Return to home.
Comments about General Electric Computer Department, IBM, Control Data, Measurex, Landis&Gyr,and, Dilbert Thelen, Ed & Digital Computers
A Typical Day, Some flattering pictures of Ed, a memorial

A "Short" Biography of

- Ed Thelen -


I started this web site in 1996, when most guys showed themselves in their favorite T-shirt next to a red convertible. Being a contrarian, and having no favorite T-shirt nor red convertible, I refused to do that.

In 2003, George Runkle asked for a picture, and J.P. Moore asked for a short bio.
Sensing fame and fortune at my doorstep ;-)) I agreed.

Here goes!


Left puppy died April 2005 at age 16 :-((
Center puppy still writing web sites ;-))
Right puppy was a super dog, died April 2004 after challenging/ignoring an auto for right of way :-(((

"Current" "News",
2006
75th Birthday, at the Tonga Room, after a full day being pirates on the "Hawiian Chieftain".
2019
Me (in the hat) on my 88th birthday, with my three "kids".
L->R, Carl, Randy, Edward

Later we went to the movie
"The Current Wars",
about Edison vs Westinghouse & Tesla
We agreed the costumes were nice :-(

Hmmmm - a bio - you asked for "a little bio" -

Ah good, that means I can
    - leave out all the disgraceful stuff
    - leave in only the hero/intellectual stuff.
    - and spin everything to my advantage :-))
    - - Gee - I could go into politics

OK - lets try it -


A "short" autobiography of (bring up the sound of trumpets)

      ta        ta
    ta
  ta
ta            ta

Ed Thelen


Executive Summary of Ed Thelen

A proposed script for "Dilbert" by Scott Adams
- Lady says to Dilbert, "Say something romantic."
- Dilbert (Ed Thelen) says "Kepler discovered the paths of the planets."
- Lady thinks "I wish I remembered Bill Clinton's telephone number."
Ed and Dilbert don't know how to flatter the ladies. This year I'm 89, maybe next year I'll learn ??
Dilbert vs SalesTypes
What NASA is hiding on the moon ;-))

Looking back,
My general motivation, especially in college, seemed to be
       The Carrot and The Stick
The Carrot being - I wanted to be able to afford a comfortable family,
The Stick being - I did not want to be poor in old age !!
            and "save up for a rainy day !!"

Ed has sophisticated tastes, likes Uff da, Minnesota, Minnesota, St. Patrick's Day in Minnesota ;-))
Also a music lesson :-)), a carrot clarinet and OH Yes - Senior Moments, My Life Style
OK, I really like this, and Renée, and, and for a change of pace ;-)) - and this (Hazmat) ;-))
and this for you space junkies - a horse laugh for folks trying to back up a trailer ;-))
A guy's guide to avoiding sexual harassment problems.
Who says guys don't like classical music? - Click on picture)
Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60
Victor Borge actually plays the piano.
"Golden Years???" - I can identify with this one. - More seriously

Early on it appeared that I was short of "dumb luck" - other than
- I was not a bad sample of being in the local majority race
- having caring parents, regular food, safe environment
- access and encouragement toward education
- thrift and a work ethic pounded into my skull
so I was in an easy position to try for "Earned Luck" ;-))

It turned out that I graduated from engineering at the same time as
- the cold war, more sophisticated weapons, need engineers
- the space race was heating up, need engineers
- computers were more practical, economical for more applications, need engineers
OK, maybe "Earned Luck" was actually "dumb luck" -

And this Dilbert was married to a thrifty reasonable woman who
- bore three great kids
- put up with me for 24+ years
and I have been married to another thrifty reasonable woman
- for almost 35 years, (I will be 90 in 2021)
- and all above are "comfortable" and get along "just fine" :-))

My retirement "plan" is (currently) keeping up with inflation.

I regard myself as an ex-farmboy super-techie.
Most things farmers produce (grains, animals) get sold and eaten, (die)
    so they think a lot about reproduction and new life.
Currently, U.S. college graduates are not reproducing enough to keep their population up.
Old info is that college graduate women average 0.6 kids each.
    Considering wars, traffic, etc., 2.5 kids each would seem minimal.

A short tale of my life

As a kid, I seemed more curious about the world than most -
Other kids would say "Curiosity killed the cat!"
I would respond "But satisfaction brought it back!"

In high school I liked physics & chemistry - why??
- but chemistry appeared restricted to DuPont, which seemed limiting
- but in physics, I was also stumped by the double slit phenomena,
so I became a enjinerr .
In my usual chaotic fashion, after getting married and having 1st kid.

Now I'm a grandpop, and remember all of this
A ?universal? truth
My corner
Occasionally