Karla, I seriously think that you are over the edge on this thing and I am worried about you. Who the hell is Homer and why is he so much more of an expert then the people who control the companies. Do you honestly think that these people would really tell us we are all ok if there was going to be something dangerous happening to us. Some how I think that there would be hell to pay after everything got back to normal. Honestly honey I am worried that you refuse to see any side of this but the doomsayers side. You have not been able to look at this thing objectively for months. You are like chicken little running around telling everyone that the sky is going to fall. This makes me more afraid then the possibility of being a few days without power. I don't believe we will be but even if we were so what. I have bveen lots of times before. I have been in ahurricane without electric and just what food I had on hand and nothing bad happened to me. I just am not prone to get excited about this sort of thing. I have been through storms, earthquakes, riots and homelessness. I have always managed. Maybe my God has been watching over me all of this time, even when I was barely aware of him. Perhaps you should say a prayer or two. Well even if you don't I say them for you.

Love you. Mom

[Uuugghh..........she did not even GI, that Homer was posting 'articles' from the Great and Honorable Media.

[after Oprah]

Karla, sometimes I think you are just as bad or worse than the "Pollys" you refuse to see anything but the worst possible outlook. I heard the same thing you heard and it was that you should have the same things on hand that you would have for a bad winter storm. That is what the head of the red cross said when he was on. Did you miss the person from FDIC and the head of the major banks, and the president of AT&T, the head of the largest power company in the US, they all said the same thing and I think that is that people should not panic and stress out. They should have the same sort of supplies on hand as they would for an earthquake or bad storm. I know you work with computers but you need to get a grip and realize that things are going to be ok. Love you, MOM

[Just a thanks to Kosky and TPTB............Mission accomplished]

(((sigh))))

-- DGI Mom (karlacalif@aol.com), December 04, 1999

Answers

Sounds like my parents. If Y2K goes >8.0 and kills hundreds of thousands (or more) of people, practically everyone on this board will know DGIs who pointlessly, tragically, wastefully die. I really hope that there is justice somewhere for the people who brought this whole thing down on us.

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), December 04, 1999.

"say a prayer or two. Well even if you don't I say them for you. Love you. Mom "

DGI Mom,

Just keep loving her like she has loved you. My parents too karla.

-- maid upname (noid@ihope.com), December 04, 1999.

Minnesota:

There is always justice. We aren't always able to personally *see* it administered to others, but it's there...universal law.

"The mill of the gods grinds slow, but exceedingly fine."

Karla,

Out of our parents (my mother, and two sets of hubby's parents), only my mom GI...the others are behaving much like your Mother is. We've run the gamut of emotions all year long: From being mad, to being sad, to feeling incredulous that smart, educated, 'well- bred', 'successful' folk refuse to even consider a small amount of "life insurance"(not even to 'pacify' their only son), to being resigned that they will not make it for long, to being resolute in our long-in-coming decision that we will not sacrifice the well-being of our grandchildren in order to help them.

I wish that it were different, but you're not alone.

-- Wilfabrooke (taking@deepbreath.now), December 04, 1999.

Got much the same from my mother at thanksgiving, and from a now ex girlfriend before that. Ahh life goes on......or doesn't.....as the case may be...

-- Ralph Kramden (and@awayWeGo.com), December 04, 1999.

"Some how I think that there would be hell to pay after everything got back to normal."

Oopsie, big false premise, that anything will ever get back to normal, as in life now. Nope, and TPTB know that now too. They are emboldened because they know there will be no recourse very soon now.

At least your Mom does eMail ;^)

Karla, our intense sympathies. It's hard but ya gotta let the Pollies go, gently, into that night of their own creating. Love them from a distance, pray that God be merciful.

There will not be anything sweet in the Doomer's validation.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), December 04, 1999.

Karla,

A while back the American Banker's Association created and distributed "canned sermons on Y2k", designed to pacify the congregation that banks will be OK.

They (the ABA) must also have distributed "canned Mom responses to GI offspring". 6 months ago I had a phone conversation with my mom in which she damn near word for word said to me what your email from you mom said to you. We live in a bizarro world. Not one member of my family gets it. Only two of my closest friends have begun to prepare, and them only because they have had to suffer my sermons on the clear and present danger that Y2K threatens.

Best of luck, and keep up the preps.

-- Zen Angel (ZenAngel@Karma.com), December 04, 1999.

karla, This letter really struck a knife in my heart, she sounds just like my mom, she's probably younger than 60 right? However, my grandmother (mom's mom) 'got it' in 5 minutes. She went through the great depression picking cotton a nickle a day. There seems to be a disconnect in people's mind that won't allow them to realize how dependent we've gotten on computers, not just stores or businesses but infrastructure as well. The interconnectedness of banks and their computers is amazing. The stupidity of the government allowing the banks to megamerge - the bigger they are the harder they fall, not to mention the possibility of fraud, please don't forget the S&L's. My mom even lost money in a S&L for heavens sake, she cannot get it!!! I will have to say that my mom gets it better than before but only because of the publicity y2k has gotten recently, but she will never do anything about it. I can't convince her that if banks close or fail that the FDIC cannot possibly guarantee all the money. I can't convince my mom that her money that she has deposited in the bank has gone to credit cards for people to buy food, clothes, and things that they don't even still have!!! It's no longer like it used to be, we have a negative savings rate in this country for heavens sake. The money is in the hands of the rich for the most part( and no I am not a democrat) My mom however gets it about people or government not telling about how dangerous things could get, we lived overseas she knows the risks associated with terrorism and such. I haven't been able to get my mom to prepare for y2k also because she did listen to me last year about pulling out of the stock market and of course has lost a lot of money which she blames me for. But I've slept easier since then! I've also put up with ridicule from her, about being a doomer. I have small children to think about, to me it's just natural to want to make sure that they have something to eat if there are disruptions. Anyway, I'm rambling, sorry about that. Just one quick question, have you had her read any of Ed Yardeni's forecasts. She's got to read the November 30 report. But if her reaction is like my mom's "30% is not that much a chance of a recession!" Karla take care and remember you're not the only one. Lurker 13

-- lurker 13 (lurker13@nowhere.here), December 04, 1999.

I'd say that most people make their decisions--practical and ethical--based on what an authority tells them is right. Why is something good? Because "So and So says so," not because it is logical or because abstract and objective principles are applied. Never let the facts get in the way of a perfectly official viewpoint! Heaven forbid we pay attention to facts!

Authority, in general, has one main aim and that is to remain in authority, not to liberate its subjects or make itself obsolete. What could possibly be a better way to further this aim than to manipulate the very perceptions which frame our mundane existence??!!

Oceania was at war with Eurasia. Oceania was always at war with Eurasia... Ignorance is strength, war is peace, freedom is slavery.

Gotta love it. I never realized how much mushrooms like being mushrooms. Sure, their diet is scatalogical--but it's a familiar one. Sure, they are in the dark, but in the light they would see unpleasant things.

rant over now.

-- coprolith (coprolith@fakmail.com), December 04, 1999.

I have learned that there is no reliable predictor of who will Get It and who won't. Not age, not socioeconomic level, not intelligence. Maybe Y2K will provide great psychological and sociological insights. I just hope there is enough social structure left to learn and record the lessons.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), December 04, 1999.

My mom's halfway through chemo for lymphoma. She hasn't got the energy to get down to her computer to email me. She's widowed and a hundred miles away from me.

If the power goes off, I'm hoping we can get my brother-in-law to swoop her up and take her to my sister's house. I don't know how much I can push her into getting it.

Am working on figuring out whatever Plan B could be.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), December 04, 1999.

Karla-

What about your dad? Is he alive? Are they still married? Not to get too personal, it's just that mine are divorced, and I sent "Y2K info kits" to both mom and dad. My mom IMMEDIATELY got it, whereas dad sent it back UNOPENED (I had alerted him that it was coming and told him about the problem; he wouldn't hear any of it). Same with the brothers- one GI, one just doesn't care, the 49er's are more important to him. Not much you can do except hope and pray they'll be alright....

-- omegaman (whois@thatwoman.inthechatroom?), December 04, 1999.

Thank you all so very much for the reply.

I am so grateful I found this board, the support from this forum is immeasurable.

Warmest regards

-- ;-) (karlacalif@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Karla,

I'm in the same boat. What makes me even more frustrated is that my Dad is a GI, but assumes the role of DWI because he thinks that there's nothing he can do about it. Sucks. I'm stuggling with whether or not be at their home for the holidays: 2500 miles away from my current home. They live nearby a huge mil-based city, I currently live one step from the wilderness in a small town. I've chosen to head home with all my preps in my van. It's gonna be a crazy ride this winter. Hopefully fuel is available through jan 1.

There are many of us out there with these kind of dilemas. Pray for strength for you and all of your close connections. Only God has the capability to manage the infinite intricacies within our natural and human system. All will work out in a historically sound method. We will learn our lessons.

-- hindsight is 20/20 (76651.3647@compuserve.com), December 04, 1999.

karla...So sorry! My parent's health is too fragile to comprehend or to make any serious preparations. I am trying to assist a mostly GI sibling who lives next to them. In-laws...we finally persuaded them (in southern CA) to let us buy them a 55 gallon water barrel. Other siblings...DWGI. One is just now taking 'precautions',...filling milk containers and trash cans with water. sigh I do understand, and I'm truly sorry.

Rant on coprolith. Maybe somewhere a light will go on for somebody.

-- Mumsie (shezdremn@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Lurker 13,

;-) Mom just turned 60 on Nov. 19, 1999. Have stocked sum extra for them, but aarrghhh ........even though I love my mom to pieces, am not sure what would be worse, Y2k being "really bad" or having my mom come and live with me???????? LOL, I love but we are very very different.

Omega----

Lovely chatting and getting spammed with you last night. Mom and Dad are togethor, but mom holds sway..........

Corprolith,

Did forward Yardeni's last paper, not much impact......."been through recessions and in the last decade stagflation California Style"........."disruptions" is not a very tangible term for many people.

Again, heart-felt thanks to all.........

;-)

-- (karlacalif@aol.com), December 04, 1999.

Karla, there's not much you can do at this point. You've done as much as you can, but it's clear that she will remain in denial until it is too late, and she will very likely be dead in the next two months. You can't let this distract you from preparing for yourself and any children you may have. It's still possible for you and them to get through this even if it's too late for your mom. You may find it easier to cut ties with her at this point to avoid the inevitable suffering that will result when she's dead. Concentrate on getting yourself through this and you can still survive.

-- (its@coming.soon), December 05, 1999.