Saturday Summary

The first aerial photograph taken in the USA was on October 13, 1860, a view of Boston from a hot air balloon by photographer James Wallace Black. He knew Nadar, in Paris, had done such photos and had to take developing chemicals aloft with him because the plates had to be treated immediately, so Black did the same. This photo is the oldest aerial photo now in the world. Soon afterward aerial photography was used for reconnaissance in the Civil War.

America's greatest waste of energy may be in the family garbage can. The food thrown out accounts for millions or billions of calories [units of energy --yes, not of fat or sugar] The additional waste of energy from food thrown out includes the energy to grow, transport, sell and cook that food. Think about it, consider more soups made from left overs, other ways to use up what you buy. By the way in an unofficial survey, several people asked to define "calorie" couldn't. So is there any point in listing the calories on menus? Don't most people thing bigger is better so that the new sandwich introduced by Burger King with over 2250 calories must be the best. Right?

The top selling drugs in the US today are antipsychotics, $14.6 Billion a year. They are taken by small children all the way through to geriatric people. These drugs also produce the largest number of law suits. We can say we are a mad nation, however you want to use mad.


In the USA there are 3 million drivers over 85. Their accident rate is 16% higher than other adult drivers. However, those under 25 have an accident rate compared to those over 25 of 188%, and these accidents more often kill people. Grampa may be an irritation on the road, but junior is a serious menace.

Zebras have not been domesticated although people have tried off and on. They are much more skittish than horses or donkeys and have an unpredictable and nasty temper. When they bite they hang on and don't let go. I for one think it's sad they are so untameable, can't you see John Wayne riding a zebra?

We know computers don't really have minds of their own even if sometimes it seems they do. They follow commands. For the British edition of Jonathan Franzen's new novel Freedom, the the computer was accidentally told to print an earlier draft, not the finished one. Several thousand copies had to be destroyed and the publication date had to be pushed back. Reviews suggest it's worth getting the final copy.