Ray’s Corner Soapbox – World Wide Web

I am an Amateur Radio Operator.  We are usually known as “Ham Radio Operators” (HRO) and hate to have people call us CB’ers because Hams are an exclusive club.  Warm up the HF radio and talk to the world.  You can tell a ham by the “antenna farm” around the house.  You know, the wires that the wife is always trying to hang clothes on.

I should say I am a HRO but don’t have any equipment and haven’t been on the airways in the last 10 years.  Why??  Because the computer has made the HRO a thing of the past.  Ya, that’s me.  I’m an antique at age 65.  You want to talk to the world??  Use a computer.  I’m another victim of modernization.  Well, not really.  Like a Marine, you have to learn to adapt, overcome if you wish to “survive” in the digital world.  I have worked on IBM 360/720 mainframe computers (Even today’s toys are faster and have more memory) up through the computers my wife and I use.  I have built computers for gamers and grandmothers (including my wife).

Today’s computers allow us to “modernize” the way we look and send our photos around the world in mere seconds.  Example: Look at my picture in "About Me" and this “new” picture.   Notice any subtle changes??  I messed with the photo and covered my nose scar from skin cancer operation.  Deleted a few wrinkles.

Doing this slowly over time most people wouldn’t notice.  I would be getting younger in front of your eyes.  I did this in a hurry else I could have covered it completely and it takes a sharp eye to determine a picture has been changed.  And there are morph programs where you can exaggerate items in pictures…..like the……hmm, my wife says I am treading water in the deep part of the lake and it is a long way to swim to shore.  OK, the chest area of the female human species.  That’s one way to grab some men’s attention.  I wouldn’t know because I know which side my toast is buttered on.

The TV news says to stay at home on “black Friday” and shop the WWW for better sales than will be offered at the store.  Ebay is another site that has changed some of our shopping habits.  You can buy simple items right up through automobiles. My wife says she bought me off Ebay.  Boy, did she waste money on that one.  The postage was excessive.  And I hated those stamping machines.  Well, we really did meet using an online service.  After several emails and phone conversations, we finally physically met each other for the first time in Bisbee for a chat and a cup of coffee.  I can’t remember if the coffee was good or not.  I just remember talking to her.  That was 3 1/2 years ago and she still can’t get a refund on her postage.  I came with no return address.

I haven’t missed Ham Radio….I have enjoyed the WWW, photography and meeting people like those that read these blogs.  Some bloggers I’ll never meet but will be able to put them on a “friends” list.   I have met Al from the Bayfield Bunch and he is a pleasure to talk to.  But I am yet to meet his wife.  I guess he doesn’t want me to ask her on which page of Ebay did she find grumpy, old men.