There's something to be said about tradition...

Among the things I respect about other cultures is the amount of attention they pay to heritage, language, customs, and tradition. As a boy, I had the opportunity to attend a Bah Mitzvah of a young friend with whom I attended elementary school. I remember vaguely that the ceremony symbolized the becoming of a man, but I don't recall much more than that. Some thirty years later, I was honored to be invited to another Bah Mitzvah of the son of a close co-worker. Suffice to say, I paid much closer attention this time. [I'm leaving the name of my friend and his family out of this article to honor privacy.]

As I sat in the synagogue with a Yarmulka on my head, I was taken by the deep historical sentiment of the ceremony. A Bah Mitzvah is a Jewish tradition that takes place when a son turns thirteen. Bah Mitzvah means "son of the commandments." In practice, it's a rite of passage where a young man becomes responsible for himself, and his parents are no longer responsible for his sins or good deeds. The young man prepares for this occasion by first completing a prescribed course of study from his congregation's school. He then follows an individualized study program in a specialized subject area selected with the support of his family and the concurrence of his Rabbi. The program is generally individualized and combines independent research and regular tutorial meetings with the Rabbi. In addition to sustaining cultural consiousness, it's an opportunity for the young man to become closer to his family and his religion, and see life in a new light. The young man I watched did his parents proud that day, as he read from sacred scrolls in Hebrew...some of which he memorized.

I can't think of anything comparable to this ceremony in the African-American community, but I sure wish we had one. Perhaps it would help us coalesce. Despite being joined by the many shades of our skin, we are very separated by a disjoint culture, economics, and, in some cases, a "Crabs in a barrel" (a.k.a. "Hater-ism") mentality. To be fair, part of the reasoning can be attributed to history and the media. We're not even clear on how to refer to ourselves as a people. People of German decent are referred to as "Germans." People from Italy are "Italians." People of Hispanic culture are referred to in reference to their native land--Spanish, Argentinian, Puerto Rican, Cuban etc. You get the idea. Unfortunately, history has been none too kind to our labels--Nigger... Nigga'... Coon... Colored... Negro... Black... African American. We've come a loooong way, Baby! Still, we're not consistent in how we refer to ourselves. For example, the N-word has been taken on as a term of endearment, but let someone from another race use the term and we take exception. Double standards in the Black community? Go figure. In retrospect, you can trace disparities in our community back to the time when house Negros thought themselves as "better" than those in the field. Fairness of color resulted in preferential treatment. Sadly, much mars our tradition and heritage. Fortunately, we also have things to feel good about.

Black folk has much to be proud of in terms of contributions to societal culture--soul food, hip hop, jazz, funk, gospel, blues, R&B, and the essence of "cool." We have the historical memoirs of Jim Crow and the knowledge of the perseverence that it took to overcome atrocities not unlike what the Jews endured. We've taken that perserverence and turned into contributions in science, architecture, technology, courts of law, business, sports, and the fashion and entertainment industries. All have had bearing on American culture.

I wonder if 20 years from now we will have a common tradition that we will share with our Great Grand-children that we can hold up high and say, "This is what our fore fathers did, and now you can teach your children to do the same." Perhaps Kwanzaa will take off as our adopted tradition. Ebonics is entertaining, but it's no rite of passage by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, there's certainly something to be said about tradition. I respect what we have as African-Americans and what we have accomplished as a people. We have, indeed, come a long way...But to keep it real: We have a long way to go.
Peace,
+THINKER

Show some love for the USA Basketball team

Wow. The Olympic games in Athens are turning out to be quite "interesting" for the USA Basketball team. But that's nothing compared to the grief these guys are getting on the home front. People are whining about them being arrogant millionaires, complaining about the lack of effort and defense, and critical of the ineptitude of their outside shooting. Most are disgruntled that our guys are not blowing teams out like the '92 Dream Team. "Michael, Magic, and Larry wouldn't have tolerated this!" they say. Some have even made suggested going back to college players to "teach those guys a lesson!" While at least some of the critiquing is valid, let's look at the facts:

1. The average age of the players on the USA basketball team this year is 23. Hello? 23! Six of the twelve players are 22 or younger--the youngest being Emeka Okafor at 19. Two of the players are 24--Richard Jefferson and Lamar Odom, and the remaining elder statesmen--Shawn Marion, Stephon Marbury, Tim Duncan, and Allen Iverson--are 26,27, 28, and 29 respectively. Imagine that: Allen Iverson is the senior. Compared to the '92 team, whose average age was 29, we've lost a cumulative 72 year's worth of experience.
2. Of the twelve players on the roster, only three of the players have reached the NBA Championship round--Tim Duncan, Richard Jefferson, and Allen Iverson. None of remaining players have even made it out of the second round of playoffs. By comparison, every player on the '92 squad had significant playoff experience--with the lone exception being Christian Laettner.
3. The current team consists of 7 guards, 4 forwards, and only 1 center--again, Tim Duncan. The '92 team had 5 guards, 5 forwards, and 2 centers--Patrick Ewing and David Robinson.
4. Of the '92 Dream Teamers, nine were named as the NBA's Fifty greatest players and (at least ten) will go into the hall of fame. Sorry, Christian and Mully, I don't see you guys in there. On the current team, Duncan and Iverson will probably make it to the hall of fame, but the jury is still out on the rest of the gang.

I say all this to make a point: Despite what you may think about these guys, you should support you USA Basketball team! Why? Well for one thing, these guys volunteered when most of your current superstars--Shaq, T-Mac, K.G., and Jason Kidd, to name a few--decided the opportunity to represent their country wasn't all that important. Give credit where it's due. It's no simple task to play team ball in few weeks after throwing some guys together...even with great talent, and little experience. Go ahead and ask Jerry Buss about having an all-star team and coming up short this year. Finally, if there's someone that ought to be chastised, it would be USA Basketball for not putting together a more balanced team. With all they have working against them, I'm rather impressed to see Team USA overcoming some glaring weaknesses--most notably, the missing outside shot and poor off-ball defense.

None of these guys are asked to do these things with any regularity on their existing teams, so can you really fault them for being dumbfounded initially with what's been delegated to garbage players? All things considered, I believe if this team is able to achieve gold in the Olympics, it would be more impressive than the '92 team's accomplishment. Face it. The level of competition is superior and the other teams are not looking starry eyed at Carlos Boozer in search of an autograph as they were before playing Magic & Michael! Speaking of Boozer, "don't hate...appreciate!" as Vivica A. Fox likes to say.

Bottomline: Support your USA Basketball team! Even if you don't particularly like these players, appreciate that they stepped up to represent the red, white, and blue. No different (and no less) than Michael Phelps has done. Too bad there aren't more fundamental basketball events in the Olympics like during the All-Star weekend--3 point shootout, point guard skills competition, or even the slam dunk contest. Think about it. No disrespect to some of the athletes, but what would you rather watch as an Olympic event? Kayaking? Or a 3-point shootout? [pause] I rest my case.

Peace,

+THINKER

Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about you...

People are often outspoken when things go wrong. Whether its the newspaper boy that misses your doorstep, the contractor who doesn't do quality work, or the waitress who is inattentive, we generally let people know when we're not pleased. But ask yourself: How often do we (or I) acknowledge when things go right? Do you let people know when they've rendered good services? Or paid close attention to quality? I do. Call it "greasing the wheels"...call it stroking...call it whatever you like. My experience has been that when you acknowledge when people do well, they get recogntion, positive reinforcement--[pun completely unintential]--and work that much harder on your behalf.

For instance, I'm a regular at a local barbershop in our town. Now if you've never been to Black barber shop you should rent (or buy) "Barber Shop"--the shop talk is pretty close to what goes on. [By the way: Support your local minority-owned businesses!] Anyway, generally speaking, no one ever wants to sit in a new barber's chair. The new guy is usually very young, inexperienced, has no established clientele, and typically doesn't cut as well as the old pros. Now that's not universally true, of course, but anecdotal evidence bears this out...TRUST ME on this!--crooked lines on your forehead and razor burns on the neck don't lie! Turns out, however, that by patronizing a good (unknown), new barber and "pumpin' him up" when he does well, an interesting thing occurs. That new barber remembers who "pumps" them up, and who tips well. Getting pumped makes him feel good, and has the side effect of generating interest in more customers wanting to sit in his chair. Additionally, you might even get more attention and better service the next time you come in. Don't misunderstand, whether or not you "get" something is inconsequential. That you may have made a difference in someone's life...even slightly...even for just a moment...is priceless...

So if you happen to live in a town where the gas station doesn't gouge you for full service, and a young man (or lady) is hustling to pump your gas, clean your windshield, and check your oil, in the words of Steve Harvey, "Put ya' hands together...and Show ya' 'love... for (that service man)!'" Okay, so maybe you don't applaud at the gas station or in a restaurant. But then again, may you do. "Love" in this context could be something as simple as a little something extra in the tip, or as thorough as a letter of appreciation. You choose. It's the little things you do in life that let people know you appreciate and care about what it is that they do.

Who knows? You just might make someone's day special. As some wise person once told me, " You get more with honey than you get with vinegar!" but let's keep it real: Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about you.

Peace,
+THINKER

TiVO: Still the best after all these years

I'm a HUGE fan of TiVO, the premiere vendor in digital video recording (DVR). There's nothing quite like pausing live TV, recording two other channels while watching a pre-recorded program, and setting a "Season Pass" to get every episode of your favorite program--even if the network changes the timeslot, TiVO will pick it up! TiVO is most handy during football season. Want to replay that spectacular play? Run it in slow-motion? Frame-by-frame? TiVO fills the bill. My TiVO series 1 is a bit dated, but I still think it's the single best electronic convenience I've purchased in five years. The series 1, the first that included the dual tuner with DirecTV receiver, is quite accommodating to hacks--key codes you can enter to enable hidden features, like the infamous "Commercial Skip" feature. Other vendors are now integrating DVR features into their cable boxes, but make no mistake: there's no beating the original. The TiVO interface requires no training and the remote is programmable. The cost of entry is now just $99, not including subscription options.

TiVO provides two subscription methods: Monthly rates are about $10 and Lifetime rate is $300. Do yourself a favor and go for the lifetime rate--you'll thank yourself later! The new TiVO Series 2 has increased recording capacity (60-80 hours), and allows you to exchange programs, pictures, and audio among multiple TiVO receivers. The receivers must be connected to home network--this is very easy to do and requires a broadband connection and LinkSys wireless router switch. With recent precedings confirming the ability of consumers to exchange programming--a la ReplayTV--I expect TiVO to enhance its feature set soon. Notably, you can still purchase the Series 1 on eBay--many include the lifetime subscription as part of the price, since this is locked to the receiver via an encrypted access card. If you're still staring at a blinking clock on your VCR, get with the program and pick up a TiVO!

In the world of Internet radio, new technologies for manipulating media continue to blur the line between copyright infringement and fair use, and one recent development that may threaten the Internet radio community is software dubbed Audio Xtract. Think of it as TiVO for web radio. Supplied by St. Louis-based software marketer Jambalaya Brands, Audio Xtract allows users to record -- and subsequently mix, cut and edit -- music being played via an Internet stream. In other words, software owners can listen to Web radio streams, record the music and then "xtract" it into MP3 or other unrestricted audio files. The product retails for $50, or $70 for the advanced "professional" version. You would think the music industry would be over themselves by now. People have been recording radio onto tape for years. This new technology provides better quality and simply makes it more convenient. Better get your music before they "drop it like it's hot!"
Peace,
+THINKER

Where do you want to surf today?

The Internet continues to grow by leaps and bounds, yet the enormity of said growth goes largely without notice. While there are certainly people who are intrigued by the latest site to hit the information superhighway, most mere mortals--I include myself in this later category--care only to know about sites that make one's personal or professional lives easier. For instance, most of us care a site we use frequently to be updated regularly...and we expect this at little to no cost! We expect producers of said sites to have their minions constantly improving its effectiveness. Personally, the sites I prefer generally allow you to surf anonymously and for free. Anonymous surfing is important to avoid getting spam and solicitations you never requested, and free is well...Free! These are some of my favorite Favorites...

www.dpreview.com - Digital Photography Review dot com is an indispensable site for

• comparing features of digital cameras--if you're looking to buy a new digital camera,
• comprehensive technical and user reviews of products, and
• learning about all of those features that you'll never use on your existing camera

www.pricewatch.com - Even guys can appreciate a good bargain. But if you're looking for the cheapest price and you're still buying "Computer Shopper" magazine--a phone book-style rag that's ~1% articles and 99% advertising--you're doing yourself a disservice. If you're looking for a monitor, Video card, memory, or other computer parts, PriceWatch has the low down on the best Internet vendors carrying computers and parts and results are pre-sorted by price. If you spend time on a PC for any length of time, eventually you discover some component to upgrade. Keep in mind that under current commerce rules, you (generally) don't pay tax if you buy from an out of state vendor--this can add to additional savings on big ticket items. And when the lady of the house chastises you about getting your newest computer part in the mail, ask her about all those shoes in the closet!

www.w3schools.com - Interested in learning about technology at zero cost? Think you might be looking for a career change to some computer-related job? Not sure how to get started? A great place to start is W3 Schools. W3 Schools touts itself as the "Largest Web Developer site on the Net," and the depth of their site adds validity to the claim. This site has tutorials, references, code samples, and interactive quizzes to test yourself--all at no cost to you. Better still, you don't have to enroll or sign up, just jump right in! Of course, if you want to get certified, they'll point you in the right direction. Likewise, once you recognize that Windows' Notepad is a less than adequate editor, there are links to commercial tools that may be of interest. This site had many relevant sponsors.

www.dictionary.com - I still like looking up words the "old-fashioned" way, but when I'm at work and my Microsoft Word dictionary can't find a word, Dictionary.com is the place to go. As its name implies, it's an online dictionary and the site has a sister site, thesaurus.com. Dictionary.com is supported by ads, but if you're using an ad blocker it shouldn't be a problem.

www.Google.com - You know your company has arrived when your its moniker is used as a verb! Xerox, TiVo, and now Google. The Google Search engine has become the Swiss Army Knife of the Internet; however, it has more uses than finding relevant web pages. A friend of mine told to try this: enter your phone number--with hyphens--and see what comes up. Forget CallerID, Google had my number and my address for all to see! Fortunately, Google does provide a form to remove the number for privacy reasons. The bad news is there's no security around number removal--so you could potentially remove someone's number who intended to have it published! Identity mangling issues aside, Google is still the gold standard of search engines. I've dispensed with Ask Jeeves, Lycos, and Yahoo for the most part. And Google's interface makes it an equally good option for searches from wireless devices, such as Blackberry and Palm Treos.

www.CNN.com - Microsoft may know software, but no one does comprehensive news coverage like CNN. Nobody. And their web site is reflective of that. 'Nough said.

www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm - History buffs and art lovers alike will enjoy this web site on the Louvre. I've been lucky enough to go to France, but never made it to this feature attraction--ran out of time and I didn't want to go AWOL in order to visit the museum...call me crazy. The Louvre was established in 1793 by the French Republic and houses some of the most famous artifacts in the world. The Mona Lisa, Michelangelo statues, and paintings by Eugène Delacroix can all be found here. The Louvre has had expansions and renovations over the years, and the changes are also captured on the site. Additionally, the museum has exhibitions of historic art and artifacts from various other countries.

www.time.com - Time magazine is one of the few periodical publications that doesn't skimp or force you to enter your subscription number to view detailed content. No time to hit the newsstand?--no pun intended--then go to Time's web site to find great articles on the upcoming Olympics, Business, and Entertainment.

www.etrade.com - E*Trade has carved a niche in providing great tools with reasonable prices for trades. Yes, you do have to open an account to execute trades. However, if you're just monitoring the market and learning about investing, most all of E*Trades tools are available for free.

movies.guide.real.com - There are lots of movie review sites on the Internet, but few give you comprehensive, instant access to trailers for films currently in theaters and/or on their way to a video store near you. This site is simple to navigate and the designers at Real--famous for the Real media player--are not "in your face" trying to sell you something at every opportunity. While video streaming is adequate at 56k, a broadband connection--cable modem or DSL--is recommended.

These certainly aren't the only sites I frequent, but they are links I utilize regularly. If you know of sites that are useful, free, and allow users to surf anonymously--please share the wealth. Inquiring minds want to know!

Peace,

+THINKER

Being Part of the Solution

My Dad grilled the following phrase into my brain: "You're either part of the problem, or part of the solution." What he left open-ended was how you go about being part of the latter. So periodically, at least once a year, I ask myself: "What are you doing to be part of the solution?" It's tough to be objectively introspective, but I give it my best shot. You see, as a young man, I used to muse, "The one who dies with the most toys 'wins'!" Now that I'm older, I've realized that it isn't about "winning," it's about making a difference. How you choose to make a difference is up to you.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who make a difference in their lives on a daily basis. Teachers, police, fire fighters, military men & women, and social workers all deserve more respect--and more pay I might add--in my opinion. Their dedication affects lives in a tangible way. Their reality eclipses most every "reality" television program. For instance, if you can read this article, you have a teacher to thank. If you value the freedoms you have, you have the military to thank. If your neighborhood is a safe one, you have a policeman to thank. Mind you, I don't expect everyone to stop what they're doing to work in the public sector, but you should value what these folks bring to the table. Is it always all good and rosy? No. Are there some bad cops and incompetent teachers? Sure. They exist. But the number of good ones far outweigh the bad, and the former never seem to get enough credit for the multitude of things they do right.

Which brings me to the great American pastime. No. Not baseball, but the facination Americans have to hoist people up on a pedastal and step on them when they're "down." Take Michael Jackson for example. We generally love his music--okay, except "Man in the mirror"--but can't help being equally as entertained in observing his demise. Is voyeurism woven into the American fabric? Are you part of the problem? Or are you part of the solution? Sure, Michael is responsible for his actions, and he will get the justice he deserves...as will Kobe and Robert Blake and Scott Peterson. As I mentioned earlier, it's too bad we don't take equal notice to people who do the opposite: Screw up big time and then redeem themselves. There's no better example of this that I can think of than Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Never heard of Stanley? Read on...

Stanley was one of the founding members of the Crips, and is currently in prison on death row. Admittedly, his early resume left much to be desired, but there's more. Through his own immense efforts, this won't be Stanley's epitaph. Stanley isn't perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but he's done more to redeem himself than most people will do in a lifetime. All from behind bars. Stanley has written a series of children's books that was so well received he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Being incarcerated didn't help him garner many supporters, but when was the last time you did something that warranted consideration for such an honor? The latter part of Stanley's life has been depicted in the movie Redemption, enacted by Jamie Foxx--a movie very worthy of your time. He speaks regularly to troubled youth, planting seeds of peace that will hopefully flourish as the boys and girls he addresses become men and women. He's making a difference, when no one thought he could.
I've neither met nor spoken with Mr. Williams, but if I ever get that opportunity I would tell him, "You're part of the solution."
Peace,
+THINKER

Technology Run a Muck (Part 3 of 3)

So I’m thinking about some of the things that I use today that will probably be obsolete in say, the next 6-12 months. Not the obvious stuff like my car, my stereo, or my MP3 player, but things that seem to have had longevity up until now. Here’s what I’ve come up with…

1. CDs and DVDs—Yes, the media of choice today is getting a bit long in tooth, and it’s only a matter of when the manufacturers will put their collective heads together to create the next medium that has copy protection as a principle feature. SONY has had the mini-disc out there for some time but it hasn’t caught on. And Digital Audio Tape (DAT) has the same sequential access issues regular cassettes had. Don’t look for the return of Betamax tapes, either! Look for the next medium to be smaller, more secure, and capable of playing MPEG4.
   
2. Corded Gadgets of every kind – If you haven’t heard of Bluetooth by now, you should also be that Xerox no longer makes typewriters and bell-bottoms are no longer in vogue. In short, if your gadget has a cord, it’s already passé. Bluetooth is a low cost, short-range wireless technology that allows devices to communicate without the spaghetti of cords that typical of most configurations today. There are already Bluetooth enabled phones, headsets, keyboards, printers, and PDAs. This is the technology that allows buyers of some new cars to skip using their key in an ignition. Walk up to your car with your Bluetooth enabled key in your pocket, and the car unlocks. Get in the vehicle, hit the start button, and you’re off! All without digging in your pocket and fumbling for keys. Very cool. Look for Bluetooth technology to take off in the home entertainment sector as well. In this genre, the manly challenge of wiring surround sound will be reduced to plugging in devices and hitting the “Power” button for THX quality sound.
   
3. POTS – POTS, for those of you work who neither work for the phone company or your company’s I.T. department, stands for Plain Old Telephone Service. POTS has been around since the time of Methuselah, and phone companies are still wringing profits from this infrastructure with the adoption of DSL. As wireless companies like Metro PCS push the envelope for flat rate pricing, the other wireless companies will begin to cave in on measured-rate plans. In doing so, there will be little need to maintain a POTS line unless you have a fax machine, DSL, or a payphone in your family room like the Brady Bunch.
   
4. CRTs – Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) televisions and computer monitors are on their last legs. The next time you see a flat-screen television in Best Buy, ask the salesman, “How much are you going to give me to take that monitor off your hands?” He won't appreciate your sarcasm, but he'll understand where you're coming from. CRTs are big, hot, heavy, and inefficient. Yes, they are getting cheaper, but don’t get sucked in. The picture on LCD and Plasma screens are usually superior and typically support various high-definition formats.
   
5. Social Security Numbers – Don’t even get me started on the identity theft issues with this antiquated system of marking Americans for life and then “recycling” the numbers. Social Security Numbers have become the identity theft poster child. Let’s hope that the future holds something a little more distinctive—for instance, something you have, like your thumbprint or DNA (a la Gattaca) in conjunction with something you know, like a PIN or password. Two-part authentication in all facets of electronic transactions should be the norm, but most of the major players—MasterCard, American Express, and VISA—are waiting for the “other guy” to take the plunge on fears that Americans will reject the technology. Let’s see…show my card…enter a pin…I buy stuff and my money doesn’t get stolen. Simple. What’s not to like?
   

Next on the horizon? Devices I’d like to see built…

Peace,
+THINKER

...with liberty, and justice for all(?)

Recall the pledge of allegiance regularly recited in Kindergarten classes across America:

I pledge allegiance, to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Think about the last part for a minute: "with liberty and justice for all." Now you may be thinking, "here comes the bleeding heart liberal speech," but I'm going in a different direction. For the record, I am a fiscal conservative--which means I like to keep what I earn and I'm happy to pay my fair share of taxes for the services we all receive. I am a social liberal--which means I think everyone has an equal right to pray to whom they wish to worship, marry who they wish to marry, and live where they wish to live. It's the American way. Back to the topic at hand...
As my youngest son embarks on his Kindergarten and grade school years, I contemplated the pledge he would be stating daily, ending in, "with liberty and justice for all." I reflected upon the time when "liberty" was an issue for African Americans. It no longer is, of course, but it took this country decades to realize that the unpopular decision was ultimately the right decision. This realization was embodied in the Emancipation Proclamation and the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution to make it official. Similarly, freedom to vote came later, and later still for women with the fifteenth and nineteenth amendments respectively. So we're all free and we can all vote. Finally. But while we Americans can play equally in the polling booth, what about in the courts? Is there truly justice for all?

I recently read an article in the local paper about Martha Stewart wanting to write a book!-- sacbee.com - Martha Stewart says she'll write book about trial experience Go figure. Now where's the justice here? Isn't the headline, "Woman gets convicted of felony and writes book," just a tad bit strange? "I think I'll write a book because I think it could be helpful to other people, just about what lawyer to choose, how to behave, how to attend an interview, " says she. What's sadder? That some publisher will do it, or that some idiots will actually buy her book? Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone want advice on how to pick a lawyer from someone who lost the case? [I don't see any hands up in the audience.] And what does picking a lawyer have to do with how to attend an interview? Let's see what I can come up with as a Martha ghost writer candidate: To attend an interview, you show up on time. The end. Does any of this make sense? Are you feelin' me? Okay, to be fair, she's only going to "suffer" five months...on her 153-acre New York estate...while she continues to get paid by her conglomerate. But hey, this is "justice for all," right?

Somewhere in a parallel universe, a whino named G.W. commits a felony in California. It's his third strike, and normally in California that means the government gives G.W. a very stern time out...in jail...but I'm talking about a parallel universe here. [Just hang in there for a bit longer.] G.W. has no money for a defense--let alone a good one-- and his court appointed attorney is overbooked with other cases and appeals. G.W. has no family. He was poor and had a lousy upbringing for which he makes lots of excuses about "the Man" keeping him down. During his trial G.W. is not contrite. In fact, he's downright arrogant. "I'm just gonna' go back to livin' on the street when I'm through, so f@#% all ya'll," he says on the stand. In this universe, G.W. is rightly convicted of his crime--afterall, all the evidence was there except for the smoking gun. Surprisingly though, he doesn't get a heavy sentence. Instead, he gets reprimanded to a just few months at the Gold Club. The liquor store where he normally buys his beer donates spirits to him during his stay at the girlie bar. Sound ridiculous? Of course it does. So does Martha's fate. I suppose Martha will have the last laugh, but I firmly believe everyone gets what's coming to them. So if you happen to work for Ms. Stewart and an electrical storm is brewing, just know that you need to get out of Dodge...pronto!

And on a more serious note: maybe...just maybe...we need to take a really hard look at how to fix our (unequal) justice for all.
Peace,
+THINKER

Technology Run A Muck (Part 2 of 3)

Furthering my trip down memory lane, it occurred to me that the technology revolution has made obsolete some of my fond memories…

• Old remote controls & TVs with mechanical channel tuners – Remember these? As a kid, I remember handling my first wireless remote like it was gold bullion. As I recall, it was a weighty beast about the size of a telephone receiver. It had chrome—yes, chrome—and just only three buttons. One for running through the channels sequentially, one for volume, and an on/off button. The action really started when you hit the channel button. The television would come “alive” as the mechanical dial would go through seemingly painful gyrations to get to the next channel. Most of these old sets are gone now, but I can remember the gears wearing out and having to change the channel with a pair of needle nose pliers! Yep, nothing like sticking metal into a device with tubes and 110 volts, but that’s the risk you took to watch seven channels back in the day!
  
• TVs as furniture – My brother-in-law and I were loading an old console set onto his truck a few weekends back when I mentioned that when such sets went bad back in the day, we’d turn the old case into a fish tank! He was stunned like a deer in headlights… he gathered himself to blurt out, “Say what???” Then it hit me. Young folks don’t remember when TVs used to be furniture. When a living room used to a “Living” room—now the family room is the center of attention and the living room is just a museum piece for folk to look at, but not to touch…but I digress. We had a Zenith television that had Mahogany wood all around it. It was twenty-five inches, and had a panel on front with tiny dials to tune the channels you viewed most, and knobs for color, tint, and brightness. I tried to remember the first time I saw a fish tank in a TV, and my only recollection is a Chinese restaurant somewhere in North Jersey, but it was some tank! All the controls had been left in place, but the picture tube had been replaced with, well…a glass tank. It’s the earliest version of HDTV I can remember, but it could only tune in to the Goldfish channel!
  
• Microwave Ovens with dials – While working in Philly back in the eighties, I bought my mother a microwave oven. Most people don’t remember life without these time savers, but there used to be time when warming up dinner meant firing up the oven or the stove! The microwave was a Sharp® Carousel as I recall and it had a dial—no LED—and a rotating tray. It was simple. Step 1: Open door. Step 2: Insert food. Step 3: Close door. Step 4: Turn knob. Simple. Warming up food in a microwave today brings to mind the skills necessary to program a VCR. Manufacturers, in their zeal to add features, have largely lost the simplicity that made microwaves such a hot commodity…err…no pun intended.
  
  

So there you have it. Out with the old, in with the new. Is there anything on your list of archaic items that you’d like to see back? Let me know. In the meantime, I’ve given some thought to those current things that I see going the way of the mercury thermometer…but that will have to wait until next time.
Peace,
+THINKER