First panel testimony and discussion is posted at:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000sR7

Does anyone want to hear how the media skewered the government, or should I save myself another day of torture?

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 26, 1999

Answers

Ooops. Shoulda read "anybody want to read about--not "hear")

I'm a little tired. . .

:

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 26, 1999.

Oh, FM,

I know this is hard work. Really appreciate your effort. OF COURSE WE WANT TO READ IT. The Q&A sessions are usually the most enlightening. Thanks.

-- Cheryl (Transplant@Oregon.com), May 26, 1999.

YES!!! (Please).

Then we want you to write an article and sell it to Time Magazine too!

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 26, 1999.

FM -

yes, we'd all very much like to read it, but please don't run yourself into the ground doing this! you've been pushing hard these last few days...we can wait a little while if you need to catch up on other things...like sleep for instance...ask Diane about that one...

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), May 26, 1999.

FM...your comments and work are greatly appreciated and a Big ATTA BOY is well deserved!

Be careful though, don't run the fuel tank to low. There are a lot of people that are going to need your help in a few short months.

I'm convinced...Y2k is just meant to be...

Nailbender

-- Nailbender (whwhwhat@00.bs), May 27, 1999.

Absolutely!!!! It's the first thing I looked for this morning.

Again, Thanks for the great job you did on the first segment. It's a great service you have provided. It's greatly appreciated.

-- (southeastern@deja.com), May 27, 1999.

Thanks guys. 'Not exactly sure when I'll get to it (contract work and laundry calling), but I'll do it.

What's really cracked me up about this hearing is the degree to which the media has NOT covered it.

Anyone who's read through the oral testimony of the first hour knows the degree to which the media was royally skewered for bad reporting. During the second hour, some of the media representatives put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the government for feeding them confusing information.

I dunno about you, but I'D be interested in reading stories about what went on. Yet I've only seen two so far. Maybe it was just too embarrassing. (Officially, of course, we know it was the Cox report taking a front seat that day!)

At any rate, thanks Cheryl for your words of encouragement. You're right: The Q & A's are juicy.

Diane, I don't know that 'Time Magazine' would want to hear from me, but if I did a write-up about this, it would have to include the following three points:

1. Grassroots activists skewer the media. 2. The media skivers the government. 3. Both groups impale the President.

All in all, it was a pretty good show.

Arlin, as mentioned above, I DO need to catch up on other things.

Nailbender, just curious: why do you think a lot of people would need MY help in the next few months? Little old me? :)

Southeast, thanks for your encouragement.

And--anyone else who wants to read it, please kindly post here. Your posts will keep me motivated.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

Also--remember that I placed the first panel transcript in the public domain. You may use all or part of it, however you see fit. No need to worry about copyright violations.

Again, the first hour testimony (including Q & A) is located at:

First panel testimony and discussion is posted at:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000sR7

(Maybe someone could hotlink this for me? Thanks!)

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

Link to Testimony

-- z (z@z.z), May 27, 1999.

Thanks Z! Hotlinking is not among my areas of expertise!

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

FM,

Many of us have been watching for for follow-up articles.

Just got a phone call and "e" request yesterday from a reporter at Silicon Valley's San Jose Mercury News. Her request...

Diane-- I'm looking for information that can help with a story we're doing on how well prepared our local governments are for y2k. We're surveying all the cities/counties, etc. in the area to see what they've done, if they've inventoried, tested, remediated, met their schedules, etc. I wondered if you knew much about the status of local agencies in the area. Any other information you have that might apply to the story is also welcome.

;-D

Somebody's "waking-up!"

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 27, 1999.

Diane,

San Jose Mercury News? All I can say is "Good!"

It's articles are often picked up by other publications throughout the country.

Then again--the problem with covering this story is that, like Senator Bennett said--nobody apparently knows where the problems will occur.

So each organization has to dig into the the issues in the areas they serve. To do a credible job, newspapers can't just "Cut and Paste," slap a different headline on it and run it!

It's location, location, location.

I just wish there were a means to educate all media--at once--on the exact questions reporters should be asking of local businesses, government, utilities, etc.

Otherwise, I'm sure many of them don't know WHAT to ask! Is Y2k "ready" the same as Y2k "compliant?" Huh? I'm sure this is particularly true with the small town newspapers. Too much to cover. Not enough staff. Not enough time, etc., etc.

Well, we'll see.

OT: I can't believe 'Y2k Today' Editor Scott Johnson and CBN's Drew Parkhill are both out of the loop this week! 'Guess everybody needs a bit of rest now and then though. . .

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

Ooops. Shoulda been its, not it's.

Paging grammar robot!

:

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

FM,

Because of the SJMN sudden interest, I'm curious about what the Oral Media testimony was.

Also, you can "e" me privately, but several people have posted the "official" 60 minutes transcript. With your connections, would you happen to know where that is?

I'd like to send that reporter the link and full-transcript, for quotes in her article, but it needs to be from "the appropriate source." I asked her if she'd watched the 60-minutes piece and she said "no."

*Sigh*

Even though your transcription work is "ma-a-a-a-rvelous darlink" for the Merc, I don't want to point her to a Forum thread.

Thanks,

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 27, 1999.

Diane,

I'll send you a private email on that.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.

FM

Media testimony was the only part I caught - so thanks for doing the panal with Ed on it as Part I. If you are doing it from a tape, please note the snide looking aside that Bennet mad to Dodd shortly after Kerry Brock started her plea. I felt that she and her co- panalist (first speaker) were really at the gov for not releasing timely and honest info, and Kerry Brock named names about lack of leadership. People need to see this aspect from the media. They seemed as frustrated about the gov's info and stance as some of the rest of us. And - thank you in advance for doing it - and when ever you can get to it is just fine.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), May 27, 1999.

Valkyrie,

Without question the media was pointing fingers at the Clinton Administration. Of course, as a Democrat, rightly or wrongly--Dodd would be associated with that group. 'Doesn't mean he hasn't done his part on this. The thing to watch is what happens to the idea (which Dodd said he would study) about putting consumer protection provisions into the Y2k Litigation Reform Bill that still hasn't passed. Many folks on this forum have a stake in that, and I hope they will be proactive, if they want it included.

As many people realize, some things become law simply because they were attached to a bill. My impression was that Dodd would consider O'Riley's suggestion (the Colorado legislation protecting consumers and small businesses in the event they are harmed financially as a result of Y2k failures) as such an "attachment." Will he? Depends in part on whether the voters in his state are aware of this. It also depends upon how many people Email the White House, their own senators, etc. In my humble opinion, if businesses should be protected, so should consumers. There is a tremendous potential to impact the final wording of this legislation, if enough little people express their support--or more radically--DEMAND that it be included..

I hope I'll be able to get to the transcription of the second hour soon. The more I think about it, the more I realize its potential importance as an historical record.

As a former television news producer, anchor and reporter, (Yeah, I can say that now, since I finally "outed" myself on the testimony thread above) I've spend hundreds of hours wading through on the record Congressional testimony (that which is written and submitted, versus that which is spoken).

Without question, the submitted in advance testimony is always the most carefully scrutinized version of an elected official's opinion, or that of a witness. That's because no one submits these statements (knowing they will become part of the record) without "bouncing them off" many other people.

But as any reporter knows, if you want to cover a story, you don't do it based upon the written testimony submitted in advance, which is the same testimony that is now posted on the Senate site.

You have to attend the hearing, take notes, and follow up with interviews in the hallway. Given enough time and editorial interest, you are allowed a camera person to tape the entire thing.

Why? Because in face-to-face encounters, humans reveal their truest intentions. Especially under pressure.

To put it bluntly--its the same reason I resolve all disagreements with my husband in person, although I have a good friend (a psychologist) who writes letters to hers.

Both approaches have value. Unfortunately--until I get to that transcript--the general public may not learn everything there was to learn about that hearing.

Thank you so much for your support. God bless. Ill do my best to get to it soon.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), May 27, 1999.