Time-line for last weekend in 1999?

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I have a question that I have been wondering about. I haven't had time to make it completely through the archives yet, perhaps it has been covered there. I am wondering, geographically, where the problems will first be detected. I understand that not all problems will occur exactly at midnight, some months sooner and some months later.

My concern is that the media will be watching for disruptions very closely during those hours and report anything suspect, y2k related or not. If problems surface out of this country first, as they surely will, USA's level of preparedness will not matter. Panic exhibited in December by empty grocery shelves will pale in comparison to the remainder of this particular weekend. Similarly, any isolated power outages, small or large on the east coast, will give west coasters ample time to get worked into a frenzie prior to midnight.

Could someone refer me to this information, or explain some sort of "time-line" during this time frame? Thank you so much.

-- Lilly (somewhere@some.level), March 26, 1999

Answers

Lilly,

The first major country to enter the year 2000 will be New Zealand. Australia will enter 2000 two hours after New Zealand, and then Japan will an hour after that. New Zealand will enter 2000 at 6 AM or 7 AM (can't remember which) Eastern Time on December 31.

Senator Bob Bennett has suggested using the time zone differential as a kind of early warning for the U.S. Embedded system failures that might happen are likely to occur near January 1. It could give an advanced warning on such things as hazardous materials accidents.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), March 26, 1999.


The international air traffic control system is set to GMT (British Time). Midnight in London is 7 pm in East US, 6 pm in Central, and 4 pm in West Coast US. This might be a time when there are problems with air navigation or instrumentation.

I have this fantasy that CNN or someone will have live satelite images from Japan and elsewhere, so we can all see the cities going black from the international time zone going west.

-- David Holladay (davidh@brailleplanet.org), March 26, 1999.


"I have this fantasy that CNN or someone will have live satelite images from Japan and elsewhere, so we can all see the cities going black from the international time zone going west. "

Typical GI fantasy..."ooh, I can harldy wait til the world ends...

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), March 26, 1999.


David -

Think this is what ABC is planning to do from NY - Times Square. 27 hours of coverage as the "New Day" advances around the world. Also heard that CNN was going to do essentially the same thing - starting in Guam and working East following from Guam to N.Z.,Australia, Japan and Hong Kong on around the world. Some people have called the time frame from N.Z. the "17 hour window". I know of at least one Emergency Preparedness Agency that plans to watch and if bad problems start popping in the Far East, they will start calling out their people.

Here's hoping you have a good dream...

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), March 26, 1999.


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