Re: Watch out for Y2K

[Brian Wilson <dogmatix@mindspring.com>]

At 09:04 PM 7/6/99 -0400, Lisa Johnson wrote:
>Absolutely nothing.  I think there will be a relatively minor yet still
>annoying problem like, say, you can only get money out of your own bank's
>ATMs.  And people will complain like crazy....
>
>It better be not a big deal; like I've always said, the post-apocalyptic
>world is no place for a girl like me.

hmmm... of course, not much has been made of the rest of the world's 
preparedness for Y2K... there's been much talk, that I've been sadly
neglectful of, regarding Russia's compliance... specifically, the 
compliance of Russia's nuclear capabilities.  We all remember what
would have happened had Matthew Broderick unplugged WOPR, don't we?

I'm going to take the moderate approach, I think.  Now I just have
to figure out what that is.

o  Extra cash on-hand.  Don't wipe out your stock portfolio (especially
not the part with the MSPG in it), but make sure you have enough to
handle most expenses for two to four weeks.

o  Food.  Sure, why not.  If nothing else, it'll hold over until the
next party.  Scale down that bomb-shelter idea somewhat, don't get
quite as many cases of powdered milk.  

o  Water wouldn't be a bad idea either.  At least until we know
for sure.

o  Same with gas.  Don't buy underground storage tanks, but a 
five-gallon in the garage can't be all bad (do remember to leave
the cap on, won't you?).

o  Keep your statements.  Anything that looks remotely like an
asset, have a hard copy standing by.  Preferably two or three
chronologically-consecutive statements.  There _will_ be some 
databases that won't make it.

o  Photograph/Videotape your possessions.  Clark Howard says to do it.
I plan on doing it.  Helps insurance settlements.

o  Candles.  Sure, why not.  They're pretty, and good to have in any
emergency.  So the power doesn't go out at the stroke of midnight;  It
will eventually.

o  Cats.  Fun, playful, and a good source of protein in an emergency.

Yes, we're dependent on our technology.  We've built our society 
specifically to be that way (anyone remember how Arthur Dent crash-landed
on an alien planet with Tech Level 0, and the only thing he discovered
he could do that they couldn't was make a sandwich?).  Sometimes the 
things you depend on bite you in the fanny.  You totally automate your
office, then Windows crashes.  You go to a PBX to manage phone calls
better, then that goes down.  You move 20 miles away from work, then 
your car dies.  It's a consequence of dependance on imperfect technology.
But, until we do get perfect technology (and it's a matter of when, not
if), the imperfect kind will have to do.  It's either that, or back
to hunting, the plough, and 30 year life-spans.  And how many of us
would make it there? (don't answer if you're over 30)

Don't head for the hills, but OTOH don't treat it like any other day,
either.  And if all else fails, remember, aim for the abdomen and not
the chest (thank you, G. Gordon Liddy).

B/W/

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