I don't see the GAO report on the GAO Y2K site. Does anyone have a link to it yet?

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 15, 1999

Answers

Try this link, this seems to be where they first post the reports.

Did anyone see the testimony? cought a bit of it. The were not many happy faces.
 

GAO Recent Reports (Arranged by Title)

-- Brian (imager@home.com), July 15, 1999.

Thanks for that link Brian... but I didn't see it there. Sure are a TON of GAO reports!! Made me wonder (as Paul Newman would say) "Who ARE those guys?!" Waded through many titles until (duh) thought to search for 2000. All the relevant reports are grouped at the end under: Year 2000 Computing Crisis.. but didn't see one released within the last day or so on how large cities are doing. You don't suppose all our chatter about it after the Drudge release has got the "powers that be" putting pressure to delay the posting do you?

No word about it on CNN. No word in the LA Times. Disappeared from Drudge. Nothing in a search of the AP wire. Nothing in the NY Times. Nothing in the Washington Post.

A Reuters/UPI search turned up 2 new stories:

snippets:

n addition, nine states are ``behind'' in efforts to ensure their most critical systems do not fail when the year 2000 dawns, said the head of a Senate panel monitoring the issue.

The nine -- which reported having completed work on less than 70 percent of their most important systems -- are New Hampshire, Ohio, Alabama, Louisiana, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, California and Hawaii.

On a local level, only 55 percent of the smallest counties surveyed -- those with a population below 10,000 -- say they have countywide emergency plans to cope with possible 2000-related disruptions to vital services, the National Association of Counties reported...

The Senate panel displayed a chart showing that only 43 percent of the 21 cities' key systems were said by the cities themselves to be ready as of July for the date change.

The GAO carried out the study by interviewing city officials by telephone from June 28 to July 9.

=========================

In an earlier version of the story I spotted this line:

"In a letter to the heads of the Special Committee on Year 2000 Technology Problem, Willemssen said in most cities, the majority of city services were scheduled to be completed somewhat before the end of the year."

I know I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy... how about you?

following that line:

"Los Angeles, for instance, plans to have all key city systems ready by Sept. 30 except for its wastewater treatment systems, which are to be completed in November, he said."

If you live in LA, know where high ground is. (preferably 200+ miles away).

Both versions of the story (read both.. they contain different details) contain this tidbit:

"On average cities reported completing work for 45 percent of the key service areas."

Does this seem just a little bit weird that this story was not picked up by anyone? Please post links to any stories you find... and of course to the GAO report when it is posted. Can't wait to read it.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 16, 1999.

Sorry about the formatting. Dropped one silly little > . Picky, picky.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 16, 1999.

Here's those links again - to the Reuters stories:

Big U.S. Cities Slow On Y2K Readiness- Jul 16 1:32 AM EDT

Only two big U.S. cities said set for Y2K- Jul 15 2:34 PM EDT

And a third earlier one, same title: Only Two Big U.S. Cities Set For Y2K- Jul 15 11:37 AM EDT

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 16, 1999.

Here's the quote from the Boston Globe article again,

"Since electric companies, water treatment centers, and hospitals in Boston are privately owned, they were not included in the survey of the city."

'Nuff said?

Yeah, warm and fuzzy...right down to my toes!

-- mar (derigueur2@aol.com), July 16, 1999.

Should have mentioned to find the Y2K reports on the "recent GAO reports" you have to go to the bottom of the page.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), July 16, 1999.

I am actually blown away that no one took the time to watch the senate broadcast on real audio.

I caught the last half, all the Q&A stuff, but far be it for a Canadian to inform Americans what the hell is going on in their towns.

I am suprised that there isn't more coverage myself. Mind you the main problem is still the lack of information. The Texas witness said he surveyed 400 towns for his research, 300 couldn't be bothered to "pick up the phone"

Of course I don't see that the Canadian situation is much more informitive, not alot of good information up here on the status of cities. At least my "town hall" is a group of trailers put together. Just a few PCs and the fire department to worry about.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), July 16, 1999.

I'm sorry too that I couldn't watch it on realvideo. Just found the link this morning and it is not archived apparently. Still can't find a link anywhere on the GAO site or on the Senate Y2K site to the actual GAO report. If anyone finds it, please post it. Thanks.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 16, 1999.

My favorite quotations are the ones that follow from the end of the Yahoo article.

Sen. Robert Bennett, a Utah Republican who heads the special Y2K committee, said he feared that many state and local governments were ``leaving little room for testing, contingency planning and unexpected problems.''

``I hope these statistics aren't as bad as they appear,'' he said in a written statement.

``Only very efficient executive-level management and contingency planning can sustain us through the upcoming historic date change,'' added panel Vice Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat.

Putting aside the fact that Dodd is a horse's a**, when was the last time you considered your local government (or at any level for that matter) to be "very efficient" at the executive level? Actually, in PA we have a very efficient method for obtaining drivers' license photo IDs. Aside from that, the state is run horribly IMO.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), July 16, 1999.

Finally found a report number and how to order it from the GAO. See:

http://www.gao.gov/dayboo k/990715.htm

The report number is GAO/AIMD-99-246R and apparently the "R" means it is not available electronically (yet?.. ever?). You can order single copies free - follow the links on the page above. I assume this means waiting for snail mail. Just passing it along FYI.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 16, 1999.

Linda,

If you sign up for the GAO daily e-mail alerts, youll receive notice when its actually up...

GAO Daybooks

http://www.gao.gov/ daybook/daybook.htm

Daybooks are also available by email. See FAQ for details. As soon as they are available, reports cited in the Daybook will be linked to full-text PDF files.

Sign up for the GAO's Daybook via Mailing List, here...

http://www.gao.gov/faq/ faq.htm#2.2

The full Senate Testimony (not just the GAO report) on the State & Local Government Preparedness topic, will also end up here...

Hearings During the 106th Congress

http:// www.senate.gov/~y2k/statements/index.html

Usually takes them several days before posting the full-text testimonies.

See the Media Alert announcement, listing the various witnesses, here...

http:// www.senate.gov/~y2k/news/pr071299.html

Sometimes, looking for a speakers sponsoring organizations web-site is a good way to find the testimony faster.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 16, 1999.