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Making up for lost time


Sunday, June 28, 2009


Posted by Courtney E. Howard

Looking back over my life, I realize that, in the interest of saving time and being as efficient as possible, I have missed out on a lot. I don't mean family and friends, or memories I haven't made. I spent valuable time with them, doing just that. I am talking about entertainment. When I ponder the path or route I have taken in life, I find a "pot hole" or two of sorts.

I have opted to work late, sleep longer, and enhance my education, rather than join the rest of the populace in celebrating the latest and greatest films or books, as examples. Just this week, in fact, I watched Aliens for the first time. It was made in 1979. Why did it take me 30 years to see it?! I followed up that piece of cinematic history with a viewing of Aliens 2.

I was impressed with the visual effects for the time and the prospect of harnessing alien technology for biological weaponry, and yet the movie fell a bit flat with its interpretation of what a combat vehicle would look like in 2157. It was none too impressive; I liken it to a squashed version of a tank. How did they fit all those people and the equipment in there?! Bah.

Thankfully, innovators in the military and defense market (not to mention the automotive industry) have succeeded in delivering far more capable, flexible, and responsive combat vehicles and vetronics in short order. Be certain to keep your eye out for the September issue of Military & Aerospace Electronics for information about the latest and greatest vetronics technologies and applications.

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1 Comments:
Blogger Chris Burke said...
Another fine piece of cinematography worthy of your time would be "Starship Troopers" (1997). On the downside, although they've perfected space travel in this movie's timeframe, they have only seemed to advance handheld weapons technology to roughly the equivalent of a 30-caliber machine gun. On the upside, the military has coed showers.
Monday, July 27, 2009 5:04:00 PM EDT  


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Welcome to the lighter side of Military & Aerospace Electronics. This is where our staff recount tales of the strange, the weird, and the otherwise offbeat. We could put news here, but we have the rest of our Website for that. Enjoy our scribblings, and feel free to add your own opinions. You might also get to know us in the process. Proceed at your own risk.

John Keller for MAE
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.


Courtney Howard for MAE Courtney E. Howard is senior editor of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine. She is responsible for writing news stories and feature articles for the print publication, as well as composing daily news for the magazine's Website and assembling the weekly electronic newsletter. Her features have appeared in such high-tech trade publications as Military & Aerospace Electronics, Computer Graphics World, Electronic Publishing, Small Times, and The Audio Amateur.


John McHale for MAE John McHale is executive editor of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, where he has been covering the defense Industry for more than dozen years. During that time he also led PennWell's launches of magazines and shows on homeland security and a defense publication and website in Europe. Mr. McHale has served as chairman of the Military & Aerospace Electronics Forum and its Advisory Council since 2004. He lives in Boston with his golf clubs.

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