Running Bear's April 2023 Coffee Shop

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My first computer was a Zenith Z181 laptop.

LCD grayscale display (it was blue). Dual 3" floppy disc drives. 1mb onboard memory, so I could load DOS into the 384K upper memory block, keeping most of teh 640k block available for running programs like Lotus 123A

I had that laptop along with a really small inkjet printer that all fit into a custom made soft sided brief case. It made the old Compaq's look antiquated with their built-in CRT displays.

I was envied by the other auditors who used the company's Compaqs that looked like this:
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Because my computer looked like this:
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The first computer we had in our house was a DEC PDT-11/150 with 64kW and dual 8" floppies. We had a VT62 (yes VT62) hooked up to it for a video terminal and an LA36 console printer at 300baud serial connection for a second input device and for printing. (LA36 was a dot matrix printer with full keyboard on a floor mount -- like you would see for consoles in the movies with old mainframe types). It ran RT-11 operating system though we had a Beta of RSTS/E multi user system. The PDT-11/150 was an LSI-11 CPU (PDP-11 on a chip) in a desktop cabinet with dual 8" floppies and some serial ports -- no access to any system bus for expansion and no hard disk drives. They did not sell well and ended up selling them to employees for relatively cheap. It was an awesome computer. We had all the mini computer games like Dungeon, Adventure, and all sorts of other stuff you'd find at colleges on their mini computers. Also real things like cross compilers and dev tools and a real 80 char x 24/35 display (unlike the typical home computer)

Very soon and concurrently with the PDT-11/150 we had an Atari 400 ugraded to 48K and a replacement keyboard with real keys. I used this to program graphics and stuff and learn about assembly language. And of course play games. The Atari had lot better graphics capability than its peers at the time (the design crew who did the custom chips eventually ended up at Commodore and did the Amiga custom chips).

Atfer a couple years my dad learned that if the PDT were to develop problems that the repair costs did not have "employee pricing" and would probably be much more than we paid for it, as it was a corporate level product with corporate level pricing (for the time -- pre PC). So he sold it to someone at work who had missed the original sale and we sold the Atari 400 and bought a maxed out Atari 800, with 5 1/4" floppy etc. That is what I used throughout high school and we still actually have it and afew more Atari 800s I bought 20 years ago at a thrift store. There are some games we like to revisit once a decade.
 
Over the last nine months or so, I have placed 3 orders with "Bob the Train Guy". Every time I received an order confirmation and order number, then nothing. I had to go to PayPal today for another refund request on an order placed on April 8th. No answers to my e-mails from Bob when I checked on my order status. I am officially done with ordering from this guy.
Buyers beware.

Take care....John
 
westtexjohn said:
Over the last nine months or so, I have placed 3 orders with "Bob the Train Guy". Every time I received an order confirmation and order number, then nothing. I had to go to PayPal today for another refund request on an order placed on April 8th. No answers to my e-mails from Bob when I checked on my order status. I am officially done with ordering from this guy.
Buyers beware.

Take care....John
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An email I got from him on April 10 says he is out of the country with limited intrnet

"
I will be gone from April 9th thru the 25th. My wife says we need a vacation. I will be out of the country, Europe.

I will have limited internet. Please leave an email or text, I will try to get back ASAP depending on WiFi.
"
 


Afternoon All,

Started out with a trip to Wally World this morning for the large May grocery shopping. Spent way too much money on them. After lunch I finished half of the trees, and I should finish the rest tomorrow.

All week we have been getting doom and gloom predictions from the weather idiots. I'd be surprised if we have received 1/10" of rain so far.

Tom- Nice looking Shepard.

Smudge- Interesting video with the two different consists.

TomO- It sure doesn't sound like a good way to mend fences with someone! Some people just don't get it.

Willie- Good luck with the P2K kit.

Guy- Good luck with the 4x4's. I feel your pain also.

John- I have bought a lot of things from Bob the Train Guy and met him at a show. I've have always had a positive experience with him.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
NYC_George said:
I did, I knew exactly the time my heath care ended with the union and the 18 months I would be on Cobra. At 61 1/2 I had 1 year to go. I retired at 62 1/2. The union paid my heath care for 1 year after I left. I paid Cobra for 18 months until I was 65 and went on RR retirement Medicare. It all worked out as planned and it's been good ever since but even with that my wife and I spend $13,000 a year between Medicare and the ARRP health supplement.
Swal
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While COBRA was thought about, it was not a primary factor. My wife was already old enough for Medicare so that was easy. By coincidence, I made the decision 18 months before I was eligible, so I kept the COBRA going for me only.
 


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