Monday, December 05, 2016

The Oppenheimer Report 12/5/16

This morning, I heard on the radio that some experts in the field of aeronautics are warning that unmanned drones may become a potential terrorist threat. I guess it stands to reason that if we are using drones to fire missiles at terrorist targets, that perhaps they might consider fighting fire with fire. Drone technology is readily available to the general public; I’ve seen them advertised at the local electronics store. Years ago, I’d commented in one of these reports that I was concerned someone might use drone technology to launch an assault on North American soil. Imagine an unmanned drone flying over a Superbowl stadium, or perhaps the Macy’s Day Parade, or the ball drop in Times Square, and the havoc that it could wreak. How do we defend against these things if they become a part of our daily routine? The other day there were two stories in the news about drones. One suggested that an unmanned drone may have forced a commercial aircraft to take evasive action, and the other reported that Amazon.com is considering using drones to deliver packages. I don’t look forward to the day when the sky is littered with those things buzzing around.

I watched part of a movie the other day called Eye In The Sky, starring Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman, and it dealt with the complicated issues surrounding the rules of military engagement for drone attacks. Collateral damage is of course the major concern, and as accurate as some of these attacks may be, there is usually collateral damage. My first reaction, when I turned the movie on, was that I wasn’t interested in seeing another movie about war, but this one captured my interest. What amazed me most was the depiction of the state of the art surveillance technology currently available. In the movie, there were two spy drones used, one was in the shape of a small bird and the other looked like a beetle. I don’t know if these devices exist in the real world, but the remote controlled beetle employed nanotechnology and was small enough to avoid detection. In one scene, the operator flew the beetle into a house to spy on terrorists. It gives new meaning to the expression “big brother is watching.”

After watching the movie, I was curious to consult the ever-reliable internet for information about drone attacks carried out by the U.S. By most accounts, President Obama has authorized more drone attacks than any other U.S president, and while the general understanding is that the use of drones saves lives, in fact what is not clear is the collateral damage. Depending on which spin doctor I consult the estimates range between 2% and 25%. The older I get the more out of touch I feel I am with what is going on in the world. I suppose I never really knew, but I used to believe what I heard on the news, and thus convinced myself I was informed. These days, with our President elect tweeting like a spoiled child, and the seeming fragmentation of the European Union, I am more apprehensive. War these days looks a little different than it did a few decades ago. Now, I’m going to be looking everywhere for hidden cameras.

For the past several months, I have been imploring people who listen to my radio show Lyrical Workers and to send me their song requests. Up until last week, the response has been weak. I’ve had the odd suggestions from friends and family, but not a lot of interest. This past week, I decided to post a photograph of Chuck Berry from my late brother-in-law’s photo collection, and with that photo I made another request for song suggestions. So far I’ve had eight requests and there are still four days until show time. I’ll be looking for bizarre Christmas songs as the day draws near. Final music notes:  Just received the mastered copies of two songs I recorded with producer/ singer/songwriter James Gray, and I am very pleased with the results. I think I will release them to Hunters Bay Radio soon, and hopefully they will broadcast them. As with all of my music, I haven’t really pushed it in the general marketplace. My feeling is that my music will simply get lost in the ever increasing pile of music no one has time to hear. For the time being, my CD is available at the HBR station, or through me. I am fortunate to have a songwriter-friendly radio station in my community, and I choose to give all the proceeds from the sale of the CD to Hunters Bay Radio. If there is any wider interest in my songs great, but for now, I am content if my music helps to shine a light on this great little radio station. This Thursday night, before my show, Christina Hutt, local singer/songwriter, has asked me to accompany her when she performs live on the radio from 6-7pm. Then a week Friday, I’ll be playing the Burk’s Falls 3rd Friday Coffee House. Woohoo, Nashville, here I come!


- Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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