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Monday December 27 5:52 PM ET U.S. Shows No Signs of Y2K Hoarding - Clinton Aide By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans show no signs of hoarding cash or taking other unusual precautions for the possible year 2000 computer glitch, President Clinton's top Y2K adviser said on Monday.

``Even now at this late date we see no evidence at all of any increased anxiety by the public as a result of Y2K,'' trouble-shooter John Koskinen told a briefing at a special $50 million Y2K tracking center set up by the White House.

With the dawn of the new century four days away, he voiced confidence that the computer design flaw known as Y2K would not affect most Americans. But he repeated long-standing advice to prepare as if for a long, midwinter weekend.

``And if -- as will be the case for most Americans -- there's no Y2K inconveniences or glitches, it's not a waste of time or money because they'll be better off for the next blizzard or ice storm,'' Koskinen told a news briefing.

``We see no indication at all that people are increasing in any noticeable way financial transactions or withdrawal of funds,'' he said. ``And we have no indications thus far that anybody is, you know, starting to stock up or load up on gasoline.''

Koskinen outlined plans to hold a series of briefings over the New Year's weekend, beginning at noon EST (1700 GMT) on Friday, six hours after New Zealand leads the Pacific and Asia into the new year.

The tentative plan calls for Koskinen, sometimes accompanied by Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering, to conduct briefings at least twice on Friday, three times on Saturday, once on Sunday and twice on Monday.

Koskinen, who has overall responsibility for the White House Y2K-tracking operation, said in the absence of any special problems he personally would brief Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) on Friday and Saturday rather than Clinton.

``If anything important happens, obviously we'll talk with the president as well,'' he said.

Of concern are possible failures or malfunctions of automated systems that, left uncorrected, may confuse the year 2000 with 1900 because of an old practice of using two digits to designate the year.

Koskinen chairs the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion.

To show his confidence that U.S. aviation systems are Y2K ready, he said he would be flying a commercial shuttle between Washington and New York at 7 p.m. EST on Friday, when aviation and other systems based on Greenwich Mean Time roll over to the year 2000 at 0000 GMT.

Asked whether he harbored any qualms about boarding that flight, Koskinen replied: ``I have no hesitation at all -- not the slightest hesitation -- unless we're in the middle of a blizzard.''

``If it's snowing,'' he said, ``I would like to announce here and now, I will probably not try to make that flight.''

Full Coverage See a Yahoo! special report on Year 2000 Problem News Stories 7 United Airlines Cuts Y2K Flights Due to Poor Demand - Reuters (12/27/99) 7 Securities Industry Reiterates It's Y2K Ready - Reuters (12/27/99) 7 Iranian power plants threatened by natural gas shortage - AFP (12/27/99) 7 Key sectors in N.E. seen Y2K-ready - Boston Globe (12/27/99) 7 As Jan. 1 Draws Near, Doomsayers Reconsider - Washington Post (12/27/99) More In Full Coverage Government Web Sites 7 FTC: Year 2000 Consumer Information - aims to provide the consumer, with reliable, helpful information available from both government and non-government sources. 7 International Civil Aviation Y2K Information Review - country-by-country review of reported Y2K status of air traffic service providers and airports. 7 State Leadership: Final Phase of Y2K Preparations - breifing paper from the National Governor's Association. Opinion & Editorials 7 Scottsdale Residents Horde the Doritos - Phoenix New Times (12/27/99) 7 Who invented Y2K and why did it become so universally popular? - Baltimore Sun (12/22/99) 7 Braced for the Bug - Los Angeles Times (12/20/99) Video 7 Is the world ready for Y2K? - CBC.CA (12/09/99) 7 Australia is likely to be almost bug-free - BBC (09/14/99) Message Boards 7 Yahoo!: Y2K Problem 7 Internet Law Bulletin Board 7 on top of IT Related Full Coverage 7 Year 2000 Problem in Canada 7 Year 2000 Problem in the UK Yahoo! Categories 7 Year 2000 Problem 7 Millennialism More In Full Coverage

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Questions or Comments

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Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

-- RickJohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), December 27, 1999

Answers

Yeah, right...no sign of anxiety. Maybe Kosky should have talked to me IT System Administrator today.

-- Darby (DarbyII@AOL.com), December 27, 1999.

As I have said in previous postings, I work for a retail energy supplier in a very cold place. We have over 20,000 customers who use kero, fuel oil, propane, diesel and gasoline.

If there is no evidence of preparations just call our dispatch office. We are buried in requested for deliveries prior to the 31st. THERE IS NO WAY ALL THESE PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR DELIVERIES.

We have attempted to keep up with Y2K demand since September, gas storage, propane tanks, generator backup supply. Many of these requests from rather well known telecommunications and elctric companies.

If a significant problem developes I question the ability of energy companies to keep up with only half the demand, let alone the full brunt generators running out, no heat calls, supply problems ect.

If everyone is so sure of a hassle free rollover why is Walmart being cleaned out of water, propane bottles, survival gear, shot gun shells ect.

Companies that wouldn't spend a dime on upgraded toilet paper seem willing to spend very large amounts for equipment they profess they will never need.

FROM DEEPER INSIDE MY HOBBIT HOLE-FRODO WITH HIS RING

-- FRODO BAGGINS (FRODO@MIDDLEARTH.com), December 27, 1999.

That's why the guy in the suit was asking the coin shop guy "what's the best way to convert a large amount of money into gold? How much asked the shopkeeper? $1,500.00" That he had on his person!!!!

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), December 27, 1999.

Well, i have in my pantry the next to last pack of TP from the Lohman's Sam's club in Richmond Heights (Cleveland). On a MONDAY?!?!?

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 27, 1999.