One of the more memorable quotes from Barack Obama’s Inauguration speech, “America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”

You can read the entire speech heremebeli.

It has been a long time since I had a momentary feeling of complete helplessness. That feeling that comes when an event is unfolding near a friend or family member when you are far, far away from them and in no position to provide help or assistance. Working as a consultant I often have to travel to a remote client locations for work which means I have to trust that while I am away, everything will be OK at home.

It wasn’t until I had a family of my own that I began to finally understand the some of the apprehensions about traveling colleagues have shared with me. I believe all people who travel for business come to grips with this concern. A concern that can only be resolved by putting your faith (either consciously or unconsciously) that what will be, will be whether I am there or not. I hope that by sending positive energy out to the universe everything will be OK until I return. This is how I am able to leave for days at a time and focus on the job at hand.

When I first became a father I couldn’t imagine not being there for my son very minute of the day. I eventually learned to trust our nanny as she took him shopping, out to play dates and eventually school. The same holds true when I travel. I have to trust deep down that my son has my wife, our nanny, his teachers .. all of whom can be there to help guide and protect him in my absence.

These feelings of insecurity however, all resurfaced yesterday when I received a Twitter message from CNN Breaking News saying that a plane crashed in the Hudson River. I immediately went to the CNN.com site and saw the live feed of the plane floating down river just blocks from my home. What made matters worse was that I was unable to reach anyone at home. Fortunately, my worst fears were abated when I learned that the plane had not struck any buildings as I first feared and that everyone on the flight was rescued and brought to safety.

So while it is good advice not to live in fear of what “might” happen, I would equally recommend that by being prepared you can make a bad situation more manageable. Here are a few suggestions you might want to consider implementing with your family:

• As a family, agree on a place to go if there is an emergency. This can include making an agreement with a nearby friend, a relative that you can come to their house if some disaster strikes and one of you needs help.
• Have an agreed communication plan. If phones are down and you are unable to connect to the internet to check mail, agree on a friend or relative (outside your immediate area) whom you can communicate with and relay information.
• If you have small children, make sure that their name and your phone number (preferably cell phone #) is stitched into their clothes
• Have an emergency bag packed with basic supplies (i.e., water, protein bar, change of clothes, flash light, extra batteries, portable radio [self-powered model], cash [lots of singles and small denomination bills]). Keep the bag small. If you have to move quickly, don’t pack a bag that is too heavy for you to carry. I use a simple Jan-sport water resistant backpack.
• Have pictures of each member of your immediate family with you that you can share with police and emergency workers if the need arises.

Like I said, living in fear is unproductive and a waste of energy. Being prepared however can give you piece of mind. If you have helpful tips on how to help your and your family to be safe during an emergency, please feel free to share them with us by posting a comment to this article.

Be safe, be prepared.

I missed this back in May 2008 when it was first posted .. but damn if this isn’t the most funny, twisted and disturbed use of a childhood cartoon I’ve ever seen!

As 2008 comes to a close I want to everyone a very Happy Holiday and a joyous New Year. This year has brought its share of ups and downs but through it all I am truly grateful for my family, my friends and my life.

Looking forward to meeting and talking with more of you in the weeks and months ahead. Thanks for all your technology tips, funny quotes and creative insight.

Joy to All .. and to all, a good night!

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Oliver Siodmak

Anyone who loves Star Trek is saddened today by the news that Majel Barrett Roddenberry has passed away. Whether in her role as Nurse Chapel in the original series, Lwaxana Troi in both ST Next Generation or Deep Space Nine or as the voice of the Federation computer, Majel will be missed by all who follow and love Star Trek.

I was especially touched to hear that she recently reprised the voice role in the upcoming “Star Trek” film directed by J.J. Abrams scheduled to open in May 2009.

For more information visit her Wiki page or their family web site.

Majel, where ever you are .. “live long, and prosper”

Their new website Change.gov publishes news releases, information about the President-elect, Vice President-elect and information about the various individuals Barack Obama has chosen to work with him in the White House. It is also a great place for you to post your ideas to help our country get back on track.

You can also apply for a job in the Obama-Biden administration!

Tina continued portrayal of the republican VP candidate was impeccable .. making us wonder if she will continue to play the role if Sarah continues to stay in the media spotlight after the election. More importantly .. will Tina’s impersonation impact Sarah’s decision not to continue pursuit of a more visible role.

“The good news is that Governor Palin has sufficient experience in public life to leave behind enough of a paper trail that we can discern her positions on many of the most important issues of the day. The bad news is that after taking this crash course in where she stands, I know that if she were elected I would be afraid to leave my apartment after sundown.”

To frighten you even further .. read the entire Op-Ed piece on
NYTimes.com