Wow. Some blackout! I wonder how many forum folk have been "inconvenienced" by this!!

Gee, almost makes Gary North and all the y2K gurus look like they knew something...rolling blackouts, the entire grid going down quickly, etc.

I'd be curious to see any posts from folks if they get online to write about it...!

Prayers to thos suffering in the heat, especially those with secondary water problems.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

Answers

Hi, Sheepish,

I haven't been here for a while; too darn busy this summer, I guess.

I suspect you're being somewhat tongue in cheek about Gary North, weren't you? Some of us did take y2k seriously, though, based on the totality of information available at the time.

Do you happen to recall a column written by an electrical engineer which dealt with y2k possibilities? I can't remember the guy's name now, but he wrote the most cogent analysis of the power grid weaknesses. One of his columns was called "Dancing too close to the edge" or something like that. It pointed out that the power industry had been pushing the envelope, refusing to invest in adequate infrastructure for many years, in favor of maximizing profits. "Dancing too close to the edge" meant that there is not enough power reserves to cover extraordinary conditions, so that a big heat wave (his biggest concern for a y2k type power disaster) would cause widespread blackouts.

I'd sure like to write this guy and get his hit on this latest mess.

Do you (or anyone else at the forum) remember his name?

Cheers! JOJ

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

Hi ya Joe!

Don't know who you were referring to, but Greg Pallast has a thing or two to say about it: (I'll try posting a link here again; cross my fingers.You may have to copy/paste again of course)

greg pallast

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

I was luckily only bothered by a power surge. I found out about it because everyone I called on the phone was busy. All the lines were busy. That seemed really strange. When I turned on the TV, the first thing I heard was, "This has nothing to do with terrorists"

My in-laws lost power for a few hours.

I think that this time, everyone acted really great. Last time they had power out, there was mass looting. The radio said that people were standing by the bridge with signs asking strangers for rides into their area. Maybe it was because of 9/11.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

HIya JOJ.

Long time no read!

Were you thinking of Ed Yourdon? Or hmmmmm. I used to know those folks' names like they were relatives. I have all my old y2k files. I'll have to do some browsing (and reminiscing...) after I get all the #((*&(_ beans picked!!! That'll teach me to go camping over the weekend. Yikes. Not to mention the zucchini (now the size of small marine mammals...).

(My mom ordered the Greg Palast book "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" for me from the public library. They have a number of copies, and yet I'm still something like #50 in the list. Maybe there's hope....)

Gotta run and beat the heat..

btw, JOJ how's your water and fire situations these days? And do you ever hear from Hendo? Did he move away finally? Where did all those old forum folk go? Freedom?

-- Anonymous, August 17, 2003

My parents live in the first town north of Detroit that still had power. Mom said they had brownouts off and on but not a complete blackout. Their town was overrun with people from Detroit looking for gasoline. Since the electricity was out none of the gas pumps would work further south. She said all the stores were cleaned out of bottled water too. My BIL works at Home Depot and the sold out of generators in under 2 hours.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2003