Y2K Turns New York City Into Beirut by Mid-2000
Y2K Survivalist Paul Milne, 1998: 'By the Middle of 2000, New York City Will Look Like Beirut'
A former commodities broker who moved to the country to wait out the millennium bug gave the collapse of the cities a deadline: the middle of 2000.
What was said
“By the middle of 2000, New York City will look like Beirut.”
— Paul Milne (Y2K survivalist, former commodities broker) · said May 30, 1998 · due The middle of 2000
Mid-2000 came. New York City did not look like Beirut. The millennium bug's worst trick was a few wrong dates on websites.
The fine print
Salon called Milne 'a prominent voice among those Y2K survivalists who urge people to abandon the cities.' His own framing of the bet: 'If I'm wrong I'm still here, the birds are chirping, the sky is still above. But if they're wrong, they're dead.' Ed Yourdon used the same Beirut comparison: yourdon-beirut-2000. Other Y2K calls: y2k-2000, north-y2k-2000, de-jager-doomsday-2000.
Sources
- Millennium bugging out - Salon (May 30, 1998)accessed 2026-10-09
As of Oct 9, 2026
since it didn't happen
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