listener--yes, I have accumulated a small collection of slide rules. As I remembered the Texas Instruments "electronic slide rules" were very dear when they first came out, but I didn't trust my recollection of just how dear. It was verified by a correspondent in Victoria, who remembered that one of his students purchased an electronic calculator in 1974 for $600. That would be easily 400 hours' work at the sort of wages a college student might reasonably expect, so the equivalent of AT LEAST FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS today. I had to pinch pennies to save enough for a $28.50 slide rule, and think very hard about whiter to spend so much.
Doctor's visit just fine. Liver, kidney, hematology tests excellent. He's waiting for the CEA test results to decide if I should have a PET scan or a CT scan. I have never had an abnormal CEA, and do not expect that to change. I am on a six-month scan schedule for now, probably until five years have passed. A younger person wouldn't be scanned so often, but it is not unreasonable for a gaffer. It's rather surprising that I continue to improve (albeit ever more slowly) three years after my medical adventures. If things stabilized right now that would be fine, but physically I continue to improve. Nice.
puddle--I recall a fellow in Germany who got tired of the US fighter jets coming in too low over his house. After receiving an unsatisfactory response, he invited the press in to see the ballista he had built to shoot dumplings at the fighter jets. That ameliorated the problem.
Renee--Twenty-fve years is a good start, fer shure. You two keep taking care of one another, hear?
The R's sent a letter to one of their kind at my address again, and I decided to have some fun with it....
And Howard Dean remains First, along with Alan. :-)
Sooo happy over your good results, Alan!!!!! Thanks for posting!! That you continue to improve a bit is wonderful testimony to the resiliency of the body! I'll bet you make your doctor's day. :-)
Oh, I love the dumplings story, and can't wait to hear what you came up with in response to the letter from the R's!
I've been getting robocalls from "Citizens United" which offer no opt out feature. Called the number back and it was just a recorded message with no menu. If anyone has a phone number for those Bozos, that leads to a human, please share. Thanks.
Alan, your posts about slide rules always take me back to my first courtship, lol! The groom to be was an EE and always carried his with him, even on date night, grin.
Alas, the no call list specifically exempts political and charity callers. Glad you found a way out. . . .
Reminds me that I should renew my membership on the Do Not Call list. Although the overwhelmuing majority of my calls are either political, charity (majority), to to me as a business rather than a person, I'm starting to get enough of the other to be a bother.
listener--yes, I have accumulated a small collection of slide rules. As I remembered the Texas Instruments "electronic slide rules" were very dear when they first came out, but I didn't trust my recollection of just how dear. It was verified by a correspondent in Victoria, who remembered that one of his students purchased an electronic calculator in 1974 for $600. That would be easily 400 hours' work at the sort of wages a college student might reasonably expect, so the equivalent of AT LEAST FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS today. I had to pinch pennies to save enough for a $28.50 slide rule, and think very hard about whiter to spend so much.
ReplyDeleteDoctor's visit just fine. Liver, kidney, hematology tests excellent. He's waiting for the CEA test results to decide if I should have a PET scan or a CT scan. I have never had an abnormal CEA, and do not expect that to change. I am on a six-month scan schedule for now, probably until five years have passed. A younger person wouldn't be scanned so often, but it is not unreasonable for a gaffer. It's rather surprising that I continue to improve (albeit ever more slowly) three years after my medical adventures. If things stabilized right now that would be fine, but physically I continue to improve. Nice.
puddle--I recall a fellow in Germany who got tired of the US fighter jets coming in too low over his house. After receiving an unsatisfactory response, he invited the press in to see the ballista he had built to shoot dumplings at the fighter jets. That ameliorated the problem.
Renee--Twenty-fve years is a good start, fer shure. You two keep taking care of one another, hear?
The R's sent a letter to one of their kind at my address again, and I decided to have some fun with it....
whiter = whether (to spend so much)
ReplyDelete--Alan
And Howard Dean remains First,
ReplyDeletealong with Alan. :-)
Sooo happy over your good results, Alan!!!!! Thanks for posting!! That you continue to improve a bit is wonderful testimony to the resiliency of the body! I'll bet you make your doctor's day. :-)
Oh, I love the dumplings story, and can't wait to hear what you came up with in response to the letter from the R's!
ReplyDeleteI've been getting robocalls from "Citizens United" which offer no opt out feature. Called the number back and it was just a recorded message with no menu. If anyone has a phone number for those Bozos, that leads to a human, please share. Thanks.
Wait, wait! Success!
DeleteCitizens United = 202.547.5420
I just spoke with Susan who assured me very politely that she would take care of it today.
We'll see, of course, but at least she wasn't another robot. Actually, she was polite.
Alan, your posts about slide rules always take me back to my first courtship, lol! The groom to be was an EE and always carried his with him, even on date night, grin.
ReplyDeleteAlas, the no call list specifically exempts political and charity callers. Glad you found a way out. . . .
Reminds me that I should renew my membership on the Do Not Call list. Although the overwhelmuing majority of my calls are either political, charity (majority), to to me as a business rather than a person, I'm starting to get enough of the other to be a bother.
DeleteSure, puddle, but this is the first time I've come across a political or charity group that didn't offer an opt out feature!
ReplyDelete