01/01/00

The other day I mentioned that I'd had minor computer problems, which I was able to solve today. My computer, I learned, was freaking out because while flipping through the Windows calendar, I accidentally set the date a month or two in the future. The discrepancy between the real date (which my computer discovered by connecting to the Internet) and the date I'd set made my computer leery and cautious, asking me to obtain security certificates before checking my e-mail, and preventing me from logging onto my Instant Messenger.

Anyway, the problem has been solved now, but this was a chilling reminder of the fragility and terror we still face. Sure, planes didn't drop out of the sky and nuclear plants didn't melt down as a result of my calendar troubles, but I was temporarily delayed before being given the opportunity to read spam for cheap prescription drugs and funny jokes that have been forwarded 17 times before reaching me. This was a real wake-up call. I now know the dangers that a misrepresentation of date can cause in a world too dependent on technology. It was enough to scare me into running to the store for a small generator and a pack of bottled water, just in case.