What am I doing, posting a Wednesday Spark! you ask. Well it turns out that DailyLlama is buried in work. You know that thing you are supposed to be doing right now…. Oh… but this is job related, so never worry, read on!
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Today in History: May 17, 1943 US Army and University of Pennsylvania Sign Contract to Develop ENIAC
On May 17, 1943, a momentous contract was signed between the US Army and the University of Pennsylvania, marking the beginning of an extraordinary project. This collaborative effort aimed to develop and construct ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer), an early computing system that would revolutionize the field. The US Army’s Ballistics Research Laboratory spearheaded this ambitious endeavor, recognizing the potential for advancements in their calculations of ballistic firing tables.
ENIAC distinguished itself by being the first system to embrace vacuum tubes, a breakthrough technology surpassing the limitations of electromagnetic switches. The brilliant minds behind its design were J. Presper Eckert and John William Mauchly, hailing from the esteemed University of Pennsylvania. The construction of this groundbreaking computer took place at the university’s Moore School of Electrical Engineering, operating under the code name “Project PX.” Its development came at a substantial cost of nearly $500,000, reflecting the magnitude and ambition of the undertaking.
Finally, on February 14, 1946, the world witnessed the grand unveiling of ENIAC, a moment that would forever alter the landscape of computing. Its operational phase commenced, diligently carrying out its tasks until November 9, 1946. Recognizing its remarkable potential, ENIAC underwent an extensive refurbishment, including a memory upgrade, in preparation for its next chapter.
In 1947, with renewed vigor, ENIAC found a new home at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. This transfer of location marked a pivotal moment, ensuring its continued service to advance scientific and military calculations. On the momentous day of July 29, the computer hummed back to life, its circuits pulsating with electric energy. From that day onward, ENIAC tirelessly operated, achieving unparalleled computational feats, until 1955.
Also of interest on May 17th
· 1902 – Greek archaeologist Valerios Stais discovers the Antikythera mechanism , an ancient mechanical analog computer .
· 1969 – Venera program : Soviet Venera 6 begins its descent into the atmosphere of Venus , sending back atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure.
· 1973 – Watergate scandal : Televised hearings begin in the United States Senate .
· 1977 – Nolan Bushnell opened the first ShowBiz Pizza Place (later renamed Chuck E. Cheese ) in San Jose, California . Also founded Atari, Inc.
· 1984 – Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery , London, a “monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend”, sparking controversies on the proper role of the Royal Family and the course of modern architecture .
· 1995 – Shawn Nelson steals an M60 tank from the California Army National Guard Armory in San Diego and proceeds to go on a rampage.
· 2006 – The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef .
Births on This Day
· 1934 – Ronald Wayne , American computer scientist, co-founded Apple Computer
· 1936 – Dennis Hopper , American actor and director (d. 2010)
· 1940 – Alan Kay , American computer scientist and academic
· 1955 – Bill Paxton , American actor and director (d. 2017)
· 1956 – Bob Saget , American comedian, actor, and television host (d. 2022)
· 1960 – Simon Fuller , English talent manager and producer, created the Idols series
· 1961 – Enya , Irish singer-songwriter and producer
· 1965 – Trent Reznor , American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer
· 1970 – Jordan Knight , American singer-songwriter and actor
· 1976 – Kandi Burruss , American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
· 1988 – Nikki Reed , American actress, singer, and screenwriter
Deaths on This Day
· 1911 – Frederick August Otto Schwarz , German-American businessman, founded FAO Schwarz (b. 1836)
· 1917 – Clara Ayres , American nurse (b. 1880)
· 1992 – Lawrence Welk , American accordion player and bandleader (b. 1903)
· 2004 – Tony Randall , American actor (b. 1920)
· 2005 – Frank Gorshin , American actor (b. 1934)
· 2012 – Donna Summer , American singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
Holidays Today
May 17 Holidays & National Days | 2023 Calendar (nationaltoday.com)
The Funnies:
ChatGPT Song of the Day:
(Verse 1)
Sittin’ at my desk, just a-clickin’ away
Working in the IT zone, where I’m meant to play
Gotta keep it cool, keep the servers runnin’ smooth
I’m the master of the network, in the IT groove
(Chorus)
Hot stuff, I’m on fire, can’t you see?
I’m the tech guru, blazing through the IT sea
Hot stuff, I’m connected day and night
Fixing bugs, securing data, yeah, I do it right
(Verse 2)
Diving in the code, lines of commands in my hand
Debugging like a champ, I’m the troubleshootin’ man
With my keyboard skills, I’m the wizard of the code
Building systems, programming dreams, watch 'em unfold
(Chorus)
Hot stuff, I’m on fire, can’t you see?
I’m the tech guru, blazing through the IT sea
Hot stuff, I’m connected day and night
Fixing bugs, securing data, yeah, I do it right
(Bridge)
I’ll protect your files, keep 'em safe and sound
From viruses and hackers, I won’t let 'em be found
Data encryption, firewalls up high
I’m the guardian of your information in the digital sky
(Chorus)
Hot stuff, I’m on fire, can’t you see?
I’m the tech guru, blazing through the IT sea
Hot stuff, I’m connected day and night
Fixing bugs, securing data, yeah, I do it right
(Verse 3)
Upgrading systems, bringing innovation near
Makin’ networks faster, eliminating fear
In this digital world, I’m the captain at the helm
Navigating through the cloud, like a digital realm
(Chorus)
Hot stuff, I’m on fire, can’t you see?
I’m the tech guru, blazing through the IT sea
Hot stuff, I’m connected day and night
Fixing bugs, securing data, yeah, I do it right
(Outro)
So next time you need help with your tech endeavor
Call on me, your IT savior, I’ll be there forever
Hot stuff, IT’s my game, no challenge too tough
I’ll keep your systems runnin’ smooth, hot stuff, hot stuff!
New chat (openai.com)
Quote of the Day:
Comic of the Day:
after AI replaces us (part 3) | Wrong Hands (wronghands1.com)
Inspirobot Always Controversial, Occasionally Inspirational Quote of the Day:
In case you missed yesterday’s laser focused Spark! by @vikingmichael you can catch it here .
What I am listening to today: https://youtu.be/KhcaPNuaJNU
