[Mark Padgett]

Since we're into personal histories, here's mine FWIW.

I was born on November 3, 1948, the day after the presidential election at Chicago Lying-in Hospital. My home town newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, published the infamous "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline the morning I was born. The hospital is at the University of Chicago and my mother always said I was a lab experiment gone wrong.

We moved to the suburb of Chicago Heights when I was in 3rd grade and I grew up there. I went to Bloom HS (class of 65). Other "famous alumni" include Jerry Colangelo and Jim Bouton. Also, Gary Alan Carr, who was convicted of murder, extortion and kidnapping in conjunction with the Madeline Murray O'Hare family murders a few years ago. Gary and I were buddies in Jr. HS. He ran a stolen bike ring in 7th grade and actually left HS his first year to spend the rest of his boyhood in juvie detention.

In HS I played tennis and was a kicker on the football team (not actually a real player). I started HS at age 12 and was elected president of our Junior Achievement company. At the time, I was the youngest person in the organization's history ever to hold that position.

My life changed dramatically when, while attending Northern Illinois University, I was abducted by aliens and probed for a few years. I was returned to earth where I was not capable of performing any functions other than being an official.

Someday I hope to return to human form.