Most Peoples Not So Lucky

This memoir blends the experiences of Dr. Ira Jacobs on four major themes: telecommunications, education, Judaism, and cancer. Dr. Jacobs directed the development of the initial fiber optic communication systems at Bell Laboratories, and then retired to become a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Virginia Tech. He is a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Dr. Jacobs has had five operations for colon cancer since 1992. He describes how his life has been shaped by his experiences in all of these areas. It is both a personal story, enhanced by many anecdotes, and deals more generally with directions in telecommunications, education, being Jewish in a Christian environment, and the treatment of cancer.