Or why this still (sort of) interests me.

By the beginning of 1999 I was becoming more interested in the *why* of Y2K then the actual event itself. Ken sort of hit on it when he made a passing reference to the Greens in a previous post. A lot of Norths and Yourdons posts seemed (at least to me) to have parallels to their arguments and reasoning or lack therefore of. The difference was that Y2K had a definite date unlike Global Warming or other disaster scenarios that always seem to be coming but never quite get here.

As an engineer I find it both interesting and perplexing that people who have cell phones complain about cell phone towers. Or that people who have TVs in every room of the house and almost as many computers complain about any and every new power plant and transmission line. Not only ones that might be nearby but any in the area, state, or region. People who have SUVs that get 10 miles to the gallon dont want drilling off the CA coast or in Alaska. Anybody else see something more then slightly illogical here?

To me Y2K was all of that in a nutshell. Many of the doomsters were technologically ignorant at best. Most made the assumption that the state of computer usage in the Power Industry as well (I suspect) in most industries was far more along then it really was. North kept saying over and over and over that nothing could be operated manually anymore. He was completely wrong of course. It showed how little he actually knew how things worked in the real world. I could see how, when Y2K first reared its head and most information was unknown people should be concerned and skeptical. But as time progressed and more information (overwhelmingly positive) came out the people the Pollies called Doomers seem to panic even more. They were NOT skeptical at all about negative news but demanded absolute proof of everything that was positive. Tis most strange!

It seems to me that this Y2K Think is prevalent in modern society today and extends far beyond just Y2K. I also think itll be a long term problem.

Comments?

-- The Engineer (spcengineer@yahoo.com), September 18, 2000

Answers

Give it a rest moron. Don't you think we've had enough from "Crapper"?

-- (fuck@Y2K.now), September 18, 2000.

Evidently, some people are not as able to handle being wrong as others.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), September 18, 2000.

I wasn't wrong about jack shit asshole, I'm just sick of hearing this crap from unrelenting assholes who THINK everyone was wrong except them.

-- (get@over.it), September 18, 2000.

Here's a terrifying thought for all Doom Zombies

"THE UN-EXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING."

That insures that the Doom Zombies will eventually become extinct.

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), September 18, 2000.

get@over.it: In case you didn't realize it, this was and to some extent STILL IS a Y2K discussion forum. You don't like it, leave. Moron.

CPR: You are also a moron and ought to leave. Nothing specific here on this particular thread, just on general principle.

The Engineer: There was indeed a lot of positive, optimistic news coming out in '99, but there was also negative, pessimistic news. It's hardly good news OVERALL to learn that the banks will be ready ... but the electricity might not. For most doomers, I think it is safe to say that it was the INCONSISTENCY of the news that was worrisome. And made it LOGICAL, RATIONAL and PRUDENT to prepare.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 18, 2000.

Fuck off Pain, you haven't had to put up with Crapper trashing up every single thread on this forum for the last 4 months with his "doomzie" bullshit. Anybody says anything even remotely pessimistic and the retard goes off with his "doomzie fear" misleaders garbage. I've had enough of it, and NO, I'm not leaving. We should be able to discuss any topic without having that lunatic trash it up with his hysterics.

-- (fuck@y2k.now), September 18, 2000.

Engineer--I have a short commet. When I heard of y2k a long time ago and then started reseaching the issuse in Nov of 1998, I asked my good friend who worked for a big Utility Co in MN about the potenial problem, he said " Not too Worry" After constant questioning, He told me that he was instructed not to talk about Y2k. So whose is to blame? They were pretty silent. Probably a liablity problem. I did my best and don't mind it one bit. I agree with KOS in being prepared. It gets pretty cold up here.

-- Bill (sticky@2side.tape), September 18, 2000.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001UJ6

Here's a question for you to ask the pollys. Try this on a debunking site. I'd really like to know to help me understand them. I've come across many strange sites on the net with far-out points of views such as flat earth societies or people who believe Clinton is part of an alien takeover etc.

I glance over their sites, decide they are either stupid or just being silly and then I click off and do not return. What I do not do is click onto their sites every day to challenge their points of view. If they want to believe the world is flat, hey, enjoy. Go with it. I have no trouble knowing there are people out there who study each picture of Clinton to see if his human make-up is slipping or are trying to develop methods of studying the underside of our flat plantet.

Why then do the pollys who disagree with those believing y2k may create problems that need to be dealt with, feel the compulsion to examine every posting for the purpose of debunking it? Why not, after having found a forum full of "weirdos", just move on?

The streets have always been full of people wearing signs announcing the end of the world is near. Most people just write them off as nuts and walk around them. The pollys seem to me like someone who follows this "nut" around screaming to other pedestrians not to listen. Perhaps it's just me but his behavior seems even stanger then the original end of the world nut.

The doomsters believe they may be saving lives by warning others, but what is the pollys motivation? If they truly believe it's no big deal then what is the harm in ignoring it. In 93 days everyone is going to know they're right. Am I missing something? Are there flat earth debunking sites? Is there a web site I can go to where I can read posts by dozens if not hundreds of individuals each offering proof that the president is human? I'm having trouble understanding why the pollys not only post on y2k sites but have gone so far as to create y2k debunking sites. What is the cause of their obsession?

-- thomas thatcher (jabawaki@erols.com), September 30, 1999.

-- answers please (answerspleeze@answerspleezeee.xcom), September 18, 2000.

We had a lovely time preparing for y2k. Ken Decker's essay on the difficulties of defending a fixed position helped us to make the decision to be an open resource for our neighbors and not worry about defense. There's something freeing about giving up the notion of living to an old age. We had fun. We've given a lot of the food away since then, and that was fun too. We've been forced to rely on the handpumped well several times in the past few months, so that was a good investment.

I hear there are ASTEROIDS coming!! Yay!

( o Y o )

-- helen (b@s.n), September 18, 2000.

Nice pair you got there Helen! Now I see why you can possess all the penises you want!

-- (me@so.horny), September 19, 2000.

I only look at the energy that drives the machines. What are they? doing

-- ET (bneville@zebra.net), September 19, 2000.

me -- it's the best thing about the internet...

\./ \./

-- helen (b@s.o), September 19, 2000.

For most doomers, I think it is safe to say that it was the INCONSISTENCY of the news that was worrisome. And made it LOGICAL, RATIONAL and PRUDENT to prepare.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 18, 2000

What would you EVER know about "logical, rational and prudent".

YOU WERE WRONG, BIG TIME. Now you show up here thinking people are stupid and will buy your LIES?

-- Attack Pollies' Leader (LeaderMan@AttackPollies.org), September 19, 2000.

I was scared shitless that I wouldn't be able to put Hershey Chocolate Kisses in Wally and Beaver's stocking last Christmas.

-- Mrs. Cleaver (Mrs. Cleaver@LITBBB.xcom), September 19, 2000.

Mrs. Cleaver: I assume you did the logical, rational, and prudent thing ... bought a year's worth of de-hydrated Hershey's Kisses.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), September 19, 2000.