Y2K: Why The Hype?

 

By Steve Bigham & Jeff White

As the clock rapidly approaches January 1, 2000, the world waits and watches. Seattle has already cancelled its New Year’s celebrations; New York City has brought in more than 8,000 police officers; the fear of terrorism has dominated the nation’s headlines.

Julius Secskas, who was spotted at the Grand Union Wednesday morning loading up his shopping basket, wonders what all the fuss is about. His trip to the store had nothing to do with Y2K preparations.

“I don’t buy into this. It’s just another day,” he said. “I went through World War II so this is nothing.”

For the World War II veteran and many others we talked to this week, January 1, 2000 is just another day on the calendar.

Americans are hoping Y2K doesn’t turn into WW III, and most indicators say it won’t. Many experts are predicting that things will remain status quo. The so-called “millennium bug” fears have been all but put to rest.

“I think things will be the same one minute after midnight as they were one minute before,” predicted Linda Warner, owner of Intuitive Computer Systems of Newtown. “I think there’s more problems with those nuts out there. I wouldn’t want to be on Time Square.”

Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped some people from taking some precautions. At the Big Y this week, the Frangione family purchased bottled water and a supply of batteries - just in case.

“I don’t think anything is going to happen. It’s just a precaution and it keeps my wife’s [Elise] mind at ease,” noted Rob Frangione, who has two young children, Robert, 6, and Troy, 3.

Apparently others are in the same boat.

“I’ve been selling a lot of batteries, kerosene lamps and flashlights,” said Jennifer Decanio, a sales clerk at Newtown Hardware. “No one is said it was for Y2K, but…”

People are also buying propane, according to Kevin Pious of Newtown Hardware, and news reports indicate some are filling up their gas tanks.

For Dan and Lauri Bates of Black Cherry Lane, the months and weeks leading up to Y2K have been anything but normal. The two work at Federal Express, the shipping company that has been addressing Y2K-related concerns for the past three years.

“You don’t see [the concern] in the drivers, but you do see it in the management who all are wondering about what’s going to happen,” Mr Bates remarked. Throughout the company, Mr Bates said, there have been constant progress updates and communications between management and computer experts, as well as constant conference calls with top executives. According to Mr Bates, by noontime New Year’s Day, Fed Ex will know if there is a major problem.

Personally, however, Mr Bates does not see anything other then “minor glitches” affecting Fed Ex. He is more concerned about the small things that impact his home. “I’m worried about the utilities, like septic, heat and water. And traffic lights.”

“Personally, I wouldn’t even think about flying,” he added.

Herb Rosenthal will be attending the Sandy Hook Fire Company’s party as a private citizen New Year’s Eve, but says he’ll be ready to put on his first selectman’s hat if Y2K problems emerge. Town highway crews and all department heads will also be on call New Year’s Eve – just in case.

John Martocci, Joe Humeston and other Newtown Savings Bank staffers will be working late on December 31 in a last ditch effort to ensure all runs smoothly when the clock strikes twelve.

Carol Parks of the Sandy Hook Diner is headed to Vermont this weekend without a care in the world.

“It’s just another year,” she said this week. “Everybody is so panicked about it. They’re going to make their own problems.”