Fred Ramen is a writer and computer programmer who lives in New York City. He is also the author of Individual Rights and Civic Responsibility: The Right to Freedom from Searches, and two titles-Influenza and Tuberculosis-in the series Epidemics: Deadly Diseases Throughout History for the Rosen Publishing Group. Fred's interests include the American Civil War, aikido, and the novels of Raymond Chandler. He was a semifinalist in the 1997 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.