We need the truth, we need it unvarnished, we need it consistently, and we need it readily available for anyone with enough sense to go looking for it.
Actually, I get the feeling that no one really knows the potential extent of the problem. Most Gov't officials dealing with Y2K are carrying that assignment in addition to their regular mission portfolio. (I've come across a few of them in my travels). Their knowledge, in general is very specific and directed toward what they know about their own systems. Some of those people will gather and share information in various forums such as the WashDCY2K workgroup which meets monthly.
Personally, I'm not a doom and gloomer. However, I fear how people will react to the unknown, an unknown lacking wholistic understanding by many of the experts. I fear the fact that people will withdraw money from the banks even though most large banks will clearly be compliant enough to accurately reflect your balance on deposit.
Then I read that various counties plan on having a week's worth of cash available to make payroll during Y2K. So now the evidence leads me to a fear so great (and predictable, IMO) that I feel compelled to stash some cash for a rainy day (thus, aggravating the problem). I feel I have no choice given the repercussions of a cash run on banks and a limited amount of hard currency in circulation.
Now another fear that I have is with foreign gov'ts and economies. It is widely known that Latin, Asian, and alledgedly European IT systems are not up to par with regard to Y2K compliance. I fear, IMO, an inevitable credit crunch that will occur as we draw nearer to Y2K due to lender's fears of defaults and bankruptcies from companies who ignored Y2K and its impacts on business continuity.
I fear the social impacts on these economies as workers are displaced or laid off, business contracts due to an inability to obtain credit, and we begin to see social upheavals that lead to political and social upheaval. I fear Russia and what it will do during this crisis.
I don't really fear a complete shut-down of the power grid. But I do fear power shortages that interrupt the manufacture and distribution of food, petroleum, and medical supplies.
I fear a cyber-terrorist attack on our nationwide IT systems at a time when the quickest blame for an IT failure will fall upon Y2K, and not an external penetration. However, we certainly have the capability of counter-attack against any Infowar aggressors. That is, if we can figure out who they are.
I fear a reactionary segment of America who eat, sleep, and dream of conspiracies by the Council on Foreign Relations and Bildbergers, or the Zionist conspiracy to control the world. I fear their provoking an attack on the US gov't (ala: Ok City), forcing civil authorities to temporarily restrict civil rights, and the inevitable outcry from the conspiratorialists, "SEE!!! I told you they were going to rip up the Constitution!!.
Y2K as a computer glitch will prove, IMO, to be a minor 1 week to 3 month disruption here in the US. What will last far longer will be the economic and social repercussions that result from such a disruption and the businesses that wind up going under, the huge deflationary pressures that result from global credit crunches, and the resultant impacts on human life across the planet.
JMHO,
Ron
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