Caught the 'headlines' segment of "News with Brian Williams" tonight on CNBC. Final Headline was from tomorrow morning's Atlanta Constitution regarding the infighting over who gets the contract to ASSESS AND FIX Atlanta's computers. It was an extremely short squib with no detail but to all of us here it sounded very much like "We haven't even started, folks!!". Of course that was reading between the lines. Story body supposedly is about the battle in City Council over who will be awarded the contract for assessment and repair of the city's computer systems,(I guess all of them???). Would appreciate anyone in Atlanta keep us posted and let us know the links to the stories.

-- Lobo (Hiding@woods.com), March 08, 1999

Answers

*sigh*

As Cory now says, How much warning do you need?

-- a (a@a.a), March 09, 1999.

yep - they're really ahead of things down in ole John Lewis's (D) district. Good ole boy Billy Bob Clinton made absolutely sure that ole Mayor Campbell wass right on top of things last year and deserved to be re-elected - sure 'nuf.

Don't bother with Super Bowl tickets next year - the game will have to be played outside in the afternoon - cause there won't be lights on in downtown Atlanta.

The city too busy being democratic to think.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 09, 1999.

This looks really, really bad for the Peach Heads.

Course I could be wrong, it might be much worse.

--Greybear, inveterate tag line thief

- Got Grits?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), March 09, 1999.

See - the fighting is over which politician's company gets the contract - if they had figured out the bribes and kick-backs first - they could have avoided all this fighting - and had more money to to give to everybody's company.

They can't even manage their corruption efficiently down there.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 09, 1999.

Atlanta is bad on a GOOD day. What is it going to be like if the infrastructure snaps? Man, I DON'T want to be within 75 miles of the 275 ring when that happens. I can't imagine the line of cars heading up 85 or up 75 (toward the boondocks, there is nothing south till Macon).. Tried to find a site for the Atlanta paper...think I did but couldn't get in--will try later. Keep me 'posted" (more out of extreme curosity--I live about 125 miles from there.)

-- Lobo (Hiding@woods.com), March 09, 1999.

Hey Robert, THAT'S a good one!!!! LOLOLOLOL!!!!

The home of the Clinton News Network couldn't ask for a more fitting situation.

Democrats today are like king Midas in reverse....whatever they touch or talk about....turns to shit.

To all our peril.

-- INVAR (gundark@aol.com), March 09, 1999.

Almost every day at rush hours the Atlanta freeways are creeping along bumper-to-bumper, and not infrequently just plain stopped. A car will change lanes abruptly, clip another car, three or four more pile into the tangle; a semi driver tries to avoid some fool cutting across 4 lanes and jack-knifes his truck in the process, closing 6 lanes for 4 hours. The rule here now is, if you're not 20 mph over the posted limit, you're a speed bump. Drivers get iritated for trivial reasons, or none.

One hour after a panic flight out of here starts, I don't think interstate traffic will be moving at all.

Got county maps?

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 09, 1999.

Tom. I take it you live in the Atlanta Metro area. I would sincerely appreciate if you would look for this story in the am. The talkinghead sitting in for Williams was evidently reading this for the first time as he paused, said a few words and paused again looking at the Teleprompter/and looked totally flabbergasted. I would be very interested to see if what is in the paper matches what CNBC said the content was. I've kinda gotten to where MSNBC has become my source for news as I don't trust any of the big three or CNN after seeing what they report versus what I know happened. Like I said, I'm just up the road in Greenville--I don't think more than 10 or 15 cars will get out of Atlanta.....most will stop at Denny's and then sue because they can't get service.

-- Lobo (Hiding@woods.com), March 09, 1999.

Atlanta's Y2K plan in doubt

By Julie B. Hairston, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A dispute between Atlanta officials and one of the city's key contractors on eliminating Year 2000 bugs from its complex technology network could threaten the city's ability to prevent system malfunctions come Jan. 1.

Everything from police communications to irrigation in city parks could be disrupted in the wake of the city's firing of Information Systems and Networks Corp. Attorneys for the Bethesda, Md., company said they plan to file suit in U.S. District Court for breach of contract.

Another ISN contract for similar work at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport also is in negotiations arising from recent complaints about the quality of ISN's work, but that contract is not part of the threatened action.

"By terminating ISN, the June 30, 1999, Y2K completion date will slip between three to six months," said Norman H. Singer, the firm's attorney, in a letter to the city's administrative services commissioner. "Our information is that it is highly unlikely that the city's Y2K work will be completed by the year 2000."

Herbert L. McCall, administrative services commissioner, said the dispute will not cripple the city's ability to fix its Y2K computer problems before the end of the year.

"I can say, unequivocally, that we will be ready," McCall said. "It's not as though we have engaged ISN to do every single thing in the city."

McCall did say the company's task, to identify potential Y2K problems and document their resolution, is important and the city will have to hire another contractor to complete the work. The job of fixing the glitches is being performed by a number of other high-tech firms.

Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta sent a letter to ISN on March 1 detailing a number of complaints airport officials have with the

company's work, but that contract has not been terminated.

At issue is the overall city contract, which was awarded last summer after ISN was selected as the top bidder from among more than 40 companies vying for the $6 million contract. The company was chosen from a state-certified list of firms specializing in Y2K compliance.

Founded in 1980 by company President Roma Malkani, ISN is certified for Y2K compliance work by 15 states. The $70 million company, which employs 500 people, is performing Y2K tasks for the Federal Aviation Administration, Robins Air Force Base, Boeing, Sony and the U.S. Postal Service, among others.

ISN began its work with Atlanta in August 1998, but has not been paid for its efforts, Singer said. The city owes ISN about $2.3 million, the attorney said.

McCall said the firm did not submit appropriate invoices for its work until February.

Although the city detailed in its termination letter a number of alleged failures, ISN's attorney dismissed the list as "a red herring."

A series of meetings last week between city and ISN officials were "an orchestrated attempt to look like they were trying to resolve the issues," Singer charged. He said the company's problems with the city began when ISN refused to hire subcontractors from a list McCall provided.

Although Singer suggested the issue was whether ISN hired an approved minority-owned subcontractor, the city's list of complaints did not mention its minority business enterprise program.

The firm eventually hired a minority-owned subcontractor, Singer said, but not one on McCall's list.

The list, McCall said, identified companies that had come to the city seeking Y2K work. Some of the firms on the list were companies that have done business with the city previously, he said.

"I did not ask them to add anyone (to the contract) specifically," McCall said. "I did not say go out and hire these six or seven firms."

Singer said ISN will ask that the city be prevented from hiring any other firm to complete the work that it contracted for ISN to do. The company also will ask for unspecified monetary damages.

Singer and a local attorney representing ISN met Monday afternoon with City Council President Robb Pitts, who expressed concern over the potential ramifications of the dispute.

"If we have to start from scratch, we're going to have to make up a lot of ground in a short period of time," Pitts said. "If (ISN has) done work since August and have not been paid, that's not right."

Mayor Bill Campbell declined comment on the dispute.

Atlanta' s Y2K plan in doubt

-- Online2Much (ready_for_y2k@mindspring.com), March 09, 1999.

Now y2k is a "diversity" issue? Just wait till the Reverend Jesse Jackson hears about this.

Got a U-Haul?

-- Bulldog (biscuits@gravy.com), March 09, 1999.

I'm a computer consultant in the Atlanta area. One of my fellow computer consultants talked to the people at the city of Atlanta last fall, when she was looking for a contract. The guy who was in charge told her they were Y2K compliant. She was really surprised and didn't believe him because we hadn't heard about a concentrated remediation effort at the city. Then in December it came out that the person she had been talking to was fired - he had been lying and then they were having to scramble. I thought the contract had been let though, because she gave me the name of a guy who was supposedly hiring contractors for the city job.

This whole situation is amazing - you'd think they had all the time in the world - I know some of the state agencies haven't begun their work on Y2K - they're waiting on budget approval - I know of at least 30 contracts that can't be filled yet.

-- amazed (jean@atlanta.com), March 09, 1999.

from the story - sorry for the dupe'd words, but the corruption is evident in what was not said - (McCall is the city's agent, Singer represents the company trying to do the work.)

< McCall said the firm did not submit appropriate invoices for its work until February.

Although the city detailed in its termination letter a number of alleged failures, ISN's attorney dismissed the list as "a red herring."

A series of meetings last week between city and ISN officials were "an orchestrated attempt to look like they were trying to resolve the issues," Singer charged. He said the company's problems with the city began when ISN refused to hire subcontractors from a list McCall provided.

Although Singer suggested the issue was whether ISN hired an approved minority-owned subcontractor, the city's list of complaints did not mention its minority business enterprise program.

The firm eventually hired a minority-owned subcontractor, Singer said, but not one on McCall's list.

The list, McCall said, identified companies that had come to the city seeking Y2K work. Some of the firms on the list were companies that have done business with the city previously, he said. >>

Corrupt City hires good, experienced company to fix Y2K issues -> company is handed list of "previous" city contractors (read: "good ole boys" who have paid off city council and mayor before) -> company realizes they have real work to do, reject list -> city threatens company with civil rights blackmail -> city forces company to hire minorityowned sub-contractor -> company realizes they still need to get work done -> hire a quality minority-owned business not on corrupt city's pre-approved list -> city refuses to pay company, after research is done, citing other unnamed problems.

Y2K issue still not resolved, city lawyers (hired by corrupt mayor from corrupt mayor's office) make more money.

Next Jan -> ????

I wonder if the governor gets mad when he has no power, water, lights, or sewer service. No police, no 911, no food, no heat, no trash service. No phones, no .....

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 09, 1999.

Head South. And find a Y2K compliant FL swamp.

Atlanta's gonna be full of crocks.

Got crooks?

Diane

(Sounds like youse guys are in as bad a Y2K non-fix as CA)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), March 09, 1999.

No - not really - services down here are incredibly split up - mostly by overlapping counties, cities, city and county based water and EMC's, city and county 911 and tax systems etc.

"Atlanta" itself is split between across two different counties (Fulton and Dekalb) south of Cobb County across the Chatahoochie "river" - and so ALL of its services - including power and telephone) are completely independent of what happens over here. In fact, they frequently go on water rationing there during the summer time - while Cobb County has not had problems for years. They dump sewage into the river regualrly now, while our county is recycling trash into compost in one of two pilot projects for country - by the way, we think the odor problem is solved now - not everything works right the first time!)

So - while Cobb County and Marietta (where my services come from) reported Y2K testing and remediation complete in September 1998 (the thread is the government archives) - Fulton County and Atlanta had not yet awarded their contract to begin surveying their systems until November 1998 - and they still don't have a report yet.

Other geography_ Atlanta Airport is run by the city, I-75 and I-85 go right through the middle of downtown. While the highways probably will be Y2K compliant - I suspect that the 911 service will not be. Don't get in an accident at either place.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 09, 1999.

Hhmmm. Center for Disease Control in Atlanta?
Cylinders of nasty infectious wipe-out germs frozen with electricity?

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), March 09, 1999.

So, any comments as to when they'll make up their minds about the vendor(s) in question?

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), March 09, 1999.

"Founded in 1980 by company President Roma Malkani, ISN is certified for Y2K compliance work by 15 states. The $70 million company, which employs 500 people, is performing Y2K tasks for the Federal Aviation Administration, Robins Air Force Base, Boeing, Sony and the U.S. Postal Service, among others."

Don't know about Robins AFB and Boeing, but the FAA and USPS are in lousy shape and Sony just laid off 17,000. Not exactly the best references one might have...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), March 09, 1999.

Sounds like a prototype set-up for a real "urban refugees versus rural residents conflict" kind of situation. Until now, I always thought of northern urban refugees and conflicts with rural dwellers somewhere along the north/south interstate highway corridors leading to warmer climates.

Now I see trouble occurring along the Atlanta-Savannah interstate. In fact, I wonder if there might not be a second burning of Atlanta and another march through Georgia to the sea, this time by Atlanta's residents.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), March 09, 1999.

Glad that I moved away from Atlanta in 90. Even more glad that my old boss wasn't successful in talking me to come back there for 6 figures. Hope that the state is in better shape, or I'll have the folks out my way for an extended vacation.

-- (cannot-say@this.time), March 09, 1999.

I talked to some "lower-ranking" CDC doctors (not the top level administrators) - they indicated that Y2K isn't on top of anybody's agenda - but they do "a cuple" of days of fuel and "a generator". They weren't too sure about what it powered, what backups were, nor whether it is tested and automated to startup on loss of power.

Diane - can you get a link for me to "Cobb County does it right" thread in the government archives?

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 09, 1999.

THANKS, FOLKS!!! (I think). Hopefully when Atlanta goes bonker (more than usual), they will head for Macon or Savannah where it's warmer instead of up 85 toward me.

Leska, you are just so full of happy thoughts---I may well be downwind from CDC depending on the time of year. Course I guess if it goes really bad, no one on the east coast from DC to Jacksonville will be exempt from danger. I know CDC has generators--hope like mad that they have plenty of fuel. (OBTW--CDC is the ONLY place in the western hemisphere that stocks active smallpox virus. It's there to use as a base for vaccine should smallpox again become a threat.)

I think we can guess how Atlanta got the Olympics (Can you say Salt Lake City??)

-- Lobo (Hiding@woods.com), March 09, 1999.

Sorry, Lobo. It's my naturally cheery disposition ;-D

Looks like Robert checked out the generator thing there. Hhhmmmm.

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), March 10, 1999.

Lobo

Hear tell Boeing isn't any much better shape. Mid level execs in at least part of the company were told to "store food, store water, get yourself a generater and at least 2 weeks of fuel, and if you wish, a gun to protect it with". Don't have a memo to prove it, but this came from one of these execs assistant whom we have know for more than 20 years. She is not prone to exaggeration.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), March 10, 1999.