i really don't know what to make of dejager, he seems to take vacillation to new plateaus.

on again; off again.

i wonder what he found out that brought this on.

http://www.courierpress.com/cgi/view.cgi?/199905/19/+y2kguru_news.html+199

-- Anonymous, May 21, 1999

Answers

I know, I thought the same thing. But he's probably like most of us, quietly deeply sceptical, and publicly mildly sceptical. I have recently begun to confront the stupidity and denial with tough statements based in fact. I am starting to see some people come around when assailed with the facts. However it is very difficult to get people to recognize vulnerability. And so, sometimes I softpeddle my 2K statements. Me thinks this is De Jager's connundrum. He may also be burnt.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 1999

jim,

you are probably 'right on' with why. i am sure that after carrying the 'torch' for so long, and being subjected to the scorn and ridicule of the naysayers for a such a protracted period that vacillation is the least of it.

the same goes for rick, then couple in the 'needy' requests for validation on every new twist and turn from those that are preparing...it is the perfect recipe for 'burn out.'

it is an onerous burden to carry in these times.

i remember when the problem with TMI first reared it's ugly little head. this was unprecedented and there was no 'canned spin' to be opened and put on the stove to simmer.

the nrc's point man, herbert dennenberg, was on the tv, visibly shaken, and trying to sort out the problem and calm the public. what caused most of the people to evacuate was the fear and uncertainty that was clearly written on his face. he was a good man, not one to dissemble and spew the party line. that was more frightening than anything else.

the same thing started to happen with y2k...but when the public started to react...it wasn't imminent, y2k wasn't going to happen in the next minute or hour, 'the powers that be' realized the repercussions of a national panic was failed banks, the crash of the stock exchange, the inability of enough supplies and foodstuffs to go around and the spin began.

they even announced the 'pr' campaign and solicited the help of the media.

it reminds me of the children's fairy tale:

"the emperor wore no clothes"

this 'fairy tale' clearly shows that we should use our common sense and our own deductive abilities to 'ferret out' the truth of the matter. we can not afford to allow 'others' to do our thinking for us...the stakes are too high.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 1999

I've heard a lot about this over the last 24 hours, so I went back and took a look at Peter's "Doomsday Avoided". His comments in the Evansville Courier were absolutely consistent with what he said about the power industry in "Doomsday Avoided" - so I don't see a real change in his view on this leg of his iron triad. You could certainly sense his frustration, though, with the reporting at all levels of the industry.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 1999

I have to tell you, I'm not a Y2K spokesman,(although I do carry the torch at my company), and I'm tired of being looked at like I'm an idiot by people who should know better. I see it in their eyes when I tell them all is not well. But I know that they've done NO HOMEWORK. They are speaking out of ignorance, but still it's frustrating.

We've created a nation which feeds only on soundbites, the intellectual junkfood of the 90's. If people had actually read De Jager's article, they might have held back on flaming him so fast. They also might have held off on their Y2K victory parties, but then where's the soundbite in that?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 1999