Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 00:47:32 -0500 (EST)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at keithlynch.net>
To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Interesting Inventions
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

Ase <ase at wdn.com> wrote:
> Did you know that the AP US History tests now have questions
> extending into the Regan regime?  The hot rumor two years ago was
> that one of the upcoming tests would have a major essay question
> on the '80's.  How's that for making you feel old?

I've heard that they stopped the presses on the latest release of high
school history books to include the events of September 11th.  So
those are officially History now, rather than Current Events.  Just
like the Kennedy Assasination, the Civil War, Charlemagne, and Cheops.

The Kennedy Assasination?  In just eight more years, JFK will have
been dead longer than he was alive.  (Trivia questions:  What's the
most recent president that is already true of?  And how much longer
would Reagan have to live in order for that not to be true for him
until the 22nd century?)

History is relative.  Those who were at Fifth Friday saw my computer
history exhibit.  Items included a Microsoft manual from the 70s, a
punched card, a Nixie tube, a core plane, a 9 track tape, a punched
paper tape, two dismantled hard disks, and an AOL CD, among much else.
It got lots of attention.  But my furniture didn't, even though most
of my furniture is older than most of those museum exhibits.

(Ron Kean and I visited the National Museum of American History
recently.  I noticed a 1920 issue of the ham radio magazine QST on
display behind glass.  I commented that I have earlier issues of that
magazine.  Then we went looked at the ancient coin exhibit, and Ron
said he had older coins.)

Sure, I feel old when I realize that when you were born, I had already
been to several cons, was already on the net, and was already living
in this apartment.

But then some of the real old timers talk about attending cons in the
1950s or earlier, and I feel young again.

The Queen Mother died only this past weekend.  When the first Worldcon
was held, in the 1930s, she was already over 40.

As of today (Tuesday), I have been alive exactly half the time since
the Titanic sank.

I've also lived in this apartment more than half my life, and been
on the net even longer than that.
--
Keith F. Lynch - kfl at keithlynch.net - http://keithlynch.net/
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