http://www.denverpost.com/news/y2k/y2k1119.htm

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Planners' big worry: Hoarding

By Fred Brown Denver Post Capitol Bureau Chief

Nov. 19 - Colorado is ready for the millennium's scariest New Year's Eve, the state's Y2K planners announced Thursday, but residents still would be wise to prepare for "minor interruptions'' when the calendar flips from 1999 to 2000.

The planners' major concern, they said, is that people will overreact, causing shortages by buying huge amounts of food or gasoline.

They're also apprehensive about a made-for-TV movie airing this weekend that suggests a series of disasters could result when electronic systems fail to recognize the sudden appearance of "00'' in their calendar programs.

So, in addition to staffing the state's emergency preparedness center in Golden from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, several members of the task force will be on hand Sunday to answer phone calls when NBC broadcasts "Y2K,'' a two-hour show that begins at 8 p.m.

"After extensive evaluation and testing, 100 percent of our systems in Colorado are Y2K ready,'' said Brian Mouty, program manager for the Governor's Task Force on Year 2000 Readiness. In all, the job has cost the state $35.4 million since December 1997, $1.8 million less than projected.

Despite Mouty's confidence, he and other members endorsed the Red Cross advisory that it's always a good idea to be ready for a 72-hour disruption in normal life. After all, they pointed out, Colorado still is susceptible to the occasional blizzard or natural disaster.

State Sen. Terry Phillips, D-Louisville, said the "biggest threat'' is public perception. "The bottom line is, we shouldn't overreact.'' But, he added, "be prepared for a potential 72-hour event that probably isn't going to happen.''

Mouty and Dave Bufalo, an engineer who heads the city and county of Denver's Y2K program, also reminded TV viewers that Sunday's show is just entertainment. "I can't stress enough that this movie is fictitious,'' said Mouty. It's "technically bogus,'' Bufalo added.

Bufalo said local governments in Colorado are ready for Y2K roughly in proportion to their size. The larger cities "prepared early.'' Midsize cities and counties took a little longer, and it isn't "much of an issue'' in the smallest towns.

Other members of the task force reported that:

Railroads and airlines have been "Y2K compliant ... for some time now,'' said Rick Grice, director of the governor's office of energy conservation. He said King Soopers in particular has gone out of its way to ensure that food distribution is not interrupted. Generally, the larger the truck company, the better its preparation, Grice said.

Gasoline supplies could be a problem if everyone decides to top off their tanks Dec. 30 and 31, Grice added, creating lines at gas stations and dry pumps. He advised filling up a few days earlier.

"The banking sector is 100 percent ready,'' said Troy Eid, chairman of the 23-member task force. He also said the state's corrections and public safety departments have conducted a dry run and are convinced jails and prisons will be secure.

Electric generating plants, as a test, already are operating with their timekeeping devices set as far ahead as 2004, said Bob Ray of Public Service Company of Colorado.

For hospitals, "the preparedness is excellent,'' said Dr. Joel Edelman, co-chair of the task force's health-care committee.

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

Answers

Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank.... Three day storm... Leave you money in the bank....

Sounds like a mantra for the desperate to me....

-- Dennis (djolson@cherco.net), November 19, 1999.

Funny, "hoarding" [key word search = again!, Note the hysteria they conjure by using that word!] is a concern, but the consequences of failure are ignored.....

Even funnier thing is: the ones who have prepared, WON'T BE THE ONES WHO "HOARD". Panic will be limited to those who have listened to these kind of "planners," then decide at the last minute that they should not have listened to them.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 19, 1999.

...And always remember:

If GM or Citibank or Da Fedz spend $50 million, it's "prudent" or "just a little stockpiling" and they are to be commended.

If YOU spend $500, it's "greedy" or "hoarding" and you will bring down civilization.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 19, 1999.

(Sorry, Robert. We kinda crossed on this one...)

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 19, 1999.

I think our pioneer ancestors would just laugh at all this!

Preparedness Advocates Big Worry: Planners Who Don't/Won't/Haven't Prepared Their People... i.e. Voting Public & The One's Who Pay Their Salaries.

(Twits) Grrr.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 19, 1999.