I understand why the gloomers come to this site. However, I sincerely wish to know why, if you think this whole thing is going to be a bump in the road, do you come to this site?

P.S. to all: some of you guys have spectacular senses of humor. Keep up the good work.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), June 09, 1999

Answers

Don't you get it? No one else will pay any attention to them.

-- soccer mom (abcdef@aol.com), June 09, 1999.

Dave - I come here for a number of reasons. You cited my main one - some of these folks are hilarious! I also like the spicey banter. Very entertaining at times.

I have a questions though - which of you is going to ask this same question tomorrow??

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), June 09, 1999.

Y2K Dave !!!

Youre getting more courteous in your old age. Must be the memory of the intense pain of getting your butt chewed each and every time you tried your NeoNorthian antics on any forum but this one. CPR was wondering how your exams went. Or did you put your money where your mouth is and not bother sitting them, what with the world being about to end and all ?

Whatever. Your new spirit of inoffensive posting doesnt really hide the fact that youre still the same old GN clone... and thats about the most offensive thing around.

And you know what we keep telling you about that, right ? Come the new order of Der Garee, youll be up there on the hill getting stoned (and no, were not talking mary jane's miasma here) with all the other "untermensch".

-- (watching@dave.and.his,ricks), June 09, 1999.

Dave? Dave? Dave's not here! Turns out that y2k Dave is a different Dave. (Apparently a discourteous twin brother.) I assume somebody I know personally is watching (Robin, Larry, Ned, Cindy?) and try to act accordingly.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), June 09, 1999.

Sorry y2k dave watcher,

Education is a continuing process with me. I am not the Dave listed about and I have not visited ole cpr's BNBFI site for a while. I'm glad to see cpr is doing fine. He is such a cad. To bad he doesn't the B*LLS to post over here so we could hear "CPR,MEMES,BULLSHIT". For some reason I just don't miss that.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), June 09, 1999.

To answer the original question, I come here because I find abnormal psychology fascinating.

By abnormal psychology, I mean a fetishistic focus on a future massive disruption, which is based on speculation and rarely on hard fact (how many posts have told us of the disruptions to be caused by "interdependence" without really providing any concrete examples...)

[As a side note, time is running out for this site because its credibility will be lost after the fact (as its thesis, that Y2k will be a "time bomb", will be proven wrong). An interesting study would be to see how many readers migrate to other "end is near" sites (i.e., apocalyptic forecasts of a non-y2k nature). A more troubling concern is whether some readers do violence to themselves or others as their worldview (i.e., y2k is the end of the world) is shattered by a y2k non-event].

By "abnormal psychology", I also mean a focus on one particular uncertain event (y2k) rather than more statistically predictable other disruptive event (i.e., if the energies channeled into this group were focused on somehow preventing drunk driving, for instance).

Now, before some of you flame me, I'd like to point out that I was answering the posters question honestly. That is my true opinion. Please don't bother telling me "I'm stupid" or somesuch: whether or not I am right, I have answered the poster's question faithfully.

-- J.X.D. (jxd29@hotmail.com), June 09, 1999.

The simple answer is because we're not really pollyannas in the true sense. We all have an intense interest in Y2K due to being involved in projects. We all started off being concerned about this problem, but now think the impact will be much less than it appeared to be at first. We believe there may be some emergencies to contend with--making emergency preparation prudent--but the impact will fall far short of a cataclysmic event. And newbies should know that not everyone who has concerns and interest in Y2K thinks that TEOTWAWKI is coming.

-- b (b@b.b), June 09, 1999.

Hi, Dave.

I'm sure that many here consider ME a polly, although it seems to me that the definition of polly is someone who keeps up with good news as well as bad. For ME, this is an important issue of which to keep informed. Progress is made daily, as well as slippage. If one only concentrates on the BAD news, ignoring any GOOD news, the mindset develops that there IS nothing but bad news. Of course the inverse is ALSO true.

As I've stated on other threads, MY locale is completely remediated. As a programmer, this means I'm out of work as many systems have been frozen in production. Therefore, I have TIME to research Y2k. It also means that I have time to pass my research findings on to others who may be interested in my findings? I'm not a sensationalist, and I don't offer conjecture. I also don't ACCEPT sensationalism, nor do I ACCEPT conjecture. We're all here for the same purpose...to determine how Y2k may affect our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

Some folks have already made up their minds that Y2k will be a 10. Their minds won't be changed by progress or facts. I haven't yet decided WHAT Y2k will turn out to be, yet it seems so far that I've not seen any evidence to indicate that several months of food, water, etc. for 6 people or so is sufficient for folks in my area of the country (just in case.) I have had this in place for many months now, although a good sale oftentimes finds me extending it. (grin)

If evidence indicates that this is false, I must prepare for more. If evidence indicates that I'm already overprepared, I can still eat, drink, and be merry.

Perhaps another reason some of us come here is because there seems to be so much misinformation posted that really needs to be "debunked." Many folks don't have the time nor the skills to research Y2k independently. They tend to trust the folks that call themselves experts without researching either what these folks have said previously nor exploring what they're saying currently. I've observed their techniques, studied their past predictions, and dismissed many of them as Charlatans.

I'm starting to rant, and recognize it myself. I hope you understand MY objective. I can't speak for others.

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), June 09, 1999.

I should clarify a little that calling the y2k a 3 is not really being a polly in my book. I think that a 3 on the y2k scale will look like a 10 to those who have done absolutely nothing to prepare. A person who ranks it three suggests to me that the person respects the problems, yet believes they will resolve. To me a real polly is the "HaHaHa. I'll just come and stay at your place." type of person. By this definition, I guess I'm not sure that any of you are really pollys.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), June 09, 1999.

I'm here to start a fight.

I'll ignore some semblance of civility and just bombast those who disagree with me with dirty little names.

I'll also ignore the art of argument and not take the mental effort to analyze the other person's logic.

Much less to try to figure out what other people are thinking.

So those of you who think the world will end can bite me.

Where's your sense of humor?

Hey, I just realized something....

HAS ANYONE DONE Y2K TESTING ON OUR DNA MOLECULES? HOLY SHIT! WHY HAS THE GOVERNMENT BEEN HIDING THAT? BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WE'LL ALL SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST, THAT'S WHY!

They've been too busy riding around in their black helicopters spraying people with anthrax, that's why.

Hooooooo.....I love this place.

Abnormal psychology indeed. It's also interesting how a person can tie up their ego and personl feelings of well being with an idea. They feel if you attack an idea you attack the person.

JAW

-- JAW (clueless@pollyanna.com), June 09, 1999.

JAW. Maybe because that's what usually happens.

What I resent is just because I think that y2k will end up being a 6 or 7 because of the world interconnectivity, I get lumped in with the few zealots that present the GN theme. I DON'T think that the world will end but MY world might and I darned sure better be ready for that possibility. If the 'pollys' would concentrate their lambasting to those few that actually deserve it (or ask for it), they would be welcome here and maybe...just maybe...someone would listen to them.

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), June 10, 1999.

Deano just posts hear to remind everyone to cash out their bank account and stocks.he's tireless in the fight against the lying non- compliant fractional reserve banking.Deano's right!take out your money today!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), June 11, 1999.