This article is expressing my feelings a little bit about who to trust in this shooting gallery (Gordon). There more gossip than truth also in this forum.

US Not Holding Back Y2K Info By Bob Woods, Newsbytes. November 08, 1999

Contrary to some rumors making the rounds in the information technology (IT) world, the federal government is not holding back any information from the public in regards to the Year 2000 (Y2K) technology problem, the man in charge of Y2K remediation efforts for the White House said.

Speaking before a joint House of Representatives hearing on the Y2K problem - the last such hearing before the fateful date of Jan. 1, 2000 - John Koskinen, the chairman of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said a small number of people in the Y2K community feel that the government is holding back data on Y2K.

But Koskinen told the House members that his personal goal is to "have the American public "feel that they know everything I know about Y2K."

Koskinen addressed a number of Y2K "myths and realities" in his testimony. One item is the conception that things IT-related will be fine after Jan. 1. "Year 2000 challenges can happen any time a computer that is not Y2K-compliant comes into contact with a Year 2000 date - before or after Jan. 1," he said.

Also, he said that Y2K information coming from industry and government should be trusted because such data is not self-reported, as is widely believed. "Most organizations have structures in place whereby independent authorities have been reviewing the results of Y2K testing," he said.

Koskinen also briefly detailed the activities of his council's Information Coordination Center (ICC), which will swing into action around the Jan. 1, 2000 timeframe. The ICC will be Uncle Sam's coordinating point on systems operations and events related to the Y2K transition for federal agencies; among state, local and tribal governments; in "critical areas" of the private sector; and from international sources.

He also stressed once again that the Y2K issue is not expected to create "significant problems" in the US, "but no one can rule out that there will be temporary disruptions in some services." Koskinen likened some of the disruptions to "power outages during an ice storm," in that some areas, like urban centers, recover more quickly from such events than rural areas.

But no matter what, "whatever people are going to do to prepare, they should do it early," he said. "If everyone waits until the last moment to take even modest precautions, supply systems could be overwhelmed."

The General Accounting Office's (GAO) Joel Willemssen, who is director of the Civil Agencies Informations Systems for the agency, reiterated his earlier assertions that while the federal government has made "significant progress" in the Y2K area, the headway has not been uniform among all agencies. While agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSN) have definitely been ahead of the curve in terms of preparation, he said the Department of Education, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) still have some work to do before coming into compliance.

Willemssen also said that Y2K efforts on the state level have also dramatically improved, with only 4 states reporting that their systems are less than 75 percent compliant.

He added that concerns remain in healthcare and education, with much overall work needed in both areas before being Y2K compliant.

Today's testimony took place in front of the "House Y2K Working Group," which is made up of the Science Committee's Technology Subcommittee and the Government Reform Committee's Government Management, Information and Technology Subcommittee.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1999

Answers

You are absolutely right, Menno. Koskinen has really earned his place in a bunker. But I dunno about that Willemssen guy. He sometimes seems a little too forthright.

dave

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1999

Menno,

So, which do you prefer, a bit of gossip, or outright disinformation like we get from Koskinen? You sure do pay a lot of attention to the political spin coming out of Washington. What about some hot news from your own side of the Atlantic! Don't they pump out a lot of good news reports over there too? And some bad news too? Or are they keeping the whole matter pretty quiet so as not to alarm the public? The Brits seem to be issuing a lot of reports, both good and bad, depending on whether it comes from their government or an independent watchdog group. Do you follow the gossip over there as well? Is Koskinen considered a super star and "all around solid leader" in the northern European community? I only wish our president had something to say about all this Y2k business, but as you can see, he is keeping his thoughts on this to himself. Not a peep from him, or the vice president either. One thing I'm sure of, if this was going to turn out just fine, our president would be taking full credit for it. But he isn't getting anywhere near it. Wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. What does that tell you? Are you a student of political behavior?

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1999

Menno,

I believe that part of the deal with us who do not trust our government can be summed up with this. Our leadership lied under oath. (formerly a criminal act) Ok, so most of the world may think it was a trivial lie for a trivial deal. But nevertheless, if our leadership can lie under oath, what is to make anyone believe they will not "hold back important information".

John Koskinen, although a Czar, is still a subordinate to a higher authority. If the higher authority cannot be trusted, neither can the subordinate who takes orders from that higher authority.

Time will tell. Yep, in this case, it is court or a lawyer that will bring the truth to the forefront, it is time that bring the truth out.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1999

Time will tell. Yep, in this case, it is court or a lawyer that will bring the truth to the forefront, it is time that bring the truth out.

SHOULD READ: it is NOT a court or a lawyer

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1999

I just have to re-quote this. Koskinen said, "Whatever people are going to do to prepare, they should do it early. If everyone waits until the last moment to take even modest precautions, supply systems could be overwhelmed."

Let's discuss the meaning of "early" (yes I said "early" not "is." Does he live on this planet? Today is Nov. 9. This is the first time he has said anything about preparing "early." There are 260 million (something like that) people in the country. Grocery stores re-stock every three to four days. Too many people, too few stores, too little time. He blew it. "Early" would have been all last year.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

i find it incredible that anyone would place any trust or assume any veracity in a quote issuing forth from the mouth of john koskinen.

we have watched, open mouthed, as he consistently underplayed the impact of y2k on the nation and insisted that the problems will come, not from the results of faulty software and hardware, but, from the *OVER* reaction of the populace in response to the imagined dilemma.

now 54 days out from d-day and he is 'suggesting' modest preparations!

we have been had. sold down the river. left out to dry. duped.

as a result... the people of this nation are in 'deep, deep, shit.'

i stopped posting to this forum and elsewhere about four months ago as i felt further talk was futile... even at that point it was too late for the entire country to prepare adequately.

... and now at the midnight hour the 'official position' will be we advised modest preparations all along.

it is so strange... all of a sudden regional and nationwide food chains are advertising preparations for y2k and selling CASES of vegetables for a three day storm!!!

when was the last time your grocery stores advocated the general population buy cases of vegetables and large supplies of batteries and flashlights for a 3 day storm?

that is what is going on out there... it is as though someone threw a switch somewhere around the beginning of november...

and yet, there are those out there who would have us believe that this is synchronicity. and before this is all over 'THEY' will be say that 'THEY' had been warning us all alone.

we have 52 days left. my position on the nuclear power plants has not changed, we are indeed in a terrible situation on many fronts and still we have those who, on a good day, could not fight their way out of a wet paper bag, determining the fate of our nation.

this whole affair makes me violently ill.

we are indeed a nation of followers.

where have all the leaders gone?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

In order for the citizens of the U.S. to have accurate information on Y2K in their hands, they have to have internet access, and must be actively searching for that information. Our government says almost nothing about Y2k directly to the general population. As a result, people assume that "no news is good news", and anything said by people who really are informed is disregarded as "doomer news". If the leaders of the federal (and state) governments had been more forthcoming about the realities of Y2K months ago, then we wouldn't be seeing the almost complete failure of Americans to prepare.

I'm not an expert on Y2K, but I have a college degree, am able to discern between good/bad research, have a degree of common sense, and have spent hundreds of hours reading government and corporate reports. Because of the government's non-spin --publicly, anyway-- I'm regarded as a nut instead of a resource. As soon as the topic is brought up, it's discounted, the ears are closed, and I'm a fool. There are a few people who see my research and are willing to listen, but they generally already acknowledge that they didn't vote for our president in either election, and were hesitant to trust what comes out of Washington anyway.

Menno, I hope that the leaders in the Netherlands have been more forthcoming with the truth than our leaders have been.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

Ann, I have a different opinion of the Internet as a Y2K information source. I believe that the Internet fulfills its promise of delivering vast quantites of information easier and faster than any other medium. Anyone can publish to this medium, and many do. As a result, the quality of published information on the Internet, on AVERAGE, is far poorer than traditional media outlets.

Y2K is a good case in point. I would estimate well over 90% of the websites devoted to Y2K present (and almost always repeat) totally inaccurate information regarding Y2K. Basically, on the Internet, you are more likely to be MORE informed, but far more MISINFORMED regarding Y2K than from tradtional sources. On average, the information is rumors, exagerations, conjecture, and OLD speculations. On the Internet, Y2K is a "crisis" and the expectations of significant problems are high (although decreasing every month as the hype is dealt with).

In real life, Y2K is being resolved, and it will not bring the forcasted disasters, loss of millons of jobs, a stock market crash, or any other of the Y2K lies from profiteers selling one year rations for a family of four, etc.

On the other hand, many Y2K facts ARE on the Internet, in the detailed industry reports (not the releases, read the documents themselves), in the Senate Report, etc.

Let me ask some of you this - why do some of you get ANGRY at John Koskinen? Do you truly think he is lying and "knows better"? Koskinen knows what I and others who are technically competent and actually working on the problem know - there are some problems, but most are minor, and only a small number of moderate to serious problems will occur in Y2K.

Those of us who continue to follow Y2K have less than two months to get a new hobby - this "crisis" ends in January, 2000.

Regards,

Regards,

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

Gawd FactFinder,

You sure do paint with a broad brush. But I love it when you talk dirty like that!

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

FactFinder, You may be right from a teck view, but from a: living, paying the bills, business, and getting electricity to home view the y2k hobby will be just getting started.

With Hope, Richard Hurley

-- Anonymous, November 10, 1999

Factfinder,

I too wonder why there is so much anger with Mr. Koskinen. I think he is doing his job the best he can in the situation he is in.

Can you all imagine doing his job under an employer like Mr. Clinton?

I sure hope you are right Factfinder but I sure wouldn't put much money on your position.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 1999

FactFinder,

You'd better inform John Koskinen that , as you put it, "this crisis ends in January, 2000," before he provides any more false testimony to Congress.

The following is from URL http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991105/tc/yk_usa_2.html

"John Koskinen, Clinton's Y2K czar, told Congress that one of the most troubling Y2K myths 'is the notion that January 1 is a seminal date on which everything, or nothing, Y2K-related will occur.'

In testimony to a joint hearing of House of Representatives subcommittees, Koskinen said Y2k problems 'can happen any time a computer that is not Y2K-compliant comes into contact with a Year 2000 date -- before or after January 1.'

Koskinen, chairman of the President's Council on Year 2000 conversion, said experts would have to monitor automated systems 'well into the new year for flaws in billing and financial cycles and possible slow degradations in service.' "

Similar statements were attributed to Koskinen on page A13 of the November 5, 1999 WASHINGTON POST.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 1999

I am angry with John Koskinen because he has PR firms spinning exactly the message he wants the public to get. The message is: "Everything is OK." I told him that on the biweekly teleconference a week ago. He maintained that he and his publications are telling people to prepare.

I pointed out to him that his latest booklet tells people to prepare for a long weekend. His stuff used to say, "Prepare as though for a winter storm."

When I prepare for a longe holiday weekend, I buy hambuger and chips. I don't buy a woodstove and kerosene lamps for a long weekend. I don't save 2 liter soda bottles and put water in them for a holiday weekend.

I am angry at Koskinen because he is getting exactly the result from the American people that he and his PR firms intend(confirmed by Janet Abrams at the WDCY2K meeting that they have PR firms).

They are risking lives by sending the message that anyone who prepares for Y2K is a nut or selfish.

Have you looked at their latest brochure?

www.y2kkitchen.com

-- Anonymous, November 13, 1999

Meno  From xBob

Good observations.

I have missed youall, and am now back on line after a number of weeks spent at my family home trying to convince them to prepare better for y2k.

Finally, at least got them to get a few hundred pounds of rice and beans from Sams Club, and some extra things just in case. They still think I am nuts, however, and did it finally just to humor me. So now they have some guns, ammo, food, medicine, water, hand water pump, and a generator and a little fuel. They can now survive better if we get another hurricane in Florida.

I am amazed and mystified, however, at the total lack of awareness and concern of y2k in the general public which is generated by our government and our media.

Those of us with internet access who follow the news on the alternative media sites sort of laugh at the limited news coverage in the major media, however, when you dont have the net at all, it becomes REALLY SCARY  at the lies, deception and misleading things which our government and media do.

For example  I saw much about our government surpluses and how to spend these gigantic sums of free money. Finally I get back on the net and go to the US Treasury depts web site, where the actual numbers are listed:

http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdpenny.htm

To find out that our surplus this past fiscal year has increased our national debt by $130 billion last fiscal year and nearly $5 billion so far this fiscal year (beginning 1 Oct).

The lies and deceptions are bold, total, and quite successful.

Meno  on your quote from Koskinen:

But Koskinen told the House members that his personal goal is to "have the American public "FEEL that they know everything I know about Y2K." 

Please note that I capitalized feel  to make the point of this perfect clintonian student  Kosikinen, master of deception and misdirection. This technique has become a feature of this administration, and you will find it in many public statements  check it out.

This really tells it all  his goal is NOT to inform the public, but to make the public THINK that they are informed, in other words, to DECEIVE the public.

Just as our Fearless Liar declared  I did not have sexual relations yada yada, and his press secretary the following day declared that clinton had been perfectly clear in what had happened in his relationship with Monica and we were all well informed.

FactFinder  try going without the internet and this and other forums  you will be in Hog Heaven. Nearly everyone in the government and press agrees with you.

Be of good cheer FactFinder  our Fearless Liar is raising our chocolate ration from 2 1/2 ounces per month to 1 1/2 ounces per month (courtesy of George Orwell, 1984) (meaning everythings great for y2k), just as about a year ago, his health department said Americans are too fat and he cut the standard weight tables  that way he can raise our food ration if we run short in y2k and must ration food.

FactFinder  why do you even bother with the internet, since it is so full of mis-infomation?  It seems everything you need and believe is published in the mass media, just like our glorious surpluses are published, without clarification  as direct repetitions and quotes of our politicians truths.

Remember to paraphrase Lincoln  You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can fool all of the press all of the time.

Heres to the press  our stupidest and laziest profession.

Remember clinton  the great defender of the constitution.

And kosikinen and clinton  all our utilities and government systems are y2k OK.

And remember Peter Pan and Wendy  how do you fly? You must just believe and think good and happy thoughts.

From just another  dont worry, be happy guy who can fly: xBob

-- Anonymous, November 14, 1999