I have traveled extensively (10 states) during the last week, and saw several things that I found notable:

1) Entering Jefferson City, Missouri from the south on Wed. 7/1/1999, there was a large billboard with a rather overt message. It had a short quote from Greenspan about how banks were totally safe places to have one's money during Y2K. Below it read that such-and-such bank 'couldn't agree more', and this was all that was on the billboard. Guess the bank's management is still worried enough about Y2K-motivated bank runs later this year to spend money on PR actions discouraging them.

2) The 6/14/1999 issue of Newsweek had an article starting on p. 54 rather unsettling to GIs planning to bury survival goods for protection against looters (uniformed or not). There is a $65,000 Ground-Penetrating Radar device now being used by government security forces to find cadavers buried by murderers and other buried items. It was recently used (unsuccessfully) to search for more of John Wayne Gacy's murdered victims. The article goes on to claim it is effective at least to 10' depth (more was not ruled out by the article). One manufacturer is GSSI, of New Hampshire; another is ERA Technology of London, England. Apparently, dogs and "archeology tools" (long thin metal rods, I would guess; they didn't specify) are still useful used in conjunction as well. Presumably the gov't doesn't have tens of thousands of these, but will use the ones they do have extensively next year (once the food shortages hit). Just wonderful news, huh?

3) I do not know what to make of this next one, but myself and one person traveling with me both saw it in daylight for about 30 seconds on Friday afternoon June 25, 1999. We were traveling south on I-90/94/39 in Wisconsin, just north of Madison (the capital), about a mile from where I-39/90 go S. and I-94 goes E. There was a large truck of the exact type Pepsi uses to transport beverages to customers. It was totally painted over with a tan-cast dull pink colored paint, and had no identifying names or numbers of any sort on it anywhere. There was no square placard (of the sort that would normally have a 1203 for gasoline, I believe, for example). This vehicle did not even have the various reflector tape that is nearly universal on 18-wheelers on the back square stepping bar. The truck was accompanied by a small military truck (F-150 size) to its rear. It turned and went south toward Madison proper. I can't say what all this meant, but it struck me as odd. These days, a bit of paranoia is not out of line.

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), July 03, 1999

Answers

As for being paranoid, here's another nugget:

I live 8 miles from Forked River Nuclear Power plant in NJ. Alledgedly it is "offline". Has been for some time now. In fact, I think I read or heard somewhere that they were going to be closing. But out of the clear blue, today, I see several signs along our major shore roadways that say "IF ALARM SOUNDS...Tune into these radio stations for information"...with the civil defense ensignia and a nice big picture of the alarm sounding. Why exactly are these signs going up now...especially if the place is offline and closing? And why have they never been here before in the twenty years I've lived in this town with that plant ONLINE?? Just a scary thought...-Kritter

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), July 03, 1999.

Nuke plant status.[again] http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/DAILY/psr.htm

Min smith, You're not serious about the Gov. using ground radar to find individual food stashes are you??? This makes about as much sense as putting hubcaps on a lawn mower!!!! Good grief!!!

-- treading litely (rs@marketwatch.com), July 03, 1999.

Smith,

Sounds like some National Guard unit just took delivery of a used, desert-tan painted vehicle being returned from the stock of vehicles left in Saudi Arabia. The said it would take twelve years to bring all tht stuff home, and I'm learning they were right.

The military just threw equipment at the Middle East during Desert Storm and is at least taking their time and checking out all the stuff before they ship it back home for repair, to the active Army, Reserve, Guard, or the scrap pile.

That's how some Gaurd units are getting all this desert-painted equipment. They're low-milage vehicles that have only sat for a few years, as opposed to the junk that was brought back from Viet Nam and Thailand and sent directly to any and all takers, with no evaluation of what shape it was in.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), July 03, 1999.

re item #2 , ground penetrating radar;

Buried weapons caches might be higher on the priority find list than food.I've HEARD that putting a large(moveable) metallic object such as a disc,harrow,etc.(farming implements) over the top of such buried stashes will confuse GPR systems mounted in planes.Any GPR experts out there?

-- mchnst (Gunmkr52@aol.com), July 03, 1999.

Thanks for the nuke plant info, I found Oyster Creek plant listed as online 100%....wish I didn't know that...now I'm gonna have to move! tnx.

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), July 03, 1999.

Thanks Minnesota,

I really like your information here and on your webpage. I live in the South. I will go to northern Minnesota next month for vacation and will go to Mall of the Americas. Are there any stores/sites that you would recommend a GI go to check out?

-- Rick (rick7@postmark.net), July 04, 1999.

Stores? Don't be daft, head straight for the lakes! Check out Itasca Park. Go to the Crow Wing River chain of lakes and you can travel from lake to lake as the river connects them. Watch the loon families. Ah... heaven.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 05, 1999.