On the food forum I read something paying tribute to Dr. Paula Gorden and was in regard to embedded chips. Who and where is she?

eat only no fat chips!!

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 23, 1999

Answers

Response to Who is Dr. Paula Gorden? Where are her articles, web page??

Paula Gordon is a visiting research professor at George Washington University; she has written an excellent white paper on the Y2K problem.

Dr. Gordon and I are going to be speaking at an evening program at GW Univ this Thursday evening, and we're giving a press conference on Friday afternoon. I've got a couple of other interesting meetings in Washington while I'm there, and am hoping to get a good sense of the "mind-set" of the folks in the Center of the Universe.

Ed

-- Ed Yourdon (ed@yourdon.com), March 23, 1999.

Response to Who is Dr. Paula Gorden? Where are her articles, web page??

A Call To Action: National and Global Implications of the Year 2000 and Embedded Systems Crisis, A Working White Paper on Y2K

Paula D. Gordon, Ph.D.. Director of Special Projects, George Washington University

http://www.gwu.edu/~y2k/keypeople/gordon/index.html

Here Ph.D. is in Public Administration, and has worked on various projects for the federal and private sectors. While at FEMA, she developed policies regarding national civil preparedness. Her White Paper is oriented toward advising government leaders regarding the y2k issue. In Part 1, she states, "keeping the truth from the people amounts to being deceptive."

Quotes.

"If the facts concerning Y2K do not become apparent to the public until late in 1999, there will be no time to make adequate preparations for even level 2 or 3 impacts."

"If the public could be helped to prepare now for at least a level 2 or 3 impact, the chances of last minute panic could be averted."

"There needs to be at a minimum a bottom line recognition that not everything connected with the IT side of the problem can be fixed in time."

"It is beyond understanding why so little attention was paid to a problem which could well prove to be the greatest threat ever to face mankind."

"Sources of expertise that the President's Council has turned to in January of 1999 had a background in information technology and not embedded systems and have apparently provided the Council with some questionable estimates concerning the scope of the embedded systems problem. These questionable estimates are far more conservative that even the Gartner Group's revised (but nonetheless highly concerned) estimates."

"It has been said of at least one of the highest level political leaders that he feels that he is in a lose/lose situation - that he is damned if he does get involved and damned if he doesn't - and that out of consideration for his short term political agenda, he has determined not to take a more visible role at this time. This, if it proves to be true, is tantamount to playing games with people's lives, indeed with the future of the country and the world."

-- mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), March 23, 1999.

Correction. The above should read:

"Her Ph.D. is in Public Administration, and she has worked on various projects for the federal and private sectors."

-- mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), March 23, 1999.

Mr. Yourdon,

I checked with www.yourdon.com on your "Ed's Calendar of Conferences and Events" section, but the referenced engagement with Dr. Paula Gordon isn't listed.

Is this a public event or is it limited to "invitation only" to attend? Are tickets required if it is open to the public?

I'm interested in attending if it is possible.

Mr. Kennedy

-- Mr. Kennedy (JKennedy@DestinationsUSA.net), March 23, 1999.

As far as I have been able to determine, Gordon has no qualification in any technology field whatsoever. She repeats old news, bad news, debunked stories - just another EOTW who thinks a degree in Public Administration means she knows all about everything. AND, I think she is chasing grant money.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), March 23, 1999.

I know nothing about Paula Gordon. What I do know is that those who are presumably "qualified" professionals have led us into this situation. Maybe it's time to listen to other voices.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 24, 1999.

A brief bio for Paula Gordon can be found at:

http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/y2kconf/bios/gordon.htm

-- Arnie Rimmer (arnie_rimmer@usa.net), March 25, 1999.

Paula's bio is VERY impressive! (Though I wonder if she has ever considered mudwrestling as a side-line?)

Meanwhile, Paul Davis seems even more irrational than usual. Whats the matter, Pauly-anna, are we starting to get a little worried that maybe this Y2K thing could be serious? And are we attacking the messengers out of desperation? Or even envy??

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.com), March 25, 1999.

No, just annoyed that people who don't know the difference between a logic gate and a gate for livestock are passing themselves off as technical experts.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), March 25, 1999.

Will all the technical experts on Y2K please stand up?

Those who know what will happen at and after the rollover, please raise your hand.

Thank you, Paul.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 31, 1999.