Is it really too late now????

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AS we can see by the article from California:
Public safety officials up and down the state are calling for an information campaign that would encourage Americans to prepare for Y2K without panicking about it

I am wondering whether or not it is already too late for the massive preparedness that must take place in the US? Thoughts anyone?

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), July 14, 1999

Answers

dave,

look around honey. go into any store. the shelves are loaded from floor to rafter. what would make you think it is too late to prepare? i'm not saying things might not change but for now, anyone who wants to get prepared has the opportunity. the question from this point on is if you put things off till later how much do you enjoy standing in line or buying wool socks that don't quite fi

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 14, 1999.


It is not too late for the average person to do (by the end of the year) the amount of preparation that is recommended today. But the recommendation is based on the perceived risks, which in turn comes from observed failures and uncertainties. The perceived risks will rise exponentially as the year goes on, as things fail and lies are exposed.

So we are seeing an upward curve of recommendations, from 3 days last year to a couple weeks now, and in some places longer. Meanwhile, the total flow through the pipeline (food, etc) is reducing day by day, as fewer days are left to move whatever people find necessary for their preps.

I think it IS too late for the average person to do (by the end of the year) the amount of preparation which we will (at the end of the year) think necessary. We have passed the Y2k equivalent of a point of no return, or critical mass. The upward curve of recommended preps has already crossed the downward curve of pipeline capacity+time.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), July 14, 1999.


It MIGHT not be to late for even "the masses" if people acted rationally.

I just don't see that happening at this point, especially since I would bet my bottled water (not my well and hand pump, though) this story will be gone and forgotten by tommorrow or the next day. If they started an awareness campaign, how long would it take ? --- I'd suggest at least 3 months before a significant number of people are motivated, unless a major event occurs. Overall, the direction of peoples "feelings" is going completely in the opposite direction.

The DOD story (just announced/repeated by Limbaugh -"See its all fine, sorry doomers.") is what will be believed --- "if they're ok everything is ok".

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), July 14, 1999.


I was talking Monday with the head of the County Office of Emergency Services, and he said that they recommend two weeks of preparedness just for earthquakes. The last big one here killed one out of every 51 people. He said there is no way even this well prepared county is going to be able to deal with rural areas for at least two weeks...they are on their own that long. He agrees that longer is better, suggests same for Y2k or more.

-- seraphima (seraphima@aol.com), July 14, 1999.

Good point Jon. A guy I know went to a Home Depot a month ago and bought every pack of seeds they had. So much for the next guy in line...

-- a (a@a.a), July 14, 1999.


If everyone who is going to wish they had a woodburning stove tried to buy one now, there would be a shortfall of millions.

Yep, it's too late to prepare everyone thanks to the deliberate policy of Koskinen.

Be thankful that enough information was out there early to alert those who pay attention.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), July 14, 1999.


DogGone... can you imagine where WE would be on the awareness curve if it weren't for the Internet.

God Bless Al Gore for inventing it.

[LOL]

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 14, 1999.


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