Well, it turns out the rumored and much-hoped-for recovery of the original Apollo 11 EVA video is not to be. After much searching and investigating, those involved have reached the inescapable conclusion that the tapes were likely over-recorded with material from later Apollo missions.
While instances of wedding videos being wiped-out by careless husbands recording football games have been sitcom fodder ever since the rise of Betamax, this is in a class by itself. Damn! Erasing the original video data from Apollo 11? Waaaaaah!
As someone who has been responsible for a rather large videotape inventory for the past couple dacades, though, I can actually understand how it could happen. Whenever an organization has conflicting pressures of needing to constantly make new recordings while at the same time not being able for budgetary reasons to purchase new recording media, there are strong pressures to re-use recording media one would rather preserve. It kinda sucks, but in the day to day world archiving things sometimes is a secondary concern... if it's even a concern at all.
And - to be perfectly honest - I don't think the REAL importance of the Apollo 11 landing will be realized within the lifetimes of those of us who experienced it. I mean, sure, we all knew it was "important", but I don't think we fully realize that 1,000 years from now Apollo 11 will probably be the only thing people will remember and/or care about from our era in history. Had we known, we would have taken better care to preserve the original tapes.
At least the search has been made to find the best surviving tapes so they can be cleaned up and preserved for the future. They do look much improved, and I appreciate the hard work of those doing the preservation, but "if only"...
And that makes me wonder about the future preservation of digital media. Back in my day, taking pictures, for example, required an investment in film and processing and the number of exposures you could take was, relatively speaking, highly limited. When you got your stack of 24 exposures, you had a physical artifact you were more likely to hold onto and store in a safe place. Now, you can store a gazillion images on a single memory card with great ease. But will they just get deleted and forgotten? Will it be a matter of "Oh. well, taking pictures is so effortless now..." it seems more a matter of instant gratification rather than a question of preserving things for the future. But we'll see. Just a word of advice for those of you young 'uns with digital pictures/video/recordings... make sure to back up your stuff and save it for the future. You never know what will be important to someone someday.
In other news, this 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 is a groove-fest for space nerds like me. I'm totally digging the streaming audio from NASA in which they're playing the Apollo 11 mission audio in real time (plus 40 years). AWESOME!!!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
No, I'm Not Dead Yet
Yes. I realize it has been well over a month since I posted last. Sorry 'bout that.
Here's a brief recap of what has been going on since my last post. First of all, we took our family trip to Washington DC. At first, I didn't know if I would be too stressed-out to enjoy it, but I needn't have worried. The trip was the best thing I could have done, sanity-wise. It was wonderful sharing the awesomeness of the Smithsonian museums with my kids and I also got to fulfill a lifelong dream and finally see Monticello.
In other news, I finally got my "RIF" letter, meaning my last scheduled day of work will be September 30... "subject to extension". What that means is if another station makes a successful bid to buy the station there's a chance that the transfer process could take a few additional months during which my services may still be needed. But that's all speculation and I probably won't know anything for certain for at least another month... if not even further down the line.
In the rumor mill is news that another Michigan PBS station has made a pretty serious bid for the WFUM transmitter, so if that's the case, my educated guess is I will probably indeed be working at least a little while past 9/30. But again, that's just a guess and nothing is certain.
On the personal front, I had hoped to get through these stressful times without resorting to any "happy pills", but the stress regarding the impending change in employment/income status and the resulting anxiety and insomnia were finally getting to be too much for me to take. So, a visit to the doctor later, I got a prescription for some Zoloft (25mg daily). I had been on it once before for about a year and it did me a world of good. I've been taking it for a little over a week now. The adjustment period is a real pain in the ass. In fact, early on, I found that the anxiety and insomnia actually increase, but I knew what to expect from the last time I was on it. But then it starts to slowly kick in and things become a bit more manageable.
So here I am. Drugged out and happy to be that way.
Hopefully, I'll be able to resume semi-regular blogging.
In other TOTALLY unrelated news that has me totally hyped: the rumor mill is abuzz that NASA has located the original videotapes of the Apollo 11 lunar landing somewhere in Australia and will unveil these long-lost treasures in a press conference on July 16 (the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch). If that's the case, as a space nerd I'm TOTALLY geeked about this! I've heard stories about how the Australian transmission tapes were vastly better than the highly compressed video that was recorded in the states, but that these tapes went missing shortly after the landing. Something to look forward to, for certain!!!
Here's a brief recap of what has been going on since my last post. First of all, we took our family trip to Washington DC. At first, I didn't know if I would be too stressed-out to enjoy it, but I needn't have worried. The trip was the best thing I could have done, sanity-wise. It was wonderful sharing the awesomeness of the Smithsonian museums with my kids and I also got to fulfill a lifelong dream and finally see Monticello.
In other news, I finally got my "RIF" letter, meaning my last scheduled day of work will be September 30... "subject to extension". What that means is if another station makes a successful bid to buy the station there's a chance that the transfer process could take a few additional months during which my services may still be needed. But that's all speculation and I probably won't know anything for certain for at least another month... if not even further down the line.
In the rumor mill is news that another Michigan PBS station has made a pretty serious bid for the WFUM transmitter, so if that's the case, my educated guess is I will probably indeed be working at least a little while past 9/30. But again, that's just a guess and nothing is certain.
On the personal front, I had hoped to get through these stressful times without resorting to any "happy pills", but the stress regarding the impending change in employment/income status and the resulting anxiety and insomnia were finally getting to be too much for me to take. So, a visit to the doctor later, I got a prescription for some Zoloft (25mg daily). I had been on it once before for about a year and it did me a world of good. I've been taking it for a little over a week now. The adjustment period is a real pain in the ass. In fact, early on, I found that the anxiety and insomnia actually increase, but I knew what to expect from the last time I was on it. But then it starts to slowly kick in and things become a bit more manageable.
So here I am. Drugged out and happy to be that way.
Hopefully, I'll be able to resume semi-regular blogging.
In other TOTALLY unrelated news that has me totally hyped: the rumor mill is abuzz that NASA has located the original videotapes of the Apollo 11 lunar landing somewhere in Australia and will unveil these long-lost treasures in a press conference on July 16 (the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch). If that's the case, as a space nerd I'm TOTALLY geeked about this! I've heard stories about how the Australian transmission tapes were vastly better than the highly compressed video that was recorded in the states, but that these tapes went missing shortly after the landing. Something to look forward to, for certain!!!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Future Isn't What It Used to Be
My son is 14 years old.
Back when I was 14, if someone had told me General Motors would go bankrupt and the Flint Journal would cease daily publication, I'd have thought them either stupid or mad or most likely both.
Yet yesterday, GM filed for bankruptcy and the Flint Journal scaled back to a thrice-weekly print schedule.
When I was 14, GM was both omnipotent and omnipresent. Factories were pumping out trucks and cars 24 hours a day. Thousands upon thousands of people were employed there and this area relied on those salaries (and tax revenues) both directly and indirectly.
And throughout that time the Flint Journal was the ubiquitous chronicler of this area's happenings. It's what we read. It's what our parents read. And their parents. And probably their parents. I remember seeing family pictures taken decades before I was born. More often than not, there would be a copy of the Flint Journal on a table in the background.
And now both GM and the Journal face an uncertain future.
That's why I can't help but wonder what the world will be like when my son reaches his mid- 40's. What paragons of stability of his teenage years will cease to exist? What will Flint be like then? Or Michigan?
As things stand right now, it's difficult to optimistic about the future. But an objective study of history leads me to the conclusion that things eventually get better. It's certainly not a quick process and sometimes for every five steps forward there are four steps back, but over the long haul, things do improve. Maybe it will take decades. Maybe generations. But despite my glum exterior and short-term pessimism, I am, paradoxically, a long-term optimist. I am as certain as I am about anything that someday the future will be better. Different, to be sure, but better.
The road thereto will likely be strewn with potholes and puddles.
But we'll get there.
Battered and weary from the hard journey, perhaps, but we'll get there.
Back when I was 14, if someone had told me General Motors would go bankrupt and the Flint Journal would cease daily publication, I'd have thought them either stupid or mad or most likely both.
Yet yesterday, GM filed for bankruptcy and the Flint Journal scaled back to a thrice-weekly print schedule.
When I was 14, GM was both omnipotent and omnipresent. Factories were pumping out trucks and cars 24 hours a day. Thousands upon thousands of people were employed there and this area relied on those salaries (and tax revenues) both directly and indirectly.
And throughout that time the Flint Journal was the ubiquitous chronicler of this area's happenings. It's what we read. It's what our parents read. And their parents. And probably their parents. I remember seeing family pictures taken decades before I was born. More often than not, there would be a copy of the Flint Journal on a table in the background.
And now both GM and the Journal face an uncertain future.
That's why I can't help but wonder what the world will be like when my son reaches his mid- 40's. What paragons of stability of his teenage years will cease to exist? What will Flint be like then? Or Michigan?
As things stand right now, it's difficult to optimistic about the future. But an objective study of history leads me to the conclusion that things eventually get better. It's certainly not a quick process and sometimes for every five steps forward there are four steps back, but over the long haul, things do improve. Maybe it will take decades. Maybe generations. But despite my glum exterior and short-term pessimism, I am, paradoxically, a long-term optimist. I am as certain as I am about anything that someday the future will be better. Different, to be sure, but better.
The road thereto will likely be strewn with potholes and puddles.
But we'll get there.
Battered and weary from the hard journey, perhaps, but we'll get there.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Blatant, Shameless Self-Promotion
Ice Halo, the acoustic-type group I'm in has been working on a webpage on MySpace.
It's still very much a work in progress, but if'n you get bored and would like to check it out, feel free to give it a visit. It has streaming versions of some of our songs as well as some scribblin' 'bout us.
http://www.myspace.com/wwwmyspacecomicehalo
Suddenly, I feel like I need a shower... I feel so filthy and commercial!
It's still very much a work in progress, but if'n you get bored and would like to check it out, feel free to give it a visit. It has streaming versions of some of our songs as well as some scribblin' 'bout us.
http://www.myspace.com/wwwmyspacecomicehalo
Suddenly, I feel like I need a shower... I feel so filthy and commercial!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
No Wonder I'm Always Confused
Last weekend, I was at a local grocery store to pick up a couple (literally - as in two) items. I decided, given my small purchase, that I would use the express lane, which was clearly marked as being for purchases of 15 items or less.
A lady stood in front of me in the line. She was purchasing a single head of cabbage. In front of HER, however, was a woman who was purchasing far MORE that 15 items. It looked closer to 150 items, in fact.
So the cabbage lady and I stood in line for a long, long, long time while the cashier in the so-called "express lane" rang up this dumbass woman's huge order.
At long last, the cabbage lady got her turn to buy her item.
"So, do you ever tell people with more than 15 items to use a lane other than the express lane?" asked the cabbage lady.
"I can't," replied the cashier. "If I do, I'll be suspended for two days."
WTF???
This made my brain hurt. Let me see if I've got this correct...the store sets up an express lane for the convenience of its customers. If, however, somebody is too stupid or selfish to follow the 15-items-or-less rule, the cashier isn't allowed to turn the stupid/selfish customer away for fear of causing "offense" to the stupid/selfish customer. And if the cashier DOES stand up for the people who are smart or conscientious enough to follow the rules, the cashier gets punished?!?
In other words, a situation has been set up in which stupid/selfish behavior goes unpunished which, in turn, makes things more difficult for the smart/conscientious people who follow the rules.
If that's the prevailing paradigm, one should expect an increase in stupid/selfish behavior at the expense of smart/conscientious behavior, right?
Hmmm... Suddenly, the reasons for the entire Wall Street/Banking meltdown make a LOT more sense to me now...
A lady stood in front of me in the line. She was purchasing a single head of cabbage. In front of HER, however, was a woman who was purchasing far MORE that 15 items. It looked closer to 150 items, in fact.
So the cabbage lady and I stood in line for a long, long, long time while the cashier in the so-called "express lane" rang up this dumbass woman's huge order.
At long last, the cabbage lady got her turn to buy her item.
"So, do you ever tell people with more than 15 items to use a lane other than the express lane?" asked the cabbage lady.
"I can't," replied the cashier. "If I do, I'll be suspended for two days."
WTF???
This made my brain hurt. Let me see if I've got this correct...the store sets up an express lane for the convenience of its customers. If, however, somebody is too stupid or selfish to follow the 15-items-or-less rule, the cashier isn't allowed to turn the stupid/selfish customer away for fear of causing "offense" to the stupid/selfish customer. And if the cashier DOES stand up for the people who are smart or conscientious enough to follow the rules, the cashier gets punished?!?
In other words, a situation has been set up in which stupid/selfish behavior goes unpunished which, in turn, makes things more difficult for the smart/conscientious people who follow the rules.
If that's the prevailing paradigm, one should expect an increase in stupid/selfish behavior at the expense of smart/conscientious behavior, right?
Hmmm... Suddenly, the reasons for the entire Wall Street/Banking meltdown make a LOT more sense to me now...
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Silver Lining
I realize my blog might have been a little on the depressing side lately. I don't mean for it to be such a downer, but it has merely been a reflection of what's been going on in my life.
I am happy, though, to have a wee bit of good news to share. A group of documentary filmmakers from Canada are working on a film called "Dear John". It's about the closure of the John Deere factory in Welland, Ontario and the resulting harmful impact on their local economy. Through a sequence of events so convoluted I can't even reconstruct them, we somehow were contacted by said filmmakers to see if Ice Halo, an acoustic group I'm in, could contribute a song for the soundtrack. (Actually, I think they were talking to Joel Rash regarding the project and he suggested us to them... so thanks, Joel!)
Anyway, to make a long story short, the Dear John folks have released a trailer for the film and lo & behold one of our songs, "Short Circuit" was featured in it! I thought that was pretty cool and it provided me with a much-needed lift to my spirits!
Ironically, given my current circumstances, the words of the laid-off workers featured in the clip resonate with me more than ever now, so I'm even happier to be associated in at least a small way with the efforts of these fine filmmakers from north o'the border!
I'm going to try to embed the video of the trailer to this post, but since I don't know what the hell I'm doing, it may or may not work. If it does, feel free to check out the clip and if "Dear John" should ever be screened at a film festival near you, please support their work and see it if you get a chance!
Well I'll be damned! It worked! I may catch on to this computer stuff after all!!!
I am happy, though, to have a wee bit of good news to share. A group of documentary filmmakers from Canada are working on a film called "Dear John". It's about the closure of the John Deere factory in Welland, Ontario and the resulting harmful impact on their local economy. Through a sequence of events so convoluted I can't even reconstruct them, we somehow were contacted by said filmmakers to see if Ice Halo, an acoustic group I'm in, could contribute a song for the soundtrack. (Actually, I think they were talking to Joel Rash regarding the project and he suggested us to them... so thanks, Joel!)
Anyway, to make a long story short, the Dear John folks have released a trailer for the film and lo & behold one of our songs, "Short Circuit" was featured in it! I thought that was pretty cool and it provided me with a much-needed lift to my spirits!
Ironically, given my current circumstances, the words of the laid-off workers featured in the clip resonate with me more than ever now, so I'm even happier to be associated in at least a small way with the efforts of these fine filmmakers from north o'the border!
I'm going to try to embed the video of the trailer to this post, but since I don't know what the hell I'm doing, it may or may not work. If it does, feel free to check out the clip and if "Dear John" should ever be screened at a film festival near you, please support their work and see it if you get a chance!
Well I'll be damned! It worked! I may catch on to this computer stuff after all!!!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Broke or Just Broken?
The Univeristy of Michigan, the very institution that on April 23 announced they no longer had the money to fund WFUM, yesterday announced they were purchasing the 174-acre Pfizer research complex for an estimated $108 million.
Broke indeed.
Broke indeed.
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