http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/18/238l-111899-idx.html D.C. Will Be Y2K-Ready, Official Says

By Stephen C. Fehr

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, November 18, 1999; Page B02

The year 2000 repairs on the computers that run the District's critical services will be completed by the middle of December, ensuring few if any disruptions on Jan. 1, the city's chief technology officer told the D.C. Council yesterday.

Until now, chief technology officer Suzanne J. Peck had been guarded in her assessment, at times openly questioning whether the city would finish its computer repairs in time. The District began making fixes only 17 months ago, one of the latest starts of any major U.S. city, and the repairs have been hampered by technical and financial problems.

The system that issues unemployment checks was so unreliable, for instance, that the city had to move it to a Y2K-compliant facility in Kentucky.

But yesterday Peck said residents need not worry about calling 911, collecting public assistance checks, renewing a driver's license or negotiating the city's intersections. Any problems will be isolated and minor, she said.

"I'm very confident all . . . critical services the District provides to residents, businesses and visitors will be operating properly at the date change," Peck said after her testimony. Earlier, she told the panel, "No other major municipality has gone from start to finish in their Y2K activities in such a short time period."

Peck said 82 percent of the 378 critical systems citywide have been repaired, tested and put back into service, up from 63 percent when she last reported to the council in June. The remaining 69 systems are scheduled to complete testing by the end of the month and return to service by mid-December.

The latest price tag for eliminating the millennium bug from the District government is about $150 million. The District had to bring in an outside auditor because it lost track of how the project money was being spent.

Despite Peck's confidence, technicians continue to make backup plans in case of an unexpected glitch, power outages or other emergencies. Peck and others at the hearing advised residents to be prepared as if for a snowstorm.

Buy a few gallons of water, preferably before Thanksgiving, advised Peter G. LaPorte, acting director of the D.C. emergency management agency. Added Thomas M. Schafer, of the National Wholesale Druggists Association, "Don't let your prescriptions run down so you have to go out on New Year's Day."

) Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Tminus43&counting.down), November 18, 1999

Answers

That is a big pile of mixed carnivore animal manure!

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999.

Even I'm skeptical of this one.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), November 18, 1999.

This borders on criminal neglect. If citizens get injured due to this insane barrage of mis-information, then charges should be filed against the city officials who promoted it.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

The District of Columbia Emergency Management Agency has released a "Y2K Preparedness Guide".

Quote:

Preparing for Y2K

Store a supply of seven to ten days worth of nonperishable foods per person....

To get copies of this six page guide, contact 202 727 2775.

-- abc (abc@abccc.com), November 18, 1999.

That is absolutely incorrect there "abc". You must be quoting Paula Gordon. Also, this guide was distributed in The Washington Post and has been available for several months, which is also contrary to what Paula Gordon and several other people have said.

It's actually the same guide many other governments are issuing.

http://www.y2k.dcgov.org/publicinfo/y2kprepareguide/homeguidepage1.htm

Direct quote: "Store a supply of three to five days worth of nonperishable food per person."

That's standard emergency preparedness advice.

-- Buddy in DC (buddydc@go.com), November 18, 1999.

Peck is not the same person who appeared on 60 Minutes as head of the Y2K taskforce for DC, is she? I'm almost positive she isn't. Why wouldn't the Post seek confirmation from her?

Well, I know the answer to that, now don't I?

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), November 18, 1999.

Just as I thought. I went back and reread the transcript of the 60 Minutes interview. The Washingtons Year 2000 Program Manager is Mary Ellen Hanley.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), November 18, 1999.

Buddy -- there is a new brochure out that was handed out to those of us attending the DC area ministers meeting called by the DC EMA and DC gov't. It says 7-10 days.

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

Poor Buddy and Ken. Comeuppance will be rough for the more vocal pollies.

-- a (a@a.a), November 18, 1999.

You know...Decker, you're not so bad after all :-)

-- (rick@work.xcom), November 18, 1999.

Smithers... oops, I mean "a," why do you expect me to take a beating? I've said on several occasions, Washington, DC, has possibly the worst municipal government in the United States. I'm surprised DC makes it on a daily basis... let alone rollover.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), November 18, 1999.

Libby: I'll believe it when I see it. If they did change it then that is one more issue I may just write the mayor about. I don't believe they had any business having a meeting for the ministers in the first place. Whose bright idea was that?

a: Keep on wishing.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), November 18, 1999.

"DC Government meeting with pastors: report"

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001n2P

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 18, 1999.

1) This announcement almost makes me want to be at the big bash on December 31 on the Washington Mall! (Properly dressed in warm pants and jacket over kevlar...) Can you imagine the scene if the surrounding areas go block shortly after midnight? Or even worse, if they are already black starting about 7:00 pm (UTC rollover)? With LIVE television coverage, too.

2) Is she clueless, just trying to put a happy face on everything, on drugs, or what? The only way they could be "complete" is to have abandoned testing! I've seen too many projects that cut back on testing to believe that it is a good idea!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), November 18, 1999.

You're gonna write the mayor Buddy? You're gonna get your pen out and write the mayor? Man, he'll be shaking in his boots when he hears this!

LOL

If I wasn't trying to portray the image of a kindlier gentler doomer, I'd call you a clueless idiot.

-- a (a@a.a), November 18, 1999.

To Buddy in DC:

The District of Columbia Emergency Management Agency's "Y2K Preparedness Guide" that I was referring to does not have a date on it. I haven't checked the website but it apparently is different from what you saw on the website. The brochures says:

"Store a supply of seven to ten days worth of nonperishable foods per person...."

I have a copy in front of me. It is the same one that was handed out at the faith community luncheon in DC on Tuesday. Mr. La Porte the Director of the Emergency Management Agency was there and referred to it. To get a copy of this six page guide, you can contact 202 727 2775. Or I am sure that you could simply check with them to see what the wording is.

-- abc (abc@abccc.com), November 18, 1999.

I still like how the article ended (although most people probably thought they had the gist of it after the first couple of paragraphs and quit reading.)

"Buy a few gallons of water, preferably before Thanksgiving"

Hey,isn't that next week?

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), November 18, 1999.

60 Minutes transcript, May 1999:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000sP7

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 18, 1999.

Link

http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/05/194l-110599- idx.html

To be fair, the DC gov says it has been working on this and all is well now. Not a chance. The sewer system is kaput.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), November 18, 1999.

Buy a couple gallons of water.

---Why?

Because the water supplies may not work

---No whater? Why?

Because the electricity may be out long enough for the emergency generators to run out of fuel.

----No water, no fuel? Why?

Because the supply lines may be disrupted, or the petroleum industry may shut down.

---No water, no fuel, no supply lines to urban areas, no petroleum industry? Why?

Because the interelated and interdependant nature of our urban life support systems indicate that the computer problem will affect all areas of business and governmental functions.

---No water, no fuel, no supply to urban areas, no petroleum, no government, no grocery stores, no car washes, no video rentals? MY GOD! What are we to do to prepare?

Buy a couple gallons of water.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), November 18, 1999.

OK, I'll take your word for it "abc" and Libby. That means they are now distributing conflicting information. Why am I not surprised?

Mike: You're jumping to conclusions. The sewer system is operating. It is not kaput.

Lon: You're still operating on false assumptions. What makes you think the power will go out?

3-5 days or 7-10 is academic anyway. Even Y2K project managers can be doomers and overreact. That would explain the conflicting information.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), November 18, 1999.

Buddy,

I"M not saying the power will go out. The D C guys are the ones telling people to buy water.

I'm just wondering out loud --what could happen that would cause folks to NEED stored water. And if that something does happen, what else will it affect, and what else will the lack of water affect, and what else...well, you get my drift.

If they come right out and tell people not to prepare, well, I can buy that. They will either be right or they will be wrong. But to say "buy a couple of gallons of water" is just so illogical. These people are either playing a game of "give them-what-they -want" (unneccessary preps), or they are totally brain dead, incompetant fools.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), November 18, 1999.

Everyone's best bud cpr buys this story hook, line and bunker.

I think "69 systems are scheduled to complete testing by the end of the month and return to service by mid-December" implies there is a great deal of work remaining.

Best of luck to the "miracle workers" on the front lines. May Ms. Peck be prophetic.

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), November 18, 1999.

I have seen six or seven of truck-sized generators heading down Wisconsin Ave towards DC. That may not be many but I am not on Wisconsin much these days.

Ever see "Weekend at Bernie's?" DC is Bernie.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), November 18, 1999.

Hey, whatever guys. The only remaining work is accounting software. It will hardly be catastrophic. DC has been an accounting nightmare for years. What else is new?

Happy Thanksgiving

See ya later

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), November 18, 1999.