After the prolonged power failures in Auckland NZ I wonder how long it has taken to return to "normal", if indeed that has happened. As y2k powercuts may occur, the experience in NZ will maybe give us some idea how long it will take to recover. I notice that some members of the forum hail from that part of the world, can they tell us the "current" situation. Many thanks Richard

-- Richard Dale (rdale@figroup.co.uk), July 22, 1998

Answers

We might be able to use Auckland's power failure as a microcosm of Y2K disasters if no one, from anyplace else in the world, had been capable of coming to the aid of Auckland. As it stands, it forms no frame of reference at all, because outside sources flew to the rescue. The key point about Y2K is simply that it will hit the entire world at the same instant, and no one will be able to come to the aid of anyone else.

-- Lua Sage (shaeliya2@yahoo.com), July 22, 1998.

Whenever we hear of disasters anywhere, how many of us give it a second thought? We shrug our shoulders and say "I'm glad it isn't me." I think as a society, we hear so much going on the world that we feel that it's hopeless to act or react. Maybe we're all tired of hearing about other people's hardships. I'm sorry that people have to suffer, maybe our turn is coming soon.

-- Barb-Douglas (bardou@yahoo.com), July 22, 1998.