2006

There is much I want to say, but anger keeps interrupting my chain of thought.

There is a group The World Can't Wait. They are planning a nationwide protest on January 31 to convince the President to step down. Among the "patriots" represented are: Edward Asner,Harry Belefonte, Code Pink, Sean Penn, Al Sharpton, Cindy Sheehan, Maxine Waters and of course Ward Churchill. Just listing the names should impress you with the philosophy of this group. Might I remind you that many of these insects were the same ones who were directly responsible for tens of thousands of American deaths in Vietnam.

Hillary Clinton is now attacking the President for being too cautious and not reacting fast enough in Iran. Hmmm Wasn't she one of the ones who attacked the President for acting too hastily in Iraq? So basically her position is that Whatever Bush does is Wrong?

Teddy Kennedy has taken to lecturing prospective Supreme Court justices on morality. Years ago I knew a Geologist who had a bumper sticker: "Nuclear Energy is Safer than Ted Kennedy's Car"

On January 20th it will be twenty-five years since Ronald Reagan's first inauguration. The Dem's called him stupid and said that his approach to foreign policy was too simplistic. Again, Hmmmm is that opinion being expressed again?

On a more personal note, In February I celebrate the 40th (yes 40) anniversary if my starting Computer Tech School in the Air Force. Forty years ago --- wow. The machine that I was trained on had approximately 58,000 vacuum tubes. The AN/FSQ7 computer maintained active air defense until the mid 70's. A cheap PDA has more computing power.

As I look at computers today I worry. Databases have stripped us of any privacy. Every action we take is now being recorded somewhere. I don't know the answer, but the situation bothers me.

So, what will '06 bring? Will we have a nuclear exchange in the Middle East? Will we find Bigfoot? Will we discover life on others worlds? I don't know. But let me leave you with a short story.

My maternal grandfather was born in a small village in Austria in 1889 or so. He once told me that he and a friend walked to the next village - about 7 miles - to see a CAR. He lived to see the space program. I started fixing vacuum tube based, first generation computers, I now carry a Palm Z22 in my pocket that is superior in computing power.

So hold on my friends - it is going to be a fascinating ride.