From tomorrow's Washington Post:

Y2K
Mixed Millennium Message--on Purpose
By Stephen Barr

Tuesday, November 30, 1999; Page A27

John A. Koskinen, the president's top adviser on the Year 2000 computer problem, calls it the "mixed message."

The Clinton administration confidently forecasts that the nation will not face major breakdowns because of Y2K, but then urges communities and individuals to prepare for potential electronic disruptions.

The administration's goal is not to send conflicting signals but to cajole the public into preparing for possible interruptions in public services, no matter how unlikely, that might occur as computers start processing the 2000 calendar date on New Year's Day.

"Everybody ought to understand that there are no 100 percent guarantees in Y2K," Koskinen said earlier this month when the White House released its last report on the so-called millennium bug.

"As you know, in Washington, when the snow emergency announcement comes at 10 in the morning, that's when people go to the store. So we have an important message, we think, which is prepare appropriately, but prepare early," Koskinen said.

To encourage "Y2K preparedness," the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, which is chaired by Koskinen, recommends:

* Maintain at least a three-day supply of food and water (one gallon per person per day), as you would for any long holiday weekend or forecast of stormy weather.

* Review items that are critical to your family or services required by family members with special needs, such as infants and persons with disabilities.

* Develop a list of phone numbers for hospitals, police and fire departments and neighbors.

* Make sure you have flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first-aid kit and other emergency supplies.

* Keep copies of important records, such as bank and financial statements, medical and prescription drug information, in the weeks before and after Jan. 1. Check receipts for accuracy and compare against statements.

* Withdraw only as much cash as you would for any holiday weekend. Large amounts of cash may invite theft.

* Refill prescription medications when you have a five-to-seven-day supply remaining. If you have Y2K questions about your health care needs, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

* Keep your automobile gas tank above half full, as you would in preparation for a winter storm.

* Check with manufacturers to see if electronic equipment in your home is Y2K-ready, especially personal computers, security systems and programmable thermostats.

* Use the telephone and Internet only as necessary on Jan. 1. Checking dial tones and engaging in long conversations could create delays similar to those on Mother's Day.

* Beware of Y2K scams. Be skeptical if someone tries to sell you a product, service or investment that is "Y2K-safe."

For information about the Year 2000 computer problem, there is a toll-free line at the president's council, 1-888-872-4925, as well as the council's Web site, www.y2k.gov.

Techies Are Optimistic

Thirty-nine percent of technology experts responding to a poll believe Y2K is a "nonevent" but still plan to have some extra food and cash at home for the New Year's weekend. An additional 36 percent agreed Y2K amounts to a nonevent and do not plan on stockpiling supplies.

The poll, released yesterday, showed most technology experts were Y2K optimists. The respondents expect that about 2 percent of the critical computer systems in their organizations may malfunction or fail because of Y2K glitches, according to the poll.

The survey, based on 1,212 computer experts who work for the financial industry, large corporations and governments, was conducted by CIO magazine, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association and economist Ed Yardeni's Y2K Center.

Tiny Utilities Freeze Themselves Out

Will they be left out in the cold? Only 13 small municipal utilities serving 1,937 customers have yet to provide their Y2K readiness to their trade association, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson reports. The 13 electric power providers are scattered through Arizona, California, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio. Elsewhere, the utilities are "99.9 percent" ready, Richardson said.

Va. Lawmaker Fears Benefit Glitches

Asked at a recent news conference to describe what most worried him about Y2K, Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) said he feared glitches could delay benefit checks to people enrolled in federal programs and create more constituent case work for Capitol Hill offices.

Despite extensive Y2K fixes and tests by the government, Davis said, "there will be a lot of people inconvenienced, and it may mean for people who are living paycheck to paycheck, that all of a sudden that check doesn't come on time."

If benefit and entitlement checks get delayed, "they're going to be calling our offices like crazy," Davis said. "It's going to be a lot of work for the congressional offices."

) Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

-- John Whitley (jwhitley@inforamp.net), November 29, 1999

Answers

"Only 13 small municipal utilities serving 1,937 customers have yet to provide their Y2K readiness"

1937 customers ....... that means an average of only 149 customers for each of these 13 utilities!!

Why am I having trouble believing this???

-- Sheila (sross@bconnex.net), November 29, 1999.

Sheila,

A most excellent observation.

-- GoldReal (GoldReal@aol.com), November 30, 1999.

"As you know, in Washington, when the snow emergency announcement comes at 10 in the morning, that's when people go to the store. So we have an important message, we think, which is prepare appropriately, but prepare early," Koskinen said.

Nice. Now that it is finally too late to do anything.

-- Clyde (clydeblalock@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

75% of the techies do not see y2k as an event. Hmmm. Despite all of your claims about government spin, that stat is the most telling. Thanks for the post. It just reaffirms my own suspicions.

-- Bad Company (johnny@shootingstar.com), November 30, 1999.

"prepare appropriately, but prepare early"

Today we're subversive wackos. Tomorrow we're responsible, community minded patriots. Huzzah!

"Large amounts of cash may invite theft"

What, it phones Burglars-R-Us while you're not looking?

"maintain at least a three-day supply of food and water as you would for any long holiday weekend"

Guesses as to how high "at least" will go? And I don't recall my water ever going off due to any holiday weekend.

"Keep copies of bank statements. ... Withdraw only as much cash as you would for any holiday weekend"

Reconcile these two statements. Someone, please.

"Be skeptical if someone tries to sell you a product, service or investment that is "Y2K-safe.""

Wetting myself with laughter. A service, just for example, like a utility company might provide?

The dance of disclaimers and blame shifting and "told you so" steps up a gear. Mmmm, love it.

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

While it's true that folks tend to storm the doors of the grocery stores for milk and bread when the snow storm watch is announced...the people aren't confused by conflicting messages.

Here are the items you may want to stock if the snow storm hits (list the items)

BUT...it's prob. not going to hit your area anyway.

I wonder how many would bother to go to the store and stock up on the batteries and such then.

beej

-- beej (beej@ppbbs.com), November 30, 1999.

Utilities provide what? "Trust us" statements, even if they have a criminal history as per Pacific Greed and Electric? And what about tiny utility south of me, serving a few rural customers. Their main main said they were OK, as long as the electricity from PG&E kept coming through the tranmission lines! "Trust us," we have done no real test, we can't do a real test until Dec.31/Jan 1. Thank you white fathers in Washington!

-- johno (jobriy2k@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

Johnny, so what? 99% of the world thought of Hitler as jesus incarnate. most people supported him until he ravaged Europe ans slaghtered millions. What's your point?

-- Crono (Crono@timesend.com), November 30, 1999.

Prepare for 3 days?? That's two packages of mac n cheese, a quart of milk, three eggs, a hamburger steak, a cup of peas and two cups of broccoli, six slices of bread, and two bagels, and four tablespoons of ground coffee. Hmmm...what's wrong with this picture? Most (middle class) homes in the US, according to Red Cross, have enough supplies on hand to last about 2 weeks. And they want us to prepare for three days???

-- Liz Pavek (lizpavek@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Crono, stop sniffing the glue just long enough to understand that those of you who'd want to either paint some correlation to Nazi Germany or that there is some great conspiracy in all of this are running out of time...and ideas. This idea takes the cake. If you'd like to debate history, by all means bring it on...but to declare that 99% of the world thought Hitler was the return of Christ smacks of new age revisionism and is patently false.

The difference between the two events is mindnumbing, even to those who have little knowledge of history, yet the simple truth IS that if most techies believe the story is a non-event...99% is a large majority, Mein Herr...then it probably IS a non-event, or something approaching it. That's the point. Laymen and the anxiety-riddled masses can speculate and opine about grand conspiracies. warped minds can paint illicit contrasts only conjured up to stir emotional response, but the truth---and the point--remains.

Continually calling info worthless, spin or conspiratorial is growing a bit old, isn't it?

-- Bad Company (johnny@shootingstar.com), November 30, 1999.