fuel in their tanks, stores of food in their homes, and a little cash in their pockets," he said.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001bua

Homer: are you a massive Dave Barry fan? Did you see where he's having another baby?

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), October 19, 1999.

The last time America needed two weeks or more supplies was when Pakistan and India were having their "skirmish." Sadly, it was left to people to actually think, because the situation was so sensitive there was a blockout of information. India since came out and has openly said if the American gvernment had not been discreetly interfering it would have been a nuclear war. (Which blows our way.)

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), October 19, 1999.

Lisa,

Who is Dave Barry?

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), October 19, 1999.

Did I misread something there? 2 weeks of food, 3 days of water. Can you say, disconnect? :)

-- James Collins (jacollins@thegrid.net), October 19, 1999.

"Did I misread something there? 2 weeks of food, 3 days of water. Can you say, disconnect?"

Someone who helped write the PA preparedness guide probably read somewhere that a person can survive for 2 weeks without food but only 3 days without water.

Glad the gov't is watching out for our welfare!

-- Clyde (clydeblalock@hotmail.com), October 19, 1999.

Alternatively, recognize that food and water come from different sources. It's conceivable that it wouldn't take too many people doing last-minute 'hoarding' to keep the grocery cleaned out for 10 days. But that sort of panic won't cause people to leave all their taps open -- water depends more on power. And grocery shopping can snowball, as people realize what keeps happening and decide they'd better stock up whenever they can. Letting water run down the drain won't snowball.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), October 19, 1999.

Two points , nonperishable food usually takes water and do you have any gaurentee that the suage treatment is ok

-- (freeman@interx.net), October 19, 1999.

This sounds exactly like the guide that was sent to residents in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. It must be being used all over the place! In fact, our local news profiled the Montgomery County guide tonight by saying the most prepared for y2k county was telling residents to prepare for the worst.... Interesting... Anybody else seeing these guides in their mail or local papers?

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), October 19, 1999.

the syndicated column Heloise which is in most daily newspapers recommended today that readers obtain one of these brochures and listed several means of doing that, addresses, web sights, toll free phone numbers, etc.....

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), October 20, 1999.

I live in western Pennsylvania,in Mercer County..so far I have recieved NOTHING on Y2 K preparedness,from anyone..is this flyer only being delivered to the bigger cities,or what?

-- Cynthia Yanicko (yanicko@infonline.net), October 20, 1999.

"getting two weeks' cash out of the bank"

UH - OH.

Greenspin and Kosky ain't gonna like this. They said enough for a weekend. If every state in the country says 2 weeks it's bye-bye bankies, close them doors before everybody gets theirs.

-- @ (@@@.@), October 20, 1999.