Out of a Clear Blue Sky

    Peggy Fay Albano

World Trade Center
Who’d ever imagine what the day had in store?
Terrorists, explosions and so much more.
September 11, 2001, was like a movie take.
Or a terrible nightmare, though we were awake.

But I didn’t cry as much today.
Time heals all wounds, that’s what they say.
To heal the wounds of such attrocity,
Would be miraculous it seems to me.

Dear Lord, where are You? Help us please!
Give us peace, fulfill our needs.
How will all those who lost someone,
Ever find peace in what was done?

Will those searching, having so much trouble,
Finding someone alive in all that rubble,
Be able to feel the peace You give’
When so many died and so few live?

The tears are back, my eyes are full.
How could anyone be so cruel?
Bless us Lord that we may be
Closely united, closer to Thee,
In the face of all this tragedy.

Peggy Albano
September 2001

One Giant Loss for Mankind

    Ric Albano


Neil ArmstrongThe first man to set foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong passed away this afternoon at age 82. The Ohio native was one of the last true pioneers and is considered by most an American hero along with fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. When he set foot on the lunar surface 43 years ago this past July 20th, Armstrong marked the moment with one of the most famous quotes in human history;

That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind…”

These profound words can at the precise moment of an extraordinary accomplishment of a goal set by President John F. Kennedy seven years earlier in 1962. Such a goal would be the equivelent today of getting a man on Mars by 2019, and there was even money thgat these astronauts would not survive that trip on which they bravely embarked. The computing power on that entire Apollo 11 capsule which traveled to the moon was less than that of the latest iPhone. Yet the mission was successful due to a tremendous amount of scientific principles, physics, math, and grace under pressure.

It is important to remember some of the remarkable accomplishments of the past, especially in a time when some views are so cynical that many believe trhis entire moon mission was “faked” on some Hollywood soundstage. (Really? Then where was the 1975 sequel of the Mars landing or any other “fake” accomplishments?) America is still the greatest nation on Earth and can still accomplish amazing things if we really wanted to do so. The only difference between now and 1969 is that then we had no doubt we were the best.

Rest in peace, Mr. Armstrong.

~

Three Fundamentals for a Business Website

    Ric Albano

This article was originally published at Strella Social Media on August 16, 2012.

Website FundamentalsI’ve come across a lot of situations with new clients where they are having trouble getting access to their existing source files or getting their current providers to cooperate in many ways. So I’m share three business fundamentals that should be established when starting a website.

 
1. Establish Ownership. The first and most important one of these principals is to own everything – your domain name and all of your content (words, pictures, logos, graphics, videos, etc.). There are many, many companies who will offer you great deals up front (such as a “free” website for a year) but then retain ownership of your site, so that you are left with fewer option and limited flexibility. Although the initial cost may be higher, establishing ownership will pay dividends throughout the lifespan of your website by assuring that certain barriers to progress will not be imposed.

2. Have Complete Access to Your Content. In many (if not most) cases, there is one major exception to the “establish ownership” rule and that is in regards to hosting. Most small businesses just do not have the time, resources, or know-how to manage their own hosting servers. Therefore, it makes sense find an established hosting company to handle these tasks. However, when you employ a hosting company, it is important that you have direct access to all your files via FTP. Many small business owners don’t understand the process or the importance of this. By having full access a professional developer can instantly add, modify, or delete any website item on your behalf.

3. Adaptability and/or Agility. This is the only one of the three that actually deals with website design (my specialty). The basic point here is that the online universe is rapidly evolving and it is important that your website’s design has the ability to integrate newer features, technologies, and design elements. Of course, this is much more of an art than a science because none of us know exactly which innovations will become popular. But by keeping your site agile and not “painting yourself into a corner” with too many static features and dependencies, you and your developer will maximize possibilities for the future.