RIP Dennis Stauffer

Drum builder and visionary Dennis Stauffer passed away in a tragic car accident.  I just want to mention it since we shared a lot of the same enthusiasm over the past 12 or so years in drum dorkdom.

http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wlos_vid_6432.shtml

I watched a local news story on the accident and can’t find that one anymore but it seems like I remember them saying that before Dennis passed he did something to save the life of his one year old son.  That’s an awesome way to go out.  It’s tragic nevertheless but it’s something that will solidify his son’s love for his dad for ever and there’s nothing stronger than a love like that.  It’s sad but it makes my heart smile to know there’s love like that in this world still.

God bless the Stauffer family and long live drum dorkdom!

Steve Jobs

I thumbed through his biography last night at the local Barnes and Nobel.  Aside from leaving my phone at the book store and having that occurrence throw me off course, the little bit that I did read struck me profoundly.  I’ve always been intrigued by the whole Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Apple, Microsoft thing.

Everything Bill G did for technology and the world has made him a gozillianaire to the fourth power, but it has also propelled business and industry to levels far beyond what we imagined.

Everything Steve Jobs did for us really only gave us distractions from productivity.

I love Steve Jobs’ story and the triumph and his grit and fortitude.  I love Bill G and his story with all the drive and conniving he did to take his pal’s ideas to make the world a smaller place.

But when it all boils down to substance and what is really important, and we are left holding the fruits…does Apple deliver the future or does Microsoft?  They never did go together, and that’s tragic.

I love them both, never did understand why people feel like it’s one or the other.