There now seems to be a feeling of "it's gonna be ok" re Y2k. It's easy to be lulled when your city, state and fed, govt. keeps saying every thing is peachy. But, as I've said many times, they may very well be right...but what if they're not? If everything goes resonably well the pollies will surely rub our noses in it. However,as confident as many companies and utilities proclaim they are,they are making contingincy plans for a whole lot worse. That's ok,admirable in fact.. but, it plainly shows that despite their public optimism, they think there is a big enough chance for SNAFU that they are preparing for it. Meanwhile we are told that we should prepare for a BITR. Now if govt. and company heads think the possiblities are worth preparing for, why not the general public. Either they shouldn't prepare for calamity (why spend the time and resources) or else admit that Yes, we think there is a small but uncomfortable possibly that it could be much worse and you should prepare for it, just like we did. Surely it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Our leadership shouldn't have the luxury of saying it's ok on the one hand, and saying we really don't know what will happen on the other. If they have ANY doubts, they have total responsibility to URGE us to prepare! I personally think there are too many opportunities for systemtic,cascading failures. So much of the world is so completely interwoven after years of intricately putting the billions of pieces in place.I just don't think you can mess with that much connectivity without creating thousands of weak links in the in the neccessary chain. Again,it may be a bump in the road...but what if it's not....

-- citizen (lost@sea.com), November 22, 1999

Answers

I think what we have to know and accept is that this was a CONSCIOUS DECISION made by the gubmint. And tho they may even wish they could change it, its far too late. They MUST carry forth with whatever their previously decided program is. Instead of worrying about why they did or didn't warn the public, lets try and figure out what their next move is and how we fit into it.(see my thread above)

I am sure Ed Yourdon must have some ideas re this. Ed??

Taz

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie123@aol.com), November 22, 1999.

'Ya know...the Titanic, Hindenburg and for that matter the roaring 20's stock market bubble all had one thing in common...the authorities all said that they were impossible to sink, crash or otherwise end. They all did and many folks got hurt.

The incredible DC beltway propaganda machine that spews some of the most incredible lies & crap ever heard will meet its' match/test in a little more than a month. I'm perfectly 'prepared' (pun fully intended) to accept whatever comes in the next several months.

I'm also very grateful to all the kind pollys that did not prepare...it made things that much easier for those of us who did.

-- unknowing (sceptic@whoknows.com), November 22, 1999.

We don't know, do we? It could be very bad--infomagic--or it could be economic dips and that's all. Either way, it will be good to be prepped. With oil starting to escalate, it indicates to me that it won't entirely be business as usual. We will see.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 22, 1999.

Depends on what kind of consensus you're talking about.

This forum: All DGI'ers are toast. Cleanse the gene pool. Contrails. CONTRAILS!

Industry: No problem. Buy some shares.

Pundits: Problem? No problem? Buy my book and find out.

Government: No problem. But those perky (insert religious/political/geographical group) terrorists might try something.

Vast majority of the population of the industrialised world: Y2 what? Oh, that computer thing? That's geek stuff. Say, is Jennifer Aniston still going out with Brad Pitt?

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 23, 1999.

Colin: You mean to tell me you Brits follow what is going on with our stupid, insipid celebrities? ;-)

American celebrity, IMO, is the biggest curse on earth.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 23, 1999.