This is from garynorth.com ************************************************************************

Messenger ducks ahead of time.

This is from Y2KNEWSWIRE (Nov. 20).

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Due primarily to the fact that our federal government and mainstream press have now succeeded in setting up the American public for a costly, last-minute Y2K panic, I have decided to cease the publication of public articles on Y2K until January 1. I have reached this decision following two weeks of nearly torturous consideration on the subject. . . .

My decision to cease the publication of public articles on Y2K Newswire stems, in part, from a deep consideration of these facts:

Fact: My original goal was to tell people the truth about Y2K while there was enough time remaining to do something about it. That time remaining is now nearly gone. Events cannot now be altered in any meaningful way.

Fact: The United States government has encouraged people to avoid preparing for Y2K. This has left them defenseless against potential Y2K disruptions.

Fact: The mainstream press has largely refused to investigate this problem, increasing the severity of public complacency.

Fact: The American public has largely refused to prepare for Y2K, preferring to believe the spin rather than investigate, for themselves, the truth about Y2K.

Fact: Some of our political leaders have pre-blamed the public for any Y2K problems that appear. This is clearly a strategy designed to deflect blame from those who actually caused the problems.

Most important fact: Americans always panic in the final moments before any coming crisis for which they are not prepared, whether it be a hurricane, war, or -- I believe -- Y2K.

When this happens, officials are going to look for someone to blame. They will never take responsibility for the situation they have caused. Instead, they will attempt to blame the only people who actually tried to prevent the problem: the Internet Y2K skeptics and those people who took action to prepare.

As a result of this situation, with the final days approaching, I realize there is a small, but real, possibility that my articles -- if misinterpreted by the public or intentionally misused by the press -- could be partially blamed for any last-minute panic. Due to this potential dynamic, I am removing myself from the issue until after December 31, 1999. . . .

Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19991121.asp

-- Sha-Kahn (cmarpoe@us.ibm.com), November 23, 1999

Answers

Response to Mike Adams Shuts Down Y2KNewswire. Cites Fear of Being Blamed for Creating a Panic.

He is NOT shutting down y2knewswire. I wish people would stop saying this. He is ceasing publication of PUBLIC articles. He will continue the articles for subscribers, and keep posting links to news stories.

He is not ducking out, he is simply not providing his opinion to the public area of his site.

-- (stop@spreading.rumours), November 23, 1999.

Response to Mike Adams Shuts Down Y2KNewswire. Cites Fear of Being Blamed for Creating a Panic.

It is stated that he is shutting down the PUBLIC articles, not his site. Read what is stated before you flame!! I've been a supporter and subscriber to Newswire since Dec of 1998. Furthermore, he will still have some articles posted for the public.

-- Sha-Kahn (hookedon@phonics.com), November 23, 1999.

Response to Mike Adams Shuts Down Y2KNewswire. Cites Fear of Being Blamed for Creating a Panic.

What's your point, Sha? You copied and pasted the post from GN, including the "Mike Adams Shuts Down Y2KNewswire" headline and the "Messenger ducks ahead of time" bit. If you know anything about the way the media, and this forum work, you know that many if not most people read the headline and first few lines, and make their impressions based upon that.

If it was NOT your intention to give the impression that y2knewswire was shutting down, you should have made that clear. For one thing, this is not the entire article from y2knewswire, which is much longer. As you stated it, it deserved to be clarified. (And, if you think THAT was a flame, you obviously haven't hung around here for very long!)

-- (stop@spreading.rumours), November 23, 1999.

Response to Mike Adams Shuts Down Y2KNewswire. Cites Fear of Being Blamed for Creating a Panic.

Point taken, well said. I did give the link for other forum members to access and read, though. My error on the thread title. Unfortunately, that can't be changed. BTW, this is not a rumor.

-- Sha-Kahn (prepare@home.com), November 23, 1999.

Sure it can. we fix.

# 3

-- I am just a number (Number3@sysops.R.us), November 23, 1999.

#3:

How? In the interest of public demand, let there be be no errors in the thread title.

-- Sha-Kahn (prepare@home.com), November 23, 1999.

E-mail from Mike...

In the mean time, we will continue to post daily headlines, news flashes, and new Y2K political cartoons. We've also posted four important preparation articles that will stay on the site through December 31.

We urge all Y2K Newswire readers to complete their preparations no later than this weekend. Plan to do nothing in the final days of December: let the procrastinators do all the last-minute worrying.

Also: please read the four preparedness articles posted on the Y2K Newswire site. This will give you information and strategies on how to prepare for Y2K by spending either no money or a lot of money (the choice is yours).

The Y2K Newswire site will not be updated over the Thanksgiving holiday, but will return to its regular schedule on Monday, November 29. At that time, we will have only one month remaining, and the real countdown will begin.

What's going to happen in December? We don't know for sure. But one thing we do believe is that this crisis isn't over on January 1. The long-term economic impact of Y2K will just be getting started. Don't expect most Americans to really "feel" the economic impact of Y2K until disappointing corporate earnings reports start to appear (March - April timeframe).

Until January 1, Y2K Newswire hereby signs off. Be safe, be wise and be early, and may you survive the Y2K ride with your job, your money, your health and your sanity fully intact.

- Mike Adams Editor, Y2K Newswire http://www.y2knewswire.com>

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Tminus38&counting.down), November 23, 1999.