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JUNE 22, 1999 . . . 15:05 EDT

Missing agency plans hinder Y2K cost projections

BY ORLANDO De BRUCE (orlando_debruce@fcw.com)

http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0621/web-money-6-22-99.html

Although under pressure to estimate the total cost of the Year 2000 computer problem, the Office of Management and Budget cannot determine if additional funding is needed because most federal agencies did not submit their contingency plans with cost estimates on time, the OMB director said today.

During testimony before the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, OMB director Jacob Lew said a majority of agencies missed the June 15 deadline to submit Year 2000 backup plans for possible emergencies, and the plans that were turned in did not provide cost estimates.

Lew said he should receive more contingency plans in the next "several weeks," but he could not provide an exact date. "I wish I can say I will have all the plans June 30," Lew said. "I will get back with you after reviewing the contingency plans."

According to the General Accounting Office, federal spending on Year 2000 readiness is estimated to be $8.7 billion, up from the initial $2.3 billion estimate in February 1997, and may continue upward after Jan. 1, 2000.

"Unfortunately, the current pace of contingency planning presents us with another blind spot as far as congressional oversight is concerned," the committee chairman, Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), said. "[The agencies'] failure to submit contingency plans not only deprives us of any confidence we might have in their ability to handle Y2K-induced emergencies but also prevents OMB, GAO and the Congress from estimating how much contingency plans may cost."

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 22, 1999

Answers

Yup, that's the feds in action. Deaf, dumb and blind, incompetent, power-mad, myriad little fiefdoms of power financed by the masses to lethargic to demand AND REQUIRE real change. Been that way for much of the latter half of this century.

I only hope that those in gov't responsible get dragged off to the Hague, tried for crimes against humanity, and summarily executed. *I* for one will shed NO TEAR.

(Maybe the next generation will be "public servants" again, instead of being served BY the public)

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), June 22, 1999.

Thanks Diane,

y2k Amateur, Poole, Flint, Cherri, Maria, Decker, Bingo/Bongo and the rest of you Polly's please come to the rescue of these Federal Agencies. Let's start with the HCFA agency. Please put your heads together and write up a Contingency Plan for these folks. A simple plan that would allow them to hand write the millions of Medicare checks they now produce by computer monthly.

Let's figure out how many "Bean Counters" they would need to replace all of the accouting functions currently being done on their computers.

If I am not mistaken over on the csy2k forum a while back the iniimitable "bks" offered his version of this contingency plan.

OK all you Polly people time to get your "Stinking Caps' on.

Your Pal, Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), June 22, 1999.

Y2K CANNOT BE FIXED!

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), June 22, 1999.

Ray, what makes you think that pollies will want cracker?

Beware, pollies pick their battles carefully. Or, better yet, they swiftly ignore any confrontation in which they can't use the ammo at hand. And they are running out of ammo, didn't you notice?

And then you got the professional trolls, of course. The leader of the gang is FLINTon, the self-appointed forum clown. In other threads FLINTon has joked about being a paid Russian-spy (is that funny?), but I don't think he has the guts. I would much rather be inclined into believing that FLINTon is a bizarre version of a French Hamlet Only the French (preferably French lawyers), can be as mentally cumbersome and spiritually feeble as FLINTon.

So Ray, relax. This is a battle that polly/trolls won't pick. It is not the only one though, i.e, Gallup poll on bank runs, US oil shortage, etc.

By the way Ray, have you noticed how much polly/trolls ignore the rest of the world? Globalized economy, what's that?? No way, Ray. These guys live inside a jar of mayonaisse, they don't care.

So there is no need to spread the POLLY-TROLL ALERT.

Unless they are told to show up by their bosses! That's different. Many of these guys have got to make their buck you know.

-- George (jvilches@sminter.com.ar), June 22, 1999.

Thanks George, another Home Run, keep um comin !!

This thought of yours has intrigued me for quite a while:

"Unless they are told to show up by their bosses! That's different. Many of these guys have got to make their buck you know. "

In this article, Feds Plan y2k Spin Control it is quite obvious that the powers to be were ready to spend money to keep the lid on y2k. I believe that included spin control on Forums like this one.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), June 22, 1999.

Ray, Ray, our dear Ray!! Of course!!!!!!!! I mean I can't tell you or anybody else WHICH ONE of the polly/trolls gets paid to polly and to troll. But BELIEVE YOU ME, and bet the farm on it, that SOME of these guys are paid for their good, hard work!!!! The establishment has THICK budgets for these purposes, and we all here are in the EY forum, one of the most important Y2K forums, maybe THE most important

And this doesn't happen only in the US, oh no!! I can attest to the fact that journalists are offered money and paid for huncky-dory pieces in some parts of the world, namely Latin America. Oh, yeah!!!!

On the contrary, I can attest to the fact that columnists are fired FOREVER from their media if they insist in describing Y2K in any other way besides the official party line. Oh yes!!!!!

Believe it Ray, believe it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- George (jvilches@sminter.com.ar), June 22, 1999.

Dennis,

I strongly disagree with your idea that the leaders who've deliberately misled the public need to be shipped off to the Hague or anyplace else to experience Y2K justice.

It's my firm belief that most of our fine elected leaders will recieve ample justice at the hands of rope-equipped, angry citizens who dig them up out of their comfy FEAM bunkers. Let's hope there's plenty of sturdy trees (preferably oak) within dragging distance of the ninety-six known FEAM bunkers and all the unkonwn ones in the Washington, DC vicinity.

But I'm beginning to wonder how much longer before the polly-ticians will start calling for a ban on private ownership of picks and shovels.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), June 22, 1999.

Sorry, should have read "FEMA bunkers". I've had a case of dyxlexic fingers all day long.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), June 22, 1999.

(1) Costs continue to go up.

(2) Deadlines continue to be missed.

This does NOT look like a project that will be completed on time. Some pieces will come in early. Many others will be late. Glad I bought that additional can of SPAM tonight.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 23, 1999.

I hope that at least one of those FEMA bunkers is next to the Van Nuys sewage treatment plant.

-- Mr. Adequate (mr@adequate.com), June 23, 1999.

**WW,**

Ya know ya got a problem when the state offers ya $50 to turn in yer pitchfork!! hahahahaha

((Jethro))

-- Don (dwegner@cheyenneweb.com), June 23, 1999.