The very fabric of the Y2K syndrome, and the impact on global economies and effects on every man, woman, and child on the old 'Blue Marble' can be inferred from this thread re: the protectionist implications of Bill HR775. I found this article as reported in NEWSBYTES, to be as compelling, by inference, as anything I have read to date. Perhaps I am still reeling after last evenings review of an exchange by folks who "know" the "code" While some minor 'harmonic' differences came through, the SOS was prevelent throughout "nobody knows for sure what the compound effects of Y2K will be" but somethings are inevitable (by degree).

I found particular disturbing in the article the words/phrases: Recovery Fund : $1 Trillion : Federalization: ,,,year 2000 problems he has already... ...state and local governments.... and others

All this screams the question (or should!!!).. Why would a non-critical problem require such lethal legislation? Poly-wanna-take-a-crack-r?

Sangers review - April 14,1999 re; "Year 2000 Takes House By Storm" (Robert MacMillin, NEWSBYTES.com)

I might as well slip this in here as well. In the past few days our local power company, PGE, has been pamperingly (probably subliminally next) issuing notices over the radio stations here-bouts, of reconmendations for personal preparedness - incase of outages. Now, since we here in the Northwest have once again had one of the wettest winters on record, and this week will likely be the real start of Spring, (still hoping), isn't it odd that now is the time to issue "advice on personal preparedness" by a Utility. I personally have been watching for this because it makes sense logically in order to fulfill either of the most believable senerios.

A: There are major malfuntions, and it would be better to intentionally turn out the lights in summer while the possibility of repairing them won't be hampered by heating, lighting, hot water heaters, and the rest, while we "camp out" in the back yark for a while. Life and Death won't seem like the only options for a vast number of people, thus making the "Sale of the Century" easier to palate. Every part of the logistics of control (if at all possible) during the crisis will be more managable during warm weather. I expect to see within the next 90 days,a Herculian effort to resolve the NO.1 Life-or-Death issue facing Americans in the days to come. WATER !!!

B: I don't want to think about B: right now!

P.S As sad as the pictures of the dead and injured in Kosovo are, I just hope the TV camera's won't be running if the SHTF. God Bless you real good neighbor! Goodnight.

-- spun@lright (mikeymac@uswest.net), April 15, 1999

Answers

Eh?

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), April 15, 1999.

If HR775 is supposed to remediate the estimated more than $1,000,000,000,000.00 in lawsuits (probably not frivilous to the guy who's out of business or the people he employs), then at the very least the government expects there to be an incredible amount of business failures. Else why propose/pass the bill?

If 1 business failure = 1 lawsuit...and 1 lawsuit = avg $200,000 plus/minus then 1,000,000,000,000 / 200,000 = 5 million business failures ... x #employees per business = ????? I continually read that we have become inexorably "connected" It looks to me like that many business failures would have to affect the entire model. Ok, giving the lawyers the benefit of the doubt, let's say were only looking at 3 million business failures. Ok, maybe the jurys are totally Zombied by the whole mess and just aren't thinking straight and after all's said and done there's only 2 million business failures.

Also, I would have to believe the government will not be immune from the same problems that are affecting the rest of the business' it is legislating about...and since 4 of 5 individuals in this country recieve some sort of financial draw from the government (and therefore aren't part of the above equation), the bottom line for the economy is a bust. Finally, isn't that what we're all talking about, the effect Y2k will have on people?

-- spun@lright (mikeymac@uswest.net), April 15, 1999.

Okay here is the URL for the full text http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?c106:./temp/~c1064o2nGu and here is who is sponsoring it. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:HR00775:@@@P

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), April 15, 1999.

Thanks Ken for the URL's. I wasn't able to get through on the first but I came in the back door through one of the sponsors by way of E243 and read Rep. Tomas' address to the house dated Feb 23,1999.

I commend them on attempting to keep the focus and the money in the hands of those working on solutions. I must say though, "....aims to eliminate those fears and hasten the repair of Y2K problems while we still have time to resolve them." is a bit like Dudley DoRight (leaving the Yukon) racing to save Miss Polly (bound and lain between the railroad tracks in Los Angeles, Ca) and Snidley Whiplash (at the helm of the oncoming Locomotive) has a visual on poor Miss Polly.

Perhaps a better target to aim at would be giving an "hosest" asssesment of the scope of the problem to those whom will have to pay the price for being uninformed. Then.. helping them prepare.

-- spun@lright (mikeymac@uswest.net), April 15, 1999.

spun,

Beyond your posted information, I just gotta tell you that anybody using Dudley Doright, and Big Blue Marble references is my kinda person. I can sing the theme song for old Dudley, and hum the Big Blue Marble (in space) song. Sure, you say, but can she play "Melancholy Baby?" Yep. :-)

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), April 15, 1999.