Abby Sunderland

Abby Sunderland, a 16-year-old girl vying to be the youngest person ever to solo circumnavigate the world in a sailboat, ran into trouble when she had to be rescued in the Southern Ocean. Her boat, Wild Eyes, had its mast snapped by the violent storms occurring during the antarctic winter.

A lot of helicopter parents are cluck-clucking about this in the Internet forums. But she could’ve been killed, they’ll say. That’s exactly the point. She could’ve been killed but instead she took a chance to live her dream. Better that than to die slowly knowing you were too afraid to go for what you wanted. To really live.

I have little issue with what Abby did. She has grown up in a sailing family and has been sailing all of her life, so she and her boat were well-equipped for the journey. In other words, Abby is not your typical teenager taking the family boat for a joyride. The only thing I would question is sailing the Southern Ocean in the dead of winter. The weather in that area of the world doesn’t play around, and most sailors would be challenged by it. Abby is lucky she had the ability to send a distress call as she might easily have not gotten the chance. But good for her for trying!

I sure wish I was in the position Abby is in – to be able to chase those dreams. Before you know it, grown-up life takes over and your existence gets defined by what happens inside cubicle walls. Some fortunate souls manage to rise above it but most of us adventurers must postpone our journeys until the demands of family, work, or other obligations are satisfied.

I will be cheering Abby on when she returns to the helm, and should my kids wish to someday follow in her footsteps or forge their own adventurous paths I will be behind them all the way. As they say, life is not a spectator sport.

Google background images irritate some

Google opted today to splash some color on its trusty, rusty search page using background images. Some aren’t so hip to the change, said by some to be a response to Microsoft’s BING search engine.

I’d be okay with the change as long as it didn’t slow down the loading of my Google page and I had the option to turn it off. While this could have been a welcome change, Google screwed up when it didn’t give users the ability to disable it.

Attention, Google: I use your search engine for the results it provides me, not because it’s pretty (or not pretty, as the case may be). Give your users the option to turn off the BING bling and everything will be cool.

Update 3 PM: Google listened, and now users can get the old-fashioned page back again. Thanks, Goog!

The BP oil disaster: we’re all responsible

SF Gate columnist Mark Morford nails the BP/Gulf disaster, pointing the finger ultimately back to us and our insatiable need for more oil. This is exactly how I was feeling about the disaster.

Morford writes:

I think the most disturbingly satisfying thrill of this entire event — and it is, in a way, a perverse thrill — comes from understanding, at a very core level, our shared responsibility, our co-creation of the foul demon currently unleashed.

What a thing we have created. What an extraordinary horror our rapacious need for cheap, endless energy hath unleashed; it’s a monster of a scale and proportion we can barely even fathom.

Because if you’re honest, no matter where you stand, no matter your politics, religion, income or mode of transport, you see this beast of creeping death and you understand: That is us. The spill may be many things, but more than anything else it is a giant, horrifying mirror.

Go read the rest. And then start thinking of where we go from here.

Fighting graffiti on Raleigh highways

WRAL just did a story on the growing problem with graffiti on Raleigh-area highways like the I-440 Beltline, I-540, and I-40. City officials have always been quick to remove graffiti from city-owned and private-owned property, but all state-maintained roads are the responsibility of the N.C. Department of Transportation. Unlike Raleigh, NCDOT has dragged their feet in dealing with this issue and as a result the graffiti has spread.

I sent this email to NCDOT in April:

From: Mark Turner
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 1:38 PM
To: Halsey, Steven M
Subject: Graffiti around Raleigh NCDOT structures

Hello, Mr. Halsey,

Here are some spots around Raleigh with graffiti on NCDOT-maintained structures. I figured it was easier to email you than call:

1. I-40 West, Harrison Avenue overpass: orange graffiti on northside columns.

2. Wade Ave. Ext. under I-40 flyover: brown graffiti on southside columns.

3. Wade Ave. Ext. East at Blue Ridge Rd: black graffiti on southside columns.

4. I-440 West (outer) between Brentwood and Wake Forest Rd: graffiti on brick wall.

5. I-440 West (outer) at Lake Boone Trail: graffiti on brick wall.

6. I-440 West (outer) at Lake Boone Trail: graffiti on median barrier.

7. I-440 West (outer) at Glen Eden overpass: graffiti on columns.

If you are not the right contact for this info I’d appreciate you forwarding me to the proper person. If you have any questions, feel free to call.

Thanks so much!

Here’s the response I got back:
Continue reading →

Busy life

I’m still kicking. I’ve just not had much time or incentive to blog lately. Life is still good, however.

Maybe I’ll have more to say tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Sweltering day

It was a traditional sweltering late-spring day in Raleigh today. The temperature reached 96 degrees today, and with a 70 degree dewpoint it was miserably hot and humid. Fortunately there was a steady breeze all day, which made Hallie’s outdoor birthday party at Mordecai Mini Park bearable for all.

After the party I felt as if it was already 5 o’clock. The heat drained the energy from me! All I wanted to do this afternoon was take a long nap in the cool of the house but my dad wanted to get some commentary from me and Kelly about our late friend, Gerry. So we drove over there and visited, spending some time talking on camera about Gerry. Kelly did her part and left for her supper club and the kids and I enjoyed spending more time with my parents.

Now it’s a little after 9 PM and I think I’m not going to be awake much longer! I understand tomorrow will be cooler, which is good because I’m not a big fan of days like today!

Happy birthday, Hallie!

Today is Hallie’s eighth birthday. Hard to believe it’s already here. She enjoyed a birthday pancake this morning, popsicles at school, opening her presents, and checking out the new Raleigh amphitheatre.

Tomorrow the festivities continue with the actual party, Hallie’s violin recital, and dinner with Kelly’s parents.

Old rails

Trolley to Bloomsbury Park, 1913, Courtesy of N.C. State Archives

Recent work on Glenwood Avenue has turned that busy street into a pockmarked disaster, with construction blocking lanes and backing up traffic. I’ve been avoiding that road to keep my sanity (and my car in alignment). However, I couldn’t help but gawk yesterday when I drove through Five Points because the road work has uncovered rails from Raleigh’s old trolley line.

I’ve always been captivated by the now-defunct streetcar system. I’ve written Progress Energy before, asking them if they have any old trolley maps. Never heard back from them. And I know some downtown buildings used to be trolley-related. But briefly uncovered was hard evidence:trolley tracks!

I didn’t care what drivers behind me thought: I took my time riding up the road in front of the Rialto Theatre, tracing the lines in the exposed concrete. There were the actual tracks, hidden for decades beneath countless layers of asphalt! Yes, I’m a hopeless geek, but I was thrilled to see those steel rails. I also have to admit my glee at hearing how those rails had taken out some of the teeth of the paving machines. Serves them right!

I was amused at the timing, thinking how different the world might be if these tracks hadn’t been buried. Perhaps the Gulf of Mexico would still be alive. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll one day reconsider the wisdom of basing our society on finite resources and the trolley bells will ring once again.

Eastshopcn: Your source for electornic products

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