Richard Shachtman:  

Half Century: Richard Shachtman. Perspective of Woody Allen: 90% of success is showing up. Ch 1: Why did I spend so much time in school; was I afraid to get a real job? NC State undergrad; U of Md, MS and PhD. Any farmer knows what BS means. MS = more of the same and PhD = piled higher and deeper. Just a country boy from rural NC. Ch 2: Enter Ann; she wants to get married! I said take your parents¿ advice: find a real doctor or an attorney. I am going to be a lowly paid mathematician (redundant). How ¿bout we just live together? R U out of your f¿¿ing mind? Apparently ahead of my time. Ch 3: Joined faculty at UNC Chapel Hill, Statistics Dept. 8 full professors, 0 associates, 0 assistants ¿ pretty clear they use people then toss them. They¿re suits, ties and shaved; I¿m clumping around in wooden heeled clogs, full beard ¿ well, hell, it was the 60s. Better sharpen up my gas pumping skills. Ch 4: Use mathematical tools to analyze medical/health problems. (Uhhh, did it have to be useful?) Start traveling and consulting; hey, they pay real money for me to talk. By then, I¿d transferred to Biostatistics Dept. Ann: I¿m with 2 toddlers every day; I need to be stimulated. Great, let¿s go upstairs and . . . No, not that kind. I wanna work. OK, I learned (overkill) about stereo equipment dragging around Wash DC for 6 weeks. Richard idea: Let¿s sell audio from our house; I¿ll teach you the basics. Ch 5: The Business. I may be more technical, but Ann could sell, sell, sell. Neighbor¿s view: couple moves into modest neighborhood. Husband off to U every am. All day young men come to house, spend an hour and come out smiling. Pretty soon couple moves to more upscale neighborhood. Ch 6: I somehow manage to make Full Professor [[1]] plus my consulting is going well US + International. One nonpaying (in terms of cash) client is our company, Stereo Sound (clever name we inherited). Ann idea: ¿Richard, quit your job at the U and come help run this company, which is doing volume but no profit.¿ But my style is different and I don¿t want disagreements at work to affect our marriage. R-i-g-h-t. OK, I¿ll give up consulting but imagine my resignation to be on your desk ready for signat...Expand for more