The Millennium Bug Hoax - A Real Whodunit
My Observations Of What Happened And Why It Never Happened - For The Vocal Whodunit Challenge
The Prompt
Write a crime fiction story.
The music is "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M.
The Millennium Bug Hoax
The Nineties
I think personal computers really started around the mid-eighties. I worked on early Apple's, the Cambridge Lynx using CPM+ and Sinclair and Amstrads.
Sometime towards the end of the nineties rumours, scare stories and conspiracy theorists started to posit that when the millennium came everything would fall apart, especially if computers and programming were involved.
The result was that many agencies were set up to save companies from going under as their computers and devices came to a halt when the year switched from 1999 to 2000.
I found this a bit surprising as it was just another New Year, but the rumour mongers convinced the people who didn't know what they were talking about. Teams of snake-oil salesmen geared up to make a financial killing for a problem that didn't exist.
There were cool kids and suited charlatans who frightened business owners into paying them a fortune to save their systems. The rise of the internet meant that rumours could be circulated much faster than before.
Winston Churchill supposedly said:
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
That was during the Second World War, Tim Berners-Lee's World Wide Web, Internet and previously Arpanet speeded that up considerably.
1980
After working as a computer operator I conned my way onto a programming course and became a mainframe programmer on a Honeywell machine.
At that time storage was so expensive that when storing information years had to be stored as two characters, so the first line of the first COBOL program that I wrote checked for the change of century. That was a requirement for every program that I wrote until storage became more affordable, ten years later there was no need to check because the year was just another year.
So computers were getting more powerful, the was a move from mainframe towards distributed processing and with Windows and Apple and IBM's OS/2 a move towards a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
Back To The Nineties
So given that everything was moving forward, and the problems that we easily overcame in preparing for the change of the century, I found it hard to believe that Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Apple and the rest had not seen the millennium coming.
Having said that I once worked for a company whose marketing department never saw Christmas, New Year and Valentine's Day coming.
But many of the doomsayers were believed, the gullible withdrew all their money from the banks as they were sure that the ATMs would not work (this was in the days when people used cash), they started stocking up from shops, tinned food, toilet rolls and stuff (like when COVID hit), as though the world going to end.
So Who Were The Criminals?
The Rumour Mongers, Snake-Oil Salesmen, and Conspiracy Theorists started the panic and people believed that it was going to happen. The Suits took a huge cut and when the clocks struck midnight on the 31st of December 1999 as Prince's 1983 single played nothing happened.
Well, nothing apart from the fireworks, celebrations and the snake-oil salesmen and charlatans counting their ill-gotten gains.
They panicked businesses into parting with money to keep them safe from a non-existent bug.
This won't be the last time this happens, no doubt in the twenty four years sing the millennium they have been skimming profits from gullible believers to line their pockets, or rather their bank accounts in our digital cashless society.
The criminals are faceless, nameless and looking out for the next big scam.
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Minneapolis ICE Shooting Updates
In recent weeks, Minneapolis has found itself at the center of a growing legal and political controversy following a shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. What initially appeared to be a straightforward federal use-of-force investigation has evolved into a broader dispute between state authorities and federal officials, raising serious questions about transparency, jurisdiction, and accountability. The most significant development so far is the state’s claim that it has been denied access to key evidence related to the incident. As public attention intensifies, the case is no longer just about what happened during the shooting. It is increasingly about who controls the facts, who gets to investigate them, and how justice is supposed to function when federal and state systems collide. What We Know About the Minneapolis ICE Shooting The shooting occurred during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. ICE agents were reportedly conducting official duties when gunfire erupted, resulting in injuries and immediate emergency response. Federal authorities confirmed the incident and stated that internal protocols were activated, including an automatic review by federal oversight bodies. From the beginning, details were limited. Officials cited the ongoing nature of the investigation and concerns about officer safety. This lack of information, while not unusual in federal cases, quickly became a point of friction for Minnesota state authorities, who argued that the public deserved clarity and that the state had a legal role to play in examining the incident. State Authorities Push for Transparency Minnesota state officials, including investigators and legal representatives, formally requested access to evidence connected to the shooting. This evidence reportedly includes body camera footage, surveillance recordings, forensic reports, and internal communication logs from the operation. According to state representatives, these requests were either delayed or denied outright. The state has since gone on record stating that it cannot independently assess the legality of the shooting without full access to the materials. This denial has fueled concerns that federal agencies are operating without sufficient external oversight, especially in incidents involving potential civilian harm. State leaders emphasized that their position is not adversarial by default. Rather, they argue that cooperation between federal and state agencies is essential to maintain public trust, particularly in communities already wary of immigration enforcement. Federal Response and Jurisdictional Limits Federal officials, for their part, maintain that the investigation falls squarely under federal jurisdiction. ICE operates as a federal agency, and shootings involving federal officers are typically reviewed internally and, when appropriate, by federal prosecutors or inspectors general. In statements released following the controversy, federal representatives cited legal restrictions that limit the sharing of evidence during an active investigation. They also stressed that premature disclosure could compromise witness testimony or investigative integrity. This explanation, while legally grounded, has done little to ease state frustrations. Critics argue that “ongoing investigation” has too often been used as a blanket justification for withholding information, even in cases where transparency could prevent misinformation and public unrest. Community Reaction and Public Trust The Minneapolis community has responded with a mix of concern, anger, and fatigue. For many residents, particularly in immigrant and marginalized communities, the shooting has reopened long-standing fears about aggressive enforcement tactics and lack of accountability. Community leaders and advocacy groups have called for the immediate release of non-sensitive evidence, arguing that transparency is a prerequisite for trust. Peaceful demonstrations and public forums have highlighted a broader demand: that no law enforcement agency, federal or otherwise, should be beyond scrutiny. Local officials echoed these concerns, noting that Minneapolis has spent years attempting to rebuild trust between residents and law enforcement. The perception that evidence is being withheld threatens to undermine that progress. Legal Implications of Denied Evidence From a legal standpoint, the state’s inability to access evidence raises complex questions. While federal agencies do have authority over their operations, states also have a responsibility to investigate deaths or injuries occurring within their borders. Legal experts suggest that this dispute could set a precedent. If states are routinely blocked from reviewing evidence in federal use-of-force cases, it may limit their ability to pursue independent inquiries or bring charges under state law when applicable. Some analysts believe the issue could ultimately be resolved in court, with judges determining whether the state has a legal right to access certain materials. Such a ruling could have national implications, influencing how future federal-state conflicts are handled. Political Dimensions of the Case The Minneapolis ICE shooting has also taken on a political dimension. Immigration enforcement remains a deeply divisive issue, and incidents like this tend to amplify existing ideological divides. State officials critical of federal immigration policies view the denial of evidence as symptomatic of a larger lack of accountability. Meanwhile, supporters of strict federal enforcement argue that state interference could hinder effective operations and put officers at risk. This political tension complicates the path forward. What might otherwise be a procedural disagreement risks becoming a symbolic battle over immigration, law enforcement authority, and states’ rights. What Happens Next? As of now, the investigation continues under federal oversight, while the state explores its legal options. Negotiations between state and federal officials have reportedly not been ruled out, suggesting that a compromise could still be reached. Potential next steps include limited evidence sharing under confidentiality agreements, congressional inquiries, or judicial review. Each option carries its own risks and consequences, both legally and politically. What remains clear is that public pressure is unlikely to fade. Minneapolis residents, like many Americans, are demanding clarity, fairness, and accountability in cases involving law enforcement use of force. A Broader Conversation About Accountability The Minneapolis ICE shooting is no longer just a single incident under investigation. It has become a lens through which broader issues are being examined: the balance of power between federal and state authorities, the limits of transparency, and the role of public oversight in a democratic society. Whether or not the state ultimately gains access to the evidence, the controversy has already sparked an important conversation. How that conversation translates into policy, practice, or reform remains to be seen, but its impact will likely extend far beyond Minneapolis. In the end, accountability is not only about assigning blame. It is about ensuring that systems function openly and fairly, especially when lives are affected. The outcome of this case may help determine how well those principles are upheld in the future.
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Comments (6)
Slick-suited grifters. At least in this case, it tended to be the wealthy & powerful who got scammed. The poor & middle class will always be able to use up their store of toilet paper & canned goods.
Truth really is stranger than fiction! I remember this, it was wild.
Whoaaaa, this was so brilliant! How do you even come up with these kinda ideas. I loved it so much!
Love this on so many levels!!! Marvelous story!!!❤️❤️💕
Your story captures the essence of the Y2K scare, blending fact and fiction to delve into the atmosphere of fear and manipulation surrounding the turn of the millennium. It's an interesting take on a historical event that was a mix of genuine concern and exaggerated hype.
Wow! For sure! A real whodunit! Nice job!😊💕