-Caveat Lector-
.....far and wide!
TUESDAY
DECEMBER 21
1999
Joseph Farah
is editor of
WorldNetDaily.com.
Y2K predictions
Here we are just days away from the rollover to
the year 2000, and it's still anybody's guess as to
the effects of the computer bug.
Most government officials and establishment
media outlets have been dismissing the seriousness
of the Y2K date change on technology.
But, yet, if you look hard enough for the reports,
you'll find local, state and federal government
officials and bureaucrats will, in many parts of the
country, be hunkered down in Y2K bunkers
powered by generators, with emergency food and
water supplies and backup telecommunications
systems that would be the envy of Bill Gates.
In Washington, Massachusetts, New York and Los
Angeles, armed guards will ensure that the
ordinary civilians who paid for such structures are
denied entry to them. These facilities are for the
elite -- many of whom are still telling us there's
nothing to worry about.
If, indeed, there's nothing to worry about, why
would these skeptics be locking themselves in
underground vaults on the biggest party night of
the year? It makes you wonder.
The fact of the matter is that there are serious
concerns -- not only among government officials,
but for bankers, insurance executives, power
suppliers and lots of others who have come to rely
on technology for simplification, accuracy and
efficiency.
Though government and most of corporate
America have declared virtually all critical systems
will function normally when Jan. 1 arrives, only a
tiny portion of most computer code is actually
tested to make sure the year "00" will be correctly
interpreted. And the truth is, even the most
confident computer managers anticipate at least
minor flaws.
But, ultimately, nobody really knows what's going
to happen Jan. 1 and beyond.
A day doesn't go by lately that I'm not asked what
I think will happen. Of course, I don't know any
more than any of the experts. And, as I've said
many times, my biggest concern about Y2K is the
potential for overreaction and manipulation by
those in government who would like to end our
freedoms, deny us our basic individual liberties
and put an end to our most fundamental personal
rights.
That's still the true worst case scenario for Y2K --
yet an entirely plausible one, given the
government's preoccupation with hunting down
terrorists, religious subversives and
anti-government conspirators under virtually
every bed.
It won't be long now before we will all see for
ourselves whether Y2K was just a lot of hype or
whether it was the underplayed story of the
century.
My guess is that neither the doomsayers nor the
skeptics have it quite right.
Personally, I don't expect the sky to fall on New
Year's Eve, nor the next day. I do expect some
major failures. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we
saw some power outages and other technology
problems immediately.
But, I believe the real ramifications of Y2K are not
short-term, they are long-term. I believe it may be
months, even years, before we can actually
evaluate the damage it triggers in our economy
through a ripple effect that will largely begin in
foreign countries on which Americans have
allowed themselves to become far too reliant --
even dependent.
I'm no prophet, but based on my readings and
analysis, I predict the Y2K bug will trigger a major
worldwide recession beginning in 2000 and
possibly worsening thereafter.
Recessions are nasty cycles. Governments often
resort to some heavy-handed tactics during
economic downturns -- things like wage-price
freezes, stiffer regulations, centralized controls,
etc. As always, that kind of intervention makes
bad situations worse.
It's pure guesswork, of course. But I think my
analysis is educated. My conjecture is as valid as
the next guy's. Take it for what it's worth. After
all, it's free advice.
I've been accused of overplaying Y2K and
underplaying it. I'm sure that no matter what
happens Jan. 1, there will be people writing to tell
me I got it wrong -- that I overplayed it and
underplayed it simultaneously.
In any case, you will have ample opportunity to
sound off -- even as events are transpiring on New
Year's Eve. I refer to the live, wall-to-wall
coverage
of Y2K weekend provided in a joint effort of
WorldNetDaily and Talk Radio Network.
It's going to be a 48-hour marathon radio-Internet
special beginning Friday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m.
Eastern time. In addition to live, up-to-the-second,
24-hour-a-day updates on all the news in
WorldNetDaily, during that period, you can listen
to WorldNetDaily editors, reporters and
columnists breaking the news and discussing live
on Talk Radio Network's national broadcasting
outlets and on the Internet.
Elizabeth and I will share broadcast hosting duties
with reporter-columnist Jon Dougherty, David
Limbaugh and others. Special guests will include
Michael Hyatt, Larry Klayman and all your
favorite WorldNetDaily commentators. The
WorldNetDaily newsroom has established a
special, toll-free news hotline for Y2K weekend so
readers and listeners can call in tips on
developments in their communities. The special
number is 1-877-318-1776. You can also call in to
the radio and Internet broadcasts live at
1-800-449-8255.
Here's one prediction about the year 2000 I know
will come true: WorldNetDaily will kick off
seven-day-a-week coverage on that first weekend.
As of Jan. 1, WorldNetDaily readers can depend
on one source for their news and commentary all
week long.
Happy New Year!
A daily radio broadcast adaptation of Joseph
Farah's commentaries can be heard at
http://www.ktkz.com/
� 1999 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.
This page was last built 12/20/99; 7:12:01 PM
Direct corrections and technical inquiries to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_btl/19991221_xcbtl_y2k_predic.shtml
Bard
The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.
Where, say some, is the king of America?
I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above.
-- Thomas Paine
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
