I was in a state of blissful denial until December, 1999 when I began to experience mainframe problems at work. I then began to surf for info acquisition to supplement tech info. I fell into the forum and lurked on and off until January 1, 2000. When I determined that the site contained info not reported in mainstream media or on multi- national government sponsored sites, I began to pay more attention to the forum members' postings, and now monitor constantly as work permits. "Infrastructure" has many connotations depending on the matrix in which the word is employed. Massive sewage spills and fish kills may be immediately traceable to easily repaired glitches in computerized control systems: repair the glitch then explain to e- coli that it's time to go away. Adjust the salmon harvest in two years because the glitch was patched. Factor in the result of economic stress caused by delayed food and finances (and folks, welfare may result from uncontrolled economic factors as well as 'voluntary' unemployment:cf TAA)on an already stressed population and deny significant population impact of minor system malfunction. Assess delays in building and construction when hundreds of employees of the companies encountering the barrier are part of the equation. I'm not a doomer or a polly or a radical, but I do recognize that we are all part of a global ecology. Those of us who are not insulated by economic surplus, and those animal or physical elements of the environment who are "subject" to impact without recourse, are as important as any other component. Think that trash collector isn't your equal? Try taking all your refuse to the landfill three or four times a week in your nice new or one or two year old car and working that into your employment or retirement schedule. This same dynamic applies to the world of computers, that constellation we all so casually accept and call the "Net". The forum is an information resource. It's been more or less open. That's not true on government sites or in mainstream media. Some of us in this geographical area are making a disk library of incidents that appear to be related to Y2K. My count is now 16 floppies of text copies and I'm a newcomer. I love my comfort, I depend on my machines- my real partners-and I don't want my world to change too much.I don't want the general public overloaded with information that will frighten or stampede them-that would impact MY comfort level. But I'm a member of a generation that was born into a world war, gave a parent to Korea, a spouse to Viet-Nam, children to the Gulf, Bosnia and Iraq. I know finally that freedom demands individual accountability and awareness. Keep this forum going as long as you can. History is being recorded here in a new way. Two generations from now the formum postings and debate they engender may make a tremendous impact! Sorry if this is preaching, but those who question the value of the information posted here might want to think about where we'll get it if the forum shuts down.As the script kiddies say,"shouts to all" who care enough to participate!(Hi, Charlie) Back to mundane work. Mike

-- mike in houston (m.morris@hotmail.com), January 08, 2000

Answers

By JOVE! I think he's got it!

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), January 08, 2000.

wonderful post mike!

-- Lisa (lisadawn@yahoo.com), January 08, 2000.

Great post Mike

Been trying for almost 2 year. It gets more dificult all the time. Seems everyone is skipping out. Might as well keep on trucking.

And the beat goes on.

Regards

Martin

-- Martin Thompson (Martin@aol.com), January 08, 2000.

So you discovered this forum of Dec 1999? That's 99, not 98? You missed 1-2 years of riotous flamethrower debates, angst inducing speculations and rip-roaring dark humor. I'm curious--what purpose do you think the forum has from here on?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), January 08, 2000.

My count is now 16 floppies of text copies??

Anything you can share?????

-- mushroom (mushroom_at_bs_too_long@yahoo.com), January 09, 2000.

Lars, as I said, you all are assuming the status of unimpeachable historians, whether documented or contemporary anecdoltalists. No one can ever contradict what is recorded here. It's on at least a few archives that are being maintained for our offspring.

Thank you for being kind,Matin, Lisa and Porky. I regret missing so much of the life of the Forum, but I hope that the Old Guard will understand that there are many of us who have been impacted by even the most recent information posted here and who have become faithful "lurkers". I wish that I could have been a part of this from its inception. But those of you who gave it life need to know that there are many who are benefitting from your undertaking. And it will be passed on.

-- mike in houston (m.morris@hotmail.com), January 09, 2000.

Mike

Thanks for the input and thanks for standing up and being counted.

-- PA Engineer (PA Engineer@longtimelurker.com), January 09, 2000.

My Dear Mr. Mike,

Sir for any others I cannot speak. But as for me sir! "I shall finish the game"! (quote from a scene in the movie "Young Riders").

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), January 09, 2000.

Mike, You are so right. We love you.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

How I love this forum I am totaly addicted to it. I believe that it should be studied for college credit. So much about human nature can be learned from it. All sides of human nature is here, surrounding something that has some impact on all of us. It gives one the feeling that we are family, that through this medium we have made human contact with each other, and that my brother is needed far more than any Y2K fix or the result of it not being fixed. We have lost each other in this hussle bussle world of ours. I am reminded of the times when as a youngster we sat on the front porch to keep cool in the late evening and early night, passing the time of day with our neighbors on each side, and they in turn with the neighbors on each side of them. We children all played out in the front yard, no airconditioners, no tv, just each other, no affluent neighbors with large fancy cars. People learned to love and care for each other then. Now we are cooped up in our modern caves, comfortable with our ttv and fast foods, not knowing even the name of the neighbor that lives on each side of us, nor caring. How sad, that is why I love this forum and will keep on it as long as I possibly can. So much wisdom, so much sorrow,(The man's home burning} so much to learn. I am addicted to it for as long as I am able to punch these keys.

-- Notforlong (Fsur439@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

mike.....

i've often thought of this forum as "sitting in the middle of a newsroom" a la clark kent at the Daily Planet

whether or not you consider some of the info "true news" or "off topic" or even just "things that make you go hmmmmmm" ....you'll hear it HERE first!

thanks for all the foot work, gang! (and that includes almost everyone : )

-- mebs (andrea@mebs.lurking), January 09, 2000.

Mike, many thanks for an "Eye Opening and Thought Provoking Post".

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), January 09, 2000.

Thanks Mike for your post...you are right on the target IMO.

-- grassfarmer (cjb_bcf@yahoo.com), January 09, 2000.

This forum is my link to the world. I'm here to the end. No news from northern Pennsylvania except the 24 hr. brownout Dec 31- Jan1. Pam

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), January 09, 2000.

Want to know how we feel about our own, we make biker among ourselves, but let one of us get hurt: Read about SYSMONS INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT THREAD, you will see how we are. Families are not without arguments, however they still love one another.

-- Notforlong (Fsur439@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

Thanks for the thoughts mike.

Yes, it's quite a crowd. And the forum will stay "open." All posters have to do is behave themselves (i.e. quit spamming, etc) and it won't be a problem.

It'll be interesting to see the way it morphs, over time.

You may want to fill up a few more floppies by checking in here...

Grassroots Information Coordination Center (GICC)
http:// greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic= Grassroots%20Information%20Coordination%20Center%20%28GICC%29

Hosted by: Steve Davis & Coalition 2000
http://www.coalition2000.org

Also Philip Greenspun provided a zip file of the archives. Take a look at this thread...

Please explain recent ups and downs of this forum
(Philip Greenspun responds)

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 002BBl

And the zip file link is:

http:// homepage.lcs.mit.edu:8123/

Static Archives

 TimeBomb 2000 forum, 1999-12-30 (ZIP format; 120 MB (will take about 1 year to download with a 14.4 modem; about an hour with DSL or a cable modem))
 TimeBomb 2000 Preparation forum, 1999-12-31 (ZIP format; 5.5 MB)

Philip's snipped comments...

"I spent several days with a colleague adding servers, upgrading software to newer more efficient versions, and creating a static forum archive available for download on another computer (try http:// homepage.lcs.mit.edu:8 123/ -- this way the archivists won't compete for scarce computer resources with interactive users."

Welcome.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 09, 2000.

Got another 5-6 months before the foot problem is better, so I guess I'll be spending at least that long here. What kept me here for the many months before the foot problem? Oh. You WOULD ask the difficult questions, wouldn't you? The simple answer is because I wanted to. Why did I want to? Gawd, I'm so sick of analysis! BECAUSE IT PLEASES ME TO BE HERE, THAT'S WHY!

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 09, 2000.

YES !!! Another savvy person who understands the value of news reporting and the unique importance of the mind-blowing archives of TB2K. A lot of heart, brain, sweat 'n tears in those 1000s of threads and over 320,000 posts. Rip-roaring Documentation of a Compelling and Puzzling Event.

Welcome mike in houston!

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), January 09, 2000.

GAWD, I love this place!!! I feel lucky to be a part of a virtual community that cares and supports its diverse and unique members to the extent TB2000 does.

Mike, I only discovered this "diamond in the rough" about Sept. 1999. I have read only a small fraction of the archives - sadly (I have enough on my plate (and sidebars) just keeping up with everyday posts).

I truly hope this forum will remain "just so" for an infinite amount of time. Its become part of my daily regiment! I laugh and fume and cry and always feel such a sense of ....camaraderie....

I love this forum!

-- (karlacalif@aol.com), January 09, 2000.