Introduction

Netscape Enhanced

Introduction

North: I'm speaking today with Steve Portela of the Walton Feed Company. Walton Feed is a company located in Montpelier, Idaho. The company provides very, very cost effective, price-competitive grains to individuals or groups who are concerned about long-term food storage, and especially anyone who is concerned that there could be a breakdown in the supply of food locally. That person or organization should pay attention to this interview because it relates to what I think is an almost guaranteed problem.

Steve, last night, on the 10th of March, there was a report on the ABC Evening News dealing with the year 2000 problem, the computer glitch, or the millennium bug as it is sometimes called. The first thing that I found interesting about the spot was they ran it towards the end of the broadcast. They had been advertising this segment through the day. I had received several reports from subscribers saying that ABC was going to do a special on the Year 2000 bug. During the broadcast they kept these ads running until 2/3rds and maybe 3/4ths way through the show. This showed they were using the story as a lead generator, basically, for people to watch through the whole show. They know how to advertise, and this is called `teaser copy.' So they think there is a story here, or at least something people would be interested in.

It was a pretty good analysis, given the fact that it wasn't very long. They interviewed a couple of key people, people I think I would have interviewed if I'd had the opportunity of doing the interviews. The story was not made light of in any sense of the word. There was nobody who came on and said, "No, this is a hoax." Nobody came on and said, "No, we are not going to see any kind of problem." I will admit that Mrs. Adams, who represents Social Security, did say, "Well, we are going to make it" Naturally, this what any good representative who is going to speak to the press is going to say. Everybody is going to make it, but nobody on that show indicated that not making it would be anything except bad, bad news.

That impressed me. That means the network had concluded that the public is ready to accept at least the preliminary introduction to the story of the millennium bug. I am very concerned about the problem and have been for about four or five months. I should have been concerned about it three or four years ago. In fact, when I did inquire about it, I was told by the people I asked, "No, there is nothing to this," and I unwisely put it on the back burner. Now I have taken it and put it on the front burner because I think it is the most important story we are going to face over the next 48 months and maybe a good deal longer. If it is really bad, it is going to effect us for the next 10 or 15 years.

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