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	Foreign Aid in Trouble By Declan McCullagh March 26, 1999 Quick quiz: What's the federal agency that's so far behind on Y2K repairs, it may not be done until around the time we send the first manned expedition to Mars? Answer: The US Agency for International Development, a 38-year old concern that busies itself sending federal dollars to third-world countries. Recent examples of its work: AIDS/HIV programs in Uganda, international drug control efforts, and a global "Women in Development" program. Its Y2K problems are legion. Even the sunny report the White House released this month dubbed USAID as one of the three most problematic agencies. USAID has seven "mission-critical" systems. "We had planned that three of these systems would be fully implemented by the end of this month but because of problems encountered during the testing phase it may take until May to implement the four systems," J. Brian Atwood told a House appropriations subcommittee on Thursday. But the biggest problem is the so-called "New Management System" -- the biggest and most complex computer. The agency was planning to modernize it until an independent report a year ago said that idea was a no-go. "Our analysis indicated that we couldn't implement the recommendations, including replacing our core accounting system, by September 1999. We knew we had a great deal of work to repair Year 2000 system problems," said Atwood, USAID's administrator. Workarounds are being considered. "We have found more cost-effective ways for obtaining information from some of our overseas missions without using NMS," he said. According to Atwood, "we hope to implement Y2K compliant version of NMS in July 1999" -- months after the government's self-imposed March 1999 deadline. Well, at least if USAID goes belly-up, Americans probably won't mind much. Or even notice.		FEATURES Book Reviews Y2K already has spawned its own genre. We tell you what books are worth buying. Chip 'n Little Cartoons Chip 'n Little goes on TV Chip 'n Little visits John Koskinen Chip 'n Little saves the world Warning: This cartoon has been called "foolish and tasteless." Y2K from A to Z Y2K Haiku Traditionalists may be shocked. Mad Cow Culture What does Y2K have in common with today's Mad Cow Culture? Answer: Everything. Declan McCullagh's Y2K articles Psychology of Y2K LATEST NEWS As of December 31, 1999 Get Your T-Shirt Quick Bill Gates Does Y2K Reader Feedback A Sarcastic Calendar Cooking After the Apocalypse A Real Y2K Disaster Hitchhiker's Guide Meets Y2K