Remembrance

I remember the day nearly ten years ago.. It was breezy but warm, and promised to be another late Summer scorcher from what it felt like. I was running late getting to work, having spent a little extra time at home with the girlfriend before I had to go in. With no radio or television on in the house, and the radio in the van not working, I was oblivious to the life-changing events which were already in motion that morning.

The first clue that something was wrong was when I got to work. One of the engineers from my company was outside the office on a smoke break and asked me if I had any news about the terrorists. I shrugged and laughed it off, thinking it was another of his little chuckles as he sometimes liked to joke about, never stopping to chat with him as I headed through the doors.

Then I got into my office area, and realized what was really happening.

Jo Price, one of the analysts I worked with, and our manager Mark, were just turning on a television they managed to get into our conference room. The picture snapped into place and the scene was horrific - both towers were billowing smoke from their upper floors and the people in the streets were near panic as they ran from the scene. In moments, the first tower was collapsing. Between shots from New York, the news cur back to their studio and to DC to show the Pentagon, and each of us sucked in a breath - we knew people working in the building with the spare wall.

It was the quietest day in our office, followed by one of the busiest nights.

Our system was still new, just coming online with the Air Force and portions of the other Armed Services. Everyone was starting to panic, wondering if the global network would support the requirements of our messaging system. But the panic of the moment subsided and everything continued on, working smoothly.

Although I left government contract work and moved to other areas and jobs, that pivotal moment remains with me as deeply as my motorcycle accident and the loss of the space shuttles while in flight.

And now, we should have some closure. The alleged mastermind of the attacks - and countless others - has been found and dealt with as only the Navy SEALs can do. There will surely be doubters - conspiracy theorists who just won't let go of it. But now is the moment of truth for the American people. With the head of the snake cut off, how quickly can our troops clean up and pack up? Or will they stay there still, much longer than many feel necessary, just like Bush did with Iraq?

I am not saying we shouldn't have gone to both countries. But there seems to be a lack of exit strategy; the mission is accomplished, so what are our troops going to do next? If we remain in Afghanistan, will our men and women continue to rout out the terror cells which remain, or are we really destined to repeat history? The Russians pulled out of there after failing to suppress the local population, and now we are in there - much like Vietnam in the 60's where the French failed to bring their peace to that country, and then we were left holding the bag in the end. I can only feel there are too many parallels between that failed "police action" nearly 50 years ago and what we are going through now.

As for the man, Osama bin Laden received his Karma. It is a sad thing that anyone must lose a life, but for the countless numbers of dead and injured caused by him or others following his orders, it was time for him to pay the "butcher's bill". I must say I am proud to have once served the Navy, and once been employed as a civilian in support of the SEAL teams at their base on the East Coast. And I have no remorse over the death of who has been "Public Enemy Number 1" for all these years.

... but now we wait for the other shoe to drop, the next "mastermind" to step up and try to hold together - or reform - the Al Qaida terrorist group. Where do we go from here? Can we really expect any true Peace from this action? Or have we just managed to postpone the next major catastrophe while "the enemy" regroups...

Donations

Let's face it, I'm a starving artist.. Although I am not as active working on my various blogs as some others, I do try to get entries up at random intervals, and relay good information when I can.

But money is tight, and the job market hasn't been favorable.. So I am left to do something I never thought I would have to do, and that is to start up Paypal and hope those of you who are reading my work here like it enough to show me it's worth something..

So here I go..

I am willing to work on commission, too.. and can work on any sort of research, editorial, or fiction you might have in mind. Just email me and let me know what you want and we can negotiate from there..

Tablet Computing

So it's been over six months since Apple started selling the iPad... so many people are enjoying the tablet almost-computer, and others are anxiously awaiting the Next Big Thing. The hype has been all about the Android operating system and using it on larger-than-cellphone devices - much like Apple is using the same OS it created originally for the iPhone.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy Tab. After much waiting, hype, and anticipation, this Next Big Thing is now available to the general public - if you don't mind paying premium prices through the various cellphone service providers. Reviews are starting to come from the various geek sources (Engadget for one), giving all the details about the size, handling, capabilities, etc. For all the tech details about the processor, memory, and expandability, they have all the information.

I took some time this afternoon and hustled over to my local cell provider, where they have both of these top-running tablet computers available for the public. At first glance, the obvious - the Tab is a smaller device. It is much larger than your average phone - even something as large as a Droid X or Incredible - but small enough to hold in one hand if you have a fairly wide grip. The feel as you hold it is fairly solid - this isn't some cheap import just trying, but a sturdy little machine. But the surface seemed almost sticky, and my fingers couldn't slide across it easily. Trying to type was a little difficult as well - although it is smaller than the iPad, and provides a decent portrait thumb-able keyboard for quick use, turning the Tab to a landscape profile made it an entirely different beast. The keyboard was no longer small enough to reach easily with just the thumbs, but was too small to type on as a normal keyboard. Visually the interface was decent - much as one would expect from the smaller android cellphones. I did not spend too much time working the various applications pre-loaded, only checked out what was available and seeing how the web and typing might work out.

The iPad is almost a normal-sized computer in comparison. It's larger size does make it heavier, but it does feel very solid (as with most all of Apple's products), and although the portrait profile is about as wide as the Tab's landscape, with the same difficulty in "thumb typing", when you turn the iPad its landscape keyboard is about the same size as your average netbook keyboard. And the smooth-glass screen on the iPad makes it easier to slide your fingers across and not feel like you're sticking to the screen or trying to type on some kind of rubber surface.

Both seem to be capable almost-computers overall. They offer a decently portable size for simple entertainment pleasures, but do fall short when it comes to some computing power, because of the limitations from their operating systems, I think. But there is a difference in price, with the smaller Tab averaging to be more expensive than a comparable iPad. Yes, the Tab does have two cameras to the iPad's none, and the Tab also provides expandability with an SD-card slot easily accessible on the edge. But after getting some time playing with the two nearly side-by-side, I am still leaning towards the iPad for ease of use and capability overall.

Granted, I wouldn't turn down either one if it were given to me as a present, but when I get to the point of buying something to replace my aging laptop and iPod Touch, I will probably be looking into the iPad to combine the best of both worlds.

Keep trying, Samsung... you're almost there.

Alas, Poor SCIFI, I knew him well...

While cruising through Facebook and catching up on the morning events there, I came across as post via the "Caprica Season 2" fan list which linked to an open letter to the Syfy network (the FB link sends you here which then links to the actual Syfy forum post here). When I first heard the news, I sent in my own "open letter" through their website feedback forms, but have not received a response - nor do I expect one.

This latest open letter is an excellent post, well thought out and presented. My own was a bit more emotional and negative, but I admit I can be rather emotional when I am passionate about my topic. I have been to $yfy's forums and read this letter, but I will not deign to register an account and reply. They can read what I have to say right here.

...if they even care, which I doubt.

I agree with the post and have already stopped watching any programming on $yfy. I watched one last show after the cancellation announcement, and I want those two hours back (Red, with Felicia Day, which was well hyped, but fell way short of entertaining).

I remember Dresden Files, and know it was cancelled quickly. I know Firefly was given just as much chance to succeed by Fox, and never did. Moonlight much the same.

And now, Caprica.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done. I have deselected $yfy from my tv's channels, and will no longer enjoy the few decent shows remaining, like Eureka, Warehouse13, and SGU. I do apologize to the hard working actors and crew of those three shows - they are an excellent example of what the SCIFI channel had to offer. Ever since they changed the network to $yfy though, they've continually gotten away from the original niche they had cultivated, instead pursuing the almighty buck. It is a shame, because I did enjoy those shows immensely; but why should I invest any more time into those shows, knowing they can be pulled and replaced with wrestling and reality tv shows?

Alas, poor SCIFI, I knew him well...

...but I have no idea who this $yfy is trying to replace him, other than a font of disappointment.

Miracle from the Media

It's a miracle. Over two months of waiting, planning, and preparing, and then in less than 24-hours a media miracle.


Yes, after 70-days of waiting, the Chilean miners have been retrieved from what would have been their final resting place. Thirty-three men, trapped without knowing if they will survive at all for the first seventeen days, free to roam above the earth once more. And the stories to come will fill the papers, magazines, television and online media outlets for months yet.

Not to mention the book and movie deals they're sure to try.

Seventy days. Over two months without seeing the sun or loved ones except by remote camera. Even the longest patrols on a submarine don't keep the sailors from fresh air and sunlight that long usually - although contact with the rest of the world is even more limited.

Thanks to modern technology, the trapped miners were able to see and speak to loved ones on videophone links, one even able to see the birth of their child while still a half-mile underground. Music and medicine shared with ease, either through streamed sources online, or personal media players donated to the men.

The speed which care provided remotely during the rescue preparations contributed to the well-being of the miners, and many of them are already home with loved ones after barely a day - and most are expected home before the weekend is out.

And then the next media miracle will happen - the tours of talk shows, interviews, and possible book and movie deals which will be poured like Niagra Falls at their feet.

But there is another media miracle which has already happened. The lack of intrusive coverage into these men's lives (at least on an international level). Although there was expected a little drama when one man's reported mistress was the first person to welcome him, it was barely brushed over by a few news sites, and most didn't even discuss it at all. This was something almost worthy of "Reality TV" in the United States. But it was underplayed instead.

So for another couple of weeks the miners will be the hot topic around the watercooler, until the next major news story breaks, and the world media descends onto the scene like carrion birds. At least this time it didn't feel like they were waiting for death, but presented hope in the best way possible.

It's Been a While

This blog has sat idle for a while.. after a position change from the news department back into the studio production crew, news has flowed a little slower through life for a busy technician.

But there are still events happening which should be reported on, and opinion generated from this corner of the world. One of the biggest is the BP oil fiasco going on in the Gulf of Mexico. Too much that seems to be behind the scenes, and not enough being told to the public.

What preparations were in place to prevent or limit such a catastrophe? From what it seems like from news coverage, there didn't seem to be any real failsafe. Granted, when dealing with extreme depths there are difficulties to overcome, but such plans should have been made in the eventuality of a catastrophic loss such as has happened.

And the government has been fairly quick to accuse, yet slow to respond. Even with the requirement of orders filtering down from the commanding centers of our military, it should not have taken a month to get ships equipped to handle the oil down to the Gulf to aid in clean up. There was a Coast Guard vessel specifically designed to skim oil which sat idle at it's homeport in North Carolina for a month before she received orders to sail.

With accusations flying, from the manufacturers of certain parts along the pipeline to the subcontractor who ran the actual platform, British Petroleum is the company over all. In this day and age, most try to find a scapegoat, and refuse to take responsibility, instead making excuses and half-hearted apologies.

BP needs to step up and stop stalling. From what news sources have covered, it has taken acts of Congress and the President to force any sort of acceptance for responsibility and recovery. Now, almost two months after the initial blast, a fund is being set up to help those who have lost their livelihood to the oil spill and cover recovery efforts. Something like this should have been in place already, and even with it not in place, it should have been set up faster and without government prompting.

And of course there's the government. "We'll get to the bottom of this," they say. But what is there to get to the bottom of? The platform is owned by British Petroleum. That's it, end of story, clean up your mess and pay up. What does the government really need to do here? Other than the usual democratic red tape parade to bring all the oil companies under scrutiny, create more regulations that will probably be ignored in the long run, and waste more taxpayer money appointing new people to inspect and regulate as effectively as before.

Which is to say, not so great.

Speech Isn't Free

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

And there's no such thing as free speech.

Even in the great United States, everything comes with a price. We may not pay the price directly, but someone does. The writer and editor burning the midnight oil to get all the facts for a news article are paying with their time away from family. The factory worker on the double-shift again so he can afford to send his kids to the college he never made it to.

...and the military members and their families who worry and wonder if they'll share another day together.

As the saying goes, "Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and most of them stink." Freedom of speech is supposed to allow us to express those opinions openly, without fear of reprisal. I get that, and I support that wholeheartedly. I have my own opinions which may not be popular with some who find this blog, or read other things I have written in the past. But I still have the ability and legal protection to express those thoughts and opinions I want to share.

Within reason, of course.

What's that? "Within reason"? You can say whatever you want, where you want, and no one can stop you. That's the law, as protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. What is this "reason" you think limits us?

It is exactly that. REASON. The difference between sentient, thinking beings, and raw, emotional animals. The First Amendment protects our individual right of expression. It guarantees that what your opinion may be, and how you express yourself, is a freedom that should not be limited by law. The battle over protecting this freedom has been fought over and again, on the battlefield and in the courtroom.

The problem today though is people forget common sense. Boundaries are no longer sacred, lines get crossed, and one person's opinion sparks confrontation. Just because we are allowed to express ourselves openly doesn't excuse us from thinking. There is a right way - and a wrong way - of expressing displeasure and a difference of opinion. Writing letters to newspapers, opinion emails to television stations, and other correspondence with our elected officials is one thing. Taking our frustrations out on one lone individual who isn't truly the cause of the problem, or responsible for the issue, is entirely out of hand.

Common decency can't replace common sense. But such is becoming almost commonplace now. And it's getting worse, when a grieving family is forced to put up with protestors who demonstrate right outside the church where they are holding the funeral for their dead son, killed in the line of duty while serving in the Army. The family sued the protest organizers, won their case, but then it was overturned on appeal - to the point where the grieving family was ordered to pay the legal fees for the protestors! This case is now going to the U.S. Supreme Court - and will surely be a landmark decision.

I fully support the freedom of speech. Even if I don't agree with those protesters, they have the right to their opinion. But I don't support their actions - the lack of common sense and common decency to allow the family to grieve is just wrong to me on so many levels. People want to stand up and say something but when the push comes, they don't want to take responsibility for their actions, and want everyone else to pay for their poor judgement.