Y2K Senators Get Earful in Hearings
by David Franke
WorldNetDaily
May 26, 1999
Activists angry at president, press over preparedness
"The Senate's Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem held hearings yesterday on community Y2K preparedness with some pretty upset grass-roots activists. Fortunately for the senators, the witnesses' anger was aimed more at the White House and the nation's print and broadcast press. ... I have repeatedly called upon the president, and his Y2K Council, to provide leadership on this Y2K issue, [Paloma] O'Reilly [said]. There has been little or no response of real substance. The administration's current plan is to respond with money and resources to fix problems after they occur. This approach is self-serving, an act of cowardice, and an abdication of responsibility. ... James Adams, another member of the media panel, was chief executive officer of United Press International and managing editor of the London Sunday Times before becoming chief executive officer of Infrastructure Defense Inc. The media are only as good as the sources that are available to them, he told the senators, and in the case of Y2K the political leadership has abrogated its responsibility and left the stage empty."

-- Ron Rodgers (RonRodgers@Resilience2000.com), May 26, 1999

Answers

James Adams, another member of the media panel, was chief executive officer of United Press International and managing editor of the London Sunday Times before becoming chief executive officer of Infrastructure Defense Inc. The media are only as good as the sources that are available to them,

The media are only as good as the sources available to them?! They sit on their asses and wait for the next f***ing White House press release before they make a move.

What kind of vapid BS is this? The media I grew up could scratch and dig until they came up with the story, ala Woodward and Berstein. What a crock!

Sandmann

-- Sandmann (Sandmann@alasbab.com), May 26, 1999.

The media are only as good as the sources available to them?! They sit on their asses and wait for the next f***ing White House press release before they make a move.

Unfortunately, that pretty much sums it up. You wouldn't have to specify the White House, though: by and large, it's "journalism by press release" when it comes to Y2K.

See Ed Meagher's Ultima te Hustle. And Scott Johnson's Y2K and the Failure (So Far) of the Press. And Bob Allen's Y2K Media Meltdown.

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), May 26, 1999.

Are we really surprised? You shouldn't be. The mainstream press is nothing more than the 4th branch of government to this most-corrupt of Administrations.

You folks have to understand, that when it comes to Y2K reporting, unless it benefits their President in some fashion, they aren't going to report the truth, or the facts. They will simply report Joe Lockhart's Press Briefings or White House Press Releases as fact, period. Anything outside of those "reliable sources" are fair game for debunking and ridicule.

Follow-up questioning and real dig-in-the-dirt investigative reporting is reserved only for those that the media doesn't like. Namely opponents of their Left-wing sympathies and agendas.

If you don't think that this in fact is the case, I have just one point: INTERESTING how light the press is going on this Chinese Espionage case isn't it? Remember Iran-Contra, and how vitriolic the press was about "arming our enemies" and "subverting the law"???? Funny how the same standards aren't applied to THEIR ideological leader.

We're talking NUCLEAR WEAPONS boys and girls. Not M-16's and Stinger missles for hostages. NUCLEAR weapons technology, SOLD TO OUR ENEMIES for money!

The difference is: Who's President and what his ideology is....and how sympathtic and supportive the Press has always been to Communist/ Socialist regimes. One "enlightened" Network Anchor went so far as to suggest that if ALL nations had nuclear weapons, perhaps the world would come together as no one nation would have an advantage over another. Obviously this idiot refuses to understand that some nations don't have the same ethical standards that we do, and that if they have the nukes...they'll USE them.

Study the history of reporting since the 1960's. You'll get the picture. It's a 90 degree slant...to the Left.

God help this nation. We're cooked!

Y2K will be no different. It will be spun and politicized in whichever fashion benefits those in power. This includes demouguoging and demonization for political ends.

Be aware folks, just be aware.

Times of crisis and turmoil have a nasty knack for creating genocidal tyrants.

Ignore and debunk at your own peril.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), May 26, 1999.

Yep, softboiled or hardboiled?

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), May 26, 1999.

Depends on how close to Ground Zero you are Leska.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), May 26, 1999.

Hi INVAR, good to see you back. I was getting worried about you.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), May 26, 1999.

Thanks Nik.

Basically been in "lurk" mode. I'm about to take a break from the Forum for a while, but I'll check in for news.

Time's up. Too much to do. Too little time to prep for it.

The stakes have been raised. The complacency spin has worked too well. The remediation is falling further behind. Leadership on Y2K is almost non-existant and receives lip-service only. The geopolitical picture is more frightening, and the effects of this global powderkeg are about to explode in American's faces in a way that may leave 1/3 of our population dead or dying - with or without Y2K at all.

I have no time for the trolls and pollyannas anymore. Their blood is on their own heads. I did my part, and now I'm in full retreat to take care of my family and neighbors that are readying ourselves for whatever catastrophe shows up first. I think the person that suggested that the pollyannas that discourage any newbies from taking Y2K seriously are guilty of murder - is right on.

Those that refuse to accept the danger we are all faced with are either braindead, wealth-drunk or Spin Doctors for the Status Quo. I have time for none of them, and neither do any of you.

Be smart. Turn your preps up to the max. We don't know how much time we have. Y2K may come at the specified time, but panic, terrorism, nuclear attack or civil war or unrest are unknowns. The reality of ANY or ALL of these stare us in the face, and it could happen tomorrow, next week or next month. We don't know. But the need to be ready to survive is a here and now.

My best to all of you. Regardless of what happens - I will think and wonder how all of you are faring - and give thanks for the things I have learned from you.

From a historical perspective, this is an incredible time to be alive and witness the snowballing of political and social events.

But when one sees black clouds on the Southwest horizon, and the winds are blowing from there...it's gonna storm.

And my how the winds are blowing.....

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), May 26, 1999.

This seems like a good place to share some important personal news with ya'll, beings as though you are probably the only people I know who will appreciate this. We've decided to break down and dig a well. We live in suburbia and we expect quite a few eyebrows raised, but the community is pushing for reclaimed water, and lo and behold! we found out 14 of our neighbors will be voting against it because they have their own wells. I can't tell you what a load this is off my mind because I'm afraid we're really screwed with the water situation, and the soil is wonderful for my garden -- this year's experimental garden took off like crazy. Soil's not worth much without irrigation, though. I learned alot from Ol Git and Rodale's.

Glad to see a posting from INVAR; I've always enjoyed your writing. What amazing, scary times we live in. Who woulda thunk.

Jeannie

-- jhollander (hollander@ij.net), May 26, 1999.

INVAR,

You have expressed exactly how I feel and think right about y2k and everything else that is going on. Something big could happen at any time especially with this war going on. I believe that the GPS rollover date is more significant than many seem to give it. Russia's military is dependent upon GPS. So yeah, turning up the preps to the max. But I still find time to check in here. I have to. This forum needs us 9-10's to offset the pollys and trolls.

For those wanting to put in a well or dig a cesspool. Tip of the day: Buy a cheap metal tool shed and put it over it. No one will suspect what is in there.

-- BB (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), May 26, 1999.