QUOTE:

Tom Brokaw: .....Y2K. In fact the White House was making it's plans today to set up a command post -- sort of a Y2K war room for December 31st to monitor any problems that could arise when the computers slip from 99 to 00 -- we hope. What should you be doing to get ready? Some practical advice tonight from NBC's practical man Robert Hager.

Rober Hager: San Fransico paralysed by a simple power outage. Chaos as traffic lights go out. Thousands stranded in subways. Where cash machines don't work. Not a drill -- it happened this past December 8. But could it be a preview of what's to come across the country next January 1st, if the Y2K computer problem hits. Not at all, says FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mike Walker: There is no need to hoard. There is no need to take money out of banks. There is not need to head for the hills. This problem can be solved between now and the end of the year.

Robert Hager: What should people do? Both FEMA and the American Red Cross think we should prepare to wait for a winter storm. That is to have a few days worth of extra groceries on hand. Some bottled water as well. And then some flashlights and a portable radio and a portable TV and the batteries to power them. And some extra cash as well -- say enough for a couple of days. That and a half tank of gasoline in a car -- even if all this turns out to be unneeded.

Government spokesperson: The banks have it well under control. The power utilities have it well under control. We're not going to be out of power. We're not going to have telephones that aren't going to work and so forth.

Robert Hager: Why prepare at all then? Well, there may still be scattered disruptions. Small electric companies that aren't computer ready. Small businesses and foreign countries that ship us oil and some food. What about medicine? Some drugs, like insulin, may depend on overseas shipments. Experts suggest having extra on hand. And how can you tell if a personal computer will be affected? Test it now by setting the computer's clock ahead to just before the Year 2000 and letting it run. Most bought in the last two years should work. What about flying? There have been congressional concerns that the nation's air system won't be ready. But the FAA insists flying should be okay, except in some foreign countries where there could be cancellations and delays. The bottom line.

Government spokesperson: Everday life issues will go on, and it'll go almost unnoticed. Errh.. most people aren't going to realise any significant impact and, and, basically won't even notice that, errh, any, anything has taken place.

Robert Hager: The experts best guess. No repeat likely of the outage that brought San Fransico to its knees. But with enough uncertainties left they say it's better to be little prepared to be surprised. Rober Hager, NBC News, Washington.

UNQUOTE

Hmmmm! Interesting to note that despite all the assurances that there is no need to worry and that everything basically is well in hand -- the White House still feels it necessary to set up a Command Post -- sort of War Room. That part doesn't sound too reassuring to me!!!!

-- Anon (anon@abc.com), February 25, 1999

Answers

For every step forward toward any semblance of reality they take ten backwards...

On another note, my husband did some fund transfers at the bank today. He knows the account manager well by now. She told him people were shifting money all over the place... money coming into mutual funds out of the stock market...money going out of the funds into cash or money market accounts. Loads of elderly folks closing out CDs in favor of more liquid accounts. In January she opened or closed maybe a dozen accounts...this month she has opened or closed 65.

-- Shelia (shelia@active-stream.com), February 25, 1999.

Once again another media plee not wanting to be responsible for panic. I do not think anyone will ever say that we need to stock up for more than a couple of days...because no one wants to be responsible for panik! No one will ever tell us to withdraw money either...No one wants to be responsible...But, the thing they will do is drop us hints like in the upcoming SSenate Report and in various testimonies, or even in the statement about the waroom in the beginning of this thread, decide for yourself, but in my opinion....

TWO DAYS IS NOT ENOUGH

-- WHATEVER (SURPRISE@SURPRISE.COM), February 25, 1999.

****No one wants to be responsible...But, the thing they will do is drop us hints like in the upcoming SSenate Report and in various testimonies, or even in the statement about the waroom in the beginning of this thread, decide for yourself, but in my opinion.... *****

Yep, I agree about the technique of dropping hints...then after the fact, if there are any mouthpieces still around they'll say,.."but I told everyone..."

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), February 25, 1999.

Why the hell even bother to tell people to prepare at all. Most people will have already eaten and guzzled to excess and more than likely shall enough provisions in their kitchen cabinets and refrigerators to tide them over for a couple of days.

Doesn't make sense to me....... There is something not right me thinks..... I don't think we are being told the whole story.

-- Not (logical@all.com), February 25, 1999.

The thing that stuck in my mind the most when I heard this report tonight was....."a half a tank of gas".....who in the world preparing for even a 2 day emergency would only get a half a tank of gas????

That certainly didn't make sense to me!!

-- RP (phoenix@quikmail.com), February 25, 1999.

The "government spokesperson" referenced in the NBC story above is none other than our old Gartner Groupie Buddy Lou "The Ostrich" Marcocchio. I have developed a terrible disdain for this man. There is a special place in hell for two faced bastards like Mr. Marcocchio who made a friggin' KILLING over the past three years with Garter Group screaming about Y2k being the death of corporations, and is now telling everyone else that, "Hey folks, we were just kidding. Ha Ha! Not to worry."

Here's a message for Lou: There is a special place in Y2k Hell for you. If there are deaths because people didn't prepare due to your now blase attitude, may the fires of eternal damnation lick at your balls.

-- Govt Spokesperson My Butt (damnedifyoudod@amnedifyou.dont), February 25, 1999.

Thanks again, Anon!

But with enough uncertainties left they say it's better to be little prepared to be surprised.

*Big Sigh*

See also, the Yourdon Thread:

Power OUT In San Francisco

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000IIh

Its illustrates why we should prepare for the unknown, even if Y2K is just brownouts and isolated blackouts. Right. No worries, guys.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 25, 1999.

"Government spokesperson: Everday life issues will go on, and it'll go almost unnoticed. Errh.. most people aren't going to realise any significant impact and, and, basically won't even notice that, errh, any, anything has taken place."

I saw this tonight. HOW IRRESPONSIBLE could anyone be????? With this kind of a message, why would ANYONE prepare even for a winter storm?

Weather Man: "There will be a winter storm on our horizen, but everday life issues will go on, and it'll go almost unnoticed,most people aren't going to realise any significant impact and, basically won't even notice that, anything has taken place.

Public: "Non event, back to sleep."

I PRAY people will notice all of these conflicting reports and DEMAND the TRUTH. This is potentially CRIMINAL! They will have BLOOD on their hands.

Quickly Moving from Outrage to Profound Grief,

-- Deborah, who thinks it will start at a 3-4 and slide quickly to 8 (tired@propoganda.com), February 25, 1999.

"That is to have a few days worth of extra groceries on hand. Some bottled water as well. And then some flashlights and a portable radio and a portable TV and the batteries to power them. And some extra cash as well -- say enough for a couple of days. That and a half tank of gasoline in a car -- even if all this turns out to be unneeded. "

All this? All this? Gee...I guess I've overprepared a little.

LOL

-- a (a@a.a), February 25, 1999.

FEMA says prepare for a snowstorm. Bennett and Dodd are saying y2k is the most serious and potentially devastating event this nation has ever encountered. The year 2000 problem deserves our top priority. WOW I can not believe that there is such a HUGE difference in opinions. Someone is wrong, very wrong and as time goes on the spinning will probably only get worse. Tman The only thing I have to say for FEMA is.

-Got Proof

-- Tman (Tman@IBAgeek.com), February 25, 1999.

I also was furious at Lou C's comments. Absolutely unbelievable. The GartnerGroup is on record as saying we should prepare for 2 weeks, and that 15% of the best-prepared industries will suffer mission-critical failures.

While I hope that he is right, of course, there is no evidence whatsoever at this point to back up his outrageous prediction. Yet, he is presented as an "expert", and America, for the most part, will believe him. Very sad, indeed.

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), February 25, 1999.

And Macaroni (hee hee) said enough cash for TWO days! God Grief, two days cash is nothing. Whoever said they had disdain for him was right on; except for me, it's disgust.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), February 26, 1999.

When I read something like this, I have to wonder who they are talking to???

For most of my adult life, I grocery shopped about once a month or every other week at most, for major items. For fresh foods, usually once or twice per week. I go to the bank only rarely more than once per week. So, to "prepare", I need to do what??

Surely I'm not that unusual. Who has time to waste going to the store or the bank every day? So why are they saying to prepare at all? Like most on this thread, I smell something rotten!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 26, 1999.