Everyone who's interested in the philosophy of the whole y2k techno collapse thing might want to check out E. M. Forster's amazing story "The Machine Stops". Prophetic at any time, but given it was written in 1909, it is astoundingly prescient.

http://www.idbsu.edu/comm/cm161/download/machine.htm

-RC

"The second amendment is no more about duck hunting than the first is about Scrabble." - John Ross

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), November 20, 1998

Answers

Fantastic - vary apt - thanks for the read!!!

-- Andy (andy_rowland@msn.com), November 23, 1998.

"The Machine Stops" is excellent. Just bookmarked it as a matter of fact.

Another story to check out is "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov. Some scientists think they have proof their civilization will collapse due to a once-in-a-millennium type of event. They're accused of being religious fanatics, though, and have trouble convincing people to make preparations.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), November 23, 1998.

Hey Kevin - I actually bought the updated version today, co-written with another SF writer, can't remember his name. Also bought On The Beach by Neville Shute, and I'm trying to track down Alas Babylon by Pat Frank - trying to get a few ideas apart from the pleasure of reading them:-)

-- Andy (andy_rowland@msn.com), November 23, 1998.

Of course, the ULTIMATE in survivalist lit (talk about practical "ideas" !) is

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/6856/tw.htm

Not in the class of 'Machine Stops' for philosophy, but if you want to organize a para-military survivalist group, this is IT !

-RC

-- Run W. Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), November 23, 1998.

Along the same lines as "TEOTWAWKI" by Wesly,Rawles is:

Thing s Fall Apart by Fred Heiser

Worth a read.

-- Max Dixon (Ogden, Utah USA) (Max.Dixon@gte.net), November 28, 1998.