Say Good-Bye and Good Night to Raptor

RIP. Raptor

Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced his recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2010 defense budget, which, along with several changes, has a decision to end the production of the famed F-22 Raptor.

As a employee working at the company that produces the said product, I am rightfully disappointed, and even startled, by the announcement. The most cutting-edge, the high-point of today's technological achievement of mankind is already coming to an end. And that's without a single real combat engagement!!

Although I am relieved that I personally am not involved in F-22 program, I do fear for a possibility that the inevitable, huge influx of migrating engineers from the closing program may have an impact in my job security.

The fact that I am, or may shortly be, affected by a decision made by a top-level politician brings me a pleasant but also inconvenient insight: I am in the real world, where real things happen. My happy-go-lucky life of adolescence has really ended.

Sadness.

Screaming Raptor Above Your Head

"Wings Over Marietta" Air Show Schedule

There's an air show going on this coming weekend, on Oct. 18-19, at the Air Force Reserve base where my work is. With only two more days until they open the gate, they're already running some practices.

And today, after a great lunch at local Japanese restaurant (ran by Japanese), I looked up in the sky when I heard a great roar, and found not just one, but two F-22s flying at extremely low altitude; I could even see the pilot at one point!

The aircraft was a pure awesomeness. The sound of jet that shakes the ground, that stiff turn at seemingly low speed... Man, I am really hyped for this weekend!!

I'll try to get some pictures, but since the only camera I have is the one on my cell, I doubt I'll get any good ones. I'll upload some after this weekend.

Oh, Google, You Sweet Son of a...

Google NY Tour

Google Jobs|Benefits ... way beyond basics

I knew Google was a great place to work. I mean, who doesn't? They're like the number one revered company ever. When the company's young representative visited Virginia Tech, I wasn't really interested in them (that doesn't mean I didn't go to their information session for free food and nice shirt... I just didn't interview with them). I mean, they're cool search engine company with two big, flat-panel monitors to work with, and they get the whole Friday (or was it just the afternoon?) to spend time in whatever their curiosity leads to. But I could care less because they weren't in any area that awed me or inspired me.

But when I started reading the Google NY Tour post by Snowcat, I saw something weird; he(she?) mentions the cafeteria food as being famous for the taste, and it's free as expected. And I thought it was a strange way of putting that someone bought a lunch.

And what do you know? On Google Job's benefits page, it lists oh-so-many benefits that includes not only child-care, on-site doctor, but also... free food!! And they're not talking just free soda like this other company (*wink* at Microsoft); Google means the whole package, from lunch, snack, to even dinner! Considering food is one of the highest expense on everyone's list, free lunch and dinner is a tremendous envy generator. For someone who always has beef for bad cafeteria food and its un-deserving high pricetag, this is like salt on wound and pouring lemon juice over it. *cry*

Now I wanna work at Google!

Google added new themes for its iGoogle page. Snowcat's one of them!