I Wasn't Evacuated and I Wasn't Flooded Out...

I'm blessed to live where the recent hurricanes haven't visited.... I know the disaster relief and donation efforts are running at all time highs, but here's a pitch for a cause that will be with us for some time: The Valour-IT project. It's about helping get voice activated software and hardware for those service members who have been injured and have a difficult time using a computer. I'd venture to say that the effort every recipient of this wonderful project will develop a skill set that will allow them to enter the civilian work force, capable of communicating as well as the rest of use who are fortunate to have all our capabilities. Right now, it's a win for the troops and their families and friends, tomorrow, it's a bonus to the economy and their future employers and customers. Add to this, the spin off to let these wounded men and women become trainers for those who are likewise disabled...think about that power! Lots of thoughts have been percolating over the last few weeks, yet I haven't felt them sufficiently developed to begin to write about them. I'm sure I lost a few ideas along the way to here, but then, they most likely were stepping stones to the root issues... I think the root issues have been swirling about in my mind for a few years, and now, the recent disaters have provided a backdrop to present them on. Not that I planned it that way, yet I believe it will facilitate a discussion, or thesis, as abstract thought seems to be a lost art form for so many any more. The other side of that coin is that when an example, such as Hurricane Katrina damage, people tend to focus on that presented scenario, and aren't able to then apply, in a larger sense, how there are conceptual issues in the discussion that transcend the particulars. Those concepts are then to be used to both understand what happened, and to allow us to, in this case, not go there again. This weekend will provide some time for me to post some of the things I'm thinking about. Topics such as "The Decay of Knowledge," "We can fix this, but you're not going to like how we do it," "Before Cindy Sheehan, there was Shannon Faulkner" and "My analysis of which political party has caused more damage and human suffering by natural disasters" (I have no clue who will be the worst, as I haven't done my homework yet, so I hope I can stay true to the scientific method and present a realistic picture for my small readership here). Some of the posts may be editorials, some reserach paper format, and at least one, my attempt at satire, which, thankfully, I have a day job, so I don't have to rely on that form of humor to support my life style. As a teaser, a new term for general use came to mind yesterday: "Demokook." I just can't think of what else to use to describe those on the left hand end of our current political spectrum. Cindy Sheehan is a "scenario" I'll present to undergird my new "concept." It's about my 4th original idea, but I place it in the public domain. Credit would be nice, but it's not like it's shareware or anything (you know, the software no one ever pays for)..... From a historical standpoint, I have something for October 1st coming up. It's militarily related, and another thing I got to be a part of, fortunately, in the aftermath, when the Navy had to make sure it didn't happen again. It's the way accidents (in this case) are handled, unlike Mayor Nagin's method of recovery from disaster. For the faithful visitors (I see you in the sitemeter logs), thanks for the "hits."