... it's my birthday too.
ADDED: "... Dan explained that the Netherlands has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe. 'As long as you get a master’s degree you’re pretty much guaranteed a job.' He himself was in his second year of college, majoring in saving the Earth. 'That’s not the actual name of the program, but it’s pretty much what it amounts to,' he told us. I asked what sort of things he was learning, and he brought up a biology class he’d sat through earlier that week. 'We were talking about aging and how the average life expectancy keeps creeping upward. It used to be that people died in their midthirties, but now look at us! And it’s all changing so quickly.' Dan said that the first person who’ll reach the age of two hundred has already been born. 'It’s anyone’s guess who it is, but he or she is definitely here.' It could have been the authority in his voice, or maybe the firelight reflected in his eyes, but for whatever reason, this sounded to me like a prophecy. I swallowed the last of my cake and leaned forward to ask a question. 'At the age of a hundred sixty, will this person be like, "You know what? I’m starting to feel a little tired," or will he be curled into a ball, puddled in drool and Botox?' 'We don’t know,” Dan said."
David Sedaris, "The Happy Place" (in "Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls").
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51 komento:
Happy Birthday Ann. I hope you have a lovely year. Thank you for another year of sustained, excellent blogging.
So, once again Sirius is on the meridian at midnight. Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day and many, many thanks for the wonderful blog.
Many happy returns of the day, Professor.
Well. Happy fucking birthday to you.
HB AA
I am pleased you were born. Your presence in the world through the work that you do makes my life and that of others more interesting and enjoyable. I hope you have a very lovely day!
Happy birthday!
He himself was in his second year of college, majoring in saving the Earth.
Our colleges have graduating this kind of people for a long time and the bureaucracies are full of them.
That is what has been going on around the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The bureaucrats have been cooperating in driving the ranchers off the range so that they can "save" it.
Happy Birthday to you! Hope the coming year is wonderful for you. I look forward to reading your blog, particularly this year. interesting times to be alive.
Happy Birthday to our hostess.
I'm thinking this is close to a cafe post. So....I'm reading the German news, and I see that 9 of the 10 dead in Istanbul were Germans, and 1 was a Norwegian. Was the suicide bomber hunting for white people?
The German Interior, and Justice ministers are calling for the Cologne "Rapefugees" to be deported. It's like the world is playing into Trump's hand, and Obama's reality distortion bubble is collapsing.
Happy Birthday!
It used to be that people died in their midthirties, but now look at us!
They died from diseases, accidents, murders, etc, not old age. In fact, "old age" now isn't much greater than old-age was 100+ years ago...it's mostly just that more people are getting there because they haven't been previously killed by something else. B. Franklin lived to be 85.
Dan said that the first person who’ll reach the age of two hundred has already been born.
"When people predict the future, the rats laugh in the attic."
Ha! Beat you to it at 10:10 in another thread.
Happy birthday! What a wonderful thing you have created!!!! I'm happy you were created.
Happy birthday to you and to Rush Limbaugh, too.
Happy birthday! Enjoy your day.
The University of Montana also has a Saving the Earth major, called Environmental Studies. From its loins spring many if not most of our young Democrat office holders.
I wish the right had a similar system in place.
Happy birthday!
Ann and Rush Limbaugh share the same birthday. Two giants of commentary.
What Fernandinande 1/12/16, 12:43 PM said. "The world's oldest person" has been just about 120 for decades now.
Happy Birthday, Prof A!
Except, somehow, at our age, birthdays just aren't as much fun as they were when we were 11.
Happy 65th birthday, Dear Professor. We are all singing happy birthday to you.
Another year to reflect on the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.
Happy Birthday!
Althouse, Happy Birthday and best wishes for many more.
"Except, somehow, at our age, birthdays just aren't as much fun as they were when we were 11."
Meade likes to say that celebrating birthdays only makes sense up to the age of 11. By then you should "realize the reality of time."
Ann Althouse said...Meade likes to say that celebrating birthdays only makes sense up to the age of 11. By then you should "realize the reality of time.
Patton Oswalt: You Are Only Allowed 20 Birthdays
Also happy birthday, Professor!
Dan said that the first person who’ll reach the age of two hundred has already been born.
We'd better spend more time discovering ways to keep people healthy and able to work rather than just keeping them alive. Medicare is already going broke trying to extend lives, and while SS is in somewhat better shape adding 50 years of average retirement will bankrupt it also.
HoodlumDoodlum said...
...
Patton Oswalt: You Are Only Allowed 20 Birthdays
David Bowie said "We live for just these twenty years, do we have to die for the 50 more?"
In his case, it was only 49 more.
Happy Medicare Day!
Ann and Rush Limbaugh share the same birthday. Two giants of commentary.
...and Howard Stern.
Happy Birthday, AA!
Happy Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Ann. Thanks for always having something interesting to read.
Happy Birthday, Prof. Althouse!
oh.. no moderation.. woohoo.. even the trolls have to have a heart not to be nasty on a birthday post.
Happiest of Birthdays to you dear Annie.
Happy Birthday, Ann! Thank you for your excellent blog!
Happy Birthday. You share it with quite a few fellow communicators.
"Dan said that the first person who’ll reach the age of two hundred has already been born. 'It’s anyone’s guess who it is, but he or she is definitely here.' It could have been the authority in his voice, or maybe the firelight reflected in his eyes, but for whatever reason, this sounded to me like a prophecy. I swallowed the last of my cake and leaned forward to ask a question. 'At the age of a hundred sixty, will this person be like, "You know what? I’m starting to feel a little tired," or will he be curled into a ball, puddled in drool and Botox?' 'We don’t know,” Dan said."
Poor Dan. Actually we do know. We know that all this stuff Dan believes is beyond remotely likely.
I wonder what kind of prophecy a conversation like that was to Sedaris?
Didn't want to miss wishing you a Happy Birthday Ann. Happy Birthday!!!
PS: My favorite blog.
Oh, yeah?
Let's see the birth certifictae. THe real one !
Thanks, all.
The moderation warning is still there? Happy Birthday Ann.
Happy Birthday! Did you go to B V? No? Well now. Time you and I grabbed a glass of wine there.
Well, I was hoping we'd be talking here about the coming immortality and the self-creation of ourselves into gods that we humans will soon be undergoing--and by humans, i mean the really, really rich post-humans who we mere PoS's will be worshiping someday.
But, since it seems we are all just sucking up to the teacher today, let me just say, perfesser, today go ahead and have yer cake and eat it too. Happy birthday! (insert smiley face here)
Many years, Professor!
Happy belated! I also want to thank you for this blog, I check it everyday and I've got my daughters reading it too.
"I swallowed the last of my cake and leaned forward to ask a question. 'At the age of a hundred sixty, will this person be like, "You know what? I’m starting to feel a little tired," or will he be curled into a ball, puddled in drool and Botox?' 'We don’t know,” Dan said.""
At least if the old coot is Dutch we can hope they'll do the right thing and self-euthanize.
Roger Sweeny said...
What Fernandinande 1/12/16, 12:43 PM said. "The world's oldest person" has been just about 120 for decades now.
David said...
Poor Dan. Actually we do know. We know that all this stuff Dan believes is beyond remotely likely.
Really? It isn't like we're not in a biological revolution where genetics is becoming easily reprogrammable. The CRISPR technique of gene editing was declared by Science journal its “Breakthrough of the Year” just last month. Earlier last year the method illustrated its power in just a single application by excising all 62 copies of an anciently invasive retrovirus from the pig genome in one fell swoop. (After a few more such retroviruses are deleted, pig organs will become safe for transplant into humans.)
As a result of technology like this coming up to speed, the idea that someone now living will not ultimately live to be 200 years old is not a good bet. Yes, it will no doubt involve new engineering, and not just killing off diseases.
happy birthday Ann. I celebrated #78 on the same day.
Glad I found the blog about 4 years ago. It's interesting
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