I think that if there is a panic, it will start New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

Scenario 1: The people watch the rollover proceed around the world. Say there are some significant infrastructure problems because of Y2K, hackers, or terrorists. People are going to FREAK OUT and try to cram a years worth of preparation into an afternoon. Supplies run out, and, well, you can guess the rest. New Year's Eve could be quite a mess.

Scenario 2: The power goes out at midnight the 31st. Suddenly, all the people's worst fears about Y2K seem very real. The following morning, if the power is still out, people are going to try to prep. No way. With no power, grocery stores will be closed, as will Wal*Mart. Again, things could get ugly.

Comments?

-- Stars and Stripes (stars_n_stripes@my-deja.com), December 29, 1999

Answers

Agreed on both, but #2 is the truly frightening one. Read that as Looting, Rioting and a "siege mentality". Truly dreadful if any of that happens...

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 29, 1999.

That has always been my view--well said.

The American public has turned procrastination into an art form.

:(

-- cgbg jr (cgbgjr@webtv.net), December 29, 1999.

Our Wal Mart here is closing early on the 31st (at 6PM) and is scheduled to be closed on New Year's day.

-- I'm a get it (IMAGI@getit.com), December 29, 1999.

A friend of our family owns a business (in Illinois) which installs rolling metal shutters, the kind that are used by retail stores to protect windows and doors from break-ins. I saw him a few weeks ago and he said that business is booming. All the big chains he serves (Target, Wal-mart, etc.) have had him putting the metal shutters up on doors and windows for Y2K.

He said sales to homeowners peaked last year. Pretty cool product, push a button and down they come. I asked him if he could make 'em with gun slots and he said sure! Too bad I didn't think of it sooner!

-- Delerious ((___@___).com), December 29, 1999.

I've always felt that the minute the power goes out, the calming thought that it is just a three day winter storm will be flushed down the non-functioning toilets. I don't get paranoid in a snow storm. On the other hand...

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), December 29, 1999.

Nope.

The great bulk of the public has decided that y2k is NOT a problem.

Therefore, whatever does happen, will NOT be pinned on y2k. The people will insist -- vehemently, even violently -- that any problems that arise are caused by something ELSE.

Years & years hence, historians will write their doctoral thesis proving that those problems were indeed y2k related, after all.

Those historians' parents will disagree to the point of violence.

-- just my opinion for (what@its.worth), December 29, 1999.

Dave:

Right on the money. Everyone has been told to stock up 3 days of food and water. Well water and food can't go into a body for 3 days without coming out before the 3 days are up. I expect the sheeple will find this a very confusing situation. I can hear it now: "they told us to stock up on water and food, they didn't say anything else would be needed".

-- Interested Spectator (is@the_ring.side), December 29, 1999.

Monitor every advancing hour for clues...

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), December 29, 1999.