Mile High Soapbox

November 25, 2007

Good news to talk about

One of the things that I dislike about the current mainstream news on the networks and cable news networks is the lack of good news.
They are always reporting on OJ Simpson, Iraq, Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, or some latest murder or crash. Never someone doing something good.

Well that was different on CBS Sunday Morning this morning. They had a great story by Steve Hartman on “Reporting the Good News“. It focused on three positive stories; a young boy who is working to clean-up city park in New Orleans; a top brain surgeon who came to America as an illegal immigrant and worked the fields in California, and a man who has kept his first car he bought in 1937 and the memories who went with the car.

I think my favorite story was the man who kept the car. He bought it with $10 he saved from salvaging junk from garbage piles and he got it to go by stealing his dad’s moonshine. But his best memories are of him and his wife in the car.

From having his first kiss in front of her house to the many trips they took together. Even though she passed away in 1998, he has the memories, especially her initials carved in the steering wheel.

This is what good about this country. It is always nice to see positive stories on the news and news shows. I just wish they would put more of them on.

I guess that is why I like CBS Sunday Morning. It is a nice relaxing look at news and it is full of fun, positive news stories and I always learn something. Keep it up.

November 24, 2007

Effects of Writer’s and Stagehand Strike Beginning to Show

We’re Struck Dumb – washingtonpost.com
This is a great article by Robin Givhan the Washington Post talking about the writers strike affecting broadcast media and the stagehand strike affecting Broadway.

According to the article:

In a complicated, multilayered world, we need simplistic, linear storytelling, jokes that call out for a rimshot and one-liners that require no sense of irony or familiarity with world events. There is a place for silliness that splashes across the surface and provides easy, painless amusement. And there is something cozy and reassuring about entertainment that can be summed up in a tiny, simple word: fun.

We are losing our outlet to just sit and re-charge our brains. No sitting down and laughing to Jon Stewart or Leno, I need my new episodes of the Office, and it would be nice to go to Broadway and have a sing-a-long to Abba at Mama Mia. No wait a minute. See what the strikes are doing to my brain?

The good thing is that I now have alternatives compared to previous strikes. Video podcasts/netcasts are plenty and there is great content out there. If this strike goes on, I may not go back to watching all the shows before. I will just watch for free the shows the independent content producers are developing.

We need to get the producers together with the respective writers or stagehand union and settle this thing. Otherwise there won’t be an industry to come back to and the television networks will roll-out endless garbage like American Gladiator. Wait, they are already doing that.

November 23, 2007

Buffs roll over Huskers

The Denver Post – Buffs roll over Huskers
I was a little nervous at halftime because the Buffs defense couldn’t stop the Huskers. But they came out at half-time and dominated Nebraska. It was an amazing performance.

Let’s hope someone comes calling for a bowl game.

November 22, 2007

Apple Having Post-Thanksgiving Sale?

It looks like Apple is having another post-Thanksgiving sale in their retail stores and online.
I am interested in seeing what mark down items they have.

According their website, the sale runs from Midnight PST to 11:59 PM PST on November 23, 2007.

Good Hunting?

November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to wish everyone out there a Happy Thanksgiving.
It is a great day to enjoy your family, relax, and remember all things that you can be thankful for.

The thing that I am most thankful for is my family. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids (who are nuts!, in a good sense). I couldn’t ask for anything more.

November 21, 2007

Twitter

Well I am trying Twitter to see how it works.
I have resisted it so far, but the ease it provides to publish quick thoughts and rambles makes it easy to use.

I am still going back and forth trying to decide if Twitter or Pownce is better, but for now, it is Twitter. Who knows, I might use both.

I have installed Twitter Tools by Alex King and will be using that. It looks the most functional and provides the best services.

Let me know what you think and let me know if you prefer Twitter or Pownce and why.

November 20, 2007

Homeowners Association going to far, trying to force homeowner to remove American flag

Homeowners Associations have a place, but sometimes they go too far, including this one.
According to a story on the 9 News Website, HOA says mother of fallen soldier has to take down flag, the homeowners association at Strawberry I at HeatheRidge is forcing her to take down her American Flag. Their reasoning, it is on a common element.

Mary Sims is the person flying the flag and she refuses to take it down. She is flying it in honor of her son who was a military recruiter and was killed in an accident. Her husband is a civilian working in Iraq for the Department of the Defense.

According to Colorado state law, a person’s right to display the U.S flag shall not be infringed “anywhere on an individual’s personal or real property.” State law though, does make some exceptions when it comes to personal displays of the flag.

According to the law “an owners’ association, the state, or a political subdivision may adopt reasonable rules and regulations regarding the size, number, placement, manner of display, and lighting of the flag, and the location, size, and height of flagpoles.”

Sims says that if they force her to take down the flag, then everyone else needs to take down wind chimes, because they are in the common area.

To me this is ridiculous. The American Flag should be able to be flown when and where a homeowner wants to. No one should be able to tell Sims or anyone else where or how to fly her flag. She lost a son serving her country and her husband is serving his now.

I fly my flag everyday that I can. My homeowners association does not care how much or where I fly it. I am glad I don’t live where Sims lives.

9 news tried to contact the board members of the association and no one would return their calls.

November 19, 2007

DIA de-icers get faulty training : Airlines & Aerospace

DIA de-icers get faulty training : Airlines & Aerospace : The Rocky Mountain News
This is a report that aired this evening on CBS 4 News and was put together by Brian Maass.

This is appalling to me. I fly a lot, including in the winter, and rely on de-icers to make sure that my flight is safe. I also rely on the airlines and Federal Air Administration to ensure that my flight is safe.

Because they were not checking up on their contractor, Servisair, they passed everyone by giving them the answers. That is not acceptable. It shouldn’t take an investigative report from the CBS affiliate in Denver to uncover this.

The company should be checking up on their instructors, including planting people in the class, to make sure they are following the rules. In addition, the FAA and the airlines (who hired Servisair to de-ice planes) should do independent checks to ensure that make sure Servisair is doing their job.

I must let you know Servisair was appalled by what they saw on the tape and suspended and eventually fired the person who administered the tests and called everyone back to take a refresher course and re-take the tests. But to me, it is a little late.

Let’s just hope that there are no problems this year with de-icing planes.