G8 nations seen being "largely unscathed" by Y2K

By Clifford Coonan

BERLIN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Officials from leading industrial nations said on Tuesday they were increasingly confident they had the millennium computer bug under control.

"Given all the hard work put in, we can be optimistic that we will come through Y2K largely unscathed," Alfred Tacke, a German government official, told a conference in Berlin of the Group of Eight (G8) nations.

Tacke said it was important the public should be convinced there was no need for panic or even much concern. But he acknowledged problems could not be ruled out altogether.

"No matter how painstakingly information technology systems are checked and adapted, a residual risk remains," he said.

The G8 consists of the United States, Japan, Italy, France, Canada, Germany and Britain -- forming the Group of Seven -- plus Russia.

With just over three months to year's end, the G8 experts were meeting to concentrate on potential problems in critical areas, such as energy provision, telecommunications, air and sea traffic and other public services.

RUSSIA MAIN FOCUS OF CONCERN

Of the G8 countries, most international concern has focused on Russia. A report last week by the U.S. State Department described Russia as "somewhat prepared" for Y2K and noted that it did not rely heavily on computerised systems.

The Y2K problem stems from an old programming device of using two digits to represent years, like 99 for 1999.

Unless fixed, some computers may read 00 as 1900 instead of 2000 and that could trip critical systems and confuse gadgets with embedded timing devices such as elevators, medical equipment and traffic lights and, it has been feared, cause widespread chaos.

The G8 has taken upon itself a special responsibility to lead the world in efforts to counter the bug.

G8 officials suggested there was room for optimism even in the poorer countries and in particular played down the worst-case scenario of a major nuclear catastrophe.

"Outside the big industrial nations, the most important players in the energy sector are big companies and they will be as well prepared as in the industrial nations," said Tomihiro Taniguchi of the University of Tokyo. Some international anti-nuclear bodies have nonetheless called for all nuclear installations to be shut down well in advance of January 1 and not be brought back online until all areas had been thoroughly tested.

Taniguchi, who chaired the energy working group of the conference, said existing contingency plans already meant potential risks had been brought down to a minimum.

"The main task now is how to reduce those remaining risks," he added.

========================================== End

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), September 21, 1999

Answers

Italy? Unscathed? Pleeeeeaase. ANYONE who follows the y2k thingy knows that Italy started at about the same time Russia did, if not LATER. Even Dodd and Bennet said they are very concerned about Italy.

What was that about Rome burning?

-- CygnusXI (noburnt@toast.net), September 21, 1999.

meanwhile BEHIND THE SCENES'waiting in the wings.guess who??

-- watching prophecy happen. (dogs@zianet.com), September 21, 1999.

Total disconnect. How does this get published? (And still, I want to believe it. I do so hate not being able to flush. I live to flush.)

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), September 21, 1999.

Key phrase:

Tacke said it was important the public should be convinced there was no need for panic or even much concern.

Wasn't there an article a week or 2 ago about Italy working on a budget THIS month so they could tackle this pesky Y2K bug?

Japan started late but is making ah soo happy face noises.

Russia could be said to have started late... as soon as they start.

That's 3 of the 8.

Tacke said it was important the public should be convinced there was no need for panic or even much concern.

Okay... I'm convinced. Not even much concern. How 'bout you. Fears allayed? Okeedokey. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 21, 1999.

Tacke said it was important the public should be convinced there was no need for panic or even much concern.

Yep. That's the key to interpreting why the rest of the article says what it says. In fact, that's the key to interpreting why the article was published at all.

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 21, 1999.

...The G8 consists of the United States, Japan, Italy, France, Canada, Germany and Britain forming the Group of Seven -- plus Russia. ...

Humm... see...

Y2K Global Warning: Russia, China, Japan, Italy Top List Of Countries To Watch (Federal Computer Week)

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001OpS

Top-level spin? Or a spinning top?

Diane

(Link, Ray?)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 21, 1999.

And... the G-8 cheerleaders...

Koskinen And *More* Media Y2K Perception Management...

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001RBY

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 21, 1999.

You'all are cynical and untrusting.

Now, what possible reason would any of those important people possibly have to lie to the general population?

tsk, tsk, tsk.

Go stand in the corner and repeat to your self, "I DO trust the media and the government, I DO, I DO"

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), September 21, 1999.

"I DO trust the media and the government, I DO, I DO, I do, I do, I do,...." (You have to hear this in the Bert Lahr voice from The Wizard of Oz. Try it, you'll crack up!) LOL, Jon!

I've been fast and furiously emailing pages to my GI but feet-dragging family members all morning, and mentally adding to the list of schtuff I as yet don't have. My kingdom for better cash flow....(sigh)

I think I'm gonna go rent Mel Brooks' "High Anxiety" at Blockbuster this afternoon...and learn the words to the theme song.

--She in the sheet, checking her "convinced-level" monitor

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), September 21, 1999.

You know... I wish these cheerleaders would just SHUT UP !

The fact that tomorrow is Day 100, and all the POWERS THAT BE are spending their time cheerleading rather than:

1. [most hoped, but least likely] Reviewing IV&V reports, checking audiotors reports for compliance and then holding press conferences to announce just how much really has been done, and where the public can expect some lingering problems

2.Preparing their countries, agencies, companies, and individual citizens for the idea that it has NOT all been fixed and urging all levels to make final contingency plans to mitigate any disruptions.

...that they are NOT doing that, but instead are purposefully trying to convince us there is no need for panic or even much concern, when we KNOW serious problems remain...

.... is starting to really PANIC me.

Buzz Lightyear: "This is no time to panic." Woody the Cowboy: "This is the perfect time to panic!!!"

... anyway.. if they - Greenspan, officials at the G8, Clinton's Cabinet, Koskinen, whomever don't really have any good news to report.. (and obviously they DON'T or we would have heard it), they should give microphones and cameras a wide berth, because this smiley-faced PR sh*t is about as transparent as Cher's Oscar night gowns (but the view through the gauze is not so pleasant).

The Emperor has no clothes - and a bloated, sickened, sorry-assed sight it is.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 21, 1999.

The funniest article that I read all day... The reporter couldn't have been serious, could she/he/it?

Someone clearly did an outstanding job of hoodwinking the reporter. Even most of the Pollies aren't stating that Italy, Japan, and Russia are coming through unscathed!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 21, 1999.

Groan...

OT question. Could somebody provide the link to csy2k? My bookmarks disappeared into the cosmos overnight! Thanks.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), September 21, 1999.

Here's the link:

csy2k

Ray

-- Ray (ray@tottacc.com), September 21, 1999.

It should be obvious that we are wasting our time discussing what government officials are saying. Why would any government official admit that they are not going to be ready? Even countries such as Russia and Venezuela are now saying they will be ready. If they admit they are not ready, it will encourage capital outflows and discourage investment.

-- Dave (dannco@hotmail.com), September 21, 1999.

Thanks, Ray. I don't know how that happens.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), September 21, 1999.