Did anyone else catch USA Today's article, DOs and DON'Ts of Y2K? Read here. I apologize if this is repeat post!

-- Mori-Nu (silkenet@yahoo.com), November 25, 1999

Answers

Things seem to be heating up just a bit...

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/ctg738.htm

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

11/24/99- Updated 11:20 AM ET

DOs and DON'Ts of Y2K

These recommendations reflect a broad swath of opinions, some far more conservative than others. For example, the Red Cross recommends preparations to last three to seven days; California and Florida, seven to 10 days; Canada, two weeks. Some experts insist on longer. Your goal should be to achieve a level of comfort for you and your family, based on your personal inventory list and your educated concerns about Y2K. For the purposes of this list, it's assumed that there may be some difficult situations, but it won't be the end of the world as we know it. USA TODAY's M.J. Zuckerman looks at the do's and don'ts:

DOs

DO make all possible preparations as soon as you can.
DO plan on spending a fair amount of time checking, upgrading and preparing your home computer and software applications. PC and software makers typically are providing consumer-friendly information and upgrades at their Web sites.
DO create a basic "disaster supply kit," including water, food, first- aid supplies, clothing, bedding, tools, emergency supplies and special items. Check the Red Cross' Web site (www.redcross.org) for specifics.
DO stockpile some basic foods, enough to get through a week to 10 days without going to the store.
DO keep extra cash on hand, perhaps enough to live on for an entire week.
DO keep detailed records of your finances for the last six months of the year and continuing into 2000. And watch carefully for financial oddities, such as unexplained transfers or deductions or decimal points in the wrong places.
DO keep stock certificates, insurance policies and other records in a safe, fireproof container.
DO keep battery-operated lights, specially designed, long-burning emergency candles, or kerosene lamps and necessary supplies.
DO have an alternative means of cooking if you are dependent on electricity. Propane camping stoves are ideal for this purpose.
DO consider alternative means for heating your home, such as kerosene heaters and efficient wood stoves. Keep sufficient supplies stored safely. Make sure the chimney is clean.
DO store enough water for a minimum of three to seven days' use -- a gallon per person per day for drinking and cooking, according to the Red Cross, or up to 4 gallons per person per day if you plan to rig makeshift showers. Some states are recommending storing a two-week water supply.
DO refill prescriptions so you always have a supply for seven to 10 days on hand.
DO consider how you could operate your home, for three to seven days at a time, without electricity.
DO keep your car's gas tank at or above half-full. Have a system for siphoning gasoline, such as the small hand pumps available at hardware stores.

DON'Ts

DON'T assume that Jan. 1 is the only date to worry about. Some problems have surfaced, and others are expected to continue for months after New Year's Day.
DON'T assume that having gone through the upgrade process, you are safe. Back up files and systems wherever possible.
DON'T forget that even after Y2K is a memory, the Federal Emergency Management Agency endorses the "disaster supply kit" as a staple of every safe home.
DON'T count on frozen foods; canned and dry foods are a better bet.
DON'T close out your bank account and stash large amounts of cash around your home. ATMs are least likely to fail, and large amounts of cash make you vulnerable to theft.
DON'T panic if you see some oddity. Your documents will help prove your case, and the federal government insures your accounts.
DON'T take everything home from a bank safe-deposit box. That exposes you to an increased chance of loss. Besides, even in a worst-case scenario -- if the bank loses power or the vault door locks -- documents are safer there than at home.
DON'T use decorative, common long candles for light; they are unstable and a fire hazard.
DON'T operate a barbecue gas grill or charcoal grill in the house.
DON'T count on a fireplace to heat your home -- unless specially installed, it will draw off more heat than it provides.
DON'T bother with bottled water. Fill large containers with tap water. Five-gallon plastic containers can be stacked in a garage and easily carried; 55-gallon drums require hoses and pumps; inexpensive 200-gallon vinyl water bags are available through camping outlets. If you store large quantities of water, you also might need some method of purifying it.
DON'T horde prescriptions; that action might deny someone else easy access.
DON'T assume a large generator is the only answer. A small generator, if operated safely on an extension cord outside, can run any number of appliances, one at a time. And battery-operated lights and radios are essential.
DON'T store gasoline or other fuels inside your home.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 25, 1999.

DO buy extra fuses for dirty power.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), November 25, 1999.

Ack! Gaa! What? This is being published NOW? A week to ten days food? A week's cash? Alternative heating? 200 gallon water supplies and purifiers? Did they find this article stuck behind the printing press from last year? I despair.

Excuse my cultural ignorance, but what is the circulation of USA Today, and who is their typical reader?

Thanks for the post!

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 25, 1999.

Comments: Yes, it is more than interesting that a mainstream paper with their circulation is FINALLY taking a more conservative approach. My take is that if you all need anything else, get it this weekend when people are Christmas shopping because that will probably claim their time and attention first.

Colin: Not sure of circulation figures, but USA Today is one of the largest circulation papers in the U.S. They do not have a geographical focus like the NY Times or Washington Post or a San Jose Mercury News. They focus on global and U.S. news, sports, financial information and gossip/living in sound bites (thats U.S. slang for high level overview without a lot of depth). They are sold everywhere in the U.S., primarily through news stands and coin operated kiosks at gas stations, restaurants, etc. (sort of like the European version of the Herald Tribune). They have a brilliant distribution strategy. They also primarily publish Monday through Friday, tho I think there is a weekend edition now. Road warriors (corporate travelers)as I used to be depended on them for a broad brush look at present tense events.

A small village sells it, hotels typically provide it as a freebie for commercial travelers, etc. It is sometimes referrred to as "McPaper" (after McDonald's fast food restaurants)as the content is aimed toward the main stream demographic reader.

So given all that, it is a big deal that they have come forward. The only thing that strikes me is that this is a day in the U.S. that is home centered. We are celebrating Thanksgiving and many readers who would be putting money in a coin kiosk on their way into a cafe for breakfast, are more likely to be at home--(with the exception of people in transit to grandmother's house.)

I wonder if it was an editorial decision to put this focus in today as opposed to a Monday or a Friday.

-- Nancy (wellsnl@hotmail.com), November 25, 1999.

Actually, the article was in the Wednesday paper. Since Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving)is the highest volume travel day of the year, I could see a lot of people reading it on the plane.

-- Manatee (manatee@rest.com), November 26, 1999.