I don't think we need the whole BBC web site posted to this forum - just the link: www.bbc.co.uk/news would do I think.

Of course I could be wrong...

-- Just (asking@question.com), August 26, 1999

Answers

If that's where we can get accurate info, breaking it out is fine by me.

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), August 26, 1999.

To Just:

You are wrong, dead wrong. What this collection of articles, gathered together, shows is an appalling pattern of irresponsibility around the world.

-- Peter Errington (petere@ricochet.net), August 26, 1999.

I imagine if these articles did not support the sysops point of view they would be quickly deleted.

-- Y2K Pro (y2kpro1@hotmail.com), August 26, 1999.

Well geeeeeeeeez, if old geezer git has the stamina to post at that stuff, I say let him/her do it. You know what they say about keeping on old geezers mind active.

-- anti-chainsaw (tree@hugger.com), August 26, 1999.

Pro, it's even possible that they support your veiw, but it would take more than your imagination to find out.

-- KoFE (your@town.USA), August 26, 1999.

History at this forum shows that if Old Git posts something, it is relevent. If you don't like it, don't read it.

-- an Old Git fan (rcarver@inacom.com), August 26, 1999.

I'm glad to know y2k pro can imagine!

Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don't upset us

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), August 26, 1999.

I think that was a good BBC series on what is happening around the world. Remember these are our trading partners. We do not live in a vacuum in the US, and our economy depends very much on theirs. Can you say, "global depression"?

BTW, Old Git, the Kenya piece contained a repeat of the Italian analysis. What is going on with Kenya? Thanks for all your effort!

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), August 26, 1999.

I like bbc and ole git!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), August 26, 1999.

Old Git,

Keep posting that news, and ignore those who can't comprehend the relevance. We don't get solid news from our own media. The British news has been more on target and current than what I find here in the US. World events are what will trigger the recession, so let's stay on top of that scene. Thanks.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 26, 1999.

Thanks to all of you for your kind remarks. Sometimes I wonder if the more inventive trolls post provocative sentiments just so that we waste time defending ourselves and each other, rather than doing what we should be doing--infecting others with our meme! Oh, sorry, had a bit of a troll attack; it's all right, it's gone now.

Sorry about the Italian/Kenyan screw-up. The Kenya info appears below. If you go to this site, you'll find a box about Y2K in other countries. The main URL takes you to the BBC's UK status site. It's worth a trip, there's more info and good links there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/millennium_bug/bugtown/default .stm

(Er, the hotlink provided by Just doesn't take you to anything BBC-related.)

Kenya faces potential power-supply problems over the New Year as the millennium bug takes effect. Despite being ahead of most other African countries, independent surveys show Y2K preparations lag behind more developed countries. One big problem facing Kenya is computer dumping. Many businesses rely on second hand computers, imported from Europe. Many are old, reconditioned machines that are not Year 2000 compliant - but few companies can afford new machines.

Government efforts

The Kenyan government started taking steps to eliminate the bug in October 1997, with the launch of a taskforce to look into the effect of the millennium bug within government ministries and departments. Then in November 1998 the Kenya Year 2000 National Co-ordination Initiative was launched.

The taskforce has been looking at private and public sectors, with the aim of making them all millennium compliant. Despite being commended by a leading American taskforce, it looks likely that full compliance will not be achieved in time and contingency plans are being made in the event of problems.

But many sectors rely on gas and electrical supplies so there is a huge potential for disruption, which would damage the country's economy.

Used to problems

The consolation for Kenya is that power cuts are not uncommon and many shops and businesses, particularly in Nairobi, have back-up generators to keep computers and electronic tills working.

Another potential problem for Kenya is health care. The health ministry has estimated there are about 200 computers and many items of medical equipment that could be affected.

According to a government report, most private hospitals have eliminated the Y2K bug. But in the public sector, doctors and nurses have been advised to decide on back-up plans in case a particular piece of medical equipment fails.

And one long-term problem is the worry that laboratory testing equipment and ultrasound scanners may have problems well into the new year.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), August 26, 1999.

I can sympathize with Y2KPro. So much information -- so little consolation -- it's not easy to deal with when you just wish the whole damn mess would go away.

It would be much more restful for Y2KPro simply to avoid sources of acute discomfort, such as this Forum. Continuing to return here may suggest that something more than one individual's pro bono effort is involved.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), August 26, 1999.

The difference in what subjects are covered and the attitude towards the subject (world-wide and incident-based from the UK ireports, and government-spun "conclusions" and "sound bites" and "predictions" from the US media). The US media are unifirmly "concluding" and "advising" what to do, not reporting the facts (and uncertainities), not investigating the background information given them about the subject, and are presentign "headlines" that mask the actual information deep inside the reports.

Now, what's reporting, and what's propaganda?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 26, 1999.

So much doesn't come out here, we need to get it from overseas. Too bad we are still so isolationist. Thanks, OG.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 26, 1999.

Warning to trolls and pollies:

Git your hands off our Old Git!

-- Sandmann (Sandmann@alasbab.com), August 26, 1999.

Golly Y2K Pro,

The fact that you still post, and post, and post here, even though you think Y2K is a bump might be indicative of the Sysops broad Y2K tolerance range... ya think?

Go... Git... Go!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), August 26, 1999.

aking of the BBC site, here's the headline in the Business section for the Friday 8/27 edition:

Y2K bug warning for software firms
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/the_economy/ newsid_431000/431250.stm

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), August 26, 1999.