Blog-a-thon Answers for Kristin

Here are the answers to the questions which Kristin has asked me. I apologize in advance for my verbal diarrhea.

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Q1. If you could be a super-hero, what power would you possess? You only get one.

A1. What a question to be asked of a comic book enthusiast. X-ray vision is juvenile and boring after the initial cheap thrills (unless you live in Hollywood, Sweden or certain Polynesian countries). Breathing underwater is great but you'll soon run out of interesting things to see. Super strength is nice but the fun leaves after you break everything. Reading people's minds would be interesting but I'd have to work elsewhere because I would get bored with the vastness of space I had to wade through first. As much as it is beholden on the mystic lamp, I would have to go with obtaining the Green Lantern ring. Vulnerable to the colour yellow, it allows for strength, speed and only limited by the wearer's imagination. Is that geeky enough for you? :)

Q2. Money being no object for education, and time is not of the essence - what would be your ideal career change?

A2. I answered this one last as it was the hardest to answer. I love being in IT and I wish I had the time and money to really learn the areas that I want to (system architecture looks very cool and you have to learn all aspects of the entire network operation). That said, as a career change, I would go back to school and become a Geography teacher. I love the subject, especially the meteorology side of things. And, as my peeps know, I love to teach (and to talk). While challenging at times inside and outside of the classroom, teaching people brings a special satisfaction out of life. (Note: as a younger me, I have at various times wanted to be a priest, a fireman, a gynecologist and a forensic scientist.)

Q3. I'm in a house that is on fire. Do you: a) try and put the fire out b) run in and save me c) call for help and stand there or d) none of the above, you're not going to save someone that asks this kind of stupid question.

A3. I like that last choice, but I would like to think I have some hero in me. So, as long as I could without killing the both of us, I'd get in to get you out, call for help and then leave immediately so that I remained unidentified.

Q4. Obviously you're heavy into the geek toys - what geek toy would you like to invent?

A4. Me? A geek? Whatever gave you that misguided notion? :) It's funny that you ask this because I am actually looking for this item for work. I would invent a single unit that can take care of all aspects of my mobile life. That said, it would be a PDA, Mobile Windows 2003 powered, running a cell phone, Blackberry enabled, WiFi, Bluetooth, SD/SDIO/CF built-in slots, high resolution screen (640x480 or better), 3.8in screen, either a large built-in flash or hard drive, direct USB peripheral connection, high resolution camera with video capability, infrared, biometric scanner for security, possibly optional sleeves to extend capabilities and Mac OS X compatibility. Here is an example of an item that is close, but no cigar.

Q5. You get the chance to speak face to face to a person in a position of power (queen, president, prime minister) and your face time allows you to make a statement of huge impact and would potentially change things. What would you say?

A5. Whoa. As much as it seems an easy choice, I would have to say my answer is President George W. Bush. Putting aside the obvious questions surrounding the ongoing war, I'd address a whole lot more. As the sole surviving Super Power on the planet, the US has a HUGE responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves. As the richest country in the world, everyone does not have to be rich, but why is there homeless people, why are there still hungry people, why are people dying because they cannot afford the right doctors or the right medicines. We can see a truck leaving a facility in Iraq but we cannot see a truck leaving the docks full of illegal guns or drugs? Schools don't have enough money to teach, kids don't have enough programs to keep busy, there are not enough teachers and they want to stop music programs. Yet, a few more billion can be approved by congress to fund a war that no one wants in a country that no longer considers them welcome. They are worried about criminals coming from Canada when their own soldiers are scrambling to get into our country? There are many other countries that can use the help of the US but they have no resources to benefit the US. Is foreign aid dependent simply on the level of ROI? Africa continues to be in turmoil and yet there is little to no involvement there. Oh sorry, I forgot, there are the diamonds that are coveted so dearly. Stop hiding behind the false pretences, the rhetoric and the posturing. You want your mark in history? Here's a simple idea to consider: Do Something! Really do something to effect a change in the world and in America itself. Stamp out racism, prejudice, hunger, poverty, stop the youth violence, clean up politics, distribute the wealth more evenly, and govern appropriately. Become the president of the Utopia that the USA can be and spread that Utopia to everyone else on the planet. Start a TRUE revolution.



Many thanks to Kristin for this great set of questions. I actually had to stop and ponder them. Pondering is a wonderful gray matter exercise.

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Here are the rules for this Blog-a-thon:

I'll offer to interview the next how many ever people to respond to this post that will follow these rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me." Please also leave your blog address.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions here. They will be different questions than the ones above.
3. You will update YOUR blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.