The Skeptical Enquirer
I subscribe to Wolfram Alpha Professional and have for about ten years. I use and therefore trust its computational intelligence engine. I use it to verify population and other data.
When I was born, Thursday, 31 July 1945, there were 2.35 billion people worldwide. Today, Wednesday, 25 July 2018, there are 7.51 billion people worldwide. On the 100th anniversary of my birth, Wolfram Alpha estimates that the worldwide population will be 9.11 billion people.
On the Ides of March, 44 BC Julius Caesar dies at the hands of friends and colleagues in the Roman Forum. At the time of his death, the worldwide population was a mere 166 million people, or one fifty-fifth (1/55) of that population projected for mid-century.
In 1968, as an Army second lieutenant, my base pay was $343.20 per month. My basic allowance for subsistence was $47.88 per month. My basic allowance for quarters without dependents was $85.20 per month. The last two items were not subject to income tax. On this, I lived well, albeit as a bachelor. In other words, my annual gross income was $5713.56, or $4118.40 taxable income. I believed then that I had the world in the palm of my hand.
Friday, 31 July 2018, I enter my 73rd year, God willing.
There is no point to this reminiscence. It is just a mental exercise, a fun exercise, in fact.
Well, enough of this…
