# # # 19981228 -- Reviews ... Regards, Bob Mangus # # #

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@mail.netquest.com), December 28, 1998

Answers

# # # 19981228

SSA is 100% OK! Any bets on this?

This ( ~10 minute ) speech will re-play on C-SPAN II this ( Monday ) evening at 7:00PM ( ET ).

Regards, Bob Mangus # # #

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@mail.netquest.com), December 28, 1998.

You can find the press release at http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov

Just click on "Today's releases".

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), December 28, 1998.

Thanks, Robert Mangus. This just popped up on AP Breaking News:

Clinton says Social Security system ready for Year 2000

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Social Security Administration has completed its preparations for the Year 2000, ensuring the government's ability to deliver benefit checks to millions of Americans into the new millennium without computer problems, President Clinton announced today.

``The millennium bug will not delay the payment of Social Security checks by a single day,'' Clinton said in a White House ceremony.
``The Social Security system is now 100 percent compliant with our standards and safeguards for the year 2000,'' the president said. ``To make absolutely certain, the system has been tested and validated by a panel of independent experts. The system works. It is secure, and therefore older Americans can feel more secure.''

Kathy Adams, the Social Security Administration's assistant deputy commissioner for systems, said it took 2,800 workers, including 700 programmers, to ensure the agency's computers are ready for the year 2000.

Clinton said the potential disruptions on Jan. 1, 2000 go well beyond the Social Security system.
``This involves not just federal agencies, but everyone who depends upon a computer, which is everyone, directly or indirectly,'' Clinton said. ``Federal and state governments and local governments, businesses large and small - the year 2000 problem reveals the connections between all of us.''
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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), December 28, 1998.

Sounds good on the face of it, but without electricity, telecommunications, USPS, and banks..........

-- Alive in 2001 (Outthere@somewhere.com), December 28, 1998.

Good for the SSA! But what about Welfare checks? It's not the seniors that I'm worrying about rioting....

-- James Bagga Wheat (james@att.net), December 28, 1998.

At least my mom will breathe easier, for a year at least.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 28, 1998.

# # # 19981228

James Bagga Wheat: I concur! It's the Welfare recipients AND the 17 million(!) federal employees ( including dependent, off-budget economic tiers ).

Diane: How convenient and timely(?); give the largest voting constituancy ( false ) "peace of mind" for less resistance to whatever comes doen the federal Y2K-pike.

Hmmm ... I smell something rotten in the Y2K-air.

... When will the "jackboots" start hitting the Y2K-ground? ...

Administrative abrogation of "Posse Comitatus" ...

Regards, Bob Mangus # # #

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@mail.netquest.com), December 28, 1998.

(Warning -- Long Post)

Clintons Y2K comments highlighted from this mornings announcement. Now the Y2K after Christmas rush begins! And the digging behind-the- public-statements for the truth of the matter intensifies. -- Diane

http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/ 1998/12/28/8.text.1

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary __________________________________________ For Immediate Release December 28, 1998

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT SOCIAL SECURITY AND Y2K EVENT

Room 450 Old Executive Office Building

10:35 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: ... You know, this Y2K problem is a stunning problem ...

... We just heard that the new millennium is only 368 days away. And we want it to be a carefree celebration. The reason we're here today is to announce that on New Year's Day 2000, and on every day that follows, people like Pauline can rest easy because the millennium bug will not delay the payment of Social Security checks by a single day.

The Social Security system is now 100 percent compliant with our standards and safeguards for the year 2000. To make absolutely certain, the system has been tested and validated by a panel of independent experts; the system works, it is secure. And therefore, older Americans can feel more secure.

I thank all those who are responsible. This is a good day for America. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

The Social Security Administration and the Financial Management Service can be proud. The Social Security Agency was the very first one to start work on the Y2K problem; it's been a leader and a model ever since. They couldn't have done it, these two agencies, if they hadn't worked as a team. Social Security generates the Social Security payments; the Financial Management Services issues those payments. They are in this together.

Indeed, we're all in this together. This involves not just federal agencies, but every one who depends upon a computer, which is every one directly or indirectly. Federal and state governments and local governments, businesses large and small, the year 2000 problem reveals the connections between all of us.

We also, I want to point out, have been working very hard with other countries -- Sally Katzen just told me that there was a meeting at the United Nations recently where we met with representatives of 120 other countries who are all now working together to solve this, because, as all of you know, a lot of our economy is tied up with economic endeavors throughout the world, so even a problem a long way from our shores can have ramifications within our borders. And of course, we don't want any of our friends and neighbors hurt by this change, either.

People are meeting this challenge, but I think a lot of people can still hardly imagine what caused this. I mean, computers, after all, are supposed to save us time, right? And I was describing this Y2K problem to Hillary, and she got so technophobic that I gave her a little digital alarm clock for Christmas and she gave it back to me after I talked to her about it, and she said, why don't you just go get me one that winds up that I can change in my hand. (Laughter.)

It happened, you know, because in the older computers the memory put on the chip was precious and much more limited than the phenomenal capacity of computer chips today, so that, in effect, they were all programmed, these older computers, just to change the last two digits on the four numbers of any date. And so what would happen is, when you get to the year 2000, it would show 1900 instead of 2000, because there is no provision for the 19 to go to 20, because of the limitations of memory in the older computer chips.

The problem is, obviously, that a lot of new computers are also interconnected with older computers and a lot of people can't even be sure what chips are in what computers and what links are there. That's what makes this labor-saving device of the computer present the most labor-intensive problem imaginable. Retired people have had to come back -- people with skills in working with the old computers have had to come back to help all kinds of businesses figure out how to unravel this problem. It sounds so simple, but it is so mammoth because you have to identify what computers and what chips are where and what the interconnections are.

And so it's an enormous, enormous effort, and we really, all of us, are so indebted to these people who have been recognized today with these two agencies, and to others all across the country who are working on this problem in the public and in the private sectors.

... And I would just ask the American people today to be very sensitive, because there are people like Kathy Adams working in all these agencies, in state and local government and all these businesses throughout the country, and they need to be encouraged. And those who have not yet undertaken this task need to get on it and get on it now because we just have a little more than a year to get the job done....

... Now, I don't want to minimize the problems [Social Security], and they're different from the Y2K problem. The Y2K problem, you know what to do to fix it once you identify it. ...

... The point I want to make to all of you is that we have the same obligation to fix the system in policy terms for the 21st century that these fine people we honor today have discharged in fixing the Y2K problem. And if we approach it with the same can-do attitude and the same determination to reach a result, we can achieve that.

See also...

http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/ 1998/12/28/7.text.1

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________ For Immediate Release December 28, 1998

PRESIDENT CLINTON: MAKING SOCIAL SECURITY "Y2K OK" December 28, 1998

THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM. The Year 2000 problem (Y2K) is a threat to information technology systems worldwide. It stems from the use in many computer systems of a two-digit dating method that assumes 1 and 9 are the first two digits of the year. Without programming changes, the systems will recognize 00 not as the Year 2000 but as the Year 1900, which could cause them either to shut down or to malfunction on January 1, 2000.

THE FEDERAL CHALLENGE. The Federal Government operates some of the world's largest, most complex computer systems and faces an enormous challenge in preparing for the century date change. Many of these systems play a key role in providing to millions of Americans key services such as veterans benefits, Medicare, student and small business loans, and Social Security.

President Clinton and Vice President Gore have challenged every Cabinet official to make fixing the Year 2000 problem in critical Federal systems and ensuring that key services continue without interruption their top management priority. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service (FMS) have responded to the challenge.

MAKING SOCIAL SECURITY "Y2K OK." SSA provides benefits to more than 48 million Americans under the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The agency has long been recognized as a leader within the Federal Government in preparing systems for the Year 2000. As of September 1998, all of SSA's benefits payments systems had been renovated, tested, implemented, and certified as Y2K compliant.

FMS maintains payment systems that each year make 860 million payments with a dollar value of more than $1 trillion on behalf of SSA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Internal Revenue Service, and other agencies. FMS systems issue more than 600 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments each year on behalf of SSA -- roughly 70 percent of all FMS payments.

SSA and FMS have worked together to ensure that the entire process for providing Social Security benefits -- from calculating benefits to making payments -- is ready for the century date change. In October 1998, FMS began to issue monthly Social Security payments on systems that had been fixed and tested while it awaited independent verification of its testing, test results, and documentation to ensure that these systems were, in fact, Year 2000 compliant.

INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION. Less than two weeks ago, the independent contractor informed FMS that monthly Social Security payment systems are indeed ready for the Year 2000 date change. This represents a critical step in Y2K work on these systems, and FMS will continue to test throughout 1999.

SOCIAL SECURITY -- Y2K OK. Now, critical Federal systems supporting the Social Security program at both SSA and FMS are ready for the 21st century and will be able to provide benefits without interruption to the Nation's seniors throughout 1999 and into the Year 2000.

PRESIDENT CLINTON: PREPARING CRITICAL FEDERAL SYSTEMS FOR THE YEAR 2000

The Federal Government operates some of the world's largest, most complex computer systems and faces an enormous challenge in preparing for the century date change. Many of these systems play a key role in providing millions of Americans key services such as veterans benefits, Medicare, student and small business loans, and Social Security.

MEETING THE YEAR 2000 CHALLENGE. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have challenged every Cabinet official to make fixing the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer problem in critical Federal systems and ensuring that key services continue without interruption their top management priority. The President and Vice President have also established an ambitious goal of ensuring that all critical Federal systems are Year 2000 compliant by March 31, 1999 -- months ahead of the end date for most private sector Y2K plans.

Agencies have accepted the challenge and have undertaken aggressive efforts to prepare their critical systems for the Year 2000. They are also sharing information on their progress with the public through quarterly reports on their Y2K efforts. Cabinet agencies that face the most significant Y2K challenges are required to submit monthly progress reports to the Office of Management and Budget. Each month, senior officials from these agencies also meet with the Chair of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion to review the steps they are taking to prepare systems for the new millennium.

MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS. While much work remains, agency efforts to prepare critical systems for the century date change are beginning to pay off. As of November 15, 1998:

61 percent of all critical Federal systems are now Y2K compliant, up from 27 percent a year ago.

90 percent of all critical Federal systems requiring repair work had been renovated, or fixed, and were being tested.

The Small Business Administration was the first agency to have completed Year 2000 work on all of its critical systems, ensuring that loans and other assistance to the Nation's 24 million small businesses will not be interrupted in January 2000.

At the Social Security Administration, 99 percent of critical systems were Y2K compliant. These systems support key programs like Social Security and Supplemental Security Income.

The Federal Aviation Administration had fixed more than 90 percent of its critical systems requiring repair work. Many of these systems are crucial to the Nation's air traffic control system.

The Department of Interior had posted a 50 percent increase in its number of Y2K compliant systems compared to the last quarter. The U.S. Geological Survey's National Seismic Network, which provides early warnings of earthquakes, was among the compliant systems.

The Department of Education's number of critical systems, many of which are critical to processing student loans, deemed Y2K compliant increased by more than one-third compared to the last quarter.

THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YEAR 2000 CONVERSION: PROMOTING ACTION ON THE Y2K PROBLEM

In February 1998, President Clinton established the Council on Year 2000 Conversion to coordinate the Federal Government's Year 2000 efforts and to promote action on the problem among public and private sector organizations. The Council conducts its outreach mission through more than 25 agency working groups that focus on areas ranging from energy to telecommunications to financial institutions.

SMALL BUSINESSES. The Council is working with the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Commerce Department, and other Federal agencies to encourage the Nation's 24 million small businesses, many of whom have done little to address the Y2K problem, to prepare their critical systems for the Year 2000.

Partnering With Financial Institutions, Major Industry Associations. SBA, which chairs the Council's Small Business Working Group, has mounted an aggressive outreach program to promote action on the problem among small and medium-sized businesses. SBA has enlisted the support of private-sector organizations like the American Insurance Association and major financial institutions like the Bank of America who have agreed to distribute SBA Y2K information to their members and customers.

National Y2K Action Week. In October 1998, the Council joined SBA and Commerce in launching "National Y2K Action Week," to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to take action on the Y2K problem. More than 300 Y2K educational events for small and medium-sized business managers were held at Federal field offices across the country. Advertisements appeared in post offices and in 250 major newspapers.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Americans rely on State and local governments for important services ranging from water treatment to emergency services. The Council has been working with key groups like the National Governors' Association, the National Association of Counties, and the National League of Cities to promote action on the problem among State and local governments.

National Governors' Association State Year 2000 Coordinators Conference. Working with the National Governors Association, the Council in July held a two-day conference with Year 2000 Coordinators from 45 States to discuss key Y2K challenges and the importance of Federal/State/local coordination on the problem. The Council Chair now participates in monthly conference calls with the State Year 2000 coordinators to discuss cooperative efforts between the Federal Government and the States.

Data Exchanges. Federal agencies are actively working with State and local governments to ensure that the data exchanges used to carry out important Federal programs such as Unemployment Insurance and Medicaid will be ready for the Year 2000.

INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION. The Council is working to encourage other nations to take action on the Y2K problem and to facilitate regional and international coordination of country Y2K efforts.

UN National Year 2000 Coordinators Meeting. The Council worked closely with the United Nations to organize this month the first-ever meeting of national Year 2000 coordinators from over 120 nations. Delegates discussed Y2K cross-border Y2K challenges in key infrastructure areas such as telecommunications and transportation and agreed to work together regionally to share information on their Y2K remediation and contingency planning efforts. The U.S. and the other nations that helped to organize the meeting also agreed to examine how these regional groups can coordinate Y2K activities on an international basis. ###

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 28, 1998.

This is good news in many ways. The SSA may actually, indeed be compliant based upon the independent verification, etc. and the President actually said something about Y2k and got airplay in the major newsmedia unlike his speech a few months ago.

I think this is the "grasping at straws" effort to start getting good news out regarding the governments progress. This is especially important for the government because of the looming 12/31/98 deadline and the slips that will come.

Also, it's the beginning of the push toward "we can get through this together". IMHO, we'll see a large marketing of the concepts of "we shall overcome" and "we can work through any problems".

I wish this speech would have been made about a year ago.

Mike ===============================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), December 28, 1998.

So let me get this right... A government agency which started to work on this problem in 1989, with a staff of over 2000 people was able to fix their systems in nine years.

What about the millions of businesses that start this month with their $50 software package from Office Max?

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), December 28, 1998.

I just feel like doing a mini "Gary North" on this one...

(from the President's remarks)

"... We just heard that the new millennium is only 368 days away. And we want it to be a carefree celebration...the millennium bug will not delay the payment of Social Security checks by a single day."

(You just heard this? Oh yea, Mr. President, you've been busy. It won't delay checks? Do you mean this literally? Beacause my understanding is that the SSA won't be delivering paper checks in 2000, all payments will be electronic. So in the literal sense, you may be correct. Is that what you mean, or does this cover electronic payments? They won't be delayed? How can you be sure?)

"The Social Security Agency was the very first one to start work on the Y2K problem; it's been a leader and a model ever since."

(They started in 1989 and finished in 1998. How does this bode for organizations that started in '96, '97, '98 or '99?)

"We also, I want to point out, have been working very hard with other countries -- Sally Katzen just told me that there was a meeting at the United Nations recently where we met with representatives of 120 other countries who are all now working together to solve this..."

(She JUST told you about the UN meeting? Oh yea, you were being IMPEACHED and were conducting a WAR the day of that meeting, you lying bastard...)

"...I was describing this Y2K problem to Hillary, and she got so technophobic..."

(That's probably because, from reading your description of the problem below, YOU SOUND LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT. But, she already knew that...)

(from the White House press release)

"THE FEDERAL CHALLENGE."

(I wouldn't call it a challenge. I would call it an OBLIGATION. We voted for you people)

"President Clinton and Vice President Gore have challenged every Cabinet official to make fixing the Year 2000 problem in critical Federal systems and ensuring that key services continue without interruption their top management priority. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service (FMS) have responded to the challenge."

(Does this mean that all the other federal agencies HAVE NOT responded to this challenge?)

"INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION. Less than two weeks ago, the independent contractor informed FMS that monthly Social Security payment systems are indeed ready for the Year 2000 date change."

(I keep hearing about this. Who was the "independent contractor" and how did they verify?)

"SOCIAL SECURITY -- Y2K OK. Now, critical Federal systems supporting the Social Security program at both SSA and FMS are ready for the 21st century and will be able to provide benefits without interruption to the Nation's seniors throughout 1999 and into the Year 2000."

(Gotta mollify that HUGE voting bloc. But what about the banks, etc?)

"MEETING THE YEAR 2000 CHALLENGE. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have challenged every Cabinet official to make fixing... The President and Vice President have also established an ambitious goal of ensuring that all critical Federal systems are Year 2000 compliant by March 31, 1999 -- months ahead of the end date for most private sector Y2K plans."

(There's that "challenge" again. The code doesn't care about "challenges" or "ambitious goals.")

Ooooops...gotta go, can't finish this now...you get the point...we'll be hearing lots of this kinda stuff now...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), December 28, 1998.

I've never been a believer in consipiracy theories. But I dont see how anyone who understands computers - can possibly read that speach by clinton and not believe in them. The Y2k Issue is the most costly, and serious issue of our time. He writes "gee i just found out there were only 368 days left" (less then 300 business days) .. and gee it had something to do with memory chips.. and gee we worked on it and got it fixed in this one area... so we can all rest assured it will be fine. This statement - what it really is - is the biggest and most honest warning we have had to date - it's the president of the usa saying - the big news of the day is not that dozens / hundreds / or a thousand of our critical systems are working - if they were i would be announcing that. No - this one system - is finally completed (we think) its the president of the usa telling the american people that the hundreds/ thousands of systems that were scheduled to be completed by 12/98 arent complete (like we didnt know that would happen) If you read his statement a few times - try reading it as a statment from a large corporation - to the board members. I am starting to worry - even more then I had been. I've always known those thousands claiming they'd be ready 12/98 wouldnt be ... but I didnt relize the president of the usa could announce that fact (whihc is what he did - he didnt announce a dozen ready systems or 100 ready systems or that the government has completed remidiation of most/ or all systems) This is being announced as good news...

-- Whitney (y2kwhit@aol.com), December 28, 1998.