CK: USA Today has an article on Y2K Page 4B by Technology writer Kevin Maney,
(email kmaney@usatoday.com). Discussed primarily IT/IS systems and Senator Bennett's
attempts to enact a Y2K disclosure on companies in this country.
I emailed him the following response:
Mr. Maney, Thank you for bringing to the attention of your readers the Y2K problem facing the world as a global crisis. By the way, Mr. Yardini now predicts a 100% chance of recession due to this problem. Let me briefly tell you why.
Y2K not only covers the IT/IS systems but more importantly is in every embedded chip that is date and time sensitive. Where are these chips? Everywhere from aviation and railroad systems, factory floor automation devices, control valves for utilities, switch stations for telephone lines ,etc. Not only are there millions of lines of code that needs to be corrected in software but there are millions of chips that need to be discovered, evaluated, tested and perhaps replaced for our automated society to work. What does failure mean? Layoffs, confidence crises, safety problems. A recent email from a Texaco Y2K executive found that many of the pipelines and plants that deliver, pump and refine our oil will shut down if not repaired.
I refer you exchange2000.com a thread on Silicon Investor for a wealth of information regarding this subject. As a physican practicing in
Virginia I have concerns regarding the compliance of my own hospital system, the safety of my patients, and the ability of the insurers and HCFA to reimburse me and my colleagues in a timely fashion after 1/1/2000. I encourage you to interact with me as well as Cheryl Houston at quest@hypercon.com if you have any more questions. This issue is going to be the biggest in years and in my opinion is an investigative journalist's dream . STLMOORE, MD
Hope you don't mind me using the thread or your email address as reference.
Let's see what response we get.Stephen |
