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European firms face Y2K legal chaos in wake of Good Samaritan Act
A US law could turn the wrath of Y2K litigation on European companies. President Clinton signed the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act - dubbed the Good Samaritan Act - into law on 19 October. The act grants US companies limited immunity from Y2K litigation. Businesses will be able to nominate certain past statements about their Y2K preparedness and the compliance of their products, which can't then be used against the company in a future lawsuit. European companies need to move fast to take advantage of the Act though. Those who do business with US companies or operate in the US must nominate any qualifying statements by 3 December. "The implications for US businesses are colossal, absolutely colossal," explained Tony Lewis, chief executive of the CSSA.
NRI count causes a scare
Even when the government conducts economic surveys, the figures are often misleading from the public. Darshan Singh, a farmer from Chhapar, said, We are scared that the government might be collecting the data to levy some special tax. People will not be forthcoming with complete information in this case. Jugminder Grewal, SDM, entrusted with collecting data for the East Ludhiana, Dehlon, Koom Kalan and Jassowal subdivisions, said, We are nearly complete with the data. We are not closing the books because there are a number of people who have not yet come forward with all the details of information. We are meeting people and informing them that data was a mere information bank. Another senior official said, We are not very clear about the details and reasons for the data collection.
Desperation pitch
But my guess is that these were just the sentiments of one star-struck congressmen. Committee chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) has struck me as a serious person, not some fawning fan. The same goes for Tom Davis (R-VA) and the rest of the other 40 who aren't Towns. If he thinks he can get a majority of congressmen to roll over for him, he should think hard about that. They already showed they are willing to play hardball with a star when they recommended the Justice Department investigate Miguel Tejada for possible perjury, who told them back in 2005 he never took performance-enhancing drugs and didn't know of anyone who did. In the end, the question isn't whether Clemens can act like a groovy guy in a meet and greet, or sign a few baseballs; it's whether an American hero perjured himself, which is serious business.
BA pilot feared the worst as he struggled to land plane
THE pilot of the British Airways aircraft that crash-landed at Heathrow said he feared the flight would end in "catastrophe" as he struggled to cope with a double engine failure just two miles from touchdown. First Officer John Coward, 41, said both engines lost power simultaneously, leaving him with just seconds to bring the aircraft down. He managed to clear the perimeter fence before landing short of the runway with "not just one thud but a series of thuds". Investigators examining the wreckage of flight BA038 are now focusing on the theory that the crash was caused by a failure in the avionics and electronics systems that control the plane’s engines. British Airways is expected to examine the systems of every aircraft in its 43-strong fleet of Boeing 777s, although the Air Accidents Investigations Branch says there is no need to ground the planes at this stage.
WEEK IN REVIEW
Read the festival's Web site or brochure because many events within the festival, such as bus or kayak tours, have limited space and require registration.
Some festival admissions are free but probably charge for tours; some may have a festival fee that includes free classes. Many offer meals, art shows and children's activities.
Come prepared: Bring your bird-watching tools (binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras with long lenses, identification books) and layers of clothing.
A few tours start with the rising sun; if there's an owl tour, you'll be wandering in the dark. Be able to protect your bird-watching equipment from rain.
Be curious: Ask questions of your guides. They are usually experienced birders or people with other knowledge, such as geology or wildlife.
European firms face Y2K legal chaos in wake of Good Samaritan Act
A US law could turn the wrath of Y2K litigation on European companies. President Clinton signed the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act - dubbed the Good Samaritan Act - into law on 19 October. The act grants US companies limited immunity from Y2K litigation. Businesses will be able to nominate certain past statements about their Y2K preparedness and the compliance of their products, which can't then be used against the company in a future lawsuit. European companies need to move fast to take advantage of the Act though. Those who do business with US companies or operate in the US must nominate any qualifying statements by 3 December. "The implications for US businesses are colossal, absolutely colossal," explained Tony Lewis, chief executive of the CSSA.
NRI count causes a scare
Even when the government conducts economic surveys, the figures are often misleading from the public. Darshan Singh, a farmer from Chhapar, said, We are scared that the government might be collecting the data to levy some special tax. People will not be forthcoming with complete information in this case. Jugminder Grewal, SDM, entrusted with collecting data for the East Ludhiana, Dehlon, Koom Kalan and Jassowal subdivisions, said, We are nearly complete with the data. We are not closing the books because there are a number of people who have not yet come forward with all the details of information. We are meeting people and informing them that data was a mere information bank. Another senior official said, We are not very clear about the details and reasons for the data collection.
Desperation pitch
But my guess is that these were just the sentiments of one star-struck congressmen. Committee chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) has struck me as a serious person, not some fawning fan. The same goes for Tom Davis (R-VA) and the rest of the other 40 who aren't Towns. If he thinks he can get a majority of congressmen to roll over for him, he should think hard about that. They already showed they are willing to play hardball with a star when they recommended the Justice Department investigate Miguel Tejada for possible perjury, who told them back in 2005 he never took performance-enhancing drugs and didn't know of anyone who did. In the end, the question isn't whether Clemens can act like a groovy guy in a meet and greet, or sign a few baseballs; it's whether an American hero perjured himself, which is serious business.
BA pilot feared the worst as he struggled to land plane
THE pilot of the British Airways aircraft that crash-landed at Heathrow said he feared the flight would end in "catastrophe" as he struggled to cope with a double engine failure just two miles from touchdown. First Officer John Coward, 41, said both engines lost power simultaneously, leaving him with just seconds to bring the aircraft down. He managed to clear the perimeter fence before landing short of the runway with "not just one thud but a series of thuds". Investigators examining the wreckage of flight BA038 are now focusing on the theory that the crash was caused by a failure in the avionics and electronics systems that control the plane’s engines. British Airways is expected to examine the systems of every aircraft in its 43-strong fleet of Boeing 777s, although the Air Accidents Investigations Branch says there is no need to ground the planes at this stage.
WEEK IN REVIEW
Read the festival's Web site or brochure because many events within the festival, such as bus or kayak tours, have limited space and require registration.
Some festival admissions are free but probably charge for tours; some may have a festival fee that includes free classes. Many offer meals, art shows and children's activities.
Come prepared: Bring your bird-watching tools (binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras with long lenses, identification books) and layers of clothing.
A few tours start with the rising sun; if there's an owl tour, you'll be wandering in the dark. Be able to protect your bird-watching equipment from rain.
Be curious: Ask questions of your guides. They are usually experienced birders or people with other knowledge, such as geology or wildlife.
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