Y2K

What was the Y2K Bug?

Background• It was thought that there would be a

logical error with computers when it rolled over from the year x99 to x00

• Computer programmers thought that once the date turned to x00, current files would become invalid and previous data would be lost and unrecoverable

Background• The theory caused many leading

technology businesses to panic and spend billions dollars to backup the files and to purchase new equipment in order to prevent the failure.

People bought a large supply of water

Preserved food

People bought First-Aid KitsPeople bought First-Aid Kits

People refilled prescription drug supplies as well as other medications

People bought warm coats and blankets

People bought battery operated radios

Hard copies of birth certificates

Deeds

Programming Solutions

• The major problems were able to solved, but at a costly price. For example, Microsoft spent 300 billion dollars on the issue.

Documented Errors• 150 slot machines at race tracks in

Delaware stopped working.

• The U.S. Naval Observatory, which runs the country's official clock, had a glitch on its web site.

• In Onagawa, Japan, an alarm sounded at a nuclear power plant two minutes after midnight.

End results• Most of the money spent was

precautionary, however, if the bug did have an effect, these companies would have lost everything

• In the end, the Y2K bug turned out to be a hoax because machines that were untreated by Y2K prevention software operated successfully

Election of 2000

Al Gore (D)

• Born in Washington DC but raised in Tennessee.

• Graduate of Harvard.• Served in the Army as a

journalist in Vietnam.• Served in Congress for 17

years in both the House and Senate (1976 – 1993)

• Vice President under Bill Clinton from 1993-2001.

George W. Bush (R)

• Born in Connecticut but raised in Texas.

• Graduated from Yale and Harvard Graduate School.

• Served in Texas Air National Guard.

• Son of President, Grandson of a Senator.

• Part owner of Texas Rangers until he successfully ran for Governor of Texas in 1994.

Minor Party Candidates

• Reform Party Presidential candidate • Pat Buchanan, left, and Green Party

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader.

The 2000 Election

• Most bitterly contested election in 100 years

• Roughly 50% of eligible voters went to polls

• Voting irregularities in Florida

The Aftermath….• Close election in Florida• Bush lead popular vote in FL, Gore wanted

recount in 4 Democratic counties• Ballot irregularities, inaccurate registration,

incomplete lists, old voting machines, butterfly ballots, hanging chads

• Florida Supreme Court approved recount• Bush appealed to U.S. Supreme Court• 5-4 Court ruled against a recount• Gore won national popular vote• Bush won electoral college vote

George W. Bush • Reversal of Clinton’s

policies• $1.3 Trillion tax cut• Economic recession• Globalization and Y2K• Rolled back

environmental protection

USS Cole

o The USS Cole was attacked by a suicide bomber while refueling in Yemen in December 2000o 17 sailors killed; 39 injured

o The terrorist organization al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.

September 11th, 2001 “modern Pearl Harbor”

• Al-Qaeda members hijacked four commercial airliners to use as missiles to attack key political and economic centers of the US.– Struck World Trade Center in

NYC, The Pentagon in Arlington and a field Southeast of Pittsburgh.

• Killed a total of 2,819 people:• The attacks surprised and shook the

nation.

US Reaction:

•Immediately, Congress agreed to spend around $40 billion toward recovery.

•George W. Bush organized an international union against Al Qaeda and the Taliban Government.

•October 7th 2001:US’s retaliation: The US coalition attacked key areas of Afghanistan (later on, Britain sends in troops to help the US). This attack marked the start of the War On Terrorism.

Invasion of Iraq, 2003• Bush administration tied 9/11 attacks,

Bin Laden and Al Qaeda to Iraq and Saddam Hussein

• Global terrorist threat and “Axis of Evil”

• Remake the Middle East into pro-Western democracies favorable to the US

Iraq and Saddam Hussein:• US invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003

• WHY: Saddam Hussein (Iraqi president) had been supplying weapons of mass destruction to Al-Qaeda (supported terrorism)

• Also, The US wanted to liberate the Iraqi people from Hussein’s bloodthirsty rule (additional hatred toward Israel).

• On December 13th, 2003, the US coalition captured Saddam Hussein, who was then executed in 2006 for the murder of 148 Shi’ites (1982).

Southeast Asian Tsunami (2004):

• Occurred as a result of an earthquake in the Indian ocean (9.3 magnitude)

• Hit the coast of Indonesia on December 26th, 2004

• Over 200,000 people were killed, 10’s of 100’s of people were missing, and millions were left homeless.

• The world community immediately gave about $500 million to Indonesia and the other countries affected.

Hurricane Katrina (2005):

• Category 4 hurricane that was formed in Gulf of Mexico and hit August 29th, 2005

• estimated that the

storm killed 1,883 people;

cost: over $100 billion

• Democrat candidate from Illinois.

• 47 years old• Columbia University and

Harvard Law School.• Political Experience

– State Legislator 7 years– Senate 4 years

• Personal– Married with 2 children

• First African American to be elected President

Haitian Earthquake (2010):

• Hit Haiti on January 12th, 2010 (7.0 magnitude) and completely destroyed Port-au-Prince

• Killed approximately 316,000 people but affected an estimated 3,000,000 people due to property damage

• “The Largest Urban Disaster in Modern History”

• Sandra Day O’Conner: First female supreme judge, now retired.

• Colin Powell: In 2002, he became the first black Secretary of State.

• Nancy Pelosi: She was the first female to become U.S. House Speaker. As a Democratic leader, she is the first woman in U.S. history to ever lead a major party in congress.

• Condoleezza Rice: She was the first African American woman to serve as secretary of state.

• Jimmy Carter: He won the Nobel Peace Prize for trying to bring peace to places from Haiti and North Korea.

• September 11, 2001: On this day a series of terrorist attacks occurred. They were led by al-Queda, an Islamic terrorist group.

• War In Iraq: In 2003, we went to war because of our suspicions of them having weapons of mass destruction.

• Hurricane Katrina: This was one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. It did most damage along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

• The Columbia Disaster: On its way down from space, this shuttle exploded due to missing parts.

• Ipod: This invention allowed people to digitally listen to music on a small compact device.

• Hybrid Vehicles: This allowed people to drive around more safely and not pollute the air with the fumes that regular cars do.

• HDTV: This invention provided TV’s with a clearer picture and sound. Throughout this decade they have become more popular in homes.

• GPS: This invention allowed ordinary people to access any place in the country from their cars. With this there would be no excuse for getting lost.