Hands(Click to hear song)--or--Hands(Click to see video)
"If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we’re all OK
And not to worry ‘cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won’t be made useless
I won’t be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
But it didn’t steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn’t ever after
We’ll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what’s right
'Cause where there’s a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s mind
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s heart
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s eyes
We are God’s hands
We are God’s hands..."
--Jewel
COMING Y2K CRISIS?
Every American, especially military Soldiers need to have food/water/supplies set aside to safeguard their families in case the January 1, 2000 "Y2K" computer crash turns into public chaos requiring them to abide by/enforce martial law. Now is the time to use our "hands" as Jewel so eloquently sings about to help the people around us be ready, so this temporary trouble can "pass over" us like Moses instructed the Israelites to stay in their homes prior to the exodus from Egypt. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) web site says:
"Preparedness is everyone's job. Not just government agencies but all sectors of society -- service providers, businesses, civic and volunteer groups, industry associations and neighborhood associations, as well as every individual citizen -- should plan ahead for disaster. During the first few hours or days following a disaster, essential services may not be available. People must be ready to act on their own.
The Community and Family Preparedness Program educates the general public about disaster awareness and preparedness. FEMA provides opportunities, information and tools to help other organizations and agencies educate the public on disaster preparedness."
And has a detailed preparedness web page for specific problems:
The best shelter of course is your home since travel during a time where people upset would be asking for trouble. Some forecast that Friday night's partying would leave most people hung over for the first Saturday of the new year when computer glitches could start causing public utilities and commercial enterprises to stop. In your shelter, its advisable to have:
Communications with outside world
There is a chance telephones will not be working. Computers need working phone lines to get "online", multiplying the stoppages. Some form of radio transmittors will probably be working as the most likely mass communications means available during an infrastructure shutdown.
*MRE ration case or plastic bucket "porta-potty" using trash bag/kitty litter
*Outside cat-hole made with a shovel
*Handy-wipes/toilet paper
*Multi-use soaps
*Bleach
*First Aid Kit
You can start now by filling every empty milk gallon you have with water instead of throwing them away. You will need 1/2 gallon per per person per day for 365 days in my opinion.
General formula:
1/2 gallon of water X ___#days you want to be prepared for X ___#people = total amount of water needed
My advice is that every U.S. military unit report Friday, December 31, 1999 (yes, New Year's Eve) and stay on duty the entire weekend to be ready for riot control missions. Duty to country not drunken reverie. During this time, riot control gear (flak jackets, batons, face shields for helmets, pepper spray, field protective masks, etc) would be issued and units would practice their riot control formations as per the "book".
We all sincerely hope Y2K turns out to be "muchado about nothing". We do not advocate people emptying their bank accounts and causing a problem that isn't there, just a prudent amount for unforseen purchases. If you have food/water and vital supplies as outlined above, you will not need to buy anything. But it should be "SOP" for EVERY AMERICAN family to have a supply of food/water and emergency supplies on hand and not be dependant upon our infrastructure to resupply them on a daily basis. If people store up and the crisis doesn't happen, great, they will be ready for garden-variety tornados, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Food stores and businesses should be prepared starting on Saturday, January 1, 2000 to do business completely by paper and have security guards in place around their stores. Transactions would be slow, but printing up a price list of every item in the store would allow cashiers to compute purchases and accept/exchange money. The film "Trigger Effect" with Elisabeth Shue demonstrates how even in a crisis stores could stay open without computers. So this is a "Win-Win" situation if we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
IF---there is a serious loss of public utilities and computer controlled commerce that results in looting/deaths public outcry could demand that individual citizens be held accountable for their actions AT ALL TIMES even in a mob setting using universal indentification, personal body marking etc. This surrender of our basic freedoms due to the selfish behavior of some would be NOT good.
If on the other hand, we can keep people in their homes with adequate supplies so police/military can keep looters away from stores long enough for public services to be restored, we will stave off "1984" for a few more years, preserving our civil liberties. We have to insure the misbehavior of some doesn't harm the general welfare of the law-abiding many.
NOW is the time to insure your neighbors are ready, because we are ALL AMERICANS, and are all in this adventure called life together.
REFERENCES:
Y2K could hit like hurricane
Your Business, a feature of the Sun-Sentinel and WFOR-TV, Ch. 4
(RealPlayer, 28.8 or 56K)
By DAVID COX Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE — Widespread power outages. Electronic locks opening on jailhouse doors. Public water systems shutting down.
Those are among the possible consequences when the clock strikes
midnight on the eve of Jan. 1, 2000, Florida officials warned on Thursday. Officials are recommending emergency steps — similar to those taken when a hurricane threatens — because of the possible meltdown of many public services if computers do not recognize the date change from 1999 to 2000. Residents are being advised to stock up on as much as three weeks’ worth
of food, batteries, blankets and other supplies. Overkill for a computer glitch known as the Y2K problem or the millennium
bug?
“Totally,” said Bill Solomonic, utilities customer services
supervisor for Casselberry, near Orlando. “It’s just a problem of preparing the software to recognize the double zero.”
Others, however, say Floridians should heed officials’ warnings.
While many areas of the state may not experience problems, some are sure to have power outages and other breakdowns. Like a hurricane’s unpredictable path, no one is sure which areas of the state will be most affected by the bug.
“These are reasonable things that people need to be doing,” said
John Matelski, Orlando’s assistant director for technology management.“I’m an optimist. I think a lot of these things will be handled. But I’m not naive enough to say there’s no risk.”
The meltdown is predicted because many computers recognize years by the final two digits. Thus, when computers roll to 01-01-00, some will register that as 1900 and shut down all functions.
Glenn Mayne, the state’s top Y2K troubleshooter, told the House
Community Affairs Committee on Thursday that the state should prepare for 20 percent to 40 percent failure of the critical programs on state computers. He estimates it will cost between $75 million and $90 million to fix the problem on the state level. With Florida’s local governments addressing their
own problems, the costs could roll into the billions.
The state’s emergency operations center is preparing to activate on Dec. 31 so officials can direct emergency supplies and help coordinate local emergency efforts. The center usually activates only when hurricanes or other natural disasters occur.
"This is just a precautionary thing, but obviously things could
happen,” said Jim Loftus, spokesman for the state Division of Emergency Management.
Rep. Greg Gay, chairman of the Community Affairs Committee, said the state may need to activate the National Guard to help with local police efforts. Gov. Jeb Bush also may need to sign an emergency order to let local authorities take additional precautionary measures.
