Hello All,

Our leaders (industry and government) are so stupid (I know this from 28 years of programming experience and just watching the world around me unfold) that it is a miracle we have not had major disasters more often than we did (nuclear, chemical, biological accidents/terrorism, airplanes crashing, buildings/bridges collapsing, etc.) My suspicion is that the competent and consciencious grassroot-level technicians and engineers compensated for most of the stupidity and averted many disasters (could not help the Challanger astronauts though, primarily because one chief engineer was ordered by his manager peers to "take off your engineer hat and put on your manager hat and vote with us")

I know that Y2K can overwhelm them when it hits and, if it reaches "critical mass", it can get out of control, but I can't help the nagging doubt that maybe, just maybe, we can save our rulers's asses again (John Galt would disapprove). If, contrary to my expectation, the world is still functioning more or less reliably in spite of the mind-boggling stupidity, short sightedness and downright destructiveness of our leaders, then maybe there is still enough vitality in the system to pull us through yet one more time.

I am not betting on it, I am as fully prepared as I could manage with my resources, but I have been going that way for years anyway - I don't think there is anything wrong with being as self-sufficient as possible. Has anyone ever heard of Scott Nearing? He started a self-sufficient homestead at the age of 50 when he was blacklisted as a university professor in the 30-s for fighting aginst child labour.

So, good luck to you all, the time for speculation is almost over, in a few weeks we will have a better idea what is likely to happen during the next year (it will not be over in a few weeks or even months).

Alien

-- Francis Mont (francis@montland.com), November 23, 1999

Answers

"Owning to past neglect, in the face of the plainest warnings, we have now entered apon a period danger. The era of procrastination, of halfmeasures,...of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.. We cannot avoid this period, we are in it now... Unless... this house resolves to find out the truth for itself, it will have commited an act abdication of duty without parallel": These words were spoken by Sir Winston Churchill 66 years ago. He was talking about Adoph Hitler. If the world had listened to him, it may have changed history. If we listen NOW, then it might the FUTURE!. Thanks for the fine post Francis, HH.

-- The Happy Hoarder (relief@coastalnet.com), November 23, 1999.

Francis .... WHY, in Gods name would you want TO " SAVE OUR RULERS ASSES AGAIN "??? Are you a masochist ? We need a fresh start , with people who plan ahead and think of others , NOT themselves . This may be our only chance; let the " RATS " go down with the sinking ship and put your energies into saving the helpless children who have no idea of what is happening and NONE of the blame for it's happening . Remember Christ's words ... " Suffer not the little children to come unto me ." My extra food is for them . If their parents will work BEFOREHAND , they will be fed too ! Silver Eagle... circling .. Watching ... Praying .

-- John Quackenbush (Silver Eagle@don'thelp.com), November 23, 1999.

John,

No, I am not a masochist, only a realist. I don't believe in fresh starts, I have seen a couple that ended in blood bath. I think in the long run humanity is self-destructive and the more powerful our technology, the more complete the destruction. Human nature has a basic design flaw in it and because of that the species is not quite viable. I suggest you read the "Warning to Humanity" document signed by 1800 of the world's leading scientists (including most Nobel laurets) at http://www.shadow.net/~holodi/warning.htm - it was published in 1993 and gave us 10+ years to reverse the environmental destruction.

In the meantime (while "waiting for God") it would be nice to hold things together as long as possible to gain time, who knows, maybe some alien civilization shows up and helps us out with the proper genetic correction so we don't have to kill each other after all (I am not holding my breath). I know I sound pessimistic, but I have studied History and Philosophy quite intensively the last three years and it didn't cheer me up.

-- Francis Mont (francis@montland.com), November 23, 1999.

If we can be allowed to use our ingenuity for rebuilding, first our own small worlds, then gradually larger without the interference of government overseers and military law, we might be able to make something out of this mess. But if the government interferes with how the people put their lives back together, it will NEVER work. The only things this government ever did well was wage war and levy taxes.

-- Liz Pavek (lizpavek@hotmail.com), November 23, 1999.

Well said, Liz . You forgot one thing governments do well ; LIE TO THE PEOPLE !!! Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@freewwweb.com), November 23, 1999.