Steve Wozniak (and, to some extent, Steve Jobs himself), used to be, before starting Apple in their garage, quite well known in the Phreak/Blue Box community. Wozniak’ nickname was… “The Woz”!
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The cat’s eradication, linked to beliefs of sorcery, allowed the spread of plague.
The rats proliferated because the cats were systematically eradicated in the XIVth century.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_plague
(*) If you are friendless, this my be the right thing to start gather some!