Visited my parents house yesterday and was reading several days worth of their local paper. I found a Y2K article on page 8 of the local Thursday edition with the headline; Pennsylvanians are urged to prepare for Jan. 1, 2000. The article starts out; Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker has declared today "Pa2K Day" throughout the Commonwealth. Schweiker and other Pennsylvanians aren't running a couple kilometers en masse to celebrate. They are, Schweiker hopes, picking up the pace on preparation for the Year 2000. Pa2K Day falls 100 days before Jan. 1, 2000, when problems could come from older computer systems that use only two digits to designate years. As a result, computers could mistake the year 2000 or "00", as 1900, causing malfunctions or breakdowns. "For many people, 100 days provide plenty of time to prepare their homes for Y2K," Schweiker said. "We are advising Pennsylvanians to prepare as much as they would for a major winter storm." "Pa2K Day will enable communities to set aside a special day to help residents answer important Y2K questions and take prudent steps to be fully prepared," Schweiker said. (the article goes on to state that a y2k program will air on cable from 8 til 9 on the Pa. Cable Network and lists their web site as www.Pa2K.org) The lieutenant governor urges Pennsylvania communities to use Pa2K Day as "a rallying point to further raise awareness and help residents prepare responsibly." (There is then a long list of suggested items that residents should stockpile/have on hand.) Here is what I find funny about that list. It suggests that you have 2 weeks worth of food items that need minimal preparation and do not require refrigeration, but it says to only have a 3 day supply of stored water on hand. Actually it is a pretty extensive list, which recommends items under the following topics, Food, Water, Basic Items, Safety, Sanitation/personal care, First aid kit, Medical considerations, Communication. Under Communication, it recommends having a cellular phone. The list was put together for the state by Penn State University. There was no mention of how to prepare to stay warm for loss of heat. It does recommend a 2 week supply of necessary prescription medicines.

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), September 26, 1999

Answers

Sounds pretty pollyish......have three days worth of water.....maybe a couple weeks worth of food.....prepare for a major winter storm.....

Why do people keep posting these happy face articles here? Why not just go over to that debunking forum and hold hands with the others while rehashing the happy face press releases

-- no time for pollys (less@than.100days), September 26, 1999.

no time,

Vern's post was helpful to me, a fellow Pennsylvanian who is suddenly beseiged with local folks just waking up to the problem. Knowing what's in the state's media lets me know what obstacles and resources are out there. And Vern's analysis of the piece would be useful in showing the inconsistencies in the message to those who still need yet another nudge. Thanks, Vern.

no time, just breathe. You're doing all that you can, just like the rest of it. And none of us supposes that we're doing enough. Just the way it is. Try to flow with it a bit more gently.

-- Faith Weaver (suzsolutions@yahoo.com), September 26, 1999.

Page 8?

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 26, 1999.

Faith, I guess you're right, Y2K is really no big deal. We have all been preparing for nothing. It's just a three day snow storm. Egg on our face.

-- call me a polly now? (y2k@is.over?), September 26, 1999.

.....prepare responsibly....take prudent steps to be full prepared.... FOOD = 2 weeks....WATER = 3 days....MEDICINE = 2 weeks....COMMUNICATION = cell phone....HEAT = (nothing I assume) What kind of leadership is this? Is the government running scared? I guess when you are trying to get out of a lie, you begin by telling only half truths!

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), September 26, 1999.

Ah c'mon guys, give my state a break. How many states have declared a state-wide Y2K awareness day?

Seriously though, articles like this play tricks on my brain. I wasn't aware of any "PaY2K day", there were no banner in my township's main street, and the radio never mentioned it. Around here as far as I'm aware, pronouncing "y2k" is still very taboo.

This is just lip service so the PA gov. can say they've tried hard.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 26, 1999.

I don't know anything about the readiness of Pennsylvania's power/water systems, but it looks like they're more confident that the power/water will be on and less confident that transportation will be able to supply the local stores immediately.

Personally, I'm confident in the power/water sources in my area also. It's all part of that "investigate your locale" message being sent by TPTB, right? I've investigated and feel confident. Now...this does not mean that I can draw the same conclusions about other locales.

I've heard all the arguments about my electric company failing later in the game when the coal doesn't arrive on time, etc. This is NO indication that I need to store more water AT THIS TIME. It could very well mean that I need to store more water LATER. It could ALSO very well mean that when the 90-day stockpile of coal is consumed that any transportation problems will be fixed. It could very well mean that if the stockpile of coal NEARS consumption with no hope of transportation being fixed in the near future that another alert will be made addressing the need to store more water.

-- Anita (spoonera@msn.com), September 26, 1999.

Yep, I read that about the Y2K awareness day. Expect I forgot what day it was here in Pennsylvania. I didn't see anything locally about it, no signs, no tv program. Yes i agree the 3 day water supply is a laugh,while they want you to have 2 weeks of food. Here in Pa it gets darn cold. Januray winds are harsh you would think they would meantion an alternate heat source. Ok maybe we can all light a candle and huddle around it and hope it lasts the 3 days..

-- cassandra (american_storm@usa.net), September 27, 1999.