I graduated UCLA 1968 with an AB in Mathematics. My heart was in the wilderness so I went to college primarily to stay out of the Vietnam war which I thought was insanity. After waffling between majors of physics (like my dad), chemistry (UCLA's chem dept. was much superior to their physics dept.), philosophy, and psychology, I finally settled on math because that's where I had the most course credits and the draft wouldn't allow me another year for my varied interests. Plus I found math the easiest field because math (like philosophy) is an idealized world and doesn't have to deal with the idiosyncracies and complexities of reality. Minors in psychology and history.

1968-1972, computer researcher for the Advanced Research Project Agency of the Department of Defense (ARPA, now DARPA) at SDC Corp. (RAND Corp.). I needed a draft deferment and this was more conscionable than calculating missile trajectories which was the other job offer I received. I co-authored the worlds first database graphing program, one of the first "point and click" interfaces, and played a minor role in the development of ARPANET, the predecessor of the modern internet.

1972-1976, free spirit (unemployed and enjoying life), benefit of a high draft lottery number and turning 26. The high point of my life - too bad I didn't realize it at the time. "Remember, these are the good old days" (Firesign Theater).

1976-1982, truck driver. Probably the most interesting and enlightening part of my career and certainly the most enjoyable. I learned that white collar folks are no smarter than blue collar folks - they just think they are. In fact choosing a career that puts them in an office all day and makes them wear a tie might just indicate the opposite.

1983-1985, Programmer/Analyst with the City of Eugene, Oregon

1985-1995, Data Communications consultant and software author.

1995-present, co-owner (with my wife) and operator of Newport Internet, an ISP.