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Technology Stocks : Discuss Year 2000 Issues -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (8452)	8/28/1999 11:36:00 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9818

In my opinion, all these people who are buying generators JUST because of Y2K are wasting their money. Cheeky, I have to say I agree with you. But not entirely for the reasons you have stated. Simply put, if the defecation hits the rotary oscillator due to Y2K, the fuel people plan to put in their generators will be far too precious to waste on a little light or music. Second point. If we have TEOTWAWKI, the best way to draw attention to yourself is have your lights blazing at night and the annoying sound of a generator to draw roving bandits (or just people more desperate than you) to take what you have. Now propane, I can understand. Nothing like it for the camping stove being put to double duty as a Y2K kitchen. Great for putting the shrimp on the barbie as well. But propane requires special storage considerations and is not for everyone. I've lived for 5 months in the jungle without the benefit of power. There are hundreds of millions of people in the world who deal with living in non-electric villages and houses each and every day. Survival planning is not about maintaining your current level of comfort, as that is just not practical. It's about surviving and making it through until the systems come back on line, as they will eventually. So Cheeky, I don't share your absolute belief that nothing major will occur (nor am I sure they will), but I do believe it will not last for over a week or two and will be intermittent and geographically isolated. But I may be wrong and the grid may completely shut down... or no disruption may occur at all. The bottom line is, that for survival purposes it is very important that people don't spend a lot of time and money accumulating things which they can justify having around all the time (as contingencies for any disruptions, natural or man-made. Regards, Ron

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (8452)	8/29/1999 12:53:00 AM
From: C.K. Houston	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9818

<Have you never experienced a power outage?> Yes, but I was only without power for 2-days during hurricane Alicia. After the 1st day I was able to navigate thru the streets that weren't flooded, and stayed with friends. But, I lived in Houston. We had warm weather. However, a friend who I "met" thru SI lives in upstate New York and last year he didn't have power for 2+ weeks during that ice storm that hit Quebec, Ontario and upstate New York. He had a diesel generator. Neighbors stayed with him off and on during that period. [He had one of these special satellite systems to do trades, and primarily had the diesel generator for his computer system to conduct business. He didn't expect a long outage from an ice-storm.] <In my opinion, all these people who are buying generators JUST because of Y2K are wasting their money.> That's your opinion. Others have to make their own determination. What they're comfortable with. Depends on where they live. Depends if they live alone or if they have others whom their responsible for. Depends if their so opinionated and self-assured that NOTHING will happen - Y2K or otherwise - that they're willing to risk the comfort and well-being of their family. Some of these generators cost about $500. I saw a bunch of them displayed at Costco last week. My homeowner's insurance in Houston was about $1,200/yr. Over a 10-yr period, I put in claims totalling about $2,000. Yet I put out $12,000. Having a generator is just like having insurance, and costs a lot less if you amortize the cost vs homeowners insurance. You use generators for an EMERGENCY. Not to maintain a status quo lifestyle. (Though I have to admit, my friend in NY maintained the status quo lifestyle. No changes in functionality of the home. But, they did have a lot of unexpected houseguests.) <If the power happens to go out for an hour are you going to fire up the generator?> No. That would be silly. <Why didn't you spend your money on a wind generator?> Actually I looked into it. But where I live, there's not a steady, consistent supply of wind. Too many mountains. Cheryl