'Paul Milne of c.s.y2k: Transcript of today's CNN Y2K Broadcast.
'From:
fedinfo@halifax.com
do 22:16
Subject:
Transcript of today's CNN Y2K Broadcast.
Here is the transcript of my part on The CNN program today. The URL for the
Whole transcript is at the bottom.
=============
When we come back, we are going to talk about one of the folk's who's own
family is taking the idea of protecting themselves from any Y2K fallout into
their own hands. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TILLOTSON: Welcome back.
The direst of the Y2K predictions go something like this: computers, like
dominoes, crash around the world, transportation, communications, electrical
power are disrupted, theoretically, world wide. Then there's shortages of food
and medical supplies. Anarchy is unleashed.
All over this country, there are pockets of survivalists and people who are,
perhaps, just prudent, stocking up on food and water, taking to the hills,
bracing for the onslaught. And Paul Milne is one of them.
He's on the phone with us from his family's refuge in the Virginia
countryside.
Paul, thank you for talking with us.
PAUL MILNE, PREPARED FOR Y2K: Good morning, Mary.
TILLOTSON: So, you've got 20 acres and five children and planning to have
other family members join you.
MILNE: That's right.
TILLOTSON: Tell us why you are not a nut. I think you're well aware that there
are many people out there who think, if you're this worried about a mere
computer problem on New Year's Day, 2000, you're not paddling with all of your
oars in the water.
MILNE: Well, to date, there's not one major entity in any industry on the face
of the earth that's compliant. There's less than 300 working days to go. Not
one is set to go.
TILLOTSON: I'm interested in what sort of homework you did. And did you
suddenly overnight come to the realization, you better do something yourself,
or was this a growing concern of yours? How did you talk your wife and kids
into it?
MILNE: Well, it's not really a matter of talking anybody into anything. When
you look at the evidence and the facts, you see that not enough has been done
any place on the face of the earth. And the rest of the countries in the world
are, on average, 18 to 24 months behind us. And we don't even have a chance of
getting close to making it.
So, we're likely going to be in a position where the things that we rely upon
to live are not going to be available anymore, and that means that it's only
socially responsible to prepare for those things yourself.
TILLOTSON: And you say you've got enough food to last how many years, months,
for how many people?
MILNE: In the neighborhood of two years for 20 people.
TILLOTSON: All right, and you're expecting, as we've talked, you and I, before
that some other family members will be joining you on your -- You say you've
never owned a gun before, but you've gotten one now.
MILNE: That's correct. If it's -- there's the potential that a self-defense
situation may occur. And I do not like having even so much as a shotgun on my
property, but self-defense may become an issue. I would rather have it than
not have it in case I need it.
TILLOTSON: Stay with us, Paul.
========
TILLOTSON: Paul, are you still on with us from Virginia. Paul Milne?
MILNE: Say again?
TILLOTSON: You are still there. That's all I needed to hear, just your voice.
To put this into perspective before we say goodbye to you, you're hoping
against hope, are you not, that this doesn't happen. You just want to be set
if it does.
MILNE: I'm not sure I understand the question.
TILLOTSON: Well, I assume from what I've heard you have told our staff, that
you are certainly not sitting around hoping that there is an international
global economic and telecommunication collapse on New Year's Day, 2000, but
you think that is...
MILNE: No, of course I don't hope that that will happen, but it's absolutely
beyond doubt that it will occur, and if you are in a populated area like New
York or Boston or Los Angeles, you don't stand a chance.
TILLOTSON: I've got to ask you: did you move from someplace to get into the
Virginia countryside?
MILNE: Just outside of New York City.
TILLOTSON: Well, I -- I take your point.
We've got to take one more break. We'll be right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TILLOTSON: Welcome back to our last couple of minutes.
========
TILLOTSON: I'm going to interrupt because I do want bring I want to bring Paul
Milne back in before we have to say good-bye for the day.
Paul, you say you do not considered yourself a survivalist. Have you have come
up with a word, what are you?
MILNE: Well, I think that calling someone a survivalist is a
mischaracterization...
TILLOTSON: But it does bring fatigues and semi-automatic guns...
(CROSSTALK)
MILNE: There's no doubt that the very, very fine delicately- woven chain of
interdependancies in going to be broken, and if you are reliant upon the rest
of society to provide things that you need, you are sorely mistaken.
TILLOTSON: I've got to ask you, you are sitting out there in the Virginia
woods, five hours out of Washington, D.C. You've clearly got a telephone. Are
you, at this point, computer dependent in any other way?
MILNE: Not dependent on anything.
TILLOTSON: All right. You are in an admirable and unusual situation then, but
have taken steps to see it that way.
We thank all of our guests coming in today: Gail Shaffer, J.C. Herz, Moira
Gunn, Paul Milne from Virginia.
===============
I only got a few brief lines in. I was a bit disappointed. But, it was a
start. Since the show this morning I have already gotten four e-mails from
newspapers around the country wanting to do stories. The word is getting out.
cnn.com |
