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Category Archives: History
Seven years as an Apple employee
On this day, I received my package, employee number and modified badge signifying employee, not contractor (really a temp). It was a pretty sweet day going through the orientation with the other six people who made it. Back in 1999, … Continue reading
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The Gift of the Magi debuted 100 years ago
According to History.com (aka the History Channel’s web site, aka the WWII Channel), this was the first publishing of O. Henry’s famous story about a young married couple making great personal sacrifices to give each other Christmas presents. It was … Continue reading
Thirty years of going out of business!
On April Fool’s Day, 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve “the Woz” launched Apple Computer (now just called Apple) with the sale of the Apple I. They’ve been afailure ever since, especially in the eyes of pundits. [In the interest of … Continue reading
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Small World through Marquette
esterday my brother e-mailed me about his son’s baseball coach, some guy named Tony Keys (spelling?). Brian told me he was a cheerleader at Marquette and he knew my roommate Paul pretty well. So he wanted to know if I … Continue reading
The Ides of March
Legend has it, that on this day around 44 B.C. (I have no problem with the old dating system) Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by members of the Roman Senate. I couldn’t remember the actual historical reason why they … Continue reading
Happy Pi Day and Einstein’s 127th Birthday
I only caught this on NPR today but it’s pretty clever. According to the US-style of dating with the calendar, today is 3.14 or the value for the constant of Pi when I was a kid (I think they … Continue reading
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Texas Independence Day
Today is the 170th anniversary of Texas breaking off from Mexico to become its own nation. The story is long and complicated plus there’s a general synopsis conveniently placed at www.history.com. Being a Midwesterner by birth and pigeonholed into the … Continue reading
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Tenth anniversary of GDW’s demise
I remember hearing the news about GDW finally shutting its doors on February 29, 1996. I just can’t remember how I found out since I wasn’t gaming then. Probably one of my friends because I don’t think I read about … Continue reading
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26th Anniversary of Miracle on Ice
Despite the US getting eliminated in the quarterfinals by Finland today, it is still a great day for US Hockey. On this day, 26 years ago, Team USA defeated the USSR at hockey in the 1980 Winter Olympics at … Continue reading
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Picayune is now 15
While writing some e-mail to my friend Deb (Baedke) and scanning photos (part of my archiving project to cut down on clutter), I realized that Picayunewas first put together and mailed 15 years ago. My friends Deb & Neal Baedke were … Continue reading
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1994: Day Three – JFK and Arrival
I had made it to the Dallas ‘burb of Garland the evening before. I could’ve pressed my luck and made Austin late in the evening, but this was meant to be a vacation before Lee would be putting me to … Continue reading
Posted in Austintatious, History
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1994: Day Two – Graceland and Little Rock
While moving to Austin, I decided to take my time and enjoy it. I never really had a true vacation in my post-college days. Any time off I had taken was usually brief, hurried three-day weekends probably filled with beer. … Continue reading
1994: Day One – Goodbye Bloomington-Normal, IL
I always get nostalgic around this time of year and a bit misty-eyed. On this day in my personal history, I left for Austin after two and a half years in Bloomington-Normal, IL and eight years in the Midwest. I … Continue reading
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Belated remembrance on Challenger
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger‘s destruction with all seven astronauts lost. Such a shame too since the US’s success-safety record was pretty good compared to the Soviet Union’s (their losses are still up for debate). … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, History, Science & Technology
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Some crow for Dell to eat
I won’t hide my great disdain for Michael Dell, never will due to all the people he abuses up in Round Rock. He’s the biggest welfare recipient in the state of Texas which also makes him the wealthiest man (on … Continue reading
Posted in Apple, History
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