NHNE Y2K Report 27
Sunday, May 30, 1999
"News,
Inspiration,
& Consumer Protection
for Spiritual Seekers"
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NHNE Y2K Report 27
Sunday, May 30, 1999
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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A Y2K ANALYST & A TERRORIST?
"The only difference between a Y2K analyst and a terrorist is that you
can negotiate with a terrorist."
--- Bud Eyre, computer troubleshooter for BOYD GAMING, owner of seven
U.S. casinos, including the Stardust in Las Vegas
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CONTENTS:
Y2K HEADLINES:
Cap Gemini: Big Companies Falling Behind In Year 2000 Repairs
President's Council Urges Local Y2K Meetings
NERC Endorses Y2K Community Conversations Campaign
Y2K Worry Topples Bank Stocks
FDA: Y2K Readiness for Hundreds of Medical Devices Unknown
SIA Says It Has Beaten the Bug
GartnerGroup: Y2K to Kill Two-Thirds of Baltic & Russian Businesses
Venezuela In Serious Trouble
Italian Y2K Preparations In Chaos
British Police Forces At Risk
Canadian Forces to Hold Second National Y2K Exercise
Africa Declares Millennium Bug An Emergency
Asian Banking Crisis Diverting Energy from Y2K In Indonesia
Asian Air Traffic to Be Cut By Two-Thirds on New Years
Y2K GLITCHES:
Euro Launch Took British Banking to Brink of Chaos
Cap Gemini: More Companies Experiencing Y2K Failures
Y2K Glitches Abound In DC
Power Outage Shuts Down LA City Hall Elevators During Y2K Test
Niagara Mohawk Runs Into Trouble With New Billing System
LETTERS:
"Candid Camera' Offers Vaccinations for Y2K Virus
Y2K STORIES:
Senate Holds Community Y2K Preparedness Hearing
Community Conversations Project Sparks Grassroots Debate
Mixed Government Y2K Messages Could Spawn Panic
Oregon Mayors Sign Proclamation to Make September Y2K Month
"60 Minutes" Y2K Report Pulls No Punches
Koskinen Warning State Officials to Prepare for Three-Week Power Outage
Ed Yourdon Speaks Out
Y2K RESOURCES:
"Just In Case" Launches Companion Website
Cygnus Triangles
Tips for Food Storage
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF Y2K:
Y2K Bugging You? Just Eat It!
World's Largest Bell to Ring In New Millennium
THIS WEEK'S NEWS SOURCES
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This issue sponsored by:
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Y2K HEADLINES:
CAP GEMINI: BIG COMPANIES FALLING BEHIND IN YEAR 2000 REPAIRS
(Source: BARNABY J. FEDER, THE NEW YORK TIMES, 5/17/1999)
According to a recent survey of chief information officers and project
managers by CAP GEMINI AMERICA, the largest companies in the nation
continue to fall behind their schedules for Year 2000 repairs. What
is most disturbing is that 22 percent say they do not expect to have
all of their critical systems tested and ready when the clock ticks
over to Jan. 1, 2000. That number is up from 16 percent in November
and 12 percent last August. Projects are slipping past their expected
deadlines at 92 percent of the companies. "It's typical information
technology," said Prof. Leon A. Kappelman, a software management expert
at the UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS. "You don't get any recognition until
the last 30 days that your project is going to be late." (JG)
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/05/biztech/articles/17bug.html
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PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL URGES LOCAL Y2K MEETINGS
(Source: AP, 5/24/1999)
The PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YEAR 2000 CONVERSION has announced that it
will be offering a free "toolkit" that local groups can use to organize
meetings with local leaders, companies and utilities. The kit consists
of a poster, informational video and a list of frequently-asked questions.
John Koskinen, Chairman of the Council, said the purpose of these meetings
is twofold: to help citizens decide what preparations they need to make
for the Y2K problem and to identify companies and organizations that
aren't preparing adequately. At least 12 "community conversations" have
been scheduled so far for this summer. In addition, new legislation
introduced by Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) would designate July as "National
Y2K Disclosure Month," require federal agencies to disclose their Y2K
readiness and contingency plans, and encourage local communities to
disclose their readiness. Ford had originally proposed a bill calling
for a national Y2K testing day that was criticized by Koskinen for being
too impractical. The "Community Conversations Kit" can be ordered by
calling (888) USA-4-Y2K, or by going to the Council's Website <http://www.y2k.gov>.
(JG)
Link: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/technology/
story.html?s=v/ap/19990524/tc/y2k_meetings_1.html
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NERC ENDORSES Y2K COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS CAMPAIGN
(Source: Eugene F. Gorzelnik, NERC Press Release, 5/24/1999)
The NORTH AMERICAN ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL (NERC) has strongly
endorsed the Y2K COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS CAMPAIGN sponsored by the President's
COUNCIL ON THE YEAR 2000 CONVERSION. NERC agrees with the President's
Y2K Council that what people want and need to know is the status of
their local power companies. NERC also supports and encourages the critical
service providers and political leaders in every community working together
to exchange information about their readiness, to develop appropriate
community preparedness plans, and to share that information with the
public. For the electric industry in North America, says NERC President
Michael R. Gent, "The bottom line is that for the typical person or
business in North America, the supply of electricity will be like that
on any other New Year's Day." (JG)
NERC Website: http://www.nerc.com/y2k/
Link: http://www.nerc.com/pressrelease/
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Y2K WORRY TOPPLES BANK STOCKS
(Sources: WIRED NEWS/REUTERS, 5/24/1999;; Y2KNEWSWIRE, 5/25/1999)
Stocks in such blue-chip issues as CITIGROUP, CHASE MANHATTAN, J.P.
MORGAN & CO., and BANK ONE took a tumble on May 24 when CREDIT SUISSE
FIRST BOSTON banking analyst Michael Mayo made the unusual move of recommending
that investors sell multinational bank stocks, warning that the millennium
computer bug could cut banks' profits. The resulting sell-off was not
limited to the money-center banks, but spread to some larger regional
banks, major brokerages and technology stocks. "The risks of owning
bank stocks do not seem worth the returns," Mayo wrote in his report,
for even if U.S. banks are fully prepared for the date rollover, they
are still vulnerable to "third-party risk." As the year progresses,
the millennium issue might also delay merger savings, productivity projects,
and market-sensitive revenues, he said. Because "sell" ratings are extremely
rare on Wall Street, the downgrade spooked investors. Y2KNEWSWIRE claimed
a hard-hitting Y2K report on "60 Minutes" also contributed to the 174-point
selloff in the stock market, and fueled a rush to purchase additional
Y2K supplies (JG)
Link: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/tc/story.html?s=v/nm/
19990525/tc/millennium_securities_1.html
Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990525.htm
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FDA: Y2K READINESS FOR HUNDREDS OF MEDICAL DEVICES UNKNOWN
(Source: Orlando de Bruce, FCW, 5/25/1999)
Testifying at a joint hearing of the House's HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
AND OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE, William Hubbard, acting
Deputy Commissioner for Policy at the FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA),
and Thomas Shope, the FDA's special assistant to the director, announced
that more than 800 medical devices could malfunction in the Year 2000
due to problems with date-sensitivity or embedded chips. Date-sensitive
medical devices are sold by about 2,000 manufacturers -- 10 percent
of which have yet to contact the FDA about whether the medical devices
they make are Year 2000 compliant. FDA officials are working with manufacturers
to bring equipment up to compliance and are confident that they will
have the devices operational by Jan. 1, 2000. FDA will use its website
to inform providers that the equipment must be compliant. (JG)
FDA Website: http://www.fda.gov
Link: http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0524/web-fda-5-25-99.html
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SIA SAYS IT HAS BEATEN THE BUG
(Source: REUTERS, 5/25/1999)
The SECURITIES INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (SIA) has announced it has conquered
the dreaded Y2K computer problem. Nevertheless, the SIA is advising
securities firms to maintain liquidity in the last 10 days of December
and the first 10 days of January to give them flexibility in dealing
with potential Y2K problems, and schedule important trades away from
the critical 10 days on either side of Dec. 31. The SIA has also developed
contingency plans for U.S. financial firms to deal with foreign shockwaves
that could still arise. According to Gerald Corrigan, Chairman of the
SIA's Y2K CONTINGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE, the greatest uncertainty facing
big securities companies lies in the ability of financial institutions
outside the G7 group of nations to handle the date change. (JG)
SIA report (Adobe Acrobat required): http://www.sia.com
Link: http://www.wired.com/news/news/business/story/19844.html
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GARTNERGROUP: Y2K TO KILL TWO-THIRDS OF BALTIC & RUSSIAN BUSINESSES
(Source: Lucas Rozsa, WESTERGAARD YEAR 2000, 5/20/1999)
After completing an exhaustive global study of individual countries'
preparations for the Year 2000 crisis, the GARTNERGROUP has projected
that fully two thirds of Baltic and Russian businesses will fail as
a result of direct and indirect consequences of Year 2000 equipment
and computer failures. The conclusions match those of international
and local Y2K analysts, including those working for American intelligence
and diplomatic communities, such as the CIA. (JG)
Link: http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/IW/AK/iw9920.htm
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VENEZUELA IN SERIOUS TROUBLE
(Source: Reuters, 5/26/1999)
Venezuela needs to spend $1.5 billion in an effort to avert possible
computer chaos in the Year 2000, according to Presidential Chief of
Staff Alfredo Pena. "We are very behind and it is very, very serious."
The previous government, which left office in February, made no preparations
for the problem and saddled the present government with a $5 billion
fiscal deficit. The state-run oil company, PETROLEOS DE VENEZUELA, has
made some progress, but the electricity sector is very vulnerable. "Public
services could be paralyzed, mainly because of problems with electricity,"
said Pena. The head of the government CENTRAL OFFICE OF STATISTICS AND
COMPUTING, Gustavo Mendez, said Venezuela was one of the least well-prepared
countries in the world. The WORLD BANK and INTERAMERICAN DEVELOPMENT
BANK have just $200 million in loans available to help solve the problem
worldwide. (JG)
[Note: The U.S. Senate Report on Y2K indicates that 50 percent of
the oil used in the U.S. is imported. Venezuela is the leading source,
providing 16.2 percent of the oil imported from foreign countries. -DS]
Link http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/tc/story.html?s=v/nm/
19990526/tc/yk_venezuela_1.html
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ITALIAN Y2K PREPARATIONS IN CHAOS
(Source: Richard Owen, THE TIMES (UK), 5/14/1999
With just seven months to the deadline, officials in Italy are only
now waking up to the magnitude of the Y2K problem facing them. "Italy
is going to crash, and we are going to be crucified," says Romano Oneda,
the education consultant on Italy's Year 2000 Committee. The committee,
which only started work in February, has been allotted temporary offices
in the Ministry of Tourism, a staff of six, three telephones, one secretary,
no budget, no power, and draws on the services of 22 volunteer experts
such as Oneda. Augusto Leggio, another volunteer expert, whose task
is to persuade the transport and telecommunications sectors to face
up to Y2K, said the problem was "so vast there is no point in getting
hysterical." He said the INTERIOR MINISTRY, which controls police and
immigration services, hoped to guarantee most essential services by
the end of this year, but would not be fully compliant until July 2000.
Professor Ernesto Bettinelli, head of Italy's Y2K campaign, counters:
"It is rather like Italy's experience with qualifying for the euro --
Italy often starts late and then makes up for lost time with bursts
of acceleration." But some point out that since Italian life is already
"organized chaos", no one will notice if urban support systems collapse.
Quips Beppe Severgnini of CORRIERE DELLA SERA, "We have a gift for transforming
any crisis into one big party." According to one survey, only two percent
of Italians have heard of the Y2K problem. (JG)
Link: http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/99/05/14/timfgneur01003.html?
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BRITISH POLICE FORCES AT RISK
(Source: ELECTRONIC TELEGRAPH, 5/20/1999, thanks to Dan Drasin)
The LONDON POLICE DEPARTMENT is one of eight British police forces at
severe risk of disruption from the millennium bug, according to a leaked
report published by ACTION 2000. The report claims that eight police
forces, and at least as many fire brigades, have failed to take adequate
precautions and have "little chance of rectifying" problems which could
cause emergency radios, closed-circuit televisions, crowd control systems
and computers to fail. Emergency service providers expect New Year's
Eve to be the busiest night in their history, but some police forces
and fire services have made "woeful" provision for the computer bug
and "haven't a hope in hell" of being able to operate in a normal manner.
The undisclosed source revealed, "All eight police forces will struggle
to provide a full service as a result of the bug and none of them has
contingency plans in place should their communications or radio systems
fail." Assessments by HER MAJESTY'S INSPECTOR OF CONSTABULARY in April
found that only half the police forces in England and Wales had been
independently checked for the millennium bug. Of those checked independently,
none had completed their preparations. The source said: "Some of the
police forces have conducted an internal audit of their systems, but
what is the point of that?...What the bug needs is openness so that
people recognize that there is a problem and so that we can deal with
it in time." (JG)
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000785813933552&rtmo=3q8
AuxYM&atmo=99999999&pg=/et/99/5/20/ecnmet20.html
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CANADIAN FORCES TO HOLD SECOND NATIONAL Y2K EXERCISE
(Source: Stephanie Rubec, THE OTTAWA SUN, 5/18/1999)
On May 31, the Canadian military will launch "Vigilance 2000," an intensive
training session aimed at tackling problems brought on by Y2K glitches.
The countrywide exercise will throw numerous scenarios at command-level
soldiers who will have to coordinate the efforts of a fictitious force.
Scenarios will include terrorist attacks, plane crashes, chemical spills,
blackouts, and the evacuation of a small village. Military command posts
in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Yellowknife will participate,
coordinated by headquarters in Ottawa. This is the second of three training
exercises leading up to the $386-million "Operation Abacus" involving
18,400 soldiers at the end of the year. (JG)
Link: http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaNews/OS.OS-05-18-0038.html
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AFRICA DECLARES MILLENNIUM BUG AN EMERGENCY
(Source: PANAFRICAN NEWS AGENCY, 5/14&15/1999)
At the first Y2K conference of its kind in Africa, high-level officials
and technical managers from 45 African states and organizations have
declared the problem an emergency of the highest priority. A six-point
resolution adopted by representatives at the end of the "Getting Africa
Ready For The Year 2000" Conference urged African governments to commit
resources to deal with the millennium problem and to establish an Y2K
coordinating body in the form of an African Action Group. The action
group will promote and improve external communications, media exposure,
and raise awareness on the actual Y2K situation in Africa, among others.
Most African nations are vulnerable to the Y2K problem as a result of
the rapid technological changes sweeping across the continent. Of particular
concern are airports in Africa, which may face a possible embargo on
their operations. The INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA)
had issued questionnaires to airports of member countries, but the response
from Africa has been very slow. "What it means is that most airlines
cannot fly to such airports in 2000," said IATA Coordinator of Africa's
Y2K project, Gabriel Wolde. IATA has given African airports until the
end of June to demonstrate their compliance to the millennium bug. (JG)
Link: http://www.africanews.org/PANA/news/19990515/feat4.html
Link: http://www.africanews.org/atlarge/stories/19990514_feat9.html
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ASIAN BANKING CRISIS DIVERTING ENERGY FROM Y2K IN INDONESIA
(Source: Soraya Permatasari, REUTERS, 5/26/1999)
In their struggle to survive Asia's economic meltdown, Indonesia's debt-laden
banks are finding that the costly task of preparing computers against
the millennium bug is beyond their reach. Most banks are small, and
just don't have enough money for the project. Only 13 of the 28 banks
listed on the JAKARTA STOCK EXCHANGE have taken steps to deal with the
Y2K problem, with only two declaring themselves Y2K compliant. Consultants
say a lack of awareness of the problem has added to the delays in addressing
Y2K. "The awareness here is quite low, and by the time they realized
it, there wasn't much time left," said one Y2K consultant. Indonesia's
170 banks have submitted initial reports on their Y2K programs to the
central bank, BANK INDONESIA, but overall, the Indonesian banking sector's
battle plan for the Y2K bug does not fill the experts with confidence.
Adji Gunawan, a Y2K consultant at ANDERSEN CONSULTING, says the country
may be ironing out Y2K bugs until 2003. (JG)
Link: http://infoseek.go.com/Content?arn=a3625LBY473reulb-19990525&
qt=y2k&sv=IS&lk=noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486
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ASIAN AIR TRAFFIC TO BE CUT BY TWO-THIRDS ON NEW YEARS
(Source: BANGKOK POST, 5/10/1999, thanks to Dan Drasin)
Twelve nations have agreed to cut back flights in Asia by two-thirds
starting well before midnight on December 31, and not resuming full
schedules until air traffic controllers from Auckland to Tokyo are satisfied
they have the computer millennium bug under control. The Asia-Pacific
agreement was signed in Tokyo by 12 Pacific nations with heavy air traffic
and important air-control centers: Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong,
the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the
U.S. and Vietnam. The plan, endorsed by the INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT
ASSOCIATION (IATA), calls for airlines to begin grounding their jets
at 6 p.m. New Zealand time (noon Thailand time) on December 31. Air
traffic will be cut at least two-thirds before midnight. Ground controllers
will space planes at least twice as far apart as normal, both vertically
and horizontally. While airlines have insisted they will meet or beat
the Y2K compliance deadline, the IATA move suggests that airlines and
flight controllers are still unprepared for potential computer problems
posed by the new year. (JG)
Link: http://www.bkkpost.samart.co.th/
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Y2K GLITCH WATCH:
EURO LAUNCH TOOK BRITISH BANKING TO BRINK OF CHAOS
(Source: THE GUARDIAN (UK), Lisa Buckingham & Jill Treanor, 5/14/1999)
Despite reports at the time of a smooth transition, senior industry
sources are now belatedly revealing that Britain's banking system came
within hours of gridlock when the euro began trading at the start of
the year. Only the deployment of emergency plans devised by a group
of the region's largest banks -- known as the HEATHROW GROUP -- ensured
that the payments systems amongst Europe's banks were not engulfed in
chaos. The existence of 20 different payment systems meant money being
transferred from one country to another often ended up in the wrong
place or was repeatedly transferred. One European institution, for example,
made the same $100 million payment five times. Congestion in the system
also meant some banks received huge inflows of funds last thing in the
day and were unable to invest them in the interbank market resulting
in lost interest. This situation forced many banks into an unprecedented
scale of overnight borrowing that lasted for more than two weeks. "When
it all started going belly-up at the beginning of euro trading, the
banks in the Heathrow Group got things moving," said one executive.
"It was a very, very valuable group and we need something like that
worldwide to cope with the Year 2000 problem." The BANK OF ENGLAND has
attempted to play down the market's difficulties for fear of fueling
alarms about what might happen to the system at the millennium. Negotiations
are under way between major British and continental lenders seeking
to recoup the lost interest. (JG)
http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/AC/setguestcookie.cgi?section=News&
host=www%2Enewsunlimited%2Eco%2Euk&uri=%2FThe%5FPaper%2F
Daily%2FStory%2F0%2C3604%2C50176%2C00%2Ehtml&userid=4G9Dbb01
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CAP GEMINI: MORE COMPANIES EXPERIENCING Y2K FAILURES
(Source: Steve Alexander, STAR TRIBUNE, 5/23/1999; Barnaby J. Feder,
THE NEW YORK TIMES, 5/17/1999)
Because most Y2K computer failures to date have been kept quiet by the
companies that suffered them, the Y2K debate has focused on what might
happen in the future. However, a recent survey of information officers
and project managers by CAP GEMINI AMERICA reported that 72 percent
of the corporations and government agencies said they had experienced
a Y2K-related failure through the first quarter of 1999. This figure
is up from 55 percent in November. Of the companies experiencing Y2K
failures, 82 percent said the problems caused data-processing disruptions,
93 percent said they caused financial miscalculations, 38 percent said
they caused logistical or supply-chain difficulties and 28 percent said
they caused customer service problems. The survey included 152 Fortune
500 companies and 14 federal, state and local government agencies. (JG)
http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=75772559
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/05/biztech/articles/17bug.html
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Y2K GLITCHES ABOUND IN DC
(Source: Steve Kroft, "60 Minutes," 5/23/1999)
The following edited excerpts are from a remarkable Y2K report by Steve
Kroft on "60 Minutes" that aired on May 23:
KROFT: The federal government's GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE has warned
Congress that the Y2K situation is so bad in Washington, DC that the
nation's capital may be unable to effectively ensure public safety,
collect revenue, educate students or provide health-care services. No
one is more aware of those problems than Mary Ellen Hanley, a top computer
systems specialist who was hired by the District of Columbia to try
and fix them. [To Hanley]: In the testing process, have you
had failures?
HANLEY: We had a failure in the area of the District's payroll [on]
December 18th. We were able to fix it, test it and return it to production.
KROFT: How long did that take?
HANLEY: That took us approximately 60 days.
KROFT: So, if you hadn't found it, your payroll department would've
been out of commission for two months [in the new year].
HANLEY: We would've been unhappy.
KROFT: But even if Washington, DC had started preparing years earlier,
there's no guarantee it could have averted these problems. Just take
a look at Washington's next-door neighbor, Montgomery County, Maryland
-- by most accounts, the best-prepared local government in the country
for Y2K problems. It began preparations more than four years ago and
has spent more than $40 million on Y2K fixes and replacements. To make
sure all the problems were solved, Montgomery County inventoried and
checked all of its computer systems and every piece of equipment that
had a computer chip in it -- 1,100 items in the fire department alone.
They thought they had tested everything.
What happened on the first business day of 1999 -- the computer that
handles building permits crashed. The computer couldn't handle expiration
dates in the Year 2000. But that wasn't the only problem. The county
soon learned from MICROSOFT that the in-house computer network that
handles email and stores county records and was supposed to be Y2K compliant
was not. And then there was that call county executive Doug Duncan got
from ERICSSON about the county's phone switcher, which was also supposed
to be Y2K compliant.
DUNCAN: They said, 'Oops! Sorry, we made a mistake.' So now we're spending
$7 million getting a total new phone system for the county.
KROFT: And these are the kinds of problems being encountered in the
best-prepared county in America. (JG)
Link: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000rqn
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POWER OUTAGE SHUTS DOWN LA CITY HALL ELEVATORS DURING Y2K TEST
(Source: MSNBC, 5/25/1999; Patrick McGreevy & Monte Morin, THE LA
TIMES, 5/26/1999, thanks to Suzanne Taylor)
An elevator failure during a May 25 Y2K drill at the Los Angeles City
Hall has shaken the confidence of city officials in their ability to
handle the millennium bug. Mayor Richard Riordan, who was forced by
the outage to trudge up nine floors of stairs to his office and descend
12 floors to attend the Y2K drill, was visibly upset when he finally
emerged from the basement stairwell and walked into the Emergency Operation
Center. "If we can't take care of the elevators," he said, "what can
we take care of in this city?"
Public safety workers and city leaders found they could not move around
City Hall during the outage because stairwell doors on some floors were
bolted. City Council members were outraged by the power outage and shutdown
of elevators, and passed a motion asking the GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
to take immediate steps to address concerns about the shutdown.
The all-day Y2K exercise was based on a hypothetical situation in which
special generators would be activated to ensure uninterrupted 911 service
and other essential public safety needs in the event of a power failure
on Jan. 1, 2000. Riordan had earlier boasted, "If there are any problems,
we have a great team of experts that will be able to take care of them
within seconds." In actual fact, it took a repair team one hour and
20 minutes to trace the problem to a short in a power meter, and return
the elevators to operation. (JG)
Link: http://www.latimes.com/search/findcgi?action=View&VdkVgwKey=%2E%2E%2F%2E
%2E%2FCNS%5FDAYS%2F990526%2Ft000047246%2Ehtml&DocOffset=1&DocsFound=1&Qu
eryZip=Power+Outage+Makes+City+Hall+Y2K+Drill+a+Little+Too+Realistic&Col
lection=Hunter&ViewTemplate=search3%2Ehts
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NIAGARA MOHAWK RUNS INTO TROUBLE WITH NEW BILLING SYSTEM
(Source: Dick Mills, WESTERGAARD YEAR 2000, 5/14/1999)
In February, Albany, New York public utility, NIAGARA MOHAWK (NiMo),
switched to a new Y2K-compliant billing system that was to "improve
our ability to serve our customers," according to Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer, Darlene D. Kerr. But that's not quite the
way it worked out. Ever since the new billing system was activated,
customers have gotten bills for the wrong usage levels for gas and electric
service, had their bills sent late or to the wrong address, been charged
late fees when their payments weren't late, and had errors in direct
debits from their bank accounts. The utility's customer service switchboards
overloaded with people calling to try to correct their problems. Three
months after the problems began, NiMo issued a public apology to customers,
and the state PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ordered the utility to file
a plan to fix the problems. NiMo expects that it will take months to
have all the kinks worked out of the new system. (JG)
Link: http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/PP/RC/dm9919.htm
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
LETTERS:
"CANDID CAMERA" OFFERS VACCINATIONS FOR Y2K VIRUS
"I can't believe what I saw on the TV program 'Candid Camera': They
were convincing folks to get vaccinated against the Y2K bug that is
being spread by a computer virus. People were agreeing that it was necessary.
One woman who was uncertain, agreed to go ahead with the vaccine after
she was told her employer's health insurance covered the costs. Vaccine
awareness has a long way to go."
--- Sylvie Morin, Palm Bay, Florida
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Y2K STORIES:
SENATE HOLDS COMMUNITY Y2K PREPAREDNESS HEARING
(Sources: Bob Woods, NEWSBYTES, 5/23/1999, David Franke, WORLDNETDAILY,
5/26/1999, thanks to Ron Cornish)
On May 25, the SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE Y2K TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM,
chaired by Sens. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) and Chris Dodd (D-Ct) held
a hearing called "Community Y2K Preparedness: Is There News They Can
Use?" The hearing heard from separate preparedness and media panels
on the dissemination and interpretation of news surrounding Y2K.
"How do we walk the line of keeping people properly informed, without
inciting a panic," Sen. Bennett asked at the start of the hearing. Several
members of the preparedness panel said the media at times tended to
sensationalize the Y2K problem. Michael Nolan, the city administrator
of Norfolk, Neb., said local reporters played up a Y2K angle on a story
regarding the town's proposed purchase of equipment that included night
surveillance equipment and even security shields, even though an anticipated
strike by workers was the main reason behind the buy. Liza Christian
of the ROGUE VALLEY, OREGON Y2K TASK FORCE had some harsh words for
the media. "Where is the investigative journalism? They merely echo
that 'bump in the road' bias. In our experience, the media is looking
for sound bites and headlines. Articles and interviews often ridicule
those who make preparations to survive a hardship or crisis."
Members of the media panel said the editorial community struggles with
covering a problem that a lot of journalists do not necessarily understand.
"Time is now very short and the level of ignorance remains alarmingly
high," said IDEFENSE Chief Executive Officer James Adams. Citing a study
from his own group, FREEDOM FORUM Media Studies Center Director of Research
Lawrence McGill claimed that about half of all Americans think Y2K is
one of the most serious problems facing America today. He encouraged
local media outlets to "focus their Y2K coverage on the kinds of information
that citizens told us they needed to know how or if they should prepare
for Y2K." Hundreds of journalists are looking for the proper way to
cover the Y2K problems, said Kerry Brock, the Freedom Forum's Director
of Broadcasting and Programming. Part of the problem comes from conflicting
information that exists even among government agencies. Several members
echoed Nolan's sentiment that a "standard of leadership that rises to
stewardship" is needed from the federal government in the handling of
Y2K matters in general.
The Senate Special Committee on the Y2K Technology Problem is studying
the impact of the Y2K on the Executive and Judicial branches of the
federal government, state governments, and private sector operations
in the US and abroad. While the committee can make recommendations,
it cannot itself propose legislation or have legislative jurisdiction.
(JG)
Testimony transcripts: http://www.senate.gov/~y2k/hearings/052599/index.html
Senate Special Committee on the Y2K Technology Problem Website: http://www.senate.gov/~y2k
Link: http://www.newsbytes.com/pubNews/131122.html
Link: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/19990526_xex_y2k_senators.shtml
------------
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS PROJECT SPARKS GRASSROOTS DEBATE
By David Sunfellow
On Monday, May 24th, John Koskinen announced plans to help the nation's
communities organize Y2K meetings with local leaders, companies and
utilities. Called the "Community Conversations" Project, Koskinen's
press release declared, "Our goal is not to cheerlead or create a false
sense of security. Our goal is for participants to share factual information
about what's been done, what remains to be done, and what additional
actions a community should take as a result."
But upon reading the material being sent out in the Community Conversations
"tool kit," some community organizers believe Koskinen's latest effort
may, in fact, undermine legitimate discussions. Others believe the new
project can be used to encourage serious debate, in spite of the fact
that the project materials continue to champion the administration's
"don't worry, everything is going to be fine" policy. Mick Winter, Chairman
of NAPA VALLEY CITIZENS FOR YEAR 2000 PREPAREDNESS, and Tom Atlee, founder
of THE CO-INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE, articulated these two perspectives
in the following edited exchange:
Mick Winter:
"The main [Community Conversations] page states: 'People are
looking for straight talk about the Y2K readiness of their own local
communities.' Here is what the frequently-asked questions page (FAQ)
considers to be 'straight talk': The federal government will be fine,
utilities will be fine, banks will be fine, airlines will be fine, elevators
and VCRs will be fine, and three days of food and water are always a
good thing to have around the house. Guess that takes care of everything,
doesn't it?"
"I cannot support an effort that presents such a rosy and out-of-touch-with-reality
view. The logical conclusion from the information in this FAQ is that
there is no need to even hold the Community Conversations. This program,
as it appears, synthesizes everything that has been harmful to date
-- particularly the groundless reassurances from government and corporate
spokesmen that everything is fine, and the need for no more than a three-day
supply of food and water."
"Notice also: 'Stockpiling and panic buying could create economic difficulties'.
Not even 'hoarding,' just 'stockpiling.'"
"The federal government is at least three to five months behind the
Y2K-aware communities in this country. I had hopes for this program.
I have them no longer."
Tom Atlee:
"While I agree with Mick's decrying the rosy picture painted by the
Council's FAQ, I think it may be premature to deliver the last rites
for all good possibilities for this program at this point. These federally-sanctioned
Community Conversations will soon be a fact of life, one that we can
fight, use, work with or ignore. Our choice of how to interact with
them will probably make a difference."
"I think that any local Y2K group might consider having a special brainstorming
session about how they could work to shape these Conversations to best
meet their community's needs. Each community is different, and will
be presented with different possibilities. An alliance of government
and utilities in one town could work together -- under the auspices
of these Conversations -- to hide utility Y2K problems. On the other
hand, an alliance of community groups and government in another town
could put powerful pressure on utilities to give real, useful data about
their status. I know communities where both of these scenarios are possible."
"My own suggestion is to take USABLE statements of the Council and Koskinen
[like the one quoted in the opening paragraph of this article]
and USE THEM FOR ALL THEY ARE WORTH. Use them to give legitimacy to
our efforts. Use them as a crow bar to pry open reluctant officials
(with the help of the press, where necessary and possible). Use them
to wake people up. Take them at face value and show up at these Conversations
with insistent, articulate voices that will not go away."
"Isn't it time to take Koskinen at his word? He didn't HAVE to say the
statements above. Let's hold him to these very good sentiments. And
then let's see how far we can run with them. Let's assume (for now)
that Koskinen is a frightened ally. Let's assume that he really WANTS
communities to be prepared and just doesn't know how to do it without
creating panic -- except like this."
"This is Y2K. Wasting resources is not an option. We can't throw apples
away just because they have a few marks and bugs on them. Let's give
a bite and see what they taste like first. If we don't like the apples
we've just been given, there's always the compost heap."
Mick Winter:
"I know the argument that 'something is better than nothing.' Our group
used that justification to actively support the Napa Chamber of Commerce
when it put on its 'Napa Valley Y2K Town Hall' at which the usual suspects
-- local government, utilities, banks, hospitals, etc. -- lined up to
reassure everyone who attended (over 200, mainly people in their 50s,
60s and 70s) that everything is okay. There was no discussion of preparation
allowed (although the chief of police snuck in some prep information
and our group had a table where we handed out preparation literature)."
"Cathryn Wellner and Richard Wright toured community groups in the Northwest
as far south as Santa Cruz. Cathryn made the following excellent point
in her report at:
http://grassrootsgroup.com/y2ktrail.htm
[begin quote]
"We are inviting the wrong people to our forums. Community groups from
Williams Lake to Santa Cruz are inviting key spokespeople from the organizations
the public is most concerned about: telecommunications, power, fuel
suppliers, government. When they accept the invitations, they bring
the same message: Everything is Y2KOK. Don't worry. Don't stock up.
We'll take care of you. The efforts are well intended, but they backfire.
They allay fears but do not lead to community, small business, government,
non-profit and personal action. They put people to sleep instead of
encouraging them to take responsibility."
[end quote]
"We knock ourselves out to put on public forums, and in the spirit of
community and open expression, invite all the local 'experts' who do
not share our point of view. They then reassure the audience and our
message is lost. As far as I can see from the Community Conversations
project, Mr. Koskinen recognizes he can't reassure everyone in the country
personally, so he hopes to create 'mini-Koskinens' to do the job for
him."
"We no longer have the time for bland reassurances. Without active and
honest support from the federal level, there is no chance our communities
and our country will be prepared. As far as I can see from the Community
Conversations FAQ, which I take to be the basic philosophical foundation
for the project, there is no need to even hold Community Conversations.
I marvel at the logic that says everything will be fine, and then asks
communities to hold public forums to discuss this 'fineness.' Unless
someone can convince me of a way to use the CC program to our advantage,
I can not and will not support it."
Steve Davis of Coalition 2000, has offered a listserve called "Civic
Preparedness" for those who are interested in discussing this and other
topics related to Y2K. You can join this mailing list on the web at
<http://www.coalition2000.com> or subscribe via email:
Send an e-mail to "listserv@4hlists.org" with "subscribe civicprep your_name"
in the subject or the body of the message.
------------
MIXED GOVERNMENT MESSAGES COULD SPAWN PANIC
(Sources: William Ulrich, COMPUTER WORLD, 5/17/1999; Kerry Brock, THE
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE YEAR 2000 TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM, 5/25/1999)
According to Y2K analyst, William Ulrich, inconsistent Y2K messages
from the White House could create the perception of a cover-up, driving
a jittery public to the very behavior the government is trying to prevent.
Case in point: In an April 22 speech to the ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
(APEC) forum, the President's Year 2000 Chairman, John Koskinen, spouted
typical government rhetoric, "We expect that our basic infrastructure
will hold, that our electric power grids will function, that our telecommunications
systems will work effectively and that our banking systems will not
have major difficulties." He said that the major problem confronting
every country is not so much Y2K itself, but "the risk of overreaction
by the public." However, in the same speech, Koskinen made his strongest
Y2K comments to date: "We've told our local governments and state governments
that they need to be prepared to handle emergencies on their own, since
the federal government can't be everywhere dealing with every problem
in light of the large number of problems that we are likely to have."
Ulrich responds, "Ultimately, Koskinen doesn't know what will happen
in the early months of 2000. Working phones and electricity don't rule
out failures in production, transportation, imports and exports, local
government, water or small business. If serious problems do emerge and
people are unprepared, then maybe we'll panic....Although corporations
are building contingency plans, few individuals and communities are
following suit. If the problem is acute, many will be unprepared....If
the government wants to avoid panic when problems occur, it should extend
its preparation campaign to communities and individuals."
Kerry Brock, Director of Broadcasting at the MEDIA STUDIES CENTER offers
these additional examples of government inconsistencies at the May 25
hearing of the Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem:
"The governments' own Y2K Czar, John Koskinen, advises journalists to
continually drive toward the facts, though it seems obvious to journalists
in the know, [that] Koskinen seems to avoid facts. Always in
a calm and low key presentation, he tells us the power industry nationally
has done well but he's concerned about local power companies. He thinks
the national telephone systems will work but he is concerned about the
1,400 small telephone companies. He indicates we should not worry but
we should worry. These are not facts, but public vallium, and the news
media as a whole is not picking up on it. As Jeff Gralnick of CNN told
us, 'Journalists are drowning in a sea of conflicting information.'"
"Senator Dodd states: 'The world oil supply faces a series of Y2K risks
from the well in the ground to the gas station in your neighborhood.'
Koskinen says, 'Although there may be some minor disruptions...the industries
are confident...that the supply of natural gas and petroleum...products
[will be] uninterrupted.' The Senate Y2K Committee cites a GAO
survey that raises major concern over the readiness of America's water
utilities. On the other hand, Koskinen reports cautious optimism that
water utility services will continue uninterrupted by Y2K issues."
Brock adds her own warning to the government: "If Y2K failures are a
fraction of what the government believes they might be, in the post-millennium
blame game, journalists will haunt the people responsible for duplicity."
(JG)
Link: http://www.computerworld.com/home/print.nsf/all/990517A5DE
Link: http://www.senate.gov/~y2k/hearings/052599/brock.html
------------
OREGON MAYORS SIGN PROCLAMATION TO MAKE SEPTEMBER Y2K MONTH
(Source: Liza K. Christian, ROGUE VALLEY TASK FORCE (Oregon), 5/20/1999)
Seven mayors of Rogue Valley municipalities in Oregon (including Grants
Pass, Medford, Ashland, Jacksonville, and Central Point) have signed
a proclamation to make September "National Y2K Awareness/Preparedness
Month." The ultimate objective is to encourage Governor Kitzhaber and
all mayors in the State of Oregon to follow their example. "Wouldn't
it be great if the Federal Government would see this modeled here and
follow our lead?" says Liza Christian, former Executive Director of
the ROGUE VALLEY Y2K TASK FORCE and a motivating force behind the proclamation.
David Sunfellow, Publisher of the Y2K Report and Director of the SEDONA
Y2K TASK FORCE, adds, "I will be asking our mayor to sign on," and suggests
to readers of the Y2K Report, "Perhaps you can approach the mayors in
your parts of the country too."
Here is the full text of the proclamation:
Whereas, the American people have always valued industriousness and
self-sufficiency as well as knowledge, training and execution of preparedness
methods and strategies, and
Whereas, our federal and state government through such agencies as FEMA,
the National Guard, and by mandate, the American Red Cross, has always
provided able assistance to those who experience disruption, upheaval,
and confusion, or otherwise suffer as a result of a disaster, and
Whereas, in the event of a national or global emergency, our government's
resources may be unduly burdened or insufficient to meet the needs of
all who require some level of assistance or intervention, and
Whereas, increasing awareness of possible disasters from earthquakes,
floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters, and the possibility
for some disruptions to normal way of life due to computer interconnectivity
and Year 2000-related problems make overall individual and community
readiness a wise and prudent decision, and
Whereas, individual preparedness will richly reward those who are prepared
and be of no negative consequence if little or no demand on those resources
is made,
Now therefore, I, ___________ do hereby proclaim the Month of September,
1999 as "National Awareness/Preparedness Month."
In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this ____ day of ____, 1999.
_______________ Mayor of the City of ___________
_________ (signature)
And do encourage all of our citizens in ______________ County to prepare
themselves to the level of their comfort, ability, and protection, for
periods of time when an individual, local, national, or global emergency
might occur. (JG)
------------
"60 MINUTES" Y2K REPORT PULLS NO PUNCHES
(Source: Steve Kroft, "60 Minutes," 5/23/1999)
The following are some edited excerpts from a hard-hitting Y2K report
by Steve Kroft on "60 Minutes":
KROFT: A survey of county governments across the country shows that
73 percent of them have no contingency plans at all for Y2K failures.
And a report prepared for the U.S. Senate's Y2K Committee says 66 percent
of all cities and towns will experience at least one critical computer
system failure. Senator Robert Bennett, Chairman of the Senate Special
Committee on the Y2K problem, believes the country has made a lot of
progress in the last six months, but he adds that the country is in
uncharted waters, with no historic precedents. [To Bennett: You
said] there is still a possibility of economic disruption that could
lead to civil unrest. What does that mean?
BENNETT: If there is a municipality that is unable to distribute welfare
checks, there could be some civil unrest that could come out of that.
If there was a disruption in the food supply and food didn't get in,
that could be a situation that could create some civil unrest.
KROFT: Does the federal government have contingency plans for that?
BENNETT: We simply don't have the machinery for martial law. If it gets
to the point where there is that big an emergency in a particular area,
the governor would call out the NATIONAL GUARD and it would be handled
at a state level rather than a federal level.
KROFT: One of the prime concerns for communities around the country
is drinking water. Computerized water and wastewater treatment facilities
use embedded computer chips in their control systems. Some of the chips
in those water systems have been tested for Y2K and have failed. Mary
Ellen Hanley, a top computer systems specialist who was hired by the
District of Columbia, believes that Washington's water system can run
without its computer controls, but she acknowledged she may have to
develop contingency plans for water rationing. [To Hanley:]
What would cause water to be rationed?
HANLEY: If we lose power, we will not be able to function normally and
we'll have to go to considerable slowdowns that could produce rationing.
KROFT: You're preparing contingency plans that there might be no power?
HANLEY: We're looking at what we would consider national averages --
one to two weeks.
KROFT: One to two weeks without power? You think that's possible?
HANLEY: Right now, we don't think it's impossible. We think there will
be some disruptions, and we think they will be localized if the supply
chain works. That's a big if -- if power works; if gas works; if BELL
ATLANTIC works; if people who supply groceries to the inner city work;
if pharmaceutical companies make enough pharmaceuticals; if people should
horde things.
KROFT: I want to read you some advice that somebody gave about Y2K.
"You can move to the mountains and take everyone with you, including
your mother-in-law, and hole up for a year. Or you can buy four weeks'
worth of water, put $100 in your pocket and make sure you're safe in
your own home." Who said it?
HANLEY: I said that.
KROFT: Is it legitimate advice?
HANLEY: This event can't be legislated away. It's going to occur. I
think it's wise to prepare, and I think it's wise for us in city government
to take all the necessary steps that we can to serve our public. (JG)
Link: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000rqn
------------
KOSKINEN WARNING STATE OFFICIALS TO PREPARE FOR THREE-WEEK POWER OUTAGE
(Source: Bill Dale, personal website)
On March 3rd, 1999, the following message appeared on Ed Yourdon's "Time
Bomb 2000" Discussion Forum: "Yesterday, someone posted something in
the 'Play by Play Thread' about a Georgia representative who appeared
on a radio talk show saying that [John] Koskinen [Chairman
of the President's Y2K Council] was telling state officials to make
contingency plans for a three-week power outage." Bill Dale decided
to track down the source, which turned out to be State Rep. George Grindley
Jr. (GA), Chair of Georgia's TASK FORCE 2000. He confirmed that Koskinen
had told the Chief Information Officer of Georgian state systems to
ensure their contingency plans addressed three weeks without electric
power.
Dale wrote to Rep Grindley to verify his incredible statement. Here
is his written reply:
"I did indeed make the statement that you attributed to me. John [Koskinen]
is using three weeks as the outside possibility, but I think things
could get ugly. I wouldn't give you any odds that nuclear power will
be working by then. The Feds have said they must be compliant by July
1, or shut down. It takes about four months to totally shut down a [nuclear]
plant. Personally, I believe a serious concern is the cyberterrorism
of the power grid. The DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE is really concerned that
this is being planned. This could last awhile under these conditions.
The truth is, no one really knows for sure. Prepare for the worst, hope
for the best, and weigh the risk of preparation with the risk of nonpreparation."
--- George Grindley, State Rep. Dist. 35, Marietta, Georgia (JG)
Link: http://home.ica.net/~njarc/Docs/ckpower499.html
------------
ED YOURDON SPEAKS OUT
(Sources: Y2KNEWSWIRE, 5/27/1999, U.S. SENATE WEBSITE, 5/25/1999; Ed
Yourdon, personal website, thanks to Bill Dale)
On May 25, Y2K best-selling author, programmer and Y2K analyst Ed Yourdon
testified before the U.S. SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE YEAR 2000
TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM at a special hearing entitled: "Community Y2K Preparedness:
Is There News They Can Use?" Here are some edited comments:
"Our situation today is much like Aesop's fable of the ants and the
grasshoppers: there are only a few ants who feel that Y2K requires non-trivial
preparations, while a vastly larger number of grasshoppers continue
going about their day-to-day affairs without any concern at all about
Y2K. What this means, of course, is that if Y2K does turn out to be
a serious problem -- involving disruptions in food distribution, fuel,
utilities, banking, medicine, or a number of other critical industries
-- then we will see a real panic on the part of the grasshoppers that
will make the modest panic of today's ants pale in comparison."
"The ultimate irony is that the ants have already made their decision,
and are wrapping up their preparations even now; and the vast majority
of the grasshoppers would continue frolicking even if we disclosed every
gruesome detail about Y2K risks. But with full disclosure, it's possible
that a few grasshoppers might be motivated to join their fellow ants.
The ants might even have to admit, 230 days from now, that they made
a mistake about Y2K; but most of them would tell you that it was an
edible mistake."
"Preaching to the grasshoppers is one of the reasons there is so much
interest in community preparedness today; it does little good for an
individual to be prepared for Y2K disruptions if he is surrounded by
neighbors who are not."
"I want the full, unvarnished truth about Y2K risks so that I can exercise
the responsibility that I have for my family and my community. From
the massive amount of email that I receive every day, I know that there
are several thousand concerned citizens across the land who share my
feelings:
- We learn that some 90 percent of the large companies in the U.S. are
planning Y2K 'control centers' for the millennium rollover, and that
many companies are stockpiling a month of parts and raw materials --
and we wonder whether we should be doing the same thing.
- We learn, from a variety of sources, that roughly half of the small
businesses, small towns, and small countries outside the U.S. have not
even begun their Y2K preparations -- and we wonder what impact this
will have on the global economy, and why so many economists continue
telling us that it won't have any impact at all.
- We read story after story about the good progress that large companies
and major federal agencies are making -- but then we read in the May
17th issue of the NEW YORK TIMES that large companies are falling behind
schedule, and that 22 percent don't think they will finish even their
mission-critical systems.
- Some of us work in the computer software industry, and we know, from
our own experience as well as the statistical data from metrics experts
such as Capers Jones and Howard Rubin, that 15 percent of all software
projects are late (by an average of 6 to 7 months), and 25 percent of
all projects are canceled before completion -- and we wonder what kind
of special information or knowledge allows our nation's leaders to realistically
expect that things will be substantially different for the thousands
of Y2K projects underway today."
"My plea for full disclosure of Y2K risks, no matter how bad they may
be, is echoed by the words of a famous patriot speaking before the Virginia
Convention on March 23, 1775: 'It is natural for man to indulge in the
illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth,
and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts....For
my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know
the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.' -- Patrick
Henry" (JG)
[Late-breaking news: In a surprise move, Ed Yourdon has decided
to say good-bye to Y2K. He's removing all Y2K articles, links, and resources
from his website, and dropping off the Y2K radar screen. He explains,
"Y2K has been part of my life since early 1995 and has occupied nearly
every waking moment since the summer of 1997. While it will continue
to have a significant impact on my personal and family life, I no longer
plan to play a public role." He goes on to say, "There is nothing deep,
dark, or mysterious about my decision. I simply feel that I've done
everything I can do to raise the alarm about Y2K." More in next week's
Y2K Report. -JG]
Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990527.htm
Link: http://www.senate.gov/~y2k/hearings/052599/yourdon.html
Link: http://www.yourdon.com/
Link: http://www.yourdon.com/articles/sayonaray2k.html
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Y2K RESOURCES:
"JUST IN CASE" LAUNCHES COMPANION WEBSITE
(Source: Michael Brownlee, VISIBILITI UNLIMITED, 5/22/1999)
The publishers of "Just In Case: Dispatches from the Front Lines of
the Y2K Crisis" have just launched a companion website to their recently-published
anthology of essays. The site serves as a portal to assist readers in
their Y2K education process, featuring current Y2K news and commentary,
an extensive Internet resource guide, a bookstore, and a unique newsletter.
(JG)
"Just In Case" Y2K Website: http://www.JustInCaseY2K.com
------------
CYGNUS TRIANGLES
(Source: Wayne Schumacher, CYGNUS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRIANGLES Website,
5/25/1999)
Cygnus Emergency Response Triangles (also referred to as Cygnus Triangles
or CERTriangles) are a simple signaling system that households can used
in an emergency to display their status to a vehicle or person passing
by in the street. They consist of a poster with different colored panels
that, when folded in different ways, create the following different
colored triangles:
- Green: Okay, for now.
- Yellow: Non-urgent need or request, such as the desire to contact
someone, to borrow something, to talk to a volunteer.
- Red: Urgent needs such as injury or illness, requiring medication,
crucial health/safety matter, life-threatening situation.
- Blue & White: I can help or be a volunteer with medical training,
skills, to shelter people, am a CB or HAM radio operator, have something
to loan or share.
- Green, Blue & White: Authorized Emergency Support Site where trained
assistance can be found.
Depending upon the situation, a CERTriangle of a certain color should
be placed prominently on the front door or in a street-facing window.
When needs change, the triangles can be refolded to the appropriate
color and displayed. When the emergency is over, Cygnus triangles can
be stored in readiness for the next disaster drill or actual emergency.
During the week of May 24-28, 1999, SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY (SOU)
Family Housing conducted an emergency disaster drill to test a new community
contingency plan idea that included Cygnus Triangles. The disaster drill
involved a failed (computer-controlled) railroad crossing signal resulting
in a collision of a freight train and a chemical tanker truck adjacent
to SOU's family housing complex. The scenario, written by City of Ashland
Fire Chief Keith Woodley, described leakage of an extremely dangerous
chemical from the tanker truck which placed anyone downwind in grave
danger. An evacuation advisory was issued. Cygnus Triangles proved themselves
to be a simple, effective communication and needs assessment device
for crisis management and community resiliency.
CERTriangles can be viewed at the CERTriangle Website, and also downloaded
and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader or an image editor which supports
TIFFs, such as Adobe Photoshop. Wayne Schumacher, creator of Cygnus
Triangles, says, "If anyone is interested in receiving a copy of the
disaster scenario, a sample Cygnus Triangles placard, and related materials,
write to:
Cygnus Emergency Response Triangles
P.O. Box 3425
Ashland, OR 97520
"Include a message similar to: 'Send SOU Family Housing emergency drill
materials to: (your name and mailing address).' If you would enclose
a couple of stamps to help with postage costs on the special size envelope,
I would appreciate it." (JG)
CERTriangle Website: http://www.CERTriangles.com/
------------
TIPS FOR FOOD STORAGE
(Sources: Rocky Cowie, MILLENNIUM OUTFITTERS; Jim Abel, STOREWISE Website)
If you plan or already have bought food for storage, you may not be
aware that you need to store it without the presence of oxygen to prevent
spoilage. MILLENNIUM OUTFITTERS of Butte Falls, Oregon have been studying
and supplying food storage systems for over 25 years. Here are some
food storage tips from owner Rocky Cowie:
Oxygen absorbers remove oxygen from airtight containers. Upon exposure
to air, iron in the packet immediately absorbs oxygen into harmless
iron oxide which is safely contained in the packet and does not contaminate
the food. Packets come in three sizes: 1,000 cc, 500 cc and 300 cc.
A 300 cc packet treats well over one gallon of tamped down grain, bean,
nut or seed product. For a standard 6.5 gal. bucket, use five 300 cc.
packets, three 500 cc packets, or two 1,000 cc packets. Oxygen absorbers
need to be used within one hour of opening. Any unused packets should
be stored in a small glass jar with a metal lid.
Before displacing oxygen from any food grade container, you must tamp
down the contents. That means picking up the container off the floor
three to four inches and dropping it 10 to 15 times. Then refill until
there is one inch or less clearance. Tamp again.
Twice as many oxygen absorber packets are required for buckets of dehydrated
fruits and vegetables which don't tamp down as well as grains, and therefore
have more oxygen to absorb.
To store multiple items, fill the container with the first item. Tamp
down well. Place the next item in a plastic bag (or two or three placed
in a circle). Tamp down again. Repeat as needed. Place the appropriate
number of oxygen absorbers on top (plus one to compensate for the extra
air space the bags create), then seal. If you are unable to fill the
container, add four 300 cc packets for each empty gallon of air space.
Fill the containers as completely as possible; too much empty space
could result in atmospheric pressure crushing the bucket.
When storing seeds and grains for sprouting, use one third as many packets
-- that translates into two 300 cc per 6.5 gallon bucket (instead of
the regular five). Note: the removal of all oxygen from the storage
container will snuff out the germ of life in seeds and grains, which
will prevent them from sprouting.
Millennium Outfitters offers all the supplies mentioned above. Call
them toll free at (541) 865-3370 for a free catalogue.
Jim Abel at STOREWISE also carries a complete line of buckets and oxygen
absorbers. He has just lowered prices on his buckets, and will waive
shipping fees on other items (mylar, oxygen absorbers, etc.) with any
bucket order. (JG)
STOREWISE Website: http://www.glitchproof.com/
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THE LIGHTER SIDE OF Y2K:
Y2K BUGGING YOU? JUST EAT IT!
(Source: BUSINESS WIRE, 5/25/1999)
The SILICON VALLEY CONFECTION COMPANY (SVC2) and veteran chocolatier,
KNUDSEN'S CANDY have come up with a sweet solution to handle the Y2K
bug: just eat it! Their 1.9 ounce ladybug-shaped milk chocolate bar
sporting raised Y2K letters on its back "was created as a lighthearted
spoof of the transition to the new millennium," says candy designer
Rich Yacco, who warns, "Eat it while there's still time." "The Y2K Bug"
is now available for wholesale and institutional sale in cases of 48
individually-boxed "bugs." It will be available to retail consumers
by summer at a suggested retail price of $4.99 per bug. (JG)
SVC2 Website: http://www.svc2.com
Link: http://news.excite.com/news/bw/990525/ca-knudsens-candy-svc2
------------
WORLD'S LARGEST BELL TO RING IN NEW MILLENNIUM
(Source: IMPRESSION, 5/3/1999)
Heavy-equipment engineer, Wayne Carlisle, of Newport, Kentucky intends
to ring in the new millennium with the world's largest bell, which is
to be installed in a new millennium tower downtown. The huge bronze
bell -- 12 feet tall and 73,000 pounds -- is being cast in France. But
there's one snag: the bell tower won't be built in time. Carlisle's
contingency plan is to construct a smaller, temporary tower from which
to ring in the millennium. "In times to come," he claims, "this will
be written about in history books." (JG)
Link: http://www.impressionmag.com/y2k.html
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THIS WEEK'S NEWS SOURCES:
The stories in this week's NHNE Y2K Report were drawn, in part, from
the following news sources:
SANGER'S REVIEW OF Y2K NEWS REPORTS:
http://www.sangersreview.com/
YEAR 2000 INFORMATION CENTER:
http://www.year2000.com/articles/NFarticles.html
GARY NORTH'S LINKS AND FORUMS:
http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/latest_.cfm
Sheri Nakken (Y2K NETWORK):
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/wncy2k.htm
Y2KNEWSWIRE:
http://www.y2knewswire.com
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Copyright 1999 by NewHeavenNewEarth
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