History has shown that a scapegoat has always been necessary when something went real wrong.

Is it safe to say that governments have detailed strategies to create distractions and shed criticism over the Y2K debacle?

One GUESS is that governments are aiding and abetting already zealous (maybe deranged) Christians as scapegoat targets.

The gov't and the mass media have supported a mass delusion. Look to them for much more of the same.

Someone will be found to suck up the wrath of the masses. That is a promise and a certainty.

I ask you, who?

-- earl (ejrobill@pcpostal.com), December 08, 1999

Answers

The "Y2K Scapegoats":

1) Evil "hoarders"

2) Evil programmers

3) Cyber-terrorists

And the punishment (for those that are caught) will be DEATH (lynching), or lengthy prison terms, with confiscation of all "assets" (for "distribution").

Heil Der ArkanFuhrer!

-- Dennis (djolson@cherco.net), December 08, 1999.

The worst thing with the finger pointing is that if TSHTF, then those who did not prepare will attempt to overwhelm those who did, sparking what may end up being a really ugly slaughter of 'innocents', whipped into a paniced frenzy by the national media. What a nightmare. "Survivalist/Hoarder slaughters 12, film at 11" Not a cool thing eh? Of course, on the other hand, a backlash against those who are really responsible would be funny,..."John Koskinem and several associates were strung up by a Crazed Lynch mob today..."

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 08, 1999.

Here is my list, in no particular order!

a) Preparedness advocates

b) Specific segments of programmers and other activist "geeks."

c) People who survived because they prepared on a large scale and thus became branded as "hoarders."

d) People who publicly mixed Y2K prep with their religion.

I agree that Koskinen and Comrade Clinton are the REAL bad guys. Time and events will show us if these two will be held accountable for their crimes.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), December 08, 1999.

oprah

-- d----- (dciinc@aol.com), December 08, 1999.

Earl and Irving,

Over the past year I have noted a disturbing trend. We are seem to blame the government/politicians/Klinton and the media for our problems. You must know that these two groups are weak brokers of what really goes on in this country. They create no physical product and could never, ever have solved the problem themselves.

If Y2K is a mess, we should blame those who could have corrected the problem or given us fair warning. We should blame the source, not the failed messengers. We should prosecute the real liars, the ones who are spinning this lie via press release and public relations. We should prosecute the people who work at the self-serving trade groups like the NERC and the Edison Electric Institute. We should blame the bankers, the boards of directors, and the chairmen of Exon, Amoco, and Texaco, AT&T, GM, and Microsoft.

Politicians and the media folks are not the source of the lies, even if they are the ones repeating the lies (ad naseum). To continue to spread the idea that the Y2K mess is somehow attributable to Klinton, Kosky, or the media is misdirection. Again, do not let your prejudices sway your judgement. Focus on the people who caused the problem - not those who failed to communicate it.

I nominate the Edison Elictric Institute info (taken from their freely available web site - http://www.eei.org/resources/eei/) as the goat:

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. Our U.S. members serve over 90 percent of all customers served by the shareholder-owned segment of the industry. They generate approximately three-quarters of all the electricity generated by electric companies in the country and service about 70 percent of all ultimate customers in the nation. EEI's mission focuses on advocating public policy; expanding market opportunities; and providing strategic business information.

EEI helps members compete effectively by advancing equitable policies and ensuring maximum options in a restructured industry. EEIs membership currently includes 200 U.S. companies, more than 45 international affiliates, and over 100 associates (and growing).

For further information on the EEI, call Tom Farkas at (202)508-5557

Sincerely,

-- Uhhmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), December 08, 1999.

Uhhmm,

Your right. All those in positions of authority would have to be held accountable and gov't too.

Many historical economists figured our large corporations unsuitable to survive the next depression. Jean Gimpel, who studied the history of technological change, warns "the depression we are about to enter will have no end".

Notwithstanding my limited research, my gut feeling tells me they are right. Somehow I have no fear whatsoever of that.

-- earl (ejrobill@pcpostal.com), December 08, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

We should blame the bankers, the boards of directors, and the chairmen of Exon, Amoco, and Texaco, AT&T, GM, and Microsoft.

The problem is, these people are not accountable to the public but to shareholders. Politicians are accountable to the public.

Wh y Pollyticians Should Be Held Accountable While Warners Should Not Be

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 09, 1999.

The blame will go allllll the way down the line to the hardware and software engineers who "lied" about compliance. How could it happen otherwise?

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), December 09, 1999.

The public thinks that politicians are accountable for them, but they are accountable to corporations. The politicians are virtually owned by corporations.

The stockholders think the corporations are accountable to them, but the corporations are accountable to bankers and financiers. The corporations are virtually owned by bankers and financiers.

The problem is that the public are not being accountable for themselves. They refuse to wake up and see the bigger picture. They continue to live in denial that they will somehow attain their goals by becoming a pawn in this deceptive and tyrannical establishment which ultimately serves only the most greedy and power hungry tycoons of the world.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 09, 1999.