Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial and my response

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I couldn't find a link to this online. This editorial appeared in the 11/29/98 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel under the headline "Racine County leads way on Y2K". My responses are in brackets.

The latest news on the computer front is that the Y2K problem will not be as bad as some have imagined. Projections now are that the computer glitch that will take place on Jan. 1, 2000, will result in a "major storm" as opposed to, say, an extinction-level event.

[How bad it will get is unknown and depends entirely on which "experts" you believe. The Journal is apparently referring to a recent GartnerGroup report. This report has received a great deal of media attention, but has been roundly criticized by many. An "extinction-level event" is not out of the realm of possibility. A "major storm" is still something everyone needs to prepare for. It is rational, however, to prepare for a scenario that is worse than a major storm. Our lives may depend upon such preparations.]

So the National Guard may not have to be called out after all. But stay tuned; this story has changed before, and will likely change again.

[The National Guard is preparing. Are you? Will the editorial board change its stance? Hard to tell, since they seem to be downplaying the effects of Y2K, while at the same time encouraging preparedness, as we shall see.]

Yet if the effects of Y2K really are mitigated, it is because people are working hard to lessen any potential damage. And one place where they've been doing that is Racine County, which recently became the first county in the country to hold a disaster drill and training session on problems that could arise from the potential massive computer failure.

[Other towns (in Texas and Oregon) have had disaster drills. Racine County is hardly a leader; it may in fact, however, be the first county to hold such drills. Why hasn't Milwaukee County done the same?]

More than 75 municipal, state and federal officials and business representatives took part in the four-hour session. A federal disaster official said the county still had work to do, but he was impressed with how far along officials in Racine County are in their disaster planning.

[One four-hour session barely scratches the surface. I suspect numerous such sessions will be required.]

Y2K is a problem that sounds strange and probably will be solved. But that doesn't mean it can be ignored by local officials and business leaders. It won't be solved by someone else, somewhere else--and it won't just go away.

["Probably will be solved"?! Nonsense. An absolutely idiotic statement. Many companies will "solve" their internal problems, but MANY will not. Most small and medium size businesses are doing NOTHING about Y2K, and plan to do nothing in '99. Most of the world has done nothing. Those companies that have started Y2K repairs are, for the most part, lagging. No Fortune 500 Company has reached the testing phase. Utilities are, on the whole, very late in addressing this issue. The Federal Government is a disaster. Y2K will NOT be solved!! Not in the time remaining.]

"It's going to boil down to personal responsibility, folks," said Ron Sherman, of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 5.

[Agreed.]

He's right, and that's what people in Racine County are doing. Other communities would do well to follow their lead.

[Agreed.]

[end of editorial]

I should mention for anyone not in Wisconsin that Racine County is just south of Milwaukee County.

I should also describe the cartoon which accompanied the editorial.

From above, we see what appears like a bomb shelter. It is stocked with the following items (labeled as such in large crates): Water, Food, Surplus Cheese, variety of canned foods, Ammo. Numerous guns are stored as well. In the center of all of these supplies sits a crazed man reading a newspaper with the headline "Y2K Problem Overblown?". His chair is stuffed with cash. His comment, made to noone in particular, is "I read the hype, I heard the rumors, I planned ahead--I...I DESERVE a disaster!!"

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), November 29, 1998

Answers

I posted the above at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Online Forum. To date, I am the ONLY one making posts there.

If you would like to respond at that forum, whether you are from Wisconsin or not, the URL is: http://www.jsonline.com/cgi- bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Y2K+- +Issues+and+Discussion&number=124&DaysPrune=

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), November 29, 1998.


Sorry, try this:

http://www.jsonline.com/cgi- bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Y2K+- +Issues+and+Discussion&number=124&DaysPrune=20&LastLogin=

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), November 29, 1998.


OK. This WILL work. ARGHHH.

http://www.jsonline.com/cgi- bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true

Click on "Y2K - Issues and Discussion" under category of Business.

Sorry.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), November 29, 1998.


Thanks Steve - it's a step just past the "kookies and suvivalist yokels" stage, just a step; then they put that d**m cartoon in; and go (to the general comic-book picture-reading public) - three irreplaceable step back.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 30, 1998.

Steve,

You need to market your forum. Can the paper help you with that? Do an article inviting people to talk about it? Go to a PC or Mac users group and get them involved. Go to the local American Red Cross and involve them. Any other organized groups with users that have computers? How about flyers posted around the city? Is there a company in town who "gets it?" Perhaps they can help get the word out. Y2K preparation is now a marketing job.

Go get 'em team!

Diane, M.B.A. in Management & Marketing

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 30, 1998.



Here is the link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/1129y2k.asp

Diane:

I'm open to suggestions. Thousands of people check out the on-line forum, as evidenced by the number of responses to other topics. Who knows why everyone chooses to bypass the Y2K forum? I can only do so much... I don't expect the paper to "promote" the Y2K forum; after all, they believe it will "probably be solved in time".

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), December 01, 1998.


Steve, someone just recently posted a link to a spot that lists Y2K forums http://www.coolpages.net/2000/ -- see if they and other's like them can list your forum and send people your way. I suspect your forum is area specific. Try to get a local "get it" company to help with the marketing and costs.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 01, 1998.


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