I've been a G.I for over a year. I have executed my plans. Why do I keep lurking here, reading my y2k emails? I guess I am looking for good news and I rarely see it. Sure Mutual Life, Bank of NY, others are coming out saying they are y2k ready or compliant, if it is true, terrific. I found this site so very helpful with links on preparedness. I am not aware of a compliant bank in Canada.

My preparedness is 100% complete. I am certainly more at peace , what I don't have now I can do without. I think it is bigger than that. The key to getting past y2k is definitely going to be at the community level. This community of posters is the starting point. I should think that the veterans stay close by to lend a helping post. What more can some of these people know about y2k, or care to? They are motivated to lend a hand, to give some friendly, heartfelt advice usually prefaced with IMHO. If this is an indication of what a community can do, then I urge all of you to get active in your local community, talk to a clergyman, see if you can address the congregation. You are passionate about the issue, speak up, You are past anger, so any presentation would be in a calm, factual manner. Develop awareness, intrigue, understanding.

We are at a crossroads. A Criminal is the President of the United States and apparently 70% of the populace is behind him. Professional athletes make astronomical sums, while Canada cannot keep its doctors at home. 20% of NFL players have criminal records. The stock market is overvalued, do you think the usual October market slide will be that or just a big dump? I believe we are in for the largest redistribution of wealth in the history of the world. Maybe it is time for a crash because we have not slowed down our lives when we have been given ample signs. I think in my 30 years of married life, we have owned at least 50 vehicles. Now I drive the cheapest 1/2 ton Chev made in 1995. A wonderful vehicle, just change the oil and fill with gas. My children have taught me many lessons. Both took this year off to travel the world, perhaps they knew that it might be an awfully long time before much travel could be entertained. My daughter in Thailand tells me that S.E. Asia could not possibly spend the money required to keep even critical systems up, they are trying to survive. My son in Australia sends me posts of what he reads on the Net. The Aussies seem to be very straightforward on the y2k issue. Enough rambling. Stop worrying about whether it is a 1 or a 10, whether the Joanne effect plays out. Sit down and work out a viable plan for you. Quietly proceed to execute the plan. Stay off the net for a week, a month. If something worldshaking happens, the conventional press will surely report it. You do not need any validation about this issue. Good luck.

-- Rick Reilly (rreilly@home.com), February 04, 1999

Answers

Rick, I like your " Ready" and " Peaceful" comment. Thanks for your excellent post. Keep well, Watchful

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), February 04, 1999.

I am not 100% prepared. Mostly I read this to stay motivated. When every "reliable" source I have (Dan Blather, Washington Post, etc.) tells me that "They, Inc." will fix it, I believe.

While the "lunatic-fringe" pretty-much runs this forum (like I'm "normal"), I get a lot of pointers from here to reputable sites (GAO, FEMA, Red Cross, etc.). This helps me to understand, and to act.

Personally, I am more concerned about bioligical terrorism (VERY bad) than Y2K (bad). I live in the US, and I think we have defended Israel one (about 5 actually) too many times. Now we are caught in a holy-war. To make matters worse, we prop-up the Saudi royal family, and act like we own the middle-east gulf region.

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@anonymous.com), February 04, 1999.

Rick, I understand what you are saying, and there are Y2K awareness meetings going on in our town, especially in the churches. You said that many of us are past the anger stage. While that may be true, none of us are past the fear stage. Because if push comes to shove, you will at some point in time have to defend your property and family. I believe we will all be vulnerable to confiscation of our food and supplies if people are aware of your plans. People who are first hearing about it are scared and angry. Some of my husbands coworkers are just now getting it but there's a few who say nothing is going to happen, all is well. He tried to talk with them about it 18 months ago and no one would listen to him. I have a friend who works at a major chemical company. His company said that they were Y2K compliant, but he was able to get into some sensitive computer information and found something different. Knowing what he knows, he doesn't dare open his mouth because he would be fired. So, he goes the other route and tries to convince his coworkers about Y2K and how embedded chips make plants such as theirs vulnerable to being shut down. No one listens because no one wants to hear doom and gloom. This is the only place I talk about my fears, plans, ideas, etc., because I am anonymous.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 04, 1999.

Motivation and re-affirming information is my reason for staying in touch. Too, there are ideas that are shared by other GI's that open my eyes to new alternatives every day.

-- Mr_Kennedy (y2kPCfixes@motivatedseller.com), February 04, 1999.

Information! This forum provides more information than any other I have been to. North seems to get information from here then post it on his site. The eyes of many with concern and the brainpower to sort through the disinformation that is out there. You have all posted some lifesaving information here. For that I (and my family) thank you.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), February 04, 1999.

We post here because it's fun and informative to interact with such a diverse group of intelligent GI people. A cyber "community" in the best sense, despite the trolls.

I find more information leads here to start my day than in my local newsmedia publications. What we pick up here, also seems to be rapidly picked up in other locations. Perhaps we're also the collective Yourdonite Y2K Newshounds for the U.S. and beyond -- grassroots style.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 04, 1999.

I like to come here because I am a DGI. I don't see any way that I can be a GI before January 1, 2000. Since I have not seen anyone state the absolute, irrefutable truth about what Y2k will bring to us I have to wonder: what is the it that the GI's git? In the meantime, may I express my heartfelt gratitude to all who take the time to post their opinions. "None of us is as smart as all of us!"

-- Woe Is Me (wim@doom.gloom), February 04, 1999.

Woe is Me........ "None of us is as smart as all of us!" Unless we done git "herded"......Which this group is aware of and prepred for. Really do appreciate the info provided here by so many thinking folks.

-- Charon (Thatplace@downbelow.com), February 04, 1999.

"I have to wonder: what is the it that the GI's git?"

Woe, I'm a GI. I'm in my thirties. I was born & raised in the U.S. I have always had a roof over my head. Electricity has always been available at my beck & call. I have kept well fed most of my life - no major diseases. I have lots of "stuff". I purchase insurance so that I can replace my "stuff" if it is stolen, broken, burned, etc.

Yes, my fish bowl is comfortable. I would like to continue swimming in relative splendor. One problem. I've been sh*tting in this fish bowl of mine. Polluting it to the point of breaking. This I "get".

I look outside my fish bowl each day. I see that the above experiences are not typical to our species. People are starving, suffering, dying. I realize that there is no force-field around me. The possibility of bad times invading my fish bowl is very real. This I "get".

My fish bowl is wired to the internet. I have spent more than 1,000 hours researching Y2K. I concluded 9 months ago that Y2K is more of a threat to my comfortable fish bowl existence than theft, fire, or accident.

I "get" that preparation for possible bad times is the prudent course of action. Automobile, Home, & Health insurance premiums have cost me in the neighborhood of $50,000 over the past 20 years. For me to spend $1000 to acquire water, food, heat, etc. - just in case - is most logical.

I dare say no humaaan (ferengi pronunciation, please) that I have ever met could absorb the totality of our situation on this planet at this time in history (or any other epoch for that matter). I therefore refrain, as best I can, from engaging in the mind-numbing debates on the topics "GI or DGI?"; "Will it or Won't it?"; "Bump or TEOTWAWKI?".

Thank you all for posting the news articles, reports, spiritual, psychological, & physical prep questions/answers. This forum is invaluable to me. All of you are precious!

Smile from the Heart!

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), February 04, 1999.

Why do I visit the asylum?

1) I hear things from other programmers, and wish to verify...

2) The mainstream media is not providing detailed information regarding this issue.

3) I like to get viewpoints involving as many perspectives as possible...this place does not disappoint!

4) I like to see what other GI's are doing.

5) Most of the people in my neck of the woods don't care about the issue, don't want to hear anything about it, or both. It's nice to have a place to vent and discuss Y2K issues. When I see others venting, sometimes I breathe a sigh of relief..something to the effect of "WHEW...THANK HEAVEN...I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS VIEWPOINT/FRUSTRATION/ETC."

As far back as October, it was easy to hold discussions here without having to deal with sniping posters or people who complain in great detail about their bodily functions. IMHO, it's only gonna get worse as more people discover this forum. However, in spite of this, I think it's still one of the better places regarding this issue.

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), February 04, 1999.

Because I don't want to wait until the fall season to find out WHO SHOT JK?? (<--the Admin's Y2K "Czar".)

Plus, Hardliner & E. are raisin' me right, Y2K or no.

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), February 04, 1999.

Not only do I appreciate having a place to go to get info and have my questions answered, I also need this forum to keep me focused. After a few days away, it is soooo easy to sort of "forget" Y2K. (That bad stuff can't really happen, can it? Maybe we're just paranoid over nothing.) Then I read the forum messages and realize that the bad stuff not only can happen, it probably will. Back to the grocery store!

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), February 04, 1999.

bardou, quoting you above: "Some of my husbands coworkers are just now getting it but there's a few who say nothing is going to happen, all is well. He tried to talk with them about it 18 months ago and no one would listen to him."

Excuse me, bardou, but in a different thread, YOU claim to be telling people that "nothing is going to happen" whenever they ask you about Y2K. You implied that it was necessary to protect your preparations. Maybe your co-workers are all preparing in silence, just as you are.

-- just (wondering@about.it), February 04, 1999.

Aside from the addiction, I need the most up-to-date info possible to give my DGI friends to counteract the spin they are reading.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 04, 1999.

This forum has brought to light many aspects that I never would have thought about before.

Now that I have all these things to think about, it is getting tougher to fall asleep at nights.

-- Faze the Nation (dazed@confused.com), February 04, 1999.

Dear just: That's correct, I (me) when talking to people I tell them that nothing is going to happen. My husband, when he talked to his coworkers 18 months ago about Y2K, they didn't listen. I gave up trying to convince people a long time ago about Y2K. Now when people ask me, I tell them nothing is going to happen. I don't let anyone know my plans. Is there a discrepancy here?

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 04, 1999.

P.S. I don't have any coworkers, my husband has coworkers, please read my post again, and if you DGI maybe I can explain it to you in different words.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 04, 1999.