"It's 1 January, 2000. You wake up to find your digital clock flashing, your phone, TV and lights all dead. There's an eerie quiet over your house.

You go to get the paper.

It's not there.

Meanwhile, all the corporate salary men are asleep in their beds, knowing their jobs are safe because their computer contractors all signed pieces of paper certifying that their computers were Y2K compliant...

While a complete and utter failure of civilisation as we know it is unlikely, experts fear that sporadic failures among systems will be contagious. As we get closer and closer to the millennium, cracks are beginning to emerge:

* The AA warns that thousands of cars could be debilitated by the millennium bug.

* The BBC reports that the Government's millennium task force "paints a picture of growing unease about disruptions to essential services such as electricity, water and telecommunications".

* Action 2000 says seven well-known financial institutions are less than well prepared..."

Excerpted from "Don't let the bug bite:Assuming the forecasts of doom for 1 January 2000 are correct, how can you guard against personal finance meltdown?", 'Evening Standard',London, 5th November.

[Posted for educational and discussion purposes only]

-- John Whitley (jwhitley@inforamp.net), November 07, 1999

Answers

cracks haahaahaha gaping splits, shattered structures, It Will Break, millions of shards

-- crack me up (take@me.away), November 07, 1999.

The utter failure of Civilization is not unlikely, it is unwished for, therefore, it is CALLED unlikely.

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), November 07, 1999.

This story starts out very similarly to a Michael Hyatt article I believe. Furthermore, if there is no electricity, then why is the damned digital clock blinking? Mine always is blank w/no electricity!

-- phread (lurking@y2k.com), November 07, 1999.

phread,

uh, battery backup?

Thanks John,

Although GB is a robust little ship she may spring a few holes this time...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999.