January 30th
I have a link on my computer and an APP for my phone which
links me to this site which does This day in History Snip-it’s. This Day In History
You didn't think I was just so much of a nerd that I keep all
this stuff floating around in my head, did you?
I do have a wealth of useless information rattling around upstairs but I
do try and filter it to crap I can use in my books.
Richard Skrenta
writes the first PC virus code which is 400 lines long and disguised as an
apple boot program called “Elk Cloner.”
This High School students prank turned into a 38 billion dollar a year
security industry.
I find it interesting that not only can human beings not get
along after all the years of being forced to share the same planet together as
parts of the same species of mammals, but that we have to go out of our way to
screw with each other, just because.
What other intelligent beings would come up with something as harmful
and sneaky as a computer virus to attack the very machines designed and built
to make our lives easier and much more fun.
I make an example of this in my second novel “No Rules Of Engagement” as
Earthlings are interacting with intelligent but peaceful aliens. They can’t believe we would come up with
stuff like that and release it into our own computer networks.
It is because of this
very situation that we have the counter measures to deal with unwanted computer
predators, firewalls, scanning programs, anti-virus programs, and blocker
programs. The chances are high that when
we run into other intelligent beings that are not in the habit of trying to
destroy themselves that they will not have the same level of computer security
that we do because of our inherent harmful nature and distrust of our own kind
on this planet.
Other tidbits of
history are . . .
1959 the MS Hans Hedtoft, said to be the safest ship afloat
and “unsinkable” just like the HMS Titanic, struck an ICEBERG on her maiden
voyage and sank, killing all 95 people aboard.
That story sounds somewhat familiar – Unsinkable Ship Hits
an Iceberg! Happened Twice.
Ever hear the thing people say about History repeating
itself? No, me either.
In 1933 Adolph Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of
Germany. Hind sight is twenty-twenty so
they say. Who could have known? Oh, that’s right he wrote a book or something
about his ideas and thoughts.
Lastly the first
assassination attempt on a U.S. President occurred when a guy attempted to
shoot Andrew Jackson but his pistol misfired.
He pulled a second pistol and tried again and it misfired also. Andrew Jackson attacked the man with his cane
at that point. I think I did a blog post
about this very story last year on my blog.
Have a Great Day.
Check out This day in History if you get bored. Hell you might learn something here or
there. Personally I find History
fascinating and a joy to read as fiction writers struggle to come up with stuff
that pales in comparison to real life events throughout our history.
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