Since I lost all my wireless phone jacks I've been fine tooth combing all my other electronics. I've had a couple of suprises. I had assumed, for instance, my GE VCR would be fine as it is not digital, and as I read the manual dang if it didn't store the two digit year. I went after it fast and I was going to set it for 71 to roll over into 72 and it wouldn't accept it. It froze in the spot with a big question mark flashing. It will only accept the 90's. Go figure. So I set it for 92. Maybe it'd have been okay and maybe not. Then I discovered my fax machine also had a two digit year date buried within it. That one I was able to set at 71 to roll over into 72. Again, I don't know if anything would have happened. I reason it still could if the wireless system had a chip with a date not being utilized. I then set my Rolodex in the 70's as well for good measure. It has a four date storage but I felt it wise to play this safe. The rest such as gadgets I had purchased for a power outage such as a head set CD player, head set tape player, a Sony battery operated tape player, and then my normal boom box haven't been checked yet, not for a date, but the possibility a chip is buried and "blew" or will so.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), December 26, 1999

Answers

Do we care? what is this dreck?

-- LZach (lisa@texasnetworks.com), December 26, 1999.

Good deal Paula...Doesn't hurt to double check everything...

Doing my last minute electrical stuff too...mainly checking radios, antennae, feedlines but also making sure all my batteries are fully charged and that AC and DC chargers are up to snuff. I'm off-grid and use a lot of batteries, lots of AA nicads, 12v-2.4ah lead acid sticks (defibrilator/camcorder batts) and a couple 12v-10ah packs. Checking that all my flashlights are ready and that I can actually find the spare bulbs for them. Am rigging a new "long wire" antennae for my shortwave so I can operate it in the office on New Years where I'll be monitoring (with the computer, shortwave/CB/Ham/AM/FRS/sat-tv and scanner all running). Got inspired to install new antennae for the dual band ham radio and scanner up there too. Beats shopping in any case.

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), December 26, 1999.

Paula, you are too "aware" of y2k. Please try to relax a bit, there arent "embeddeds" in everything you touch.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), December 26, 1999.

Yes there are. Especially in those cans of mini corn ears- lots of embeddeds there- can never be too carefull.

-- me (me@whoknows.com), December 27, 1999.