[For educational use only] CNET Link White House creates new center for Y2K bug

By Erich Luening

Staff Writer, CNET News.com

June 15, 1999, 8:55 a.m. PT

update With less than 200 days left until the turn of the century, the White House has created a new center for addressing the Year 2000 technology problem. The Information Coordination Center will assist the Chair of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, John Koskinen, in addressing Year 2000 conversion problems both domestically and internationally, and will be part of the General Services Administration, according to a policy statement from the White House. At the direction of the chair, the ICC will assist in making preparations for information sharing and coordination within the federal government and key components of the public and private sectors, coordinating agency assessments of Y2K emergencies that could have an adverse affect on U.S. interests at home and abroad, and, if necessary, assisting federal agencies and the chair in reconstitution processes where appropriate. "The ICC is the council's arm for collecting information on how systems handle Y2K," said Jack Gribben, spokesman for the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. "It will gather information from not only government agencies, but industry and the international community as the Year 2000 approaches." The new body consists of officials from executive agencies, designated by agency heads under subsection, who have expertise in important management and technical areas, computer hardware, software or security systems, recon-stitution and recovery, and additional personnel hired directly or by contract, as required. The ICC will work with the Council and the Office of Management and Budget to assure that federal efforts to restore critical systems are coordinated with efforts managed by federal agencies acting under existing emergency response authorities. Koskinen has appointed retired Army Lieutenant General Peter Kind as director of the ICC. Kind has broad experience in communications, computer, acquisition, logistics, and maintenance support. He was the U.S. Army's Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications, and Information Systems from 1992 to 1994. In other news, the Senate today is expected to take up the "Y2K Act"--legislation that looks to limit lawsuits arising from the Year 2000 technology problem. Two alternative measures to the "Y2K Act" by Senate Democrats have been defeated, marking the first casualties in an ongoing debate surrounding a bill that looks to limit lawsuits caused by the Year 2000 technology problem. New kid in town...................

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 16, 1999

Answers

Apologize for the formatting; here's another article from CNNf n, same topic.

-- Lisa (lisa@onroad.now), June 16, 1999.

Thanks Lisa, here's a snip:

"The ICC will work with the Council and the Office of Management and Budget to assure that federal efforts to restore critical systems are coordinated with efforts managed by federal agencies acting under existing emergency response authorities. "

"Federal efforts to restore critical systems" , now there's something to ponder!!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), June 16, 1999.

And I thought they already had a Y2K commitee. I guess they didn't like the responses they were getting.

DJ

-- DJ (reality@check.com), June 16, 1999.

Probably most of the phone calls in the new center will go like this: "Yeah, I said 17%. That's right. Just take 17% of what's on your W-2 and send it in already. Thanks for letting us to serve you."

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 16, 1999.

Lisa,

You wrote: Probably most of the phone calls in the new center will go like this: "Yeah, I said 17%. That's right. Just take 17% of what's on your W-2 and send it in already. Thanks for letting us to serve you."

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 16, 1999.

Is that realistic? What would be so bad about that? It would mean that the phones were working...you would still have a job...you would still get a paycheck...you would have electricity...water...dare I say more.

Disclaimer: I have never told anyone not to prepare.

-- Peg (private@please.thanks), June 16, 1999.

17% is that all! Its a hell of a lot better then the nearly 50% I now pay to uncle sugar....

-- kozak (kozak@formerusaf.guv), June 16, 1999.

I see you are assuming you received a (valid/invalid but close/hopelessly inaccurate) W-2 from your (former/present/out-of-business) employer.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), June 16, 1999.

"He was the U.S. Army's Director of Information Systems for Command, Control,Communications, and Information Systems from 1992 to 1994.

Sound familiar?

-- Tom McDowell (bullriver@montana.com), June 17, 1999.

*Another* military guy put in charge of Y2K stuff! WhoooLookkeeeeee. We see pattern. Put all of it together. Um, folks, der is zee plan. Dis iz zee final clincher appointment. Is he c3i? Are you lurking here sir? We seeez dis plan now. Ooooooooooo, TS will HTF, writing on zee wall.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 17, 1999.

To the top so youz all can see 'n sweat. Now if this isn't enough to get the conspiracists in a lather what could be? Beyond coincidence, incident commander. Good morning!

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 17, 1999.

Mrs. Peg:

MMRRRRRRRGGGGMMMMMMMMMMMPPPHHHHH!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRMMMPPPPPPPHHHHHHH!

(Is this an offer of a truce, or something??? 'Twould be nice...)

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 17, 1999.

So, this is what they do for a BUMP? Right.

Koskinen has appointed retired Army Lieutenant General Peter Kind as director of the ICC. Kind has broad experience in communications, computer, acquisition, logistics, and maintenance support. He was the U.S. Army's Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications, and Information Systems from 1992 to1994.

Hummm. Coincidence? Synchronicity? Planned?

Yep... its sure curious.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 17, 1999.

"has broad experience in acquisition" hhmmrrpphh. planning to add to that part of our resume are we? over my dead body.

-- aiming (straight@knock.ondoor), June 18, 1999.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. & the Year 2000 Information Coordination Center

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 0016xB

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 20, 1999.

ooooo, zzzz, you found zee thread, Diane, thanx! Wethinks zhey should gits a tried 'n true bunker < -- > bunker command/control/communications system set up NOW, hhmmm?

Kinda hard to coordinate if no communicate, no? And talk about spreading zee men thin. Time to recall all zee personnel from all over zee globe back home nowabouts, no?

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), July 20, 1999.