GORE??? The Father of the Internet??? Why not Clinton? Oh that's right, he'll be too busy partying at the Mall...

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Tuesday, December 28, 1999

Story last updated at 7:10 p.m. on Monday, December 27, 1999

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The White House's top Y2K adviser will report regularly to Vice President Al Gore this weekend as part of a multimillion-dollar effort to monitor computer problems in this country and abroad.

John Koskinen, head of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said yesterday it was decided that Gore will be the White House contact on Y2K developments because ''he has been historically monitoring this issue.''

Koskinen also will be briefing President Clinton through the week, officials said.

The council's Information Coordination Center begins 24-hour operations on Thursday, collecting data on possible Y2K computer problems from about 180 countries and all 50 states. It will stay in operation through March, after the Feb. 29 leap year date, which could pose related computer problems.

Koskinen said the first focus of attention will be New Zealand, which will reach midnight at 6 a.m. EST. Of key interest is whether computer problems affect any of that country's basic public services such as power, telecommunications, air traffic control or local transportation.

He also stressed again, however, that while some countries may experience computer-related problems in the coming weeks and months, both private and public sectors in the United States have prepared well to assure that services will not be interrupted. Problems could occur in some older computers that read only the last two digits of a date and could mistake 2000, or ''00,'' for 1900.

Koskinen's office has succeeded in calming some public fears about Y2K-related breakdowns in basic services, he said. ''There is no reason for anyone to disrupt their lives in any way,'' he said.

One problem for the council, Koskinen said, will be to determine which reports of disruptions are Y2K-related and which are not. For example, about 1 percent of ATM machines normally are out of service, and people shouldn't immediately conclude that a malfunctioning ATM machine has a Y2K bug.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 28, 1999

Answers

I can see it now....

John K: Al, just checking in

Al: John, the power is out and it's dark in here, I'm getting nervous.

John K: Al, you have a generator back up, flip the light switch on.

Al: That's much better, thanks. What else is going on?

John K: The entire eastern seaboard is blacked out, but don't worry. You prepared for the 3 days like I said didn't ya?

Al: Yes, but I wanted to watch football today, will they still play?

John K: Will get back to you later on that sir.

Al: What should I do now?

John K: Do you have that laptop I sent over?

Al: Yes, I just turned it on.

John K: Go to start, programs, accessories, are ya with me Al?

Al: Start? I don't have a key that says "start". Wait, oh the box in the bottom left, I got it.

John: Now click on games, freecell.

Al: Not freecell, that's too hard!

John K: OK, click on hearts then.

Al: Don't tell anyone, but I put the name in as "The Prez"

John K: OK, I'll call you later about the football.

Al: Thanks John.

-- Bill (bill@tinfoil.com), December 28, 1999.

Bill,

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!1

My coworkers think I've lost it...

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 28, 1999.