I truly hate to say this. If I were an average citizen listening to Rick today I would find no reason to check in with him/MSNBC any more. What he said sounded very much like Koskinen, down to telling people to prepare as the Red Cross and the President's committee said. He said prepare for a week-end. He also said he didn't expect much of a problem with utilities. Period. No comment about possible problems.

I didn't expect him to say the world is ending, but neither did I expect him to sound very much like Factfinder, a polly in my opinion.

Based on what I heard, I will pour out extra water down to a three day supply as well as the rest. Does anyone believe Rick has a three day supply of water and food and has no way to cook and stay warm if power goes off?

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Answers

Marcella, Marcella, Marcella dear...

90 seconds is not nearly enough to talk about what to do, or to explain what the problem is, or even touch on the vulnerabilities. What I said was this:

"A year ago I would have given you a much different recommendation." With less than 24 hours to go until the first rollover (NZ), it would be somewhat ludicrous for me to tell anyone to go out and buy a Katydn Water filter or Honda Generator. Anyone that's getting into the prep game THIS late is stuck with what they can do or prepare for in the next few hours. I would also be more concerned about the novice who went out and bought the Honda today injuring themselves, others, or their property using the generator improperly than I would be about other techniques.

So, any recommendations you hear from me in the next few days are based on that premise. Using a nuclear war analogy, rather than asking people to build the bomb shelter (which takes a long time and considerable planning and effort as most of us have put into our Y2k preps), I am now teaching basic "duck and cover" techniques.

Do I have my family covered? You betcha. Will I need it? Hope not, but it was a risk management decision on my part to get ready. I did this incrementally (as have you) over the past few years. We're well beyond any incremental planning now. We're into the damage control mode. So, again, I now teach how to "duck and cover". It's better than nothing.

You should also note that I have *never* given anyone personal preparation guidance. If you asked me what type of genny was a good buy, I would tell you. If you asked me if you should buy a genny, I would not have given you a recommendation one way or the other. I hope you understand the distinction. That is, and has always been, a personal decision based on one's own assessment of the risk.

Bottom line: I *am* talking to the average citizen now, I'm not trying to validate the preparations of those who have followed this issue for a long time, such as yourself. I hope you understand. (Also, if you would have seen me on "Morning Line" this morning, I think you might have come away with a somewhat of a different impression.)

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Although I have been rather critical of Oprah Winfrey's Y2K Show, (Nov. 29), I part company with those who complained because the show gave the party-line get-ready-for-2-or-3-days advice. At such a late date, any advice beyond that would have precipitated disaster. And that was a month ago.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Rick, that is not the interview I heard. This one was between 11-12 noon, my time. I am sending you a personal e-mail about this.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Marcella - received your email; will try to respond later. And yes, that was the same interview - I believe you're an hour behind me, time wise, and that's the only phone interview I've done today. I've done so many recently, though, I may have made the "different a year ago" statement in the earlier inteview this mornig. I'll take a look at the video tape in a bit.

Regardless, my response above still stands. If an interviewer asks me the question, I've gotta answer - that's why they have me on there, for better or worse. Heck, I answered a banking question in the same interview, and I'm probably the last person in the world that you'd want answering a banking question. ;-)

I'll give some thought to how I can better word the same answer, but the concept will be the same. If anyone else has some ideas on how to deal with this question (and I assure you it will come up again tonight when I'm on sometime after 9PM EST), shoot the ideas to me stat via email.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Rick, you should say something like, "RUN!! RUN for your lives!! It's all over, the whole world is ending!!" And then finish off by screaming and running out of the room.

You're right, it doesn't really matter what you say now. It is too late. If you are not ready now, no amount of warning is going to make your ready in time. You don't even need to waste your time warning people anymore, as the debate is over. 'Sit, Watch and Pray' is all that can be recommended now..

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Well Marcella,

Someone must be listing to someone a little bit. I went to Wallmart this afternoon, and while there was no panic, there was a lot of business, and interestingly, I counted 9 out of 10 carts with big bundles of toilet paper - and there wasn't a great sale on.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

"I didn't expect him to say the world is ending, but neither did I expect him to sound very much like Factfinder, a polly in my opinion."

polly? Moi'?

Regards,

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

I really believe that those who chose to prepare are preparing well beyond 3 days. Can you imagine what many folks would do if they were told to prepare for 3 weeks, especially at this late date? Y2k is in the air! People are aware, unless they chose not to be. Something interesting I will share with you - I had my husband's family for Christmas dinner. I don't see them often even though they live fairly close. The last time I discussed Y2K with them was about 6 months ago - they thought I was nuts. Anyway, I opened the discussion during Christmas dinner. To my surprise, they have stockpiled food and purchased a generator - all in the past few weeks. And, they haven't even taken the generator out of the box. AND, Norma (my sister-in-law) thought the generator could be operated in her house. Boy, oh boy! Yes, we clued her in! But, perhaps once she opened the box her husband and her may have read the safety notice - but when people are in "panic mode" important instructions are usually missed. I am really, really nervous about what some folks might do if we do have any type of power disruption in the next few weeks. My husband wired everything but had an electrician (a friend from SaskPower) check things over thoroughly before he did his test run even though he was confident that everything would work okay. I also asked my sister-in-law if she read the brochure that SaskPower sent out in their statements approximately a month ago on generators. She said no, she probably chucked it. There ya go, and this is but one example of many that I have encountered regarding total ignorance and lack of concern (until the last minute). Oh, and by the way for those of you who think people aren't preparing, my sister-in-law told me she hasn't told anyone, and only told me as I brought the subject up first (and like I would go to her place, anyway LOL!) One more thing, Rick. I believe that any coverage on Y2K should have at least some focus on safety issues directed to the public relating to home safety. At this stage of the game, I think that should be a priority.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1999

Rick, you didn't do the "year ago" speech on the telephone interview. The impression of the telephone interview was that there would not be any problems with electricity. It came across as a definite statement. I know that is not your opinion, that you have some realistic concerns.

Your TV interview in person tonight was just the right tenor. You voiced the right amount of concern and concern about Russia and Venezuela.

Your answer to questiions about preps should be what you have said all along, "People have to decide for themselves what to do based on what they perceive the risk to be. It's an individual decision." An interviewer should know better than to ask about preps at this late hour, but that is the press for you.

Good luck to everybody tomorrow.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 1999

Sean,

" "RUN!! RUN for your lives!! It's all over, the whole world is ending!!" And then finish off by screaming and running out of the room."

LOL. That's a good one.

Marcella,

The power, telecommunications, and the internet are all up and running in New Zealand, Australia, Japan. These were at one time big "ifs".

I would say it is very reasonable to expect the power in the U.S. to stay up. I am no expert, but there is no way I would go on national television and say that it is all going to come tumbling down in the America. Besides, if it does at this point it will be rather embarrassing.

Relax knowing that you have your preparations just in case and be thankful if nothing happens. Our preps can always be saved for a "rainy day" and I am sure we will all see a rainy day someday.

Factfinder,

"polly? Moi'?"

Yep a polly you are but I never thought I would see you being used as a means to insult someone. Now just how does that feel?

Cheers to all, I know that we are not out of the woods but the initial impact here is nil and that is making me feel very good.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 1999