Good Evening All!

Here's a couple of emails forwarded to all staff in Prince George, BC:

1. THIS ONE IS FROM THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND...

As you are all well aware we are fast approaching the new millenium. The implications for computer systems have been widely reported. I am very pleased with the state of readiness that is being reported both nationally and provincially.

For the Ministry of Forests, this means that we are now entering the final phase of the internal Y2K project that started three years ago. My predecessor had the foresight to set up Y2K coordinators for all the ministry offices. They, along with many of their colleagues, have managed to take us to a good state of readiness for the Y2K rollover. The IMG has also worked very hard to ensure that our central information technology is ready and in accordance with the provincial transition plan.

I would like to take this opportunity not only to thank all of you involved for your very hard work, but also to ask you for that final effort to ensure the success of this project. If you are aware of anything that is a concern, please bring this to the attention of your local Y2K coordinator or management.

A plan has been produced for the actual rollover period and each office has been requested to form an evaluation team. The primary focus of this team will be on January 2nd. Identified staff across the ministry will come into work and together with IMG staff evaluate our information technology. Appropriate reporting will be provided to the provincial Action 2000 team and to the ministry executive.

I ask you to give support to these teams by not coming back into your work environment after you leave on December 31st until normal business resumes on January 4th, unless you are a member of a Y2K evaluation team. This will allow your colleagues to work through a controlled set of tests without any worry of interruption or any fear that someone may have inadvertently introduced a problem. Please check with your local management or Y2K coordinator if you have any concerns.

Every effort has been made to protect Ministry of Forests workstations and servers from the continuous onslaught of computer viruses. Although vigilance is required on a daily basis, Y2K will increase the risk. Many of you have home computers and I encourage you to ensure that they are protected. This is essential for staff who exchange data and documents between home and work. Please ensure that you have installed the most current antivirus tools which have been made available through our antivirus software license agreement. Installation instructions can be obtained from the Ministry of Forests Intranet (http://wwwinternal.for.gov.bc.ca/isb/security/virus/) as well as from your local systems staff.

Thank you all again for your continued support as we implement the Y2K Rollover Plan.

Lee Doney Deputy Minister Ministry of Forests

2. THIS ONE IS LOCAL MANAGEMENT...

-----Original Message----- From: Lear, Rik FOR:EX Sent: Monday, December 13, 1999 9:44 AM To: FOR RPG DPG Staff List Subject: Y2K and our Vehicles

As part of our own Y2K preparations all vehicle operators are asked to ensure that the following takes place prior to Dec 31st 1999, or prior to staff leaving on annual leave. Each FS unit must be filled with gas to the full level and each unit should be parked and plugged in case the weather turns cold over the New Years weekend. Please ensure that you take care of these 2 issues. There should be enough plug-ins available for all of our units as a result of our last vehicle downsizing. Thanks for your cooperation in advance, Rik.

Sincerely Rik Lear Services Coordinator Prince George Forest District 565-6737 Rik.Lear@gems8.gov.bc.ca

FWIW folks...

-- (Kurt.Borzel@gems8.gov.bc.ca), December 16, 1999

Answers

Plug-ins -- that reminds me. Every parking meter in Timmins, Ontario, has an electrical outlet to plug in a block heater. Minus 40 deg. F. (= minus 40 deg. C.) is routinely reached in the winter months (most years).

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), December 16, 1999.

Thanks for all the info you share, Kurt.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), December 17, 1999.

Ditto A&L Kurt, If you're ever at RENDEZVOUS, look me up will ya? I'd love to get your take on the difference between Brown and Grizzly bears, as well as many other campfire stuff!

Oh by the way, Rendezvous is my escape hatch, back door, emergency exit, security blanket, or what ever. It is the sweet water drink of a tired and thirsty man, doing his level best to survive. I've been alone a lot in my life, even surrounded by humanimals [g AL]. This journey has been no different. So finding this place to gather thoughts, wits, and courage, has been my cyber rendezvous. I imagine a place where we survivors gather once in a while, to share a bit of fun and frivolity, before returning back to our hooches, and raising up kids with truth, morals, and most of all .. love.

I expect any day now, that this current Rendezvous will come to an end. Sadly I will return to apostolic hermitage, but you Yourdanites will be constantly in my thoughts.

I have learned much, and I hope that I have had an opportunity to nudge a little here and there. I have learned that freedom cannot be measured in the stores one managed to set aside, but rather in the ability to sustain a level of decency and pride and forgivness, even while faced with hard times.

You can take a (wo)mans belongings, but you can never take his name, or his word away from him, he has to give those things up. Let's just not give up, OK?

Any suggestions for a post CDC RENDEZVOUS? OK, I CAN"T RESIST..... ""YAHHHOOOOO..... RENDEZVOUS!!!!!"""[gol]

Respectfully

Michael

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), December 17, 1999.