NZ Relies on COCKROACH 3-Day Prep (named Ken LOL!)

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7/21/99 -- 10:41 AM

New Zealand Cockroach Carries Millennium Bug Warnings

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Regarded worldwide as a dirty pest, the cockroach has become the official ``millennium bug'' for New Zealand, which will be among the first nations to experience the real effects of Y2K.

``Ken'' the cockroach was unveiled Wednesday as the spearhead for a government-funded campaign to infest New Zealand households with a ``be prepared'' message.

While governments and corporations across the world have spent billions of dollars trying to avoid problems, no one really knows what will happen.

New Zealand is just 185 miles west of the International Dateline at its closest point. It will be among the first nations to greet the first day of the year 2000 and may give hours' warning to other parts of the world as to what the real effects of Y2K will be.

Ken will feature in television ads and other promotional material in a $1.3 million campaign run by the Y2K Readiness Commission.

A cockroach was chosen as mascot because the bugs were ``the ultimate survivors,'' chairman Basil Logan said.

``Love them or hate them, I think he (Ken the cockroach) will be noticed and memorable,'' Logan said.

Publicity material announcing the campaign boasts the adaptability of the insect, which can live without water for two weeks, without food for a week, and may be the only thing left alive if a nuclear disaster occurs.

As well as living at both the North and South Poles and even as low as 2,200 feet underground, one of ``Ken's'' relatives was found on the Apollo 11 command shuttle, suggesting it had survived a space flight.

Cockroaches have existed for 340 million years - 150 million years longer than dinosaurs - and come in some 5,000 species.

The commission's serious message is that New Zealanders should prepare for three days of possible millennium bug disruption any time between Dec. 31, 1999, and March 31, 2000.

Logan said households should prepare emergency supply kits that include fresh water, food, flashlights and a battery-powered radio.
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-- Ashton & Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), July 21, 1999

Answers

Too apropro to be a coincidence! Must've been a TimeBomb2000 lurker on *that* ad campaign ;^)

-- A & L (giggles@r.us), July 21, 1999.

Think I would prefer ants as my bug of choice. They build community and are always prepping. Besides they're edible too.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), July 21, 1999.

but don't they eat chocolate-dipped roaches in Africa?

-- munch (crunch@yum.floss), July 21, 1999.

TB2000's own maskook Ken doing JitterBug skitter

-- spray for (3 day@bug.infestation), July 21, 1999.

ken cacaretcha double decker for pest of the year

-- raid (raid@raid.raid), July 22, 1999.


"All known species of cockroach are omnivorous (this means that like you and me they eat nearly everything) though in captivity most species do well on a mixture of dried feed/grains etc. and fresh vegetables or fruit. I feed mine mostly on rolled oats and fruit like bananas and apples though they especially like over-ripe peaches and plums when I can get them. though they don't need fresh food every day it is important that they always have enough to eat otherwise they will start eating the cage as well as each other."

http://www.ex.ac.uk/bugclub/careshet/roach.html

-- Chicken Big (preparing@means.no.panic), July 22, 1999.


Here's an Ode to Decker, "la Cucaracha" translated to English. I've highlighted the y2k related terms. Kind of syncronistic, huh?

La Cucaracha

The Cockroach, the cockroach,
no longer it can walk,
because it does not have, because him lack,
marijuana that to smoke.
The carrancistas already go away,
they already go away by the wire,
because the Pancho Villa supporters say,
that estam dying of hunger.
Poor man of the Cockroach,
complaint with deception,
of not using ironed clothes,
by the coal shortage.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
Pobrecito de Madero,
all have almost failed to him,
Orchard ebrio brigand,
it is an ox for the plow.
The clothes without starch,
all the days are put;
and without those boberias,
melon imagines to me.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
With the beards of Forey,
I am going to do vaquerillo,
pá to put it to it to the horse
of brave Don Porfirio.
The one that persevera reaches,
it says a true saying,
I what I want it is revenge,
by the death of Log.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
For sarapes Forecastle,
Chihuahua for soldiers;
for women, Jalisco,
in order to love, toditos sides.
A baker went to mass,
not having to say,
him pidio to the pure virgin,
to the granddaughter of Don Juan.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
All fight the chair
that it leaves much silver them;
in the North Pancho Villa
and in the South Alive Zapata!
A thing gives laughter me:
Pancho Villa without jacket,
another thing gives horror me,
to the vile Orchard in nightgown.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
Now it eats his salad,
verdolaga and quintonil,
because it does not have money
in order to buy melapil.
Also suprimio the oil lamp
of I refuel that tapeworm,
and everything is suprmiendo
by horrible carestia.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
I need algun " fortingo "
in order to make the long walk,
to the place where mado
to the convention, Zapata.
Before so single to Gambrinus
it was watched to him to arrive,
but or that this repobre
to the piquera it is going to give.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
In the mine everything shines
due to its minerals,
already murio Francisco Villa:
general of generals.
One guacamaya dot
it said to him to a red one,
who of goal with my mother country,
the load...
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
It has that robs much,
and soon they flee very far,
been worth of law and control
and of which they create to us they pen... itnetes.
There are others remove to us
and with its debts it starts off to us,
because with its race
all the booty is distributed.
The Cockroach, the Cockroach, etc.
That pretty soldaderas
when they dance the fandango.
Alive Panfilo Natera,
the pride of Durango.
Already murio the Cockroach
they already take it to bury,
between four buzzards
and a mouse of scristan.

and yes, I have too much time on hy hands :)

-- a (a@a.a), July 22, 1999.


a - one of the funniest things I've read in a long, long time! LOL, ROFLMAO!!!

-- Chicken Big (preparing@means.no.panic), July 22, 1999.

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