In October, 1998, Kathy Mulady, a writer for the Spokane Spokesman-Review, reported on a talk by Y2K guru Jim Lord: "Around next summer, there could be complete disaster and the effects could last a long time," he said. Mulady then summarized Lord's specific predictions: "Expect blackouts and energy rationing, food shortages, bank and airport closures, unusable medical equipment, disruptions in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid payments and the demise of the Internal Revenue Service."