Critt recently posted something and I was the only one who responded.

I really feel like I "killed" the thread with my response. I certainly had no intent of so doing, but since I noticed another poster throw a post into the ring a 2nd and even 3rd time, I thought I'd throw Critt's post back into the ring.

Oh...and for those of you who think everyone has 3 days of nonperishable food lying around the house, you're wrong! There MAY be 3 days of food in the refrigerator, and an additional 3 days in the freezer, but not everyone thinks of nonperishable food. BTW, I think the rule of thumb if the electricity goes out is: Eat the food in the refrigerator FIRST, the food in the freezer NEXT, and THEN go on to the nonperishable items.

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

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999

Answers

What's the rule of thumb if your job goes out? Your stuff, your parent's stuff, the government's stuff, roadkill?

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), May 27, 1999.

Lisa:

Did you read the original thread?

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

Anita

followed your link back to the other post, it was one i missed earlier. sometimes we inadvertantly kill threads when we ask questions for which there are no good, or easy, answers.

ethics and morals are so personal. few of us want to search our souls so deep as to find out where the cutoff is when deciding who to help and who to turn our backs on. like the pollys, we just wish that decision doesn't have to be made.

all of the good 'disaster' novels (lucifer's hammer, alas babylon, etc) deal with the moral implications of survival. unfortunately, i can't help you with your guilt trip. you have to make the call and stand or fall with it.

sorry i wasn't more help, but you wanted an answer as to why the thread died. does this answer your question?

btw, i welcome other viewpoints, if someone has an alternative.

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), May 27, 1999.

Fresh Road Kill aint bad. :)

-- Eater (I'veHadit@diner.com), May 27, 1999.

This link?

Did you mention job loss there?

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), May 27, 1999.

Lisa:

As an independent computer contractor, job loss is always FOREMOST in my mind. In fact, I've now been unemployed for almost 4 months because the market has dried up around here. My roommate has been unemployed for 2 months because of the market dry-up. Job loss (for me) has NEVER been a Y2k issue. It's been a constant reality. It's why I've SAVED more than I've ever spent.

I've been offered a position with the municipality at which I contracted, but can't begin there until my non-compete clause expires. I'm familiar with their Y2k progress and I'm sure they'll be around next year. I'm LESS confident in some of the consulting firms.

If job-loss is paramount in your mind, I think you need to closely examine the progress of your employer. ENSURE (to your satisfaction) that things are rolling along and that you will be secure in your position. These are questions that EVERYONE should be asking of their employer.

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

Anita, I think your response was very valid, and I don't think you killed that thread. However, it is an important topic, so thanks for posting it again.

I have a LOT of food in my basement (at least relative to everyone I don't know here!). I have NO IDEA how many days it represents because I have NO IDEA how many people I will be feeding. Ditto, water.

I see it as the main reason to overprepare.

I can take care of myself and my two cats, but I may also be looking after my parents, their cat, and a particular neighborhood household that would generate four more adults, a cat and a dog. So maybe I have enough to squeeze by for a month, or if the rollover fizzles, I have a pretty good idea what I'll be dragging to work for lunch for a very long time.

If most people don't prepare, then those that do will need to pick up the slack somehow.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), May 27, 1999.

Cowardly Lion:

Thank you for confirming my suspicions. I won't be so quick as to post my concerns in the future. [At least I'll make sure they're not the first response in the thread.]

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

No, Anita, you're nearly missing the point of this forum. Most of the oldtimers (in Y2K, that can be as little as 2 months) are probably nearing the end of both psychological and physical preparation.

But they are aware that few other people are planning for the rollover and consequent events.

The reason the "doomers" can become so strident is that they interpret any "Y2K-is-gonna-be-OK" pronouncements as a direct counter- effect to the spread-the-Y2K-awareness effort they're making.

For doomers, there's not the "I got mine, everybody else can burn in hell" attitude. We're not going to shut up until there's no reason for anybody to listen to us anymore - that is, national preparedness or the rollover, whichever comes first.

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), May 27, 1999.

Anita

please don't let me scare you off of posting your thoughts, i certainly wasn't trying to do so. even tough questions deserve consideration, contemplation and answers. they're just more difficult to come up with, and as fast as threads move down the list anymore, if a quick response doesn't come to mind easily, it seems to be lost forever. another symptom of our current culture, i suppose.

i've grappled with it, you've now had other posters confirm they feel as you do - they're not sure how many they're preparing for.

always appreciate your input, even if i miss the original post, or don't have a good answer for you. we're all in this together.

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), May 27, 1999.

Nita,

I don't understand are you preparing or not? Not to come down on you but sometimes you sound like you are attacking and sometimes you sound like you are preparing. Are you just trying to find your course? Thanks for the link on nuclear power. I was here during that time but must have missed all that. Here in Kentucky we don't have nuclear so I don't worry about that much but now I know.

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), May 27, 1999.

Anita,

I can sympathize with the problem of taking care of more people than you have planned for. I know for sure that I will take in family members and probably friends of my son's that are not going to prepare. I think it is a personal decision and a difficult one. My nature will probably dictate that I turn away no one. I am what some would call a "soft touch". I know I could not in my heart enjoy one bite of food knowing that someone I know or care about is doing without. I have told all that if they show up on my doorstep to come with whatever food they have in their refrigerators and cupboards. This could mean an increase in our stock. There is they say "safety in numbers". Perhaps the increase in guests in your home could be beneficial. Hopefully, most will come with some skills to contribute. The trick will be to organize the efforts. I feel any you may turn away will never forgive you and you will have to cross them off your list of "meaningful relationships". Try to stock up on as many supplies as you can and when the time comes, perhaps it will go around further than you think. By careful rationing and not wasting your resources, your stash could effectively be stretched. Live with whatever decision you make and lose the guilty feelings....they're counter-productive.IMHO

-- Brenda Looney (blooney@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

Anita,

You must really be out in the boonies to go 4 months w/out work as a computer consultant. I get calls every few days from people looking to hire. There is a SEVERE shortage of good technical people out there. Have you tried looking at www.monsterboard.com or www.careerpath.com?

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), May 27, 1999.

I also don't know how much time I am preparing for...since I could have 2 or 10 living in our house...or 2 for the first month and 10 later...

I will be preparing right up until the last minute, adding tools, luxuries, and other nice-to-haves to early stocks of basics.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), May 27, 1999.

There a few JQP'S that will have a job next year!

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

This response is for Lisa:

No, Anita, you're nearly missing the point of this forum. Most of the oldtimers (in Y2K, that can be as little as 2 months) are probably nearing the end of both psychological and physical preparation. But they are aware that few other people are planning for the rollover and consequent events.

Lisa, I've been involved in Y2k research for 2 years now. I began slowly preparing my cache in July of LAST year. I was involved in remediation efforts prior to that. If you think that folks are nearing the end of both psychological and physical preparation, you might consider me as an example? The Yourdon board hasn't had an exclusive on Y2k, Lisa. Admittedly, I'm new to this forum, but to assume that I'm new to Y2k and its offerings is naive.

I don't agree with you that folks should encourage dismissal of good news regarding Y2k, thinking that somehow that encourages folks to prepare. If you discourage honesty, you're simply encouraging the notion that Y2k is something for which only wackos are preparing.

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

This response is for Tech:

Knowing that I had the offer from the City, I addressed short-term local contracts for the interim period. I have an elderly parent in a type-B facility nearby who I just moved to Texas 2 years ago. I won't leave her for an out-of-state contract. HOWEVER, my roommate has no such obligations, and we're hearing that the other states also are dried up. You must have a specialty that is in demand right now, or work on small/medium systems that have only this year begun remediation.

At this point, I'm resolved to watch the rest of my savings wither away while I await the permanent position. Actually, after contracting for 10 years and doing all that accounting, I'd find it a relief for a time to simply get paid on W-2 and have a consistent income. In addition, the City job offers telecommuting (which they know is my preference.)

Several others in our network are also currently unemployed or have recently taken permanent positions (out of fear.)

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

This response is for Johnny:

Nita, I don't understand are you preparing or not? Not to come down on you but sometimes you sound like you are attacking and sometimes you sound like you are preparing. Are you just trying to find your course?

Johnny, you have NO right to call me Nita. [Only the kids I knew in grammar school call me that...if they're not calling me NEEDS...*grin*]

If you follow the yellow brick road, Johnny, you'll find out the answers to your questions; i.e., READ THE LINKS. I don't attack ANYTHING, Johnny. The least I can do during this period of unemployment, however, is clear up some misconceptions. So many are willing to simply accept at face-value the thoughts/opinions of others without seeking the truth for themselves. I simply think that folks should know the TRUTH. I ALSO don't think it will hurt them in so knowing.

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 27, 1999.

Anita's cool. Recent business setback leaves me less able to prepare than I'd like. Always looking for a bright spot. Helps me blend my needs with my capabilities. Good news is, afterall, good news.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), May 28, 1999.