Why would I talk about any of them in a technology blog you might ask? Well, apart from the fact that they are pillars of certain industries, they are, without a shadow of a doubt, heroes of technology. Doubtful? Let me state my case one-by-one for your appreciation. And let me know if it does, or does not satisfy.
First off, Jim Marshall. Nope, he is neither the person with the microphone nor the guy up in the air with a uniquely dark hat. The former, I'm not too sure who he is actually. The latter is Slash, the legendary guitarist of Guns N' Roses. But enough about them, we're talking about the insignia from the amp box in the background, a product made by a company founded by Jim Marshall a long time ago. It's such a long time that Jim is actually called The Father of Loud and enjoys to be part of a very short list of forefathers in the realm of rock music equipment, such as Leo Fender (the Stratocaster).
During the time, there were already amps around but nothing as loud as what The Who's Pete Townshend was looking for. Seeing the opportunity, Jim worked on a series of amps that would eventually be Marshall Amplification, a company that stands to this day. His amps were quite popular--quite. Hendrix, Clapton and Jimmy Page are known customers. Jim's signature would grow more in popularity as his amps would later establish itself as "the Marshall sound." Likewise a vertical arrangement of amps would be known as "the Marshall stack." The rest is really history; Jim was 88.
Ferdinand Alexander (F.A.) Porsche, the grandson of "the great engineer" and Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, is no ordinary scion of the renowned manufacturer. He wasn't exactly an engineer but more of a designer, a trade he didn't see himself in at first despite all his early successes. F.A. would be best known for designing one of the better automotive beasts of its time, the Porsche 911, an instant classic from the time it was unleashed in 1968 until the time of this writing. In a poll in 1999, the 911 was ranked 5th among other greats for Car of the Century (Ford's Model T, perhaps the most influential car in history, took the top spot).
F.A.'s talent in design would later inspire him to found a company, Porsche Design, which apart from automobile design would be in the business of chronographs (meticulously exact time pieces), a series of very interesting spectacles, and an impressive line of home furnishings and other personal devices. F.A. Porsche was a design legend, 'nuff said. He was 76.
When I was young, I loved watching the news. I loved it so much that I remember watching Angelo Castro Jr., a much-celebrated long-time broadcaster of ABS-CBN, at least two decades ago. Fast-forward to now, I still watch news as often as I could during weeknights. And since I hardly reach TV Patrol (which Angelo Castro created) in time, The World Tonight became the regular staple. But Angelo was nowhere to be found for a long time, leaving Tina Palma as the sole anchor for a long while. November 7, 2011, I was fortunate to watch Angelo Castro return to The World Tonight, finishing the show with his trademark, "and the final word tonight." It was a classic piece. Little did I know that he was dying, and a few days ago, his death would be announced. Angelo Castro is a pillar of Filipino broadcasting; he was 67.
And certainly not the least. Jesus of Nazareth, son of John the carpenter, was an industry giant. Not to malign or anything, I meant industry in a good way. His ministry would stretch from to the farthest regions of this sphere--and more. The Christ's words, after two millennia, still hold the greatest truth, a fact that continues to be certain even in the most trying times. In the events of the Holy Week, as practiced by Catholics, Christ would undergo death and resurrection, the latter event a culmination, a victory over death. Easter. His milestone is relatively simple, yet the most profound of them all: he loved you and me so much, that he would not mind dying to redeem our sins. By expert accounts, Christ was three decades old on his final milestone; he was (est.) 30.
And so, we have Marshall, an engineer by trade who ceased the opportunity to provide a technological upgrade to the most demanding audiophiles. His ingenuity shaped music tech. Porsche, a meticulous designer who would put his name in as many places as possible, and whose working designs proved the balance of form and function. His craftsmanship rattled the foundations of technology design. Castro, a broadcaster who was good in two things: spreading the word and being consistent about it. He would be instrumental in improving the structure in news programming during his time. His effect on broadcast technology cannot be underestimated.
And Christ, the most significant technological pioneer of his day, still teaches us a few tricks about how magnificent life can be. During his day, a few loaves of bread can feed thousands of people. His technology is magical. And today, even though we've all multiplied in significant numbers, His telephony can still take it. At the end, the best technology is the one that can't be seen. Because technology is an experience first and foremost. The same way that Marshall's experience was sound, or Porsche's excellent drive, or the memory of Castro's benevolence, we've all enjoyed being part of their show. The same way we continue to be believers in Christ's magnum opus.
That sounded nice.
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