For those who missed it today, the state government of Alabama announced today that no critical agencies will suffer significant disruptions from Y2K. The story is at:

Alabama Live: No doomsday talk: Critical agencies say they'll be ready for Y2K

This statement was just released by the new governors adminstration who just a few weeks ago blamed Alabama's serious lack of progress on Y2K on the outgoing adminstration.

This statement also directly defies common sense, has Alabama has spent less money on Y2K than ANY STATE IN THE UNION!! It also directly conflicts statements made by high ranking IT staff in state agencies that we interviewed for our documentary.

Is it any wonder that people do not trust what the government is saying about this issue? The other question is why aren't the folks in Alabama's media (or any other state for that matter) doing a little homework? I waited all day for a single reporter to say..."Wait just a minute, how is that possible since only a few months ago your adminstration reported that Alabama was terribly behind on Y2K and how is it possible for things to be ok now when we have spent less money than any other state?"

But not one reporter asked those questions. It is unfortunate but political concerns have always been motive enough for not telling the entire truth about any problem or situation..but the free press is supposed to protect us from these lies and half truths by digging into the issues and asking tough questions. These days they do little more than read press releases and smile.

I am a GI when it comes to Y2K but a real DGI when it comes to what passes for journalism in this country.

Les Rayburn,director

-- Les Rayburn (les@vazda.com), March 08, 1999

Answers

Journalism is nothing more than someone's lips spinning and sensationalizing the facts to sell their story. "Buckwheat has been shot." (Taken from the famous Saturday Night Live episode starring Eddie Murphy.)

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 08, 1999.

Waitaminnit here, Les. Let's try reading this thing a bit together, shall we?

Going through from the top, I see:

"the state agency providing health care to more than 630,000 poor people in Alabama reports that its computer fix is on schedule"

"But if you were using your computer to check on the state government's progress in preparing for the millenium glitch, you would not feel quite so confident. "

"state agencies, on average, are 58 percent compliant and have 38 percent of their plan implemented. Not all agencies have updated their figures recently, and some have not posted figures at all. "

"Mabry has acknowledged that not all agencies will be fully compliant by New Year's Day"

"In addition to Medicaid, state officials identify such agencies as Human Resources, Revenue, Corrections and Public Safety as those where the most Y2Kaos could potentially ensue "

"MEDICAID ... targeted for completion Oct. 1"

"HUMAN RESOURCES ... reported it was 40 percent compliant."

"CHILD WELFARE: The Child Management Agency and Child Welfare department reported 26 percent and 2 percent compliance, respectively."

"It would be nice to be a little further ahead"

"THE OUTLOOK: Overall, the state is playing catchup on Y2K, Patterson said. "

"There's been a lot of work done and a lot of money spent, but not in coordinating projects," he said. "What's been lacking is leadership. Now, we're kind of behind the 8-ball, because the clock is ticking on this."

And Les Rayburn says the journalist reports that things are "ok now"?

Les, are you and I reading the same story? I see nothing but a scathing attack on Alabama's lack of preparations, documented by a host of serious problems, as presented by the agencies themselves. Nowhere does it even come close to implying "no critical agencies will suffer significant disruptions from Y2K", as you write in your post.

Now I admit, the editor who put the title on this story totally ignored every single damn paragraph in it. Shame on him. But this story is as straightforward a presentation of Bad News as you'll find anywhere, and appears flat honest and straightforward. It says Alabama is a long way from ready and isn't going to be close to finishing in time. It doesn't say *anything else*!

If this story doesn't satisfy you, why not? Why does your description flat contradict the story in every detail? How has this government been dishonest? Where has the journalist failed to do his homework?

Les, the story tells it straight. I don't believe you read it at all, and that's being generous. Care to try again, this time with your head screwed on straight?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 08, 1999.

Yes - I agree - the headline makes the present governor look real good (hmmmn - a Democrat - support by the press again) but the text hidden in the report is very, very week. the contract for one agency (as of mid Jan) was not released yet even. Many others are scheduled to finish in Sept and Oct - that's very, very risky.

I think the reporting is probably true - the summary statements by the Agency heads reflect lots of wishful thinking and little sound knowledge - and the state is definitely threatened with massive failure in its data handling.

NOTE - Watch Citibank very carefully - they are apprently handling 29 states welfare payments, and aren't done with any yet.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 08, 1999.

For those of you who haven't heard yet, there is NO free media in this country. Every newspaper, every network (or subsidiary of either) is owned, lock-stock-and barrel, by the gov-mafia. They will report what they are told to report and not one word more.

-- linda (smitmom@hotmail.com), March 09, 1999.

free media?? hahahahhahahahahhahahhaha....... (sorry; i couldn't resist) snicker

-- sarah (qubr@aol.com), March 11, 1999.

Part of the question was:

"...how is that possible since only a few months ago your adminstration reported that Alabama was terribly behind on Y2K and how is it possible for things to be ok now when we have spent less money than any other state?"

Once again the answer seems patently obvious to me - They replaced both of their PeeCee with new ones.

--Greybear, who wonderes why some of these questions are so hard.

-Got Spare Parts?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), March 11, 1999.