The Passing of Living History ...

It's a phenomenon as old as life and death, and time itself. I always get a strange feeling when the last survivor of a moment in history - a living piece of that history - passes away.

It doesn't matter how well and how thoroughly that moment in history was documented. It was different to be able to meet someone 'who was there.' In my lifetime, we've seen it happen with the American Civil War, and World War I ... and, someday, we'll see it with World War II, as well.

LONDON, ENGLAND (AP) - The Titanic International Society says Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic has died in her sleep. Dean was just over two months old when the Titanic hit an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912, sinking less than three hours later.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the story from the Associated Press and msnbc.com

It's a moment that has become, not just a part of our history, but a part of our folklore, and has long held our fascinated attention. It has been the subject of countless books, documentaries and episodes in television series' ... and a number of theatrical film releases, including one that hit the big (silent) screen not long after the actual sinking, written by and starring one of the survivors.

For a long time there was speculation about how we might someday 'raise the Titanic' ... at least until that day when living human eyes looked upon the mighty ship for the first time in more than seventy years, and determined that it was going to remain right where it was.

The ship, maybe, but not other artifacts from it. Traveling exhibits of Titanic artifacts have attracted large crowds everywhere (including one that stopped nearby, in Lubbock). And my Dear Old Mom is one of many who owns a piece of coal recovered from Titanic site ... once meant to drive the ship across the ocean, it now funds research and development of Titanic-related products.

And until today, some of us could say 'I know someone who was there.'

One Last Invitation ...

... to come hear David Eubank, a founder of the Free Burma Rangers, speaking this Sunday at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, at the corner of Texas and A streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland.

He will speak at the 8:15 a.m. service, then at both of the 11:00 a.m. services, at the first half of the traditional service in the main sanctuary, then at the second half of "The Bridge" service in the chapel.

The Free Burma Rangers is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic pro-democracy groups send teams to FBR to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency medical care, shelter, food, clothing and human rights documentation. The teams also operate a communication and information network inside Burma that provides real time information from areas under attack.

In addition to relief and reporting, other results of the teams' actions are the development of leadership capacity, civil society and the strengthening of inter-ethnic unity. The teams are to avoid contact with the Burma Army and operate under the protection of the ethnic resistance armies. However, they cannot run away if the people they are helping cannot escape the Burma Army. Men and women of many ethnic groups and religions are part of FBR.

But at the forefont is David Eubank. He was born in Texas, but raised in Thailand, part of a Christian missionary family. After graduating from high school there, he returned to the United States, attending Texas A&M University on an Army ROTC scholarship. He enlisted in the United States Army, serving in both infantry and scout platoons before joining the Army Rangers, then the Special Forces, sering in various parts of the world.

Long retired from the U.S. Armed Forces, Eubank now works to fulfill the FBR's vision, "To free the oppressed and to stand for human dignity, justice and reconciliation in Burma," and its mission, "To bring help, hope and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the war zones of Burma, to shine a light on the actions of the dictators' army, to stand with the oppressed, and to support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice and service.

I think Eubank is the kind of person Baring-Gould had in mind when he wrote the words to "Onward, Christian Soldiers." A remarkable man, with an inspiring story to tell ... I hope you'll come hear it.

Socker Soccer Night, 7

And that's a wrap. The Sockers win 4-0 after a stoppage-time goal scored in the closing seconds of the game. What a night! Jose Munoz was named Star of the Game, and deservedly-so for the excitement he brought to tonight's match - even if he didn't get the hat trick we were hoping for.

Random observations ... there's a saying about 'the size of the dog in the fight,' and that held true tonight. The Tornados, in general, appeared to be a larger team - but found the Sockers more than they could handle.

... volunteers came through for the Sockers tonight. 'Ball kids' on the sidelines usually come from teams in the West Texas United organization, but there were none to be seen tonight. An announcement over the loudspeakers, though, provided a full squad of youngsters who did their part to keep the game morning along - and did it well.

... "P.K." has my votes as THE BEST SPORTS MASCOT IN WEST TEXAS. The best-looking outfit, to start with. But inside that outfit is someone with rhythm, athletic ability and tremendous spontaneity - 'nuff said!

Socker Soccer Night, 6

Sixteen minutes into the second half. No more scoring, but plenty of action. The Tornados get a red card, and are now playing with ten men on the field. Meanwhile, the Sockers have gotten two yellow cards of their own. Plenty of frustration on the field over calls made, and those not made. Tornados have sub'd their keeper ... the first one was probably feeling a little shell-shocked.

Socker Soccer Night, 5

At halftime, the Sockers head into the locker room with a 3-0 lead over the visiting Dallas-Fort Worth Tornados. The Sockers pretty much owned the first half, bringing A LOT of pressure on the Tornados' keeper.

It will be interesting to see if the Tornados make some adjustments for the second half. They just seemed out of sync, uncoordinated in the first half, drawing plenty of whistles and a yellow card from the ref.

Interesting note ... so far, all the Sockers' scores are by Odessa natives, Muniz and Valdivia.

Socker Soccer Night, 4

Thirty-five minutes into the first half, and the Sockers score again! They now lead 3-0 after a free kick from Valdivia.

Socker Soccer Night, 3

Twenty-three minutes into the first half, and Munoz does it again, gong 1-V-1 on the Tornados' keeper, juking around said keeper and - faced with nothing but net - taps it home. Hat trick, anybody?

Socker Soccer Night, 2

Eleven minutes into the first half, the soccer score first when Munoz takes the ball up the sidelines, makes a move towards the middle, then kicks a long, fast middle onto the corner of the Tornados' net. A REALLY NICE SCORE. On the other side of the field, some solid play from Craddick have kept the Tornados out of the net and off the scoreboard.

Socker Soccer Night, 1

A good night for soccer at Grande Stadium. Temperatures in the low 90s, a light breeze out of the south. The only drawback might be the sun at the moment, low and right in the faces of the team holding the south end of the field. That should go away, soon, as the sun sets.

It's the West Texas Sockers hosting the Dallas-Fort Worth Tornados in what should be a good match.

The Midland-Burma Connection ...

This Sunday, another strand will be added to the tie that binds the people of Midland, Texas, to those in the troubled nation of Burma.

David Eubank, a founder of the Free Burma Rangers, will be speaking this Sunday at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, at the corner of Texas and A streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland. He will speak at the 8:15 a.m. service, then at both of the 11:00 a.m. services, at the first half of the traditional service in the main sanctuary, then at the second half of "The Bridge" service in the chapel.

Over the past two years, there have been increased ties between our West Texas community and that nation on the far side of the world ... specifically, with those who suffer under the military junta that rules Burma (also known as Myanmar).

• In February of 2008, a a group of Midlanders, joined by Christian friends from around Texas, had an opportunity to visit Mae La Refugee Camp in Thailand, and worship with their community, mostly people of the Karen ethnic group who had fled persecution - a persecuted people and a persecuted church - in neighboring Burma.

• In August of 2008, the camp was visited by Midland native (and, at the time, US First Lady) Laura Bush. A vocal critic of Burma's junta, she toured the camp and called on the military regime to open dialogue with the pro-democracy opposition. Highlighting abuses in military-run Burma has been the chief cause of the first lady, and with her daughter Barbara she made her way through the muddy settlement which is home to tens-of-thousands who fled the junta's repression.

• From time to time, the Tall City has been visited by those who provide relief to Burma's refugees, and internally-displaced persons. These include Steve and Oddny Gumaer, co-founders of Partners Relief & Development as part of their mission to demonstrate God's love to victims of conflict and oppression. Partners was started after a back-packing trip they made into Sho Klo refugee camp in 1994. According to Steve "you can't just pray for 1.5 million refugees, tell them that Jesus loves them, and then leave them hungry, without clothes, and sick; you have to do something for them to demonstrate the heart and truth behind the prayer."

• But perhaps the most interesting and significant tie between our town and that troubled nation ... is that we have a small-but-growing community of Burmese refugees here in the Tall City. An oppressed people, they have been allowed to emigrate from the refugee camps to the United States, where they are now making new homes and new lives for themselves. They are members of the Chin, one of the largest ethnic minority groups in Burma. And while they are different from the Karen people with whom we worked while in Thailand, they share a common and terrible story with the Karen and other ethnic groups in that troubled nation - they are an oppressed people and an oppressed church (an estimated 80%-90% of the Chin are Christians).

• And now, we get a chance to mee Dave Eubank, and learn more about the Free Burma Rangers, a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic pro-democracy groups send teams to FBR to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency medical care, shelter, food, clothing and human rights documentation. The teams also operate a communication and information network inside Burma that provides real time information from areas under attack.

In addition to relief and reporting, other results of the teams' actions are the development of leadership capacity, civil society and the strengthening of inter-ethnic unity. The teams are to avoid contact with the Burma Army and operate under the protection of the ethnic resistance armies. However, they cannot run away if the people they are helping cannot escape the Burma Army. Men and women of many ethnic groups and religions are part of FBR.

But at the forefont is David Eubank. He was born in Texas, but raised in Thailand, part of a Christian missionary family. After graduating from high school there, he returned to the United States, attending Texas A&M University on an Army ROTC scholarship. He enlisted in the United States Army, serving in both infantry and scout platoons before joining the Army Rangers, then the Special Forces, sering in various parts of the world.

Long retired from the U.S. Armed Forces, Eubank now works to fulfill the FBR's vision, "To free the oppressed and to stand for human dignity, justice and reconciliation in Burma," and its mission, "To bring help, hope and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the war zones of Burma, to shine a light on the actions of the dictators' army, to stand with the oppressed, and to support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice and service.

A remarkable man, with an inspiring story to tell ... I hope you'll come hear it.

Someone You'll Want to Meet ...

David Eubank - the kind of person Baring-Gould had in mind when he wrote the words to "Onward, Christian Soldiers" - will be in the Tall City Sunday, and I hope you'll come hear him.

Eubank, a founder of the Free Burma Rangers, will be speaking this Sunday at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, at the corner of Texas and A streets, on the west edge of downtown Midland. He will speak at the 8:15 a.m. service, then at both of the 11:00 a.m. services, at the first half of the traditional service in the main sanctuary, then at the second half of "The Bridge" service in the chapel.

The Free Burma Rangers is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic pro-democracy groups send teams to FBR to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency medical care, shelter, food, clothing and human rights documentation. The teams also operate a communication and information network inside Burma that provides real time information from areas under attack.

In addition to relief and reporting, other results of the teams' actions are the development of leadership capacity, civil society and the strengthening of inter-ethnic unity. The teams are to avoid contact with the Burma Army and operate under the protection of the ethnic resistance armies. However, they cannot run away if the people they are helping cannot escape the Burma Army. Men and women of many ethnic groups and religions are part of FBR.

But at the forefont is David Eubank. He was born in Texas, but raised in Thailand, part of a Christian missionary family. After graduating from high school there, he returned to the United States, attending Texas A&M University on an Army ROTC scholarship. He enlisted in the United States Army, serving in both infantry and scout platoons before joining the Army Rangers, then the Special Forces, sering in various parts of the world.

Long retired from the U.S. Armed Forces, Eubank now works to fulfill the FBR's vision, "To free the oppressed and to stand for human dignity, justice and reconciliation in Burma," and its mission, "To bring help, hope and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the war zones of Burma, to shine a light on the actions of the dictators' army, to stand with the oppressed, and to support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice and service.

A remarkable man, with an inspiring story to tell ... I hope you'll come hear it.

Sometimes, We Forget ...

There are those who would have you think America's newsrooms are filled with nothing but the debauched harlots of the mainstream media.

To prove their point, they will go to great lengths to find - and, sometimes, magnify - illustrations of just how disconnected these people, our media professionals, are from the 'real world' ... whatever THAT is to these critics.

But every now and then, we are treated to an example of these people being just that ... people ... and good people at that ... people just like the rest of us, connected to the town where they live and work. They are our friends and neighbors, members of our community ... and exuberant fans of our local sports teams.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Well, THAT ... and THAT ... and THAT ...

More than once, I've been asked what I could possibly like about the country up-north, back-east, where I was born. Sarah at the Sara Green Photography blog provides many wonderful answers here, and here.

Also, Jimmy of Sticky Doorknobs provides an answer here.

A Peek Under the Paper Sack? ...

I seriously doubt many people have lain awake at night wondering what's underneath those paper sacks, and behind the secret identities of the J-Wellians.

Now, maybe, we know ... or maybe we don't. And if we do or we don't ... does it make all that much of a difference?

This afternoon, several Midland-based blogs had comments added to their latest posts, allegedly identifying three of the contributors to the Jessica's Well weblog. Ironically, the comments were posted by "Anonymous." Considering the content of that comment, I find myself asking, "And you are?"

No need to answer, though.

As for the J-Wellians, like I said, I don't think anyone loses much sleep wondering what's under those paper sacks of theirs ... makes me think of one of Lydia's lines from Beetlejuice ... "Are you gross under there? Are you Night of the Living Dead under there, like all bloody veins and puss?"

Or maybe it's something else altogether ... whatever ... no great cause for concern for me.

I'd be a lot more concerned about TOO MUCH information getting out. If I were Anonymous, I would have stopped short of publishing home phone numbers. If the comment disappears from my website, it will probably be due to that.

News from Washington ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP/MSNBC) - President Barack Obama chose federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor as the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice on Tuesday, praising her as "an inspiring woman" with both the intellect and compassion to interpret the Constitution wisely.

Introducing his choice, Obama said, "Along the way, she's faced down barriers, overcome the odds and lived out the American dream that brought her parents here so long ago." The president called on the Senate to confirm Sotomayor before the court begins its new term in October, and noted pointedly that she has already won Senate approval twice in her career.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this report from msnbc.com and the Associated Press

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

For This, I'll Stay Up Late ...

Conan O'Brian takes the stage as host of The Tonight Show later this week ... best of all, he's bringing the Max Weinberg 7 with him as the new house band!

Memorial Day, 2009 .....

So much going through my head at this time ... how to express it? ... maybe I shouldn't try ...it's been said before, and said with words much better than anything I could compose ...

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this."

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

President Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
November 19, 1863

Memorial Day Memo .....

TO: All - I Repeat, ALL - Politicians, Incumbents and Candidates
FROM: Jeff
RE: Opportunities to Make Political Speeches on Memorial Day

Just shut up!

A Good Man Moves On ...

The move to Andrews and a position as assistant school superintendant is a good one for Randy Baiza, but a sad loss for Midland. I wish him good luck and Godspeed, nonetheless.

This report from Ruth Campbell, in Thursday's MRT, noted that Baiza has been in education some 23 years - 13 of those in Midland, including a decade at Washington Math & Science Institute, where he was principal. He now moves 'up the road' to accept the new assistant superintendent's position at Andrews Independent School District.

I wish more of you - and, more importantly, your children - could have known Mr. Baiza, and watched him at work. I had that pleasure for four years, as both my children attended Washington. If everyone could have seen Mr. Baiza and his people in the classroom, if everyone could have appreciated what the faculty and staff at Washington did for the young people in their charge - and what the young people accomplished, in return - maybe some of us wouldn't be so quick to intone that mindless, baseless mantra one hears around town (especially online) that our public school system is no good.

Mr. Baiza had a style all his own ... speaking softly, supportively, encouragingly - but no less assertive for all that. He led by example, continuing his own studies in the field of education while encouraging his young charges to pursue their academic paths with enthusiasm, even joy.

I once joked with Mr. Baiza that he absolutely must not move upward and onward until my children had graduated from Washington ... which they have ... and now, he has. And I, for one, will miss him. Good luck to Mr. Baiza in Andrews, and to his successor here in Midland!

Virtual Vatican ...

VATICAN CITY - You won't get an email saying Pope Benedict added you as a friend and you can't "poke" him or write on his wall, but the Vatican is still keen to use the networking site Facebook to woo young people back to church. CLICK HERE to read the rest of the report from Reuters' Philip Pullella.

A new Vatican website provides a portal for the pope's Facebook account, Wiki pages, iPhones or iPods, and a YouTube account.

"Questo canale offre una copertura informativa delle principali attività del Santo Padre Benedetto XVI e degli avvenimenti vaticani più rilevanti," we are told, which pretty much sums it all up.

Small, but Significant ...

Can something be small, but significant ... ubiquitous, but useful ... all at the same time? I think so. Submitted for your consideration, the 'search' feature on websites.

You see them everywhere, and you may use them yourself on a daily basis. I know I do ... each day, I surf the websites of local news media, seeing who's covering what story, and how well. It's a habit I devleoped when I was still in the business ... you know, "checking out the competition." But the habit has persisted, long after I've made the move from news producer to news consumer.

And I use the search engines on those sites every day ... and I've found that not all such engines are created equal. There ARE small differences from one site to the next ... small but significant.


Me? I give the edge to the search feature displayed on the home page for mywesttexas.com, mainly because of that second data field, the one on the right, which allows you to sort your results by time or relevance. I like the time option, and ususally opt for "Recent First" since that's what I'm looking for ... the latest headline.

A couple of other sites I visit daily allow you to narrow your search, but ONLY AFTER you've conducted your initial search ... time wasted, if you ask me. Still others don't allow you to narrow your search at all.

I admit, in the grand scheme of things, the search engine may seem small ... but it CAN be significant.

I Must Be Some Kind of Soccer Guru ...

Is it me, or do people up in the stands claim to know A LOT more about the game, than those down on the field? I sure do ... well, sometimes.

Case in point - last Friday's soccer match between the West Texas Sockers and the Laredo Heat. The Sockers won that match 1-0, and selected Giber Becerra as the game's MVP in recognition of the PK score he made in the first half.

Me? I would have named the Sockers' goalkeeper, Leif Craddock, as the games' MVP, for his efforts in shutting-down the Heat's offense and keeping them off the scoreboard.

Now comes this word from the Sockers press office ... "United Soccer Leagues announced today the Premier Development League Player of the Week for the sixth week of USL competition, honoring West Texas goalkeeper Leif Craddock for his eight-save, 1-0 shutout win over the Laredo Heat on Friday, May 15th."

I guess that makes me some kind of soccer guru. But don't worry ... I'll probably more than make up for it with some silly opinions at the next game.

IMHO, MHS ROX ...

Leading off a night of performances by Midland school ensembles, is the Midland High School Jazz Band, and they are very, VERY good! They've warmed us up, and now we're ready for what promises to be an entertaining evening.

What a Long, Strange - and Funny! - Trip It's Been ...

From NBC comes the news that "My Name Is Earl" will be cancelled, prompting mixed responses from critics, speculation among bloggers, and a "Twitition" to save the series.
The show stars Jason Lee as Earl J. Hickey, a man who "has taken one too many wrong turns on the highway of life. However, a twist of fate turns his life into a tailspin of life-renewing events. Earl won a small lottery, and, after an epiphany, he is determined to transform his good fortune into a life-changing event as he sets out to right all the wrongs from his past."

I will miss the show, but not as much as I would have a year or two ago, when, IMHO, the show really hit its stride. I'm no longer a regular watcher of the new shows on NBC ... but I AM a regular watcher of the shows from the first couple of seasons, on TBS (where "Earl" airs in syndication). The cast and creators are still there, in the latest season ... but it just doesn't seem to have the same spirit, the same life, the same zest, the same goofy euphoria that it once had ... for me, at least.

So, rather than twittioning, I'll probably bid a fond farewell to Earl and Randy, Joy and Darnell, and the lovely Catalina. Thank you, my Camden County friends ... what a long, strange - and funny - trip it's been!

Socker Soccer Night, 6

And that's a wrap. The Sockers defeated the Laredo Heat ,1-0, and that is their first-ever regular season PDL win. Giber Becerra, who made the Sockers' only score, was named MVP ... Me? I would have named Craddick? Well, at least he gets a clean sheet for the day. A good crowd tonight, large and noisy. 'PK' has my vote for one of West Texas' top mascots.

Socker Soccer Night, 5

Another great save by Craddick, and another, and another ... The first red card of the night is on the Sockers, so they're down to 10 players ... At least 4 minutes of stoppage time added to the clock.

Socker Soccer Night, 4

Sometimes, 'the beautiful game' can get a little ugly. The match has gotten rough in the second half ... legs tangling, players tumbling, and plenty of yellow cards being hoisted by the ref. More than a little indignation in the stands ... some of it righteous. Less than ten minutes of regular time left, but expecting some stoppage time to be tacked onto that.

Socker Soccer Night, 3

Halftime has the West Texas Sockers still leading the Laredo Heat, 1-0. Plenty of action, and lots of tumbles tonight (some of THOSE a little creative). Looking forward to a good second half. Meanwhile, the winds of change are blowing, they've changed direction, gotten stronger and cooler ... and the clouds are stacking up.

Socker Soccer Night, 2

Lots of running back and forth, plenty of dramatic falls, a few exciting moves on the goal - but no scores ... at least not until 23 minutes into the first half, when the Sockers score on a PK. Some good moves by Leif Craddick, the Sockers' keeper, has kept Laredo off the scoreboard.

Socker Soccer Night, 1

Mild temperatures, modest winds, and an enthusiastic crowd in the stands. It's a good night for soccer as the West Texas Sockers prepare to take the field against the Laredo Heat. Just a few minutes to kickoff.

Busy Season ...

A busy time of year for Christian mission, and the West Texas Missioner blog. Blogging help has arrived, though - and darn good help it is! Be sure to welcome the new contributor at West Texas Missioner.

An Addition to My List of Favorite Shows ...

A new series that began ariring late last month on the History Channel, has quicly become a weekly favorite for our family, and an addition to our 'must-see TV' list.

"Life After People: The Series" begins in the moments after people disappear. As each day, month, and year passes, the fate of a particular environment, city or theme is disclosed. Special effects, combined with interviews from top experts in the fields of engineering, botany, biology, geology, and archeology provide an unforgettable visual journey through the ultimately hypothetical.

The series is now about how or why the people are gone ... they're just gone, and it's almost as if they left suddenly and quietly, leaving behind their cities in a near-pristine state ... a lot like some of those 'empty city' shots from "On the Beach" and films like that. And while, the series relies on speculation aboput what direction 'life after people' might take, it is very informed speculation, and relies a great deal on our archaeological and historical record. And some of that record is pretty recent ... sure, you look at what happened to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, 600 years after abandonment. But you also look at what happened to the High Line in New York City, USA, 50 years after abandonment, and the city of Chernobyl, Ukraines, just 20 years after abandonment.

Not all the time is devoted to our grandest buildings and monuments. You also learn what might happen to the dinosaur skeletons at the Smithsonian, the ivy at Chicago's Wrigley Field, and all those giant vats of beer at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Saint Louis.

The show is interesting and informative - even provocative ... it gets you talking and wondering, "what if?" And the special effects are really very good. They complement the story, but they don't overwhelm it ... though they do provide some memorable images.

I recommend it. "Life After People" airs Tuesday nights at nine o'clock (central) on the the History Channel (channel 62 on Midland's Suddenlink cable system). If you gave high-def History Channel on your cable system, it's even more fun to watch!

Raising the Stakes ...

Not all competition among local television news departments is on-air. A growing portion of it is online, as well.

Over the last few weeks, KWES-TV/NewsWest 9 (the NBC affiliate for our West Texas/southeast New Mexico market) has raised the stakes in the online competition by adding live, streaming video of their four and five o'clock broadcasts.

Streaming video - originating locally - has come a long way since the first serious attempts in this market. For the news producer, the technology has improved dramatically over the years. Meanwhile, for the news consumer, access has increased - again, dramatically. It will be interesting to see how this latest venture works for both the on-air and online products - and viewership - of this station.

George Likes 'em, and So Do I ...

George at Sleepless in Midland has expressed his appreciation for the "What If ..." ads from Sprint. I share that appreciation. Here's the latest, "What If Film Crews Ran the World?"

Hotelicopter hoax flies over bloggers’ heads ...

That's the conclusion from Dave Demerjian in this post at Autopia, where he notes, "There’s a sucker born every minute, and they’re all buying the 'hotelicopter' story, ahem, flying around the blogosphere."
"Several websites, including some that should know better, are reporting that a guy named Alvin Farley has spent five years converting the world’s largest helicopter into the world’s first flying hotel," Demerjian goes on. "Thing is, the story has a few holes big enough to fly the Hotelicopter through."



IMHO, we'll be hearing more from the folks at Hotelicopter ... that what was rolled out for us was not an 'April Fools' hoax, but a marketing tool.

MC Graduation, 6

Move the tassle, and that's a wrap. Congratulations to the Midland College 2009 graduates. All in all, I think everything went very well. I'm not surprised, though - I've seen first-hand how much work went into the planning and execution of the evening's festivities ... from the first note of music, to the last sip of punch. A wonderful evening, and I'm glad to have been a part of it.

MC Graduation, 5

Technological advances in commencement appreciation. Even those in the higher tiers, at the back of the Chap Center, can enjoy a nice view of the proceedings thanks to a live broadcast of the presentations, shot from a nice location on the stage, and displayed on a giant screen behind the stage. And let's not forget advances in noisemaking, so the traditional ckappibg, whistling and cheering can be supplemented by all varieties of horns-in-a-can.

MC Graduation, 4

Time for the presentations ... certificates, followed by associate degrees (arts, science and applied science), then bachelor degrees (MC is one of only four junior colleges allowed to award a bachelor's degree). Introductions of the students and presentations of degrees, shouts from the students' cheering sections, handshakes, photos ... hundreds of joyful moments in one evening, under one roof.

MC Graduation, 3

And it has begun. Lines of students filing in, shouts from family members when they see a love one, all kinds of phots and video being taken ... all to Sir Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance."

Invocation by MC honor student Rebecca Karth, followed by MC music professor Michael Jordan singing the National Anthem. Then it's time for greetings, introductions and salutation from MC President Dr. Steve Thomas. This is Dr. Thomas' first commencement as MC's new president, and be's doing an outstanding job.

MC Graduation, 2

About a half-hour till the ceremony starts, and the Chap Center is filling-up. An orchestra made up of MC music faculty and students is performing, and doing a good job. Hundreds of students will be honored tonight, and there are A LOT of proud family members on hand to celebrate their accomplishments.

MC Graduation, 1

About one hour till the ceremony begins, and families are already arriving, looking for just the right seat to enjoy the festivities. Lots of smiles on faces , and already some excitement in the air. It looks to be a good night at MC!

Supporting Alamo's Bandsters ...

Younger Son and I will be doing our part to help some fellow musicians, Saturday ... and we hope you will, too.

According to this report from the MRT staff, "seventh- and eighth-grade band students at Alamo Junior High, trying to raise funds to help defray the expense of summer band camp at West Texas A&M University, will participate in a daylong Play-a-Thon Saturday at Alamo."

Younger Son is, himself, a bandster and attends another junior high. But he has some good friends in the band at Alamo, and we both want to do what we can to help them attend summer band camp in Amarillo ... the same session, as a matter of fact, that Younger Son will be attending.

About 140 band students will participate in the six-hour event. A Play-a-Thon Concert will be held at 3:20 in the afternoon, Saturday, on the front steps of the school, but supporters can stop by and make a donation anytime from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The school is located at 3800 W. Storey Avenue, just east of Midland Drive, and a couple blocks south of Cuthbert, in southwest Midland.

Some great kids making a beautiful noise for a worthy cause ... won't you stop by and show your support?

Community College Community: Tonight's the Night

It all comes together tonight ... all the plans, all the work and - especially among the students - all the hopes, and the dreams.

The 36th Commencement at Midland College kicks-off tonight at seven o'clock, at the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center. It's the culmination of an especially-busy period around the school where I work, and it's been an 'all-hands' effort, with many of us taking on added tasks and responsibilities, doing our part to make this evening come together for our grads.

And while Commencement is the primary end-of-year event, it's far from the only event. Earlier this week, the annual Pinning Ceremony honored West Texas newest nursing program graduates. We've also had recitals by MC music students, the presentation of the Hilda Simmons Levitt Awards to student poets, and the awarding of grants to local non-profits by MC's Students In Philanthropy.

It's been a busy time in our Athletics Department, too, with several exciting seasons (during the spring, it's men's and women's basketball, golf, softball and baseball) leading to appearances in conference, regional and national tournaments.

And in spite of the hectic pace of late, we've kept in touch with our community, hosting a number of events in recent weeks, including the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, the Hospice Teleconference, an Earth Day Fun Fair, and a competition for trebuchet teams from local schools.

A busy few weeks at the end of another great year. And it all comes together at the Chap Center in just a few hours ... tonight's the night!

Carver's JMG program a living, growing success story ...

Once again, the efforts of a select group of Midland students, and one of West Texas' top teachers, is harvesting state recognition for excellence.

According to this story from the MRT's Ruth Campbell, the Junior Master Gardeners at Carver Center (Midland ISD's gifted & talented campus) have dug up a state award for demonstrating excellence and increased knowledge of horticulture.

Over the years, teacher Emmy Ulmschneider and local Texas master Gardener volunteers have directed the efforts of JMG students in reclaiming what was once a weed and trash-choked courtyard of the old school, and creating an eco-friendly garden, landscaped with native plants, walkways, homemade bird-feeders and a pond.

Both of my boys were students of 'Miss Ulm,' and participated in the JMG program at Carver. Four years ago, Elder Son was among a group of JMG students who traveled to Austin to receive an award from the Texas Council of Environmental Quality - receiving accolades from that agency, Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Governor Dave Dewhurst and State Senator Kel Seliger - as the the state's top environmental program among youth/school groups.

And now, the JMG program at Carever is once again being honored for outstanding achievement. Congrats to Miss Ulm and her students, and to our local Master Gardeners ... way to go ... way to grow!

Dang! ...

I knew it ... I just KNEW I shouldn't have caved so fast and accepted that job at Bubba's Burger Barn! Seriously, though, a good story about charity fundraiser employing an innovative marketing campaign that highlighted the power of social media.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wearing My Yellow Tie ...

... in honor of Bhumibol Adulyadej ( ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช ), born on this day in 1927. It was just over a year ago that I returned from a Christian mission trip to Thailand with, among other things, an appreciation for that country's ruler, the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-serving monarch in Thai history.

He was the King in the 1960s, when my father visited that nation for R&R, in the course of two tours-of-duty in the Vietnam War. Thailand has long been a friend of the United States - due in part to the appreciation their monarch has for the west. He was born in the US, and his education not only included schools in Thailand, but the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland, and Harvard University, in America. He serves as head of the National Scout Organization of Thailand, one of the oldest Scouting organizations in the world. He also developed a passion for jazz music, as both a performer and a composer, and was the first Asian composer awarded honorary membership of the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna.

Other interesting points ... he is an accomplished, medal-winning sailor and sailboat designer ... he is possibly the only monarch in the world to hold patents (for, among other things, a waste water aerator) ... he is also a painter, musician, photographer (using a Canon!), author and translator.

So, why the yellow tie? While I was in Thailand, I learned that yellow is the color associated with the day of the king's birth (a Monday). That's why you see so much of that color during his birthday celebrations around the country, and on tributes to him throughout the nation.

Happy Star Wars Day! ...

Fading Memories of My Pagan Youth ...

Another May Day has come and gone, and added another year to the span separating me from my pagan youth.

Another year passes, and with it comes a growing number of those with no idea that, once upon a time, May Day was something other than an occasion for celebration in various Marxist/Socialist/Communist/whatever communities.

It hasn't always been that way. May Day, or some variation of it, has ancient roots in European cultural history (prehistory, even), and like so many other celebrations back then, was tied to the movements of stars, the phases of sun and moon, and the passing of seasons.

Pagan in it's origins and observance, it was not adopted/adapted by the burgeoning Christian faith, and it's observance declined over the centuries. Still the tradition (what some call the 'green root' of May Day) persisted, and was still being celebrated at Trucksville Elementary School, in Pennsylvania, in the early 60s .... complete with music, dancing, and wrapping the maypole in brightly-colored ribbons.

But as the ancient green root diminished, another more recent root (what those same historians call 'the red root' of May Day) flourished through the 20th century in places like the Soviet Union and Cuba, and other parts of the world (including communities in the US) ... celebrating something far removed from what those Pennsyvania grade-schoolers celebrated.

Google-news the phrase "may day celebrations" and all you get is celebration a that grew from the red root of May Day ... kind of a shame, really ... I guess I'm just a sentimental old pagan.

A Different Take on the Future of Journalism ...

I rather like the turn this discussion took ... Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of The Guardian, offers his views on the future of journalism, as well as a symbiosis between mainstream media and new media that is just the opposite of the negative, adversarial relationship described by some virtual (and actual) punditz. Courtesy of Carta at vimeo.com

Alan Rusbridger on the Future of Journalism from Carta on Vimeo.