Spared by Y1.99K

NEW YORK: What, you hadn't heard? The dread Y1.99K has passed without incident: While some computers had a brush with the Y2K bug a year early because their internal calendars are programmed to look a full 52 weeks ahead, the New York Times reports that only a few minor problems were reported. Even the financial sector, which launched an entire currency for the new year, went relatively glitch-free, which makes Y2K -- already on its way to becoming a cultural cliché 51 weeks before it arrives -- seem even less frightening.

"It points to the likelihood of a few hellish days rather than big failures next year," Ian Hayes, president of Clarity Consulting, told the Times. But baby 1999 did raise some flags about an apocalypse even less heralded: the "99" Bug. It seems some thoughtless programmers a while back used the digits 99 to mean "end of file," "shut down" or some other message having absolutely nothing to do with dates. It also came in like a lamb this year -– but keep an eye out for September 9.