by Avram Miller I have been thinking about the significance of being a Jew at this time, in particular, contemplating the survival of the Jewish People. Frankly, I am frightened. I am a Zionist and believe that Jews need a homeland, Israel. History has proven that. Now, this homeland is in turmoil and its very … Continue reading
Author Archives: avram miller
Israel will stay a democracy
Many of my friends and family in the USA have been reaching out to me to ask about the situation in Israel. They want to know what’s going on, what will happen, and if we’re safe. Therefore, I am writing this blog post to try and describe the situation here, although it is complex and … Continue reading
Gordon Moore has passed
(January 3, 1929 – March 24, 2023) Gordon Moore, a founder of Intel and best known for Moore’s law, has left us. In 1965 in an article in Electronics Magazine, Gordon predicted that the number of transistors would double every two years. Five years later, Carver Mead coined the term “Moore’s law” to describe this … Continue reading
A dream turns into a nightmare
Many of those that read my book, The Flight of a Wild Duck, said they enjoyed the personal stories very much and wanted more of that. So I am augmenting my book with a few such stories. Here is one. After checking into a pension on the eighth floor of a commercial building, I began … Continue reading
Back to writing poetry
I recently learned that some of my correspondence with Allen Ginsburg was at the Stanford University Library. It must be some of the poetry I was writing while I lived in a bed-sitter in London. That was in 1966. I was the only person in the building not from Nigeria. Back then the only piece … Continue reading
Well-Done
We start life with dreams and end with memories. That is, if we are lucky. Otherwise, we end in pain or, sometimes, oblivion. As they say, ‘I am “healthy, wealthy and wise .” Many people remark on my youthfulness, energy, and even looks. Luckily, I picked the right parents. I eat well, sleep well and … Continue reading
Surprised by Budapest
While my wife and I travel about four months a year, I tend not to write about our trips (she does that on her blog, http://www.eatdrinkfly.com), but our recent trip to Budapest surprised me. Having traveled extensively worldwide for almost 60 years and being a history student, I pride myself on my knowledge of history … Continue reading
The Flight of a Wild Duck was published a year ago
My memoir, The Flight of a Wild Duck, was published a year ago. It took me three years to write; a year of research, a year of drafting, and a year of editing. While it was a lot of work, I found the experience rewarding. I learned a lot about the history I had lived … Continue reading
Joe Kamiya; My Most Impactful Mentor Died
I have had five mentors throughout my career and am grateful for their efforts. After learning of their deaths, I have written about Mort Ruderman and Ken Olsen. Unfortunately, I have just learned that Joe Kamiya, the most impactful of all my mentors, died last year. Joe Kamiya made me a scientist. Paul Hugenholtz made … Continue reading
Time Travel via the London Underground
Today I took a trip on a “time machine” via the London underground. I went back to 1965 when I first arrived in London at the age of 20. My grand uncle Joe Harris and his wife Alice, invited me to visit them. At that time, I was living in Paris. Living is not really … Continue reading