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Barbara Brabec...
Is a best selling author, widely respected within the craft industry. Also read her monthly column...
"Selling What You Make" in Crafts Magazine

Barbara Brabec

Creative Cash

The Revised 6th Edition of the 100,000-copy bestseller.
This book is a how-to profit from your special artistry, creativity, hand skills,
and related know-how.
"A must read for all PCs!", says Barbara Arena, Managing Director of NCA

Read Barbara Brabec's "Y2K Warning" Below!

A Y2K Alert by Barbara Brabec

A note about Y2K. Someone chided me for "spreading Y2K rumors" saying you couldn't believe all the stuff on the Internet. I'm not about to spread rumors, but I've been reading the Y2K posts on about 30 different web sites over the past several months and the information I've found here confirms what I've read in a dozen books and in material from "gurus" like Don MacAlveny and Howard Ruff . . . so yes, I'm taking Y2K VERY SERIOUSLY and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't alert every one I know about this topic.

If you're not on the Internet, I urge you to read a couple of books on this topic (check your bookstore or library). If you're on the Internet, you're very fortunate because you have an important edge on the rest of the population, about half of which do not yet have a clue as to what's coming down here. By all means, don't take my word for it. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

For starters, read the insightful report from Senator Robert Bennett that is posted at http://www.y2k today.com. (Once on the site, go into the search box and type "Senator Bennett" to get a list of all his reports, few of which have seen print in the regular media. Click on the 1/27 report, "Y2K Today Exclusive". Sen. Bennett emphasizes that our nation and the world community faces a great challenge, and "we must acknowledge that we are, indeed, facing a crisis."EVERYONE with any degree of expertise is now advising people to have a good supply of cash, food, water, medications, clothing and all other basic needs on hand well before 12/31/99 because the last few weeks of the year are going to be a panic situation with people who have finally gotten the picture buying up everything in sight.

We all need to prepare for alternate means of cooking and staying warm because no one can guarantee that we'll have electricity or water. (Read the posts on this topic on the above web site if you don't believe me.) The National Guard is going to be everywhere on 12/31/99 so my advice is don't plan any big New Year's celebration. Stay at home this year where it is guaranteed to be safe.

I know some of you still have your head sticking in the sand, because one of my sisters still doesn't want to hear any of this news, figuring "somebody" will fix it. But no one can fix it now, it's too late to catch more than half the bugs before 12/31 and the rest will have to be taken care of in 2000. (so say the experts, not me).

Things most of you may not yet be realizing is how this problem is going to "trickle down" to you and impact your crafts business. For example, the supplies and materials you take so much for granted may not be there for a long time in 2000, if ever. Thousands of companies will go under because of the bug and one of them may be the company you've ordered a particular thing from for years. So I urge you to stock up on your favorite supplies so you'll have things to work with until you find new suppliers in 2000.

Anything made in China, Japan or any Asian country is likely to be unavailable for a long time. I won't explain why here; do your research to find out yourself. So if you use imports, stock up now. Most of us don't realize how many products in our daily lives come from abroad. I'm making a list here and checking it twice to be sure I've got things to make my life and Harry's as comfortable as possible in 2000. I urge you to do the same.

Worse news if the fact that millions more will be losing their jobs in 2000 and beyond. If you're working a day job, you may be one of them, so plan accordingly. It looks like we're heading into a recession, but we've been through recessions before and craft businesses have survived, so we must believe that they will survive this recession too. But we're all going to have to get much smarter about business and selling if we're going to make it.

Sorry if this is a gloomy , but I felt I had to send it, because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.

I know . . . . you don't have time for Y2K. I don't either. This "project" has taken countless hours of my time, but I think I've saved myself lots of grief if the worst happens in 2000. Somehow you've all got to find the time you need to do your Y2K preparations or you'll end up being one of the unfortunate few at the end of the year who has no options left.

© Barbara Brabec, Author & Columnist for the Arts and Craft industry. Her books are available at book stores and via her web site.
Click Here to Visit Barb's Web Page.

For free source information on the Y2K issue
and How to Check Your Computer... click here!