Laptop crashes (G4) often and boots up to an error message stating the date is before 2001. The date reverts back to 12/31/1969. Programs are out of wack as a result.

Sounds like you have a power problem. Can your computer run on the battery? If you run it on the battery and pick it up and jiggle it, does it turn off. The reason the date is reverting to 1969 is because once the computer loses all it's power (battery and cord), it loses all information that requires power, which includes the date. I'm guessing that your power cord requires some tweaking to get it to turn on properly (light up) and that the battery is close to dead or doesn't have a great connection so it sometimes loses contact and your computer just clicks off.