June 19th, 2004 at 6:29 by toby
I just read an interesting story on CNET about Nokia funding the development of Minimo, a cell-phone-sized version of their Mozilla web browsing technology.
Last year I wrote about Firefox (then called “Firebird”), Mozilla’s stand-alone web browser. Since then, Firefox has become even faster, more stable, and more feature-rich. They just released version 0.9, the last version before the 1.0 milestone. Even now, Firefox is so much better than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer in every regard that I cringe whenever I am forced to open IE, which I only do when some poorly-written web site doesn’t follow well-established internet standards and instead relies on Microsoft’s misguided “extensions”. If this happens when I’m at a commercial website, I simply take my business elsewhere.
Anyway, it’s nice to see some cash flowing Mozilla’s way. If it weren’t for them, web browsing would be a very bland and often-maddening experience. I eagerly look forward to the day when I can put away IE for good!
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June 19th, 2004 at 0:14 by toby
I was contacted this week by a reporter with the L.A. Times. The L.A. Times has been covering the Iraq deployment of the 1st Battalion, 185th Armor Regiment (California Army National Guard). At least part of this unit is stationed at Camp Kalsu, and the Times has reporters embedded with them.
In talking with this reporter, I found out about another mortar attack on Camp Kalsu in which Spc. Daniel Unger was killed. I read the Times story about his grieving family back home, and I was very moved by their steadfast support for their principles even when struck with such a tragic loss. From the Times story:
I’m terribly sorry that it was my son who lost his life as a hero in the service of his country.
But someone’s life is going to be lost and my son was not going to let someone else die in his place.
No matter how deep their grief, both parents said their support for the campaign in Iraq, like that of their son, is unflagging. “He loved what he did and was very proud of serving,” said Lynda Unger. “I want everyone to know that. No misquotes! He believes in what he was doing. He was glad to be there.”
Marc Unger picked up a Bush-Cheney campaign poster from a nearby table.
“We support our president. We support our military,” he said, waving the poster. “I’m terribly sorry that it was my son who lost his life as a hero in the service of his country. But someone’s life is going to be lost and my son was not going to let someone else die in his place. My son honestly felt before God that God wanted him to join the military.”
It is simply amazing to me that two grieving parents who have just lost their son are able to make such a statement. Many people have asked me since my return whether my support for the President and this war are the same as when I left. I always am baffled by this question — what type of person would I be if I let personal inconvenience get in the way of my principles? A rather hypocritical one, to be sure.
Spc. Unger’s sentiment embodies this ideal beautifully. Not only did he believe that our cause was just, he was willing to step up to the plate when his country called on him to support that cause. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Unger family. Your son was a real American hero by any measure.
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