chat: Y2K true story

[Trevor Holdsworth <t -dot- holdsworth -at- GILSON -dot- FR>]

Marsha Kamish, and Setven .J.Owens posted the following advice from
Geoff  Hart,
on what do do around the turn of Y2K:

> [...keep paper copies of your financial docs...]
> [...stock up on cash in case the banks are down...]
> [...stock up on water...]
> [...stock up food...]

     All good ideas in general, and certainly good for around Y2K.

<end of snip>

Here in France, on January 3 this year, when everbody went to the bank
to have their interest 'credited' to their accounts (and we're talking
about small savers here), the 'La Poste' (post office) computers fell
over big time, poeple couldn't get their unemployment benefit paid, gas
bills paid, rent paid. Post offices were locked shut as angry (and
occasionally) crowds formed outside.

Now most of the people in the news images were those 'on the brink' of
economic disaster, unemployed, having difficulty paying bills etc. These
are the ones that suffer most from such a situation. If a simple 'new
year' can do this, Y2K could do roughly the same, or worse, we can
expect a major problem. Those of you who want to take out money in
advance, do so, but do it well in advance, because the machines will be
empty and the computers crashing trying to cope with the demand!

Sorry its 'off topic' and rather gloomy, but maybe it will serve as a
'model scenario' for those who want to anticipate.

Excuse me while I slit my wrists...


Trevor Holdsworth

"Mum's the word"----Oedipus

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=