How About This Reply to VT Dairy Farmer?

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Okay, gang: This appeared on the year2000 catholicity.com list recently (used with permission of Diane Choquette). Any commentary?

Anita E. ------------------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message-----

From bwest@cio.state.vt.us

Subj: y2k and dairy

The Utility companies in Vermont are working very hard on the Y2K problem. I don't believe you will have any power problems on January 1, 2000. As the time gets closer and if I hear of any problems I will let you know.

Bob West

Assistant CIO

Voice (802)828-5846

FAX (802)828-3398

E-Mail - bwest@cio.state.vt.us -----Original Message----- From: Diane Choquette [mailto:warmup@together.net] Sent: Friday, November 20, 1998 12:51 PM To: bwest@cio.state.vt.us Subject: y2k and dairy Thanks Bob for you opinion now could you please tell me what you base it on? There is not a single utility company that is currently compliant. 286 running 60% of the control panels are not compliant. SCADA technology is not compliant. The teeny tiny valves that shut down European plants are not compliant. So why are you willing to bet the life of my 80 year old grandmother and my 3 month old child that we will be compliant. Are your programmers working through the holidays? Are you on schedule with your remediations or are you still in the assessment phase like 60% of all NERC members. How many around the clock teams do you have going lookingfor embedded chip technology or are you counting on being able to replace the same component that every other utility company will need next year when they allneed to order it at the same time? Bob, we are all grown ups here, I am looking someday for an honest man that will say that as hard as our people are working and as hopeful that we will be compliant as I am 'It would be in your best interest to have alternative heat prepared for your family' . A farm generator is a big investment for us, one we must take a loan for but we will in order to save our herd from sickness and distress. One day without milking is a serious thing. Please try to keep me most candidly informed as soon as possible. So please tell me why you are confident that everything will be fine. Sincerely, Diane Choquette ----Original Message----- From: Bob West To: 'Diane Choquette' Date: Friday, November 20, 1998 1:19 PM Subject: RE: y2k and dairy You don't sound like a diary farmer. I wish you the best in the new millennium. I suggest you do what your heart tells you. Bob West Assistant CIO Voice (802)828-5846 Fax (802)828-3398 E-mail - bwest@cio.state.vt.us -------(end message)-----------------------------------------------

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), November 21, 1998

Answers

Okay, I'm gonna try again, this time to make it a little more readable....here goes: -

-----Original Message-----

From bwest@cio.state.vt.us

Subj: y2k and dairy

The Utility companies in Vermont are working very hard on the Y2K problem. I don't believe you will have any power problems on January 1, 2000. As the time gets closer and if I hear of any problems I will let you know.

Bob West

Assistant CIO

Voice (802)828-5846

FAX (802)828-3398

E-Mail - bwest@cio.state.vt.us

-----Original Message-----

From: Diane Choquette[mailto:warmup@together.net]

Sent: Friday, November 20, 1998 12:51 PM

To:bwest@cio.state.vt.us

Subject: y2k and dairy

Thanks Bob for you opinion now could you please tell me what you base it on? There is not a single utility company that is currently compliant. 286 running 60% of the control panels are not compliant. SCADA technology is not compliant. The teeny tiny valves that shut down European plants are not compliant. So why are you willing to bet the life of my 80 year old grandmother and my 3 month old child that we will be compliant.

Are your programmers working through the holidays? Are you on schedule with your remediations or are you still in the assessment phase like 60% of all NERC members. How many around the clock teams do you have going lookingfor embedded chip technology or are you counting on being able to replace the same component that every other utility company will need next year when they allneed to order it at the same time?

Bob, we are all grown ups here, I am looking someday for an honest man that will say that as hard as our people are working and as hopeful that we will be compliant as I am 'It would be in your best interest to have alternative heat prepared for your family' . A farm generator is a big investment for us, one we must take a loan for but we will in order to save our herd from sickness and distress. One day without milking is a serious thing.

Please try to keep me most candidly informed as soon as possible. So please tell me why you are confident that everything will be fine.

Sincerely, Diane Choquette

----Original Message-----

From: Bob West

To: 'Diane Choquette'

Date: Friday, November 20, 1998 1:19 PM

Subject: RE: y2k and dairy

You don't sound like a diary farmer. I wish you the best in the new millennium. I suggest you do what your heart tells you.

Bob West

Assistant CIO

Voice (802)828-5846

Fax (802)828-3398

E-mail -bwest@cio.state.vt.us

-------(end message)-----------------------------------------------

Better???

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), November 21, 1998.


The last dairy farmer (farmer- not including the wife)I had any time to talk to happened to be a Rhodes Scholar.

Where does Mr. (Out)West get off!!!! (RIGHT HERE!!!!!)

Chuck

and my Bride sez: After spending my formative years with Black Angus, Guernseys, A Polled longhorn or two, as well as the Herefords we actually depended on in that category- I "grew up" to work in the MIS dept of a multi- state utility supplier. Does that mean I'm any better (or smarter) than my brethren? I DON'T THINK SO! Who else HAS to pay attention to climate trends, market conditions and futures but is smart enough to not have to work on Wall Street? Tari

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 21, 1998.


"Now, Ms Farmer, you just go off and don't worry your little head about this big old technical problem."

How patronizing can this person get?

And of course, "they're working very hard" on the problem. Glad I don't live in Vermont. Hey, what am I saying.......I live in WV, where we get electricity from a distribution company with no generation capability and no idea that 2000 is a problem. Course, on advantage is that my local dairy farmers have PTO takeoff generators to run their milkers. A year without several outages is rare.

BTW, Anita, loved your food storage program book.

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), November 21, 1998.


Maybe you should y2k proof your farm. You dump on the utility companies (as you should) but it is time to pick your scenario in 2000. If you can't milk because of power problems and you can't afford a generator, then you better sell some cows. Commodity prices are very low, farmers in North America are suffering. A friend of mine is killing his new pigs. Not worthwhile raising them. This 400 days before we need them.

You sound very concerned. Think of your blessings--a farm, family, water, septic, etc self sufficiency. Wow. Get some solar panels for the well, generator to milk, heck you are in good shape. I have to find the money to just get close to what you have. 400 days

-- Rick Reilly (rreilly@shaw.wave.ca), November 26, 1998.


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