Two new sites help feds solve Y2K problem, plan trips

For the next one year, seven months and a handful of days, anyone who is even remotely connected to information technology probably will need to turn their browser to the new World Wide Web site of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion.

Located at www.y2k.gov, this new site is still under construction, but it already is packed with information about tackling the date-conversion problem. The site features two main categories. For those passionate about the policy pushing President Clinton to form the council, click on the "About the Council" section.

For the real substance on this page, click on "Y2K Information" to access an organized section that is categorized by industries affected by the millennium bug. The "Government" category features links to the Year 2000 Web pages for each state.

Several other categories contain specific information that would be of interest to federal agencies. The "Telecommunications" section features links to the Federal Communications Commission and the General Service Administration's Federal Telecommunications Services Web pages.

Internet Recreation

For those late in planning for a summer vacation— or even a day or weekend trip— to a national park or other federal lands, point your browser to www.recreation.gov.

The Agriculture Department has joined the Interior Department's National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the Defense Department's Army Corps of Engineers to launch this Web page to provide the public with details of recreation opportunities on federal lands. The project is a result of a National Partnership for Reinventing Government commitment of federal land management agencies to offer one-stop, electronic shopping for information about recreation on federal lands. This project, slated to be completed by 2000, offers a comprehensive, user-friendly resource to campers, bikers, fishermen and others.

Start by clicking on the search icon at the top of the page to choose a geographical destination, coupled with specific activities to narrow the search. A recent query of "Virginia," "historical sites" and "camping" returned six matches, including the Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the George Washington and Jefferson national forests.