The Clinton government is planning on using your tax dollars to begin a Y2K media coverup - (excuse me, "calm the public") campaign.

ref: (from www.WorldNetDaily.com dated 01/26/1999)

http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/17527.html

And the interesting part is that the Ag Departemnt is complaining about receiving calls asking about simple preparedness techniques.

To stop this, you must call and write your own Congressman (they're not doing anything else right, since the Senate is busy) and ensure that this specific campaign is STOPPED now. If it begins, forget about getting any more people to prepare. The counter-pressure will be too great.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 27, 1999

Answers

Declan how can you write that crap in Time and then write an article like this in Wired? Will your next Time article include this type of information? Or do you write whatever the editor wants?

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), January 27, 1999.

A thread on this same subject was started yesterday at...

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000QeE

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 27, 1999.

The Wired article reminded me of what Hamasaki wrote a while back (I parphrase from memory): "Whenever I hear someone in authority say, 'Don't panic,' I immediately look for someone to push over and beat to the exits."

Ko-skin-em will have to be ultra clever to keep this campaign from back-firing in his face. Oops, gotta go. Pinto beans on sale at Sam's Club.

-- bill dunn (bdunn@snet.net), January 27, 1999.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

- The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America, In Congress, July 4, 1776

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), January 27, 1999.

Good words, Hardliner - as treasonous then as they are now. Thank God our forefathers had sufficient guts. Let us hope that they were handed down.

"Life, liberty and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, libery and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place." Frederic Bastiat, The Law

-- Why2K? (who@knows.com), January 27, 1999.

I read the minutes of the first meeting of the President's Council on the Year 2000. They planned this from the beginning. As best as my memory serves they stated that:

they planned an info. campaign targeted at those who do not think Y2K is a big deal. They intended to send the message that the problem was solvable (in time) and emphasizing the progress that had already been made. I do not have the URL. It was one of the first documents I read on Y2K and I neglected to "add it to my favorites".

-- Not (notpanicked@prepare.com), January 27, 1999.

For those wondering what job role will be useful/profitable/noble in the New Century: New Govt Builder. This person will have kept a detailed hard copy log of all happy-face pronouncements and propaganda campaigns, will have a good lawyer on board, will have a library of great founding documents (see above example), will have a persuasive way of speaking to the furious starving masses, will be clear-headed, rational, compassionate, and non-violent in temperament, but willing to use force as necessary.

Hardliner will either be this person, or will be a mentor to several persons with a passion for 'doing it over right.' So Hardliner, take extra special good care of yourself, and hit that Print button.

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 27, 1999.

I vote for Hardliner as President and Commander in Chief of the FRL.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 27, 1999.

I've said in the past that the coming together of so many great minds at one time--the Founding Fathers--was an unprecedented event in history and unlikely to ever be repeated. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe the coming event will bring us such leaders and thinkers once again. We'd better hope so.

-- Vic (68rdrunneris@compliant.com), January 27, 1999.

"Declan how can you write that crap in Time and then write an article like this in Wired?"--Bill

From Declan's posts on Time Mag: Millenum Madness! thread:

"Second, only a portion of the cover story reflects my contribution. Other folks worked on other parts.

Third, I would have liked if some of my suggestions were incorporated into the final article, but this is a topic to be taken up with my editors; and besides, bureau reporters never get everything they want." --Declan

"I have written more on Y2K than any other journalist I know. I have read more original documents and done more interviews. As a libertarian, I hardly accept government "trust us" reassurances at face value.

My position on Y2K varies depending on my forecast at the time, but I do not think based on the evidence that's in so far that it will be anything near TEOTWAWKI.

That's not "corporate media" speaking. That's just me, here, solo. (I suspect that most other reporters predict fewer Y2K problems than me, though.)" --Declan

Subject: FC: The End of the World, from Time Magazine
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 08:46:35 -0500
From: Declan McCullagh
To: politech@vorlon.mit.edu

Time Magazine's cover story this week is Millennium Madness. (January 18, 1998)

My contributions to the cover story include the federal government and Y2K, the history of millennialism, the reaction of religious groups, and Y2K activism.

You can read the article in full at:

http://cgi.pathfinder.com/time/reports/millennium/ end_world.html

****************** Declan was chewed up pretty good on that thread. Maybe he felt guilt pangs ;-)

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 27, 1999.

Bill Dunn, above, quoted Hamasaki: "Whenever I hear someone in authority say, 'Don't panic,' I immediately look for someone to push over and beat to the exits."

We were in Norfolk, VA, spouse working on DoD contract, when deep defense cuts were announced. The local pols said, "No problem, we won't see any severe effects here in Norfolk." Like Hamasaki, we knew that was the panic signal. We were lucky and got out just in time, losing money on the house. Neighbors of six-seven years ago are still trying to sell. Just after the contract was signed on our house a nearby mostly-civilian aviation repair facility closed--and so did 4,000 jobs. There were other closures too, plus jobs lost at the shipyards.

Let us not forget: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you". . .

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 27, 1999.

From Declan::< That's not "corporate media" speaking. That's just me, here, solo. (I suspect that most other reporters predict fewer Y2K problems than me, though.)" --Declan >>

Reporters "report" on what they are told. Just because they are a mouthpiece of a widely purchased rag, it doesn't give them authority or true knowledge of a subject. Those of us with working knowledge in the computer industry know enough to "know better". And we can see the cover-ups for what they are, not for what they are "reported" to be. See ya in the breadlines, Declan.

-- Mr_Kennedy (y2kPCfixes@motivatedseller.com), January 27, 1999.

The Presidents Council on Year 2000 Conversion URL:

http://www.y2k.gov

I'm working on a "LINKS" list for them. Will post later.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 27, 1999.

Hate to start a new thread for this. Hope it's not off topic. Actually, it made me hope the impeachment fiasco will drag on for months and keep congress from "helping us":

Lott: Senate To Be Busy After Trial By JIM ABRAMS Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott today promised a ``burst of activity'' after the impeachment trial to impress on Americans that Congress is working on their behalf.

Lott, in a breakfast speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, listed education, military pay and the year 2000 computer problem as among the first areas the Senate will address when the trial is over.

The Mississippi Republican said he thought the trial would be over in ``two weeks at the most, and then we have work to do. We need to get a burst of activity to show that we are attending to the people's business.''

*snip*

Within 10 days after the trial ``we're are going to make the senators all come to the Senate chamber and sit down and we are going to get a report'' about the status of efforts to correct computer glitches that could cause serious disruptions in basic services with the arrival of the year 2000.

He said legislation is being prepared that will help the private sector deal with the problem without facing a rash of lawsuits.

*endsnip*

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), January 27, 1999.

I decided to stop by after a couple weeks hiatus (I have been travelling and covering the COPA and Microsoft trials).

I note that some folks weighed in with reasonable and intelligent comments. But others were simply blather:

> Declan how can you write that crap in Time and then write an >article like this in Wired? Will your next

Well, geez, maybe that's because I didn't write the Time article. I contributed to it, along with a half-dozen other people.

In any case, I appreciate the constructive comments and suggestions. And you can be sure the White House did not like that article...

-- Declan McCullagh (declan@well.com), January 28, 1999.

Do you know what will be included in this "upcoming Senate bill" on Y2K?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 28, 1999.

I have some ideas, based on my interviews with lobbyists and White House folks (believe it or not, there are many other people dealing with this issue there than just Koskinen). Look for legislation dealing with raw liability rather than liability for disclosures; and look for the White House and the trial lawyers to try to limit its scope.

-- Declan McCullagh (declan@well.com), January 28, 1999.