Reaction and Let Down

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Good morning, everyone. I just want to touch bases on a different sort of a problem we will all be affected by in the coming months: Letdown.

Many of you have been trying to raise public awareness of this issue for months or years. Now, in these final 303 days, it will move more and more mainstream.

People will be jumping onto "our" bandwagon and annoying the heck out of us by demanding control, by carrying triage, contingency planning, and community awareness in directions we either disagree with or were unable to because of a lack of public awareness.

Friends, this is normal. The pioneers break the path, then are "overwhelmed" as the public rush arrives. I don't know what we will now see. Maybe we will have a Y2K "Manhattan Project". Maybe we will have Presidential denial and Congressional pressure. Maybe the Senate report will be ignored by all but a few.

Just don't feel too miffed if/when "our" cause is taken over by a bunch of "Johnnie come latelies". That is the way of the world.

Moving to the country

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), March 03, 1999

Answers

I won't be annoyed, I will find it rather amusing. They'll have to pack 2 years of work and planning into 303 days. They'll discover that they are Johnnie Come Lately's, and they are stuck with no way of escape. Fortunatley for them, they will have hundreds of websites to visit, and a vast amount of information, but will find it all too overwhelming. I suspect Y2K mental health workshops will be cropping up to help people deal with their anxiety. If communities do band together, I wonder how soon they will breakdown into single cell "I'll take care of myself," units? Not everyone will be prepared on the same level so that will be interesting to see. I'm not putting any faith in our neighbors to be prepared, and they cannot offer me anything. And when you move to the country, be prepared to find people who aren't, they'll be knocking at your door within a couple of days, I will call them "Johnny Came To Late."

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 03, 1999.

I'm definitely leaning in your direction, Bardou. Even if the yuppie neighborhood association bunch can tear themselves away from their wine and cheese board meetings and come knocking on my door with news of a community meeting, I'll play very low-key because, as you say, not everyone will prepare to the same level. I STILL don't want people knowing how much stash we have. I'll do my vacuous stare and mumble something about, mm, oh yes, I have three days of Perrier and Brie, no problemo. It's not that I'm anti-community, I'm not. But this bunch's main concern is real estate values and historical preservation designation of one small elite part of one street. They'll approach Y2K the same way they approach the Fourth of July celebration in the small, local park. And how long can one store radiccio anyway?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 03, 1999.

Good for you folks! I'm doing a little work in my local area, but I'm planning on fading back into the woodwork very soon. Will neighbors be knocking at my door when I move to the country? I don't think so. I've never even heard of that there Y2K thing. Something to do with the Internet, isn't it?

Any "community awareness" work I do in my new neighborhood will be by anonymous mailers.

And how much does feed quality wheat, corn and soybeans cost, anyway? Eight to ten cents a pound? Maybe it would be good to have people owing you some favors come springtime. Not to mention having extra seed to trade.........

Moving to the country -----Original Message-----

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), March 03, 1999.


Thanks Jon,

That is exactly how I felt yesterday when I heard the senators, Webster, and Maricoccio on PBS Newshour. Here I am in the paper, my church, friends, and community y2k group telling everyone to pleeeaaassse prepare for at least ninety days, and then in a three minute soundbite their favorite news anchor tells them 'it's under control', just be ready for 72 hours of 'possible' disruptions. Now back to the latest traffic report.

Yesterday was my birthday. My last one of the millennium. My gift: Death by a thousand soundbite cuts. Remember this:

"ITS NOT PARANOIA WHEN YOUR FEARS ARE BASED ON FACTS"

-- BBrown (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), March 03, 1999.


For me, letdown was writing a lengthy article for the local rag, pleading for town hall to let us know where things stand, to let us into the discussion of what is collectively important to us, and to support a community contingency planning effort. Then, the Selectmen at their next meeting dismissing my (very toned down, I thought!) article as alarmist and deciding there was nothing further to do. Those currently "in control" are the bump-in-the-road, no-preps-necessary officials. I pledge to accept with at least mild amusement and relief any effort by others to increase awareness in my town, even if I do not totally agree with what is being said. If our yuppies do take over, I hope it is in time for me to enjoy my garden this summer!

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), March 03, 1999.


Brooks, just out of curiosity, would you say that the Senate report pretty much validates that article that you wrote?

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), March 03, 1999.

My sentiments move toward feelings of relief over any preparation done by many people. I can't sign on to the "let em freeze and starve in the dark" bandwagon.

Just me in my sheet,...

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), March 03, 1999.


Actually, less than 303 days to go, if you consider weekends, holidays, etc. ...

Part of the letdown I've experienced is the "quick fix approach"...committees formed last-minute, not taking more time to do research, etc. ...makes me wonder if all of this rushing/winging it/flying-by-the-seat-of-one's pants approach will do more harm than good. The intentions are good, buuut...

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), March 03, 1999.


Jack - Basically yes. My conundrum is that one of our selectmen is the state Y2K coordinator. If he's not worried, why would any of the other town officials be?? Our business systems and equipment are in pretty good shape (I gave them full credit for that), so it is hedging against external problems that I want the town businesses and residents to mull over. However, since this selectman invented self-denial (taught happy-face Koskinen everything he knows), my handing the report to town officials won't do any good. I will still be circulating the information, it is just so much harder without town hall's blessings and unnecessarily exposes individual citizens if things get rough next year.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), March 03, 1999.

Donna: How could one possibly take care of others? It takes time, money, preparation, we all know what it takes and I am flat ass tired. So what if I gave someone a baggy of rice, what about the next day, and the next? What are you going to tell them when they ask for more and they bring their family with them? And when you tell them I don't have anymore to give, they get pissed and decide to burn you out, flatten your car tires, or some other devious act to get even. Hungry people will do anything to get a meal. It will be a fact that people will be hungry and cold. The homeless I'm not worried about because they live it everyday, it's the one's that have never been without that I'm concerned about. Shelters will probably be setup but how long they will last is another story. If the powers that be have not budgeted and prepared for emergency services, then everyone will be on their own. And it isn't like everyone has not been warned. Piss poor planning on their part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 03, 1999.


How will I feel if everyone tries to prepare? Great. Do I care if it is handled in a stupid way? One word: no.

bardou: yes, there will be big-time anxiety attacks as the year goes on by JGIs (just got it). In the millions.

The more preparation AND panic now, the less later. Can't have too much of it. Bring it on. That's compassion, not hardheartedness. I'm bummed because I still DON'T foresee enough panic to help everyone.

Nor is it hardhearted to leave them to their own ADULT responsibility to care for themselves and their families. Heck, we're all contributing daily to this forum in an effort to help THEM. Again, as bardou says, there is plenty of info out there-here already.

My own preparation for my family never ends, thank you, and gotta get back to it now ........

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), March 03, 1999.


Jon - I really do hate to disagree with you because I dearly wish you were right. However.....

You almost make it sound like we are going to be trampled to death by hoards of FFGI (finally FINALLY get it). I really don't think that this is going to happen. I think that most people will glom onto the 72 hour leprachaun and that will be it for them and Y2K, period.

The only possibility that I can see for a true mass awaking would be if certain elements in the government decide that Y2K makes it time for a huge federal power grab over the citizens and the states. I think this is unlikely because if they propose these "solutions to various Y2K bump-in-the-road" people and state officials will wonder why their ox is being gored when nobody wants to eat meat. I assume(?) that these power lusters won't try any premptive strike so as to prevent real panic. Now if the media can make it sound like there is already panic, they'll be as opportunistic as the next politician and try to grab as much for themselves as they can in the chaos.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), March 03, 1999.


I guess that I wasn't as clear as I wanted to be.

Any broadening of preparations will be a good thing.

I was thinking more of the tendency of "newcomers" in a field (Y2K preps in this case), especially in a local area, to come in and start playing old politics, posturing, grabbing for center stage, ad nauseum. All to the detriment of the issue.

Anyway, back to work!

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), March 03, 1999.


Had a couple of flame mails, so lemme clarify a few things LOL.

- Everyone should do their best to prepare. - I was not implying that those starting late in the game should roll over and play dead...like BigDog sez, doing something is better than nothing. - I was musing that based on my experiences, stuff that's hastily planned/executed may not work as well as a situation where things are thought out in advance, planned and executed with extra time thrown in to handle unforseen side effects. The desired effect may not be reached, but it won't be as painful, either.



-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), March 03, 1999.


bardou, I'm not thinking or presuming that I will take care of others, I've got my hands full with myself and my family. I'm long past my savior of the world life phase. I just cannot and will not let my mind go to the "screw all the latecomers" place. I find it difficult enough to sleep nights. I'm rejoicing that more and more people are "getting it". There's so much wishing ill to others going on in the world. I just can't muster it for folks who's only 'crime' is ignorance. My position is just my position and not intended as criticism.

Just me in my flapping sheet,...

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), March 03, 1999.



"Actually, less than 303 days to go, if you consider weekends, holidays, etc. ..."

Wrong dude - about 150'ish WORKING days for the codeheads to do their stuff, more for the rest of us to prep (maybe much less if the HERD panics - which looks less likely every day IMO...)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), March 03, 1999.


Dittos Donna, I have been having trouble sleeping ever since I became a GI, and anyone who get's it now is of course farther ahead than most. Got my banking taken care of today and the manager is quite worried and she and her family are preparing accordingly. Also, she said that all vacations have been cancelled at the bank for the last week in Decemeber and first two weeks in January. She said that they were concerned about the bank runs and they are expecting them. She did advise to have some cash on hand and hope for the best.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 03, 1999.

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