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• Need More than Technology
  I live in Sierra snow country and spend considerable time in the backcountry. The things that I see over and over:
  
  People driving way too fast on snowy, icy roads. 35 is the speed limit, even on the highways when they are snowy or icy. Yes, that means with 4WD! There are times on these steep and windy Sierra roads that going 15 you still need to back off a bit.
  
  People in street clothes on a Sunday drive on unplowed roads that get stuck and have no snow shovel. Living here, my snow shovel is in my vehicle until the last snow falls on the dogwoods and summer begins.
  
  People assuming their cell phones will work. They did not work where the Kim family was, and they don't work in my literal neck of the woods.
  
  People out on back roads getting lost with no map or topo. I just rescued some hunters a month ago who had travelled 5 or more miles cross country in the dark, because they were lost. They had no maps, compasses, GPS, flashlights. They had walkie talkies, but were out of range of their family and vehicles.
  
  I love technology, but it is not a magic bullet. The only technology that may have helped your dear collegue would be GPS. Maybe if people did some geocaching and learned how to use one, but he still would have needed a topo of the terrain.
  
  I just pray that this horrific incident jars people into awareness, so that more don't suffer and die. Also, I know that rescuers frequently are risking their lives to save people who are taking unnecessary risks in the backcountry, like skiing when the avalanche danger is too great. Bad things can occur out here, even if you are prepared, but I constantly am seeing unnecessary risk here.

  December 10, 2006

  1 reply

• A Start, but to what?
  I agree with Darwin, I doubt that the Joe Blow podcasts will entertain us for long. Just as the reality shows aren't entertaining many except the very young who haven't seen much else. But, some high quality content is beginning to move to podcasts - This Week in Amateur Radio, public radio offerings, more to come. Also, there is a staggering amount of very diverse, quality material on some of the netcasts, like Live365. It's not just for Gen. X, Y, etc. There's becoming more and more available for us old farts.
  We haven't even really looked much in this country at Digital Radio Mundiale. We really can cancel our subscriptions to the pig (cable tv) and pretty much ditch AM/FM commercial radio.

  May 19, 2005

  0 replies