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James Brown is dead at the age of 73.

The “Godfather of Soul” lived a turbulent life that took him from shing shoes and tap-dancing for tips, to becoming an international star. The BBC web site carried a nice obit.

At one time he performed 350 nights a year. He insisted on being shown the respect of being called Mr. Brown. He deserved it.

I never had the oportunity to see him perform live, but Peggy and I once shared a red light at a Toledo intersection with his tour bus. That was in the mid-seventies when his brand of funky soul music had been replaced on the charts by disco. The bus badly needed to be washed and it had a blown muffler.

I hope everyone is having a pleasant holiday season. Peggy and I spent three days at Christmas sitting on hard chairs in a nursing home.

That will make you think twice about whining about your lot in life. Count your blessings if you are so much as able to get into a vertical position under your own power.

The biggest Ham Radio story of th this young decade is the FCC’s elimination of the knowledge of Morse code as a requirement for any class of Amateur Radio license. Not since the notorious “Incentive Licensing” scheme in the seventies has such a controversial change to the rules been made.The ARRL made the announcement of the change on Saturday, December 16. In a break from typical practice, the FCC only issued a public notice at or about the close of business on Friday and not the actual Report and Order. Therefore, some details — including the effective date of the R&O — remain uncertain. It appears likely at this point that it will be sometime in February.

I have never been a fan of the Morse code. To be honest, I made a grand total of one CW contact as a Novice before building a VHF transceiver and operating with voice. I do however, recognize the value of a mode where one can communicate with no more technology than the reflection of the sun on a mirror.

For that reason I am disappointed to see Morse code dropped from the skills needed to become an Amateur Radio operator. A proficiency of receiving CW at five words per minute was not an overly difficult task to master. Especially when weighed against it’s potential value.

Considering Amateur Radio’s increasingly important role in Homeland Security, it seems ill advised to be reducing the required skills of operators.

Well, you knew it was going to happen. But, who knew it would be so soon.

According to PC World, hackers have already had their way with Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system that is scheculed to be released to the retail public in January, 2007. The “MelindaGates” hack allows users to activate Microsoft’s newest operating system without alerting Microsoft.

Hackers have distributed a file that lets users of the corporate version of Vista to get around the software’s anti-piracy mechanisms. In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, “Its deja vu all over again”.

I have noticed a common behavior pattern among children who are, or have been, home schooled. First, let me say that I recognize that the results of home schooling varies. It ranges from excellent to disastrous, much like the output of the public schools.

The difference seems to come from the size of the family that is doing the home schooling. Larger families seem to produce children who are much better at interpersonal relationships.

Perhaps a steady diet of being told as a child that you are different, special and better than others isn’t the best way to create kind, caring, adults who are sensitive to the needs of others. In large families and in public and parochial schools any kid who acts superior, snotty or otherwise nasty risks getting his/her butt kicked by his/her peers.

Not so with home schoolers from small families. They are intentionally isolated from other children so that they won’t be corrupted by the ways of the common rabble. As a consequence, they often grow up to be self-centered and unaware, or uncaring, of the needs of others.

So, when you think back to when you were being humiliated by other kids on the playground, consider that it may actually have been good for you. You may be a better person for it.