Y2K. The Crash That Never Happened
and The Sigh That Followed.

Our very last (we promise) look at what did -
and more importantly - didn't happen..

    The anxiety leading up to the clock turning to the new year didn't exactly turn into euphoria, but it did validate the skills of the professionals who took part in "the fix" and the foresight of companies who took heed to the impending (or implied) glitches.

    As with any event (or non-event) there are stories to tell. So this issue offers some for your review. We start with one provided by Scott Stodulske, Support Center Supervisor for Sunterra Resorts. He manages a group of 18 who support 6,000 employees. With a little drama and introspection, he writes: "The planes are falling out of the sky! The terrorists are coming! Get in your bomb shelters, the nukes are on the way! Apocalypse! Armageddon! New World Order! Y 2 K !!!!

    It makes me want to, well, be sick! What the heck is going on here? Our society has become so absorbed in the web of media hype that infiltrates our lives daily, to the point that we are now on the verge of evolving into a nation of agoraphobics. Often, we rely on technology so subconsciously, that it has become an appendage. Ironically, our thirsts for advancements in technology have been quenched by regression: We are forgetting how to function as a society.

    Advancements in technology have, in countless ways, paved the way to a longer, more fulfilling life. The human race is on the brink of monumental achievements such as understanding the genetic code, visiting neighboring planets, curing cancer, and the list goes on and on. But at what price do we pay for all the techno bi-products? A faster computer so I can stay at home and buy everything I need on the Internet? A smaller telephone so I can take it anywhere and virtually surrender my privacy? A GPS unit so I don't have to interact with anyone to ask for directions? Or is it a super high definition television I can let my kids watch, so they can experience the media circus while I do whatever I want? Sure these devices serve as nursemaids to make our lives easier, but what if we ever lost all of them, all at once? We sure as heck thought long and hard about that for a while!

    Y2K obviously did not live up to its potential. The media circus spin around this event caused such a collective reaction, the final price for prevention was not measured in dollars, but rather it was a subtle wake up call as to how we perceive ourselves. Vulnerable. The reactions to the Y2K threat certainly spawned a plethora of erratic behaviors. Gun sales skyrocketed, people were hoarding water, canned goods, sterno, flashlights, candles, gasoline, and firewood. Our military was on heightened alert. For all we know, we were probably at DEFCON 3! All for what? Nothing happened! Did our collective efforts really stomp out the Y2K bug? In my opinion, we are just really paranoid.

    So, what do we do now? We've made it into the 21st century (Some would argue) with our nursemaids operational. I suppose we can meander through life anxiously awaiting the next circus, or we can somehow change our perception of ourselves into one of a technology-rich, confident, and functional society. I personally am going to start by keeping my new year's resolution: I'm going to stop watching CNN!!"