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Conference hydra::dejavu

Title:Psychic Phenomena
Notice:Please read note 1.0-1.* before writing
Moderator:JARETH::PAINTER
Created:Wed Jan 22 1986
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2143
Total number of notes:41773

1575.0. "Demon Computer" by FSDEV::LWAINE (Linda) Thu Nov 07 1991 18:15

 This was sent to me today:


 Demon Computer Kills 2 Workers!                               November 12,
 1991
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 by Sally O'Day (Weekly World News)

       "Exorcist Called In After Experts Discover Virus-bred Evil Spirit!"

 Bank officials have summoned an exorcist to rid a computer terminal of a
 hideous horned demon that <has> already killed two employees and put another
 in a coma!

 And if Father Hector Diaz fails in his mission to banish the spirit,
 authorities say they will have to shut down the bank because the computer
 can't be turned off, moved, or unplugged.  And as long as it remains in
 place, every  customer and employee is in danger.

 "This sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the threat is both
 serious and real," Police Detective Raul Lopez told reporters.  "I don't
 know why and I don't know how.  But an evil force or spirit is living in that
 machine and the death of two innocent people proves it."

 Maria Catalan was found sitting at her terminal with her head in her lap."
 Carmen de la Fuente had a fatal heart attack within two minutes of sitting
 down to work.

 Computer experts tired to examine the terminal, but they had no success
 whatsoever.  One of them started babbling like a madman when he got within
 10 feet of the machine and a dozen more were flung to the floor like rag dolls
 by some unseen force.

 "We can't turn the machine off because everyone who tries blacks out and
 falls to the floor.  I know I must sound like a lunatic, but that computer 
 truly has a mind -- and a life -- of its own."

 The mind-numbing drama began when the bank in Valapariso, Chile, installed a
 new computer system last spring.  Within days the system turned deadly.

 When a bank custodian told of seeing a hideous horned demon appear on the
 computer screen, bank officials asked Father Diaz to perform an exorcism.
 The priest has been unavailable for comment while he prepares the rite of
 exorcism.

 But a spokesman for the firm that installed the computer system says that a
 computer virus almost certainly created the conditions which caused the
 terminal to kill.

T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1575.1HOO78C::ANDERSONAvoid using polysyllabic wordsFri Nov 08 1991 08:3920
    > Demon Computer Kills 2 Workers!                               November 12,
    >1991
    >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    >by Sally O'Day (Weekly World News)

    Well we have plenty of time before next Tuesday to stop it from
    happening since I have it on good authority that today is only the 8th
    of November. I suggest that they shut of the power from the substation.

    I well remember being called to a site some years ago because the
    computer was trying to kill the operator. The operator was most upset
    when I pointed out that as the computer was not alive it
    was incapable of either liking or disliking her. On examination we
    found out that a static charge was building up on her body, the
    computer room floor was tiled carpet and the humidity was a bit low.

    No great mystery.

    Jamie.

1575.2WelcomeFORTY2::THOMPSONFri Nov 08 1991 09:117
Welcome back, Jamie,

I was beginning to miss your `no great mystery' approach. We very much need it,
as an antidote to fanciful nonsense, even if it does have very definite limits.

Chris.

1575.3Cash-register-line reading?LESCOM::KALLISPumpkins -- Nature&#039;s greatest giftFri Nov 08 1991 09:245
    Re .0 (Linda):
    
    Was there any citation as to the source of the story?
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
1575.4Begone, Chomper ! Away from my MAC machine !DWOVAX::STARKA life of cautious abandonFri Nov 08 1991 09:4114
    Well, I for one assume this is true until proven false.
    That line about computer consultants babbling like madmen as they
    approach a malfunctioning machine sure rings true from my experience.
    
    I just hope they haven't got this reject from "The Forbin Project
    School of Computer Engineering" connected to the same financial network
    with any other banks.  We'll have pea soup spitting out of automated 
    teller machines and small children being pulled into the receipt
    slots.  It's frustrating enough when the damn things are down,
    but when they're possessed it'll be a real hassle.
    
    I bet Dr. Daistrom, inventor of the M-5, would know what to do !
    
    							todd
1575.5Cultural background.CADSYS::COOPERTopher CooperFri Nov 08 1991 10:518
    For those DEJAVUers who are not from the US, the Weekly World News is a
    paper best known for headlines like "I'm Having The Baby of Elvis'
    Ghost, and Bigfoot is the Godfather".  Anything which appears in it
    should be treated essentially as fiction.  They do not have a good
    track record for accuracy to say the least.  Most of their stories are
    completely made up.

				Topher
1575.6it's all I receivedFSDEV::LWAINELindaFri Nov 08 1991 11:2110
RE: <<< Note 1575.3 by LESCOM::KALLIS "Pumpkins -- Nature's greatest gift" >>>
                        -< Cash-register-line reading? >-

>    Was there any citation as to the source of the story?
    
What I received I put in, just without the forwarding headers to protect
the guilty 8^).  I think that the paper is like a "National Enquirer" 
publication, but am not sure....

Linda
1575.7Not even that good.CADSYS::COOPERTopher CooperFri Nov 08 1991 11:3011
RE: .6

>I think that the paper is like a "National Enquirer"  publication, but am
>not sure....

    Actually, after a bunch of law suits, the National Enquirer has gotten
    relatively fuddy-duddy.  Compared to the Weekly World, the National
    Enquirer is a reliable source of information (but only compared to the
    Weekly World).  I'm not kidding.

				    Topher
1575.8Yuk-yuk!BSS::VANFLEETDreamer, your moment has come!Fri Nov 08 1991 14:435
So I take it that what we have here is a Terminal Terminator!  

:-D

Nanci
1575.9VIRGO::TENNEYTime will tell.Thu Nov 14 1991 20:443
    
    
    :^)
1575.10Believe it or not!.KERNEL::OSBORNEMon Nov 18 1991 11:579
    	This reminds me a story of some Super Computer that was built to
    answer one of those little questions, "Is there a God ?". Well the
    question was posed and the computer computed and the answer came out
    on the terminal;     "YES". Being like what computers are like another
    direct question had to be asked, "Who is God ?" and to this the
    computer answered "I AM" and a flash of lightening came down, or is it
    up, and fused the computers power switch on forever.
    
    Dave.
1575.11"Punchier variant!"CADSYS::COOPERTopher CooperMon Nov 18 1991 12:395
    As I remember it, they built the "ultimate computer" and then asked
    it the "ultimate question" -- "Is there a God?".  The answer was --
    "There is ... now!".

				Topher
1575.12"Destination Void" by Frank HerbertPOCUS::FERGUSONI&#039;m working on itTue Nov 19 1991 18:271