I sure do. I am glad that things are going so great, but I am having a little bit of buyers remorse. I guess that I can use all of this stuff in the future for a bad storm or something. I haven't got any ridicule yet, but I expect it to come tomorrow at some relatives house and on monday when I go to work. I never preached any doom and gloom, but I did give my opinion when asked. I told everyone that I expected some possible problems and was preparing for the worst. They looked at me like I was crazy.....maybe I am. Maybe I am gullible. I don't know. Better safe than sorry. God Bless...

P.S. Don't feel bad guys. We love our families and made an intelligent decision based on the facts or "rumors made to sound like facts" that we had available at the time.

-- Bill (watching@home.net), December 31, 1999

Answers

Oh what the hell, it was fun wasn't it? It always seemed to me that most of us that were prepping could afford to do it anyway. I bought some really cool stuff. Next spring it's a Ferrari for me if all goes well. I'd do it all over again to tell you the truth. My family is important to me and so is their security and safety.

-- (roark@not.now), December 31, 1999.

Bill, didn't you read Dale Way of the IEEE? What about the Gartner group? I think you are relaxing your vigilence a little early my friend. I have expected a "5" all along and prepared for an "8." Perhaps there have been no problems so far. Perhaps there have been problems covered up or just not reported yet.

Perhaps there won't be any problems on Monday when everyone goes back to work and turns on their computers. Perhaps 7% of all small businesses will not go broke over the next 30 days because of fix on failure.

When will not know anything for sure for several days or weeks. You were wise to prepare, and you are not YET an idiot. The court is still out.

Happy New Year!

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), December 31, 1999.

Nope- not one bit. I would only feel like an idiot- or worse, if I had done nothing to prepare and TSHTF.

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), December 31, 1999.

I can't help thinking that Koskinen was wrong about the "other country's" preparations.......and that our systems here in the US will be the ones with the biggest failures.

Now wouldn't that be a hoot?

-- (Y2K@connection.com), December 31, 1999.

I don't feel like an idiot! I was very wise to stock up. Nothing will be wasted. I will use it all. I'm absolutely thrilled that I was wrong!

-- bbb (bbb@bbb.com), December 31, 1999.

Bill,

You have some very intelligent company. Some smart folks called Y2K wrong... at least it looks that way now. There are far worse mistakes for a person to make. This is a time for gracious behavior on both sides of the debate... and I hope some of the folks who suggested I was either "dense" or "deceitful" will make nice.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), December 31, 1999.

Hey Bill,

I dont think that most of the "optimistic" posters would give you much grief. You probably took prudent steps to protect your family - unfortunately, there was too much noise and no real way to sort out the "real" experts. I for one lay most of the blame on individuals who claimed (in their books, websites, videos, etc.) to be knowledgable in such a wide range of areas i.e., telecomm, power, System On Chips (SOC). I worked in each of the aforementioned areas and never felt confident to say (with even 65% confidence)what the final outcome would be...Amazes me that others could make such sweeping pessmistic pronoucements. Take care and have a prosperous and peaceful New Year. Regards,

-- william holst (w_holst@hotmail.com), December 31, 1999.

It ain't over yet.

-- helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), December 31, 1999.

Well, we're not wrong yet, but I'm really liking the progress so far.

I regret not one cent I spent on preps, particularly getting out of debt, because I'm going on one hell of a shopping spree if this thing winds up being < 3.

Torn between a '66 Mustang or another truck....... what a happy decision to make, finally, if things go well.

Plus I can't wait to rip into my Velveeta and make a bunch of Queso..... bring your own crow; I'll BBQ it, Hoff.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 31, 1999.

Aloha Bill!

Not even brother:) Only a fool wouldn't prepare if they have kids. And it ain't over till its over? So far so good, GREAT!!!

aloha, Lokelo

-- Lokelo (lokelo@hotmail.com), December 31, 1999.

First of all I won't make a judgement until March 31st.

Second, it never hurts to be prepared. If the people in France had prepared they would be a heck of a lot better of in the storm last week.

Blessings...

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), December 31, 1999.

Well i am setting down to a feast of fried crow and dumdass pie o hell owell life goes on

-- bill (harleybl@gorilla.net), December 31, 1999.

I do not feel like an idiot but there are a few items I am sorta wishing we had not purchased; however, it still isn't anywhere near over.

I lived through the Great Depression and the rationing during WWII and I am not especially interested in experiencing that again. That has been my greatest concern. It is still much too early to determine the economic impact of computer failures in the next few weeks. Also, the oil problem is still "iffy".

Hopefully, everything will limp along and we will only be subjected to errors that can be corrected without too much impact and we can breathe a sigh of relief that "all's well that ends well".

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), December 31, 1999.

Well I feel so happy I could jump for joy! Actually I enjoyed the last year - I learned a lot about myself and how the world around me works. I learned that I could think outside the box and that I cared enough to make preparations for all my family and neighbours. Since the Ottawa Ice Storm I have felt the need for an alternate heat source anyway. I am delighted to think I can now carry on with my normal life and perhaps take a trip next year after all. (Also my mother won't have to come live with me! LOL)

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), December 31, 1999.

I'll start looking for 'em, Lisa.

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 31, 1999.

Do I feel like a Idiot for"

- Providing food and water for my family

- Providing shelter for my family

- Providing clothes for my family

- Speculating on what might (still) happen in the future

.

Hardly

Do you feel like a Idiot for asking. (That's what's called a acedimic question)

-Greybear

-- Got ANY insurance for anything?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), December 31, 1999.

We're less than 4% of the way there I suppose, so don't sell your stuff yet, heh. Hopefully we won't need it of course.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), December 31, 1999.

Sorry boys!

You seem to conviently forget a few things, one being that the New Zealand govt. said out right that they would set on any serious trouble with y2k so as not to upset the sheeple! Another is that a majority of the infrastructure is not in operation! Pipe lines, bank transfers (for the most part) oil refineries. Chemical plants...etc! They are all off line before the roll over and will be off line untill after the roll over. Not to menion the manufactoring sector..

So...Since you have asked for predictions from every one...I'll make just this one for you The Fat Lady has not been allowed to sing yet! She hasn't even been allowed to cler her throat or mermer " MEE MEEE MEE"!!! Time factor to begin seeing tangible FUBAR's the 3rd of January untill the 7th.. So don't sell your stash just yet boys! You are still in for the ride of your lives..And Mr. Decker, sir while I do resect you in your feild. You have show none for me or my feild...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SHakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), December 31, 1999.

Yes, citygirl, I'm still loading up the TB database when it gets here in the mail, the way-it-all-works info in the archives is priceless.

Start lookin, Hoff, but the BBQ probably won't be till the end of January.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 31, 1999.

Well:

I never expected meltdown but I didn't think it would be as easy as it's been thus far, either. Anyway, I'm ECSTATIC to be wrong about the severity. Congrats to everyone and it's still nice to be prepared. Just ask our friends in North Carolina and Florida about bad weather crises, etc. Happy New Year everyone! And if there are disruptions to come, let them be few and relatively painless.

-- haha (haha@haha.com), December 31, 1999.

Everything has an appearance of tranquility, watch out Monday moringing when everybody switches everything on. Wait till all the big ones are turned back on that have been temporarily turned off, wait untill all the embeds kick in. Patience is a hard lesson to learn, wait untill the covered lies are uncovered and the Nukes melt down and the air is filled with radioactivity. Waiting and patience is the name of the game. I have never learned to have it, and it has been the reason for many of my failures in life, and there are many. I have a gut feeling that prepping as I have for this is not one of them.

-- Notforlong (Fsur439@aol.com), December 31, 1999.

Bill, I have no regrets at all. As a father of a wonderful 10 year son, I just thought of it as being very prudent. I admit things look good at this moment. 3:00 cst It isn't over yet. Good luck and a Happy New year.

-- Bill (sticky@2side.tape), December 31, 1999.

Yeah, Shakey, I here ya.

Must be digitally editing all those videos with the lights on, right?

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 31, 1999.

Folks,

Its just started...most don't even know they've got a problem yet. Those with problems even embeddeds may not know it til Feb or Mar.. Most oil embeddeds though are expected to surface within the first 3 weeks... AND... TIMED TO GMT... that means that any of the scary aspects HAVE YET TO OCCUR... It's like being in the super bowl in the first 30 seconds of the game and you get a touchdown... but your playing against John Elway... and Joe Montana is his backup. GULP. Poor analogy really but the point is... you didn't really understand what ya got here... I mean if it were already 1/1/2000 I'd be a little more understanding folks but its not arrived at the critical junctures yet for even the instant cyber fireworks. so don't make your apologies yet.. wait a few weeks at least. sheesh.

-- (racambab@mailcity.com), December 31, 1999.

Did we roll over? Did I oversleep?

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 31, 1999.

Yes, you overslept. Over half of the world's population (China, India, Indonesia, Russia) has already rolled over and started partying.

-- Truk (Truk@loa.moc), December 31, 1999.

Shakey,

Email me at racambab@mailcity.com need a question answered... if you can... I've got some pipeline photos an engineer sent me I wanted you to see. Also good points about some things being shut down. However I didnot hear of any refineries shutting down overseas in Asia. Might have... I just didn't hear it. In fact I know several US refers that are not shutting down...but will be ready to shift to neutral and do a fast shutdown if needed. I've heard stories of some west coast refers planning to shutdown, but nothing definite that I can prove.

Also Shakey... I'm hearing that these clocks are GMT also so that will make a difference too.

-- RC (racambab@mailcity.com), December 31, 1999.

Hey, Bill, et. al., I offered my take on exactly this point in my thread below titled, "In the Name of the Best Within Us."

Please look at it; it came right from my heart.

-- eve (123@4567.com), December 31, 1999.

So far, nothing worth anything has happened in 1998, 1999. And nothing has happened at rollover in half the world (including some pretty lame spots). Yet no sense of "you know, maybe it won't be such a big deal afterall."

The problem has always been theoretical, and as time passes nothing practical occurs. Don't you think that points to it maybe being not as bad as you might have thought.

Put it this way, if all the world's utilities survive, all other problems are fixable. Period. Fixing problems creates jobs.

C'mon folks, start to feel relief. No one's asking anyone to seel their preps just yet (i got no preps to sell), just relaxe a bit.

cheers, Mike

-- Mike B. (mike@noemail.net), December 31, 1999.

So what's the plan after GMT rolls over?

Just wondering what to expect next.....

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 31, 1999.

Me, sorry that nothing has happened so far? Heck no. But, the Fat Lady hasn't sung yet. It's the next few weeks that will tell all.

I've met a lot of nice people. Had fun. Am not out any money. And everything I've put back isn't going to spoil, just fewer trips to the grocery. Besides living in So. Calif, earthquake country, being prepared is a way of life.

Besides, who do I owe any apologies to? I didn't force anyone to do or not do anything. I made my own decisions, and I didn't spend $50 million on a bunker in Washington, D.C.

-- Richard (Astral-Acres@webtv.net), December 31, 1999.

Indeed Mara!! Very well said.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), December 31, 1999.

Well, well, uhh, uhh, you see, well, uhh, ... IT WAS THE CHEMTRAILS! Things are going to hell in a handbasket, but people are in CHEMTRAIL INDUCED MASS HYPNOSIS, and do not see what is REALLY happening!!!! THAT is what those jets have been up to these past few months.

But, seriously folks, IT'S TOO FRIGGING EARLY to declare ANYTHING yet. The fact that we have not yet had nuclear explosions (just a little queasiness in Japan) nor power outages is great. But I want to see weeks, not hours, pass before making any judgment.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), December 31, 1999.

Shakey, I have no idea what your field is... but I do see a large woman warming up her voice in the wings.

Lisa, feel free to "make nice" any time...

Hoff, enjoy this moment. Vindication is a rare sparkling second. In a few weeks, everyone will claim they were agreeing with you the entire time. (chuckle) Be well, and enjoy a glass of bubbly for me.

Mara, see comment to Lisa.

RC, we'll see.

Spain, the world remains safe for mud wrestling. Commence au festival.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), December 31, 1999.

Ken, got 2 bottles of Perrier Jouet chillin now

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 31, 1999.

You stay out of it, Ken. What crow I do wind up eating will be for honorable pollies.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 31, 1999.

Hey speak for yourself, Bill, I have ALWAYS said even if this turns out to be a big nothing (which I have been hoping and praying for), this experience has still proved to be incredibly valuable. We are going to continue to live with emergency supplies and a stocked pantry on hand! I love it!

My prayers look as if they may have been answered!

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 31, 1999.

I'll be glad to get a life, again...so will my wife!

-- finally (zztop@epix.net), December 31, 1999.

As I read the thread GMT rolled over. Not a burp in the power. Good sign. Looks like the electricity is going to be with us over the near term. Crow? Is that crow? someone is already cooking the bird? Keep mine warm, please? I am not ready for it yet.

-- Michael Erskine (Osiris@urbanna.net), December 31, 1999.

GMT rollover..so what's next?

-- Hoffmeister (hoff_meister@my-deja.com), December 31, 1999.

Am I sorry????

NOooooooo.....

Based upon available data for the past year, I would not be a very good parent or spouse if I hadn't done the preps that I did.

I'll gladly eat crow than not be prepared. Just ate an MRE~ GLAD I didn't have to do it long term, and more importantly I thank God for protecting all the children.

I'll take the white meat, w/ tabasco please.

-- RJ (LtPita@aol.com), December 31, 1999.

No, actually I feel like a responsible father.

No embarrassment, because my wife and I told almost no one.

"Invest" (yourself) in your children; it'll give you something else to care about besides money and being right.

-- jor-el (jor-el@krypton.uni), December 31, 1999.

Amen, Jor-el. That's the point, isn't it.

Godspeed,

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), December 31, 1999.

Well, it looks like a smooth ride so far. So, are we idiots for having prepared? I spend thousands of dollars every year for insurance premiums to cover events I hope never happen. If I don't have a claim, my premium is lost.

y2k preps were a win-win proposition. They are still usable, even though I don't *have to*. Should we have bet the farm on the word of someone who "would rather climb a tree and lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth?" I don't think so.

Besides, although (thankfully) nothing very bad has happened so far, the event is a long way from being over. (As many others have observed.)

As far as DGI family members go: they can poke all the fun they want to. They knew that if things fell apart they could move in with us. I would rather be the object of their jokes than have to see them suffer because I could do nothing about it. I would do it again in a second. And I will not consider myself to have "lost" something if there are no problems.

But, any way it turns out, my prayers and best wishes to all the participants here, polly and doomer alike.

regards,

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), December 31, 1999.

HOOOOoooooooold on there! There are quite a few "doomers" that have been rude, obnoxious, and flat out disgusting in there behavior towards rational, thoughtful "pollys"(bad name...I prefer "realist")

MANY will simply change their screen name and NEVER apologize....some might. I know the posters named Paul Davis, Maria, Hoffmeister, Factfinder, Ken Decker, Anita Spooner, and several others have been taunted by the childish among you for well over a year.

Its time for this forum to grow up and show some REAL integrity, by DEMANDING that these vile posters who wished for the deaths of others, and who consistently and baselessly attacked anyone with a different perspective, PUBLICLY apologize to these individuals.

-- Ex-doomer (ungotit@debunking.y2k last year), December 31, 1999.

First of all, Lisa, you wouldn't know an honorable "polly" if you hit one with your new truck (or '66 Mustang). I've put up with a ration of crap from people just like you... it's your turn at the cafeteria. Hey, Maude, make sure Lisa gets a full plate....

As for public apologies, I'm one of the few people in the history of this forum who has ever apologized for poor behavior. Here's a clue, Lisa, taking responsibility is a keystone in personal integrity. Let's see how many serious pessimists make amends... but I'm not staying awake by the phone waiting for them to call.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), December 31, 1999.

Uh, Deck, excuse me, but you came here.

To a prep forum.

We begged you for months to leave so we wouldn't have to 'inflict' ourselves on you, but you chose to remain and endure the torture.

Quit whining, pantywaist.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 31, 1999.

Shakey, I have no idea what your field is... but I do see a large woman warming up her voice in the wings. Lisa, feel free to "make nice" any time...

Hoff, enjoy this moment. Vindication is a rare sparkling second. In a few weeks, everyone will claim they were agreeing with you the entire time. (chuckle) Be well, and enjoy a glass of bubbly for me.

Mara, see comment to Lisa.

RC, we'll see.

Spain, the world remains safe for mud wrestling. Commence au festival.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), December 31, 1999.

======================================================================

The fool above reminds me of Wile E. Coyote who has just stepped off the edge of the canyon, his feet are still spinning (and double-deck is still blabbing)...

wonder what happens next?

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 31, 1999.

Alas Poor Mr. Decker..

Me thinks the poor fool is twiter pated. And it is just possible he is inflicted with a short memory.

But it is just barely possible that he be more troll, than polly. And it is certain that he forgets his manners. In every era, including this modern neo-atheistic bedlam that is laughingly called the 21st century. A gentleman, by any understanding of the name does not use the words that you have used in this thread, to a lady... So there forth, amoung other things, sir you are not a gentleman. And my esteem for your profession (what ever that is; though I began to suspision you have asperations to be a comeadian on the scale of the late and demented Jack Parr....He to; was rather insulting in presentation and attitude). Has taken on the same flavor I reserve for those choice comments are usually found in the privey. And since I know you feel no shame for your actions and attitude; I feel that shame for you sir.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), January 01, 2000.

Lisa you stated that you'd kiss my $$$. Well....

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), January 01, 2000.

Maria! About time you came out of the troll closet. You've been busy here today.

-- (what a joke@you.are), January 01, 2000.

Midnight can be viewed as stage one of the effects of y2k. Unfortunately some information may not be available from relatively closed societies such as china for weeks. Russia exists across 12 of the 24 time zones. It was good news that reactors in the first 2 time zones appear unaffected so far. Of critical impotance will be the embedded chips in their gas delivery systems. They are major suppliers to Germany etc. of fuel.

The second phase will begin next week when businesses and gov't agencies that are shut down now start up.

The third phase will play out as any effects on supply lines that will be reflected in company earnings in the 1st quarter.

The news so far is very encouraging, but it's not over by any stretch of the imagination.

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 01, 2000.

Bill,

Glad to see your enjoying the goood news, but hang in there fella.

Maria is just try to see if KOS has rolled over properly thats all,...right Maria? :]

-- Will (righthere@home.now), January 01, 2000.

At best, remember: It never was so much the odds as it was the stakes.

At worst, remember: There is a lot more to Y2K problems than immediate power losses at rollover. Anyone ready to conclude anything at this time really, truly, still Does Not Get It.

Day 1.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.~net), January 01, 2000.

I would feel like an idiot if I prepped and PRAYED and then jumped up and down when "everything fell apart". I would feel like an idiot if I figured as of this morning that I wasted my time prepping, and then got rid of my preps., only to have the still looming major problems come back to haunt me in three-four weeks.

I would feel like an idiot if there were people dying right now and I was so glad "I was right". I would feel like an idiot if I sat and watched T.V. for an hour and let them talk me out of all the problems that still remain.

I would feel like an idiot if I was embarrassed right now for having put prudence ahead of popularity.

I would feel like an idiot right now if I prepped without ever researching y2k myself.

I would feel like an idiot if I sought the herd of fools for forgiveness for "my sin" of prudence.

I would feel like an idiot if I even THOUGHT of being embarrassed for being RESPONSIBLE.

I would feel like an idiot if I felt my warnings to friends was a mistake; ANY TRUE FRIEND WOULD BE GRATEFUL I DID NOT WITHHOLD INFO. I HAD THAT INDICATED THEY MAY BE IN DANGER!

Finally, I would feel like an idiot if I thought being prepared for any emergency was foolish.

Anyone who feels like an idiot after less than 24 hours since roll-over needs to recall why they prepped, what they read and the issues that remain unresolved.

Also, always remember: MOST IDIOTS DO NOT REALIZE THEIR IDENTITY, CUZ THEY ARE IDIOTS!

-- (He Who) Rolls with Punches (JoeZi@aol.com), January 01, 2000.