Tech Tuesday: "Open the pod bay door, Hal"

There are people on Twitter (X) who ask questions for the purpose of generating engagement. Often it's about music, like what is your favorite album, or who is the greatest drummer, or what is the best guitar solo ever recorded. 

Today someone asked, "What movie have you seen ten times or more." A couple of films came to mind, and there are quite a few that hurdled the "five times" threshold, one of which I watched again tonight. But this one came first to mind, which I saw at Radio City Music Hall when it was released in 1968. How many times have you seen 2001: A Space Odyssey?

It's a classic for many reasons, one being the realistic depictions of space flight. Another being Kubrick's mastery of visual storytelling. 

While looking up an image to go along with this blog post, I discovered a website in which someone has created 569 gifs extracted from this film, a pretty impressive feat. Here are a few of them, followed by a link at the end to the full catalog of 569 animated snippets.

 

 

CHECK OUT THIS SITE.... 

2001: A GIF Odyssey 

Power to Keep the Lights On, That's All I Ask

On Feb. 7, 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed Senate File 4, also known as the Minnesota Clean Energy Acceleration Act, pledging to lower greenhouse gas emissions by mandating a carbon-free electricity standard by 2040. Technically, the new legislation is a revision to previous energy targets with an updated renewable energy standard of 55% by 2035. The law also adds new carbon-free benchmarks that also must be met: 80% by 2030, 90% by 2035 and 100% by 2040.

For three months, from early November to mid-January I spoke with industry professionals, read books and other material, and assembled an article recently published in Business North titled, "Is Our Energy Grid at Risk?"

While the new legislation stresses the importance of reliable, affordable and safe energy resources, some energy experts have expressed concerns about the fragility of our energy grid including the North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC).

The bottom line: I'm concerned.

Here a link to the story, "Is Our Energy Grid at Risk?"

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Related Links

Joe Miller Discusses the Power Grid: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?

The Biggest Drawbacks of Solar Panels

Grid Fragility and a Book by Meredith Angwin

Putting Nuclear Power In Perspective: An Interview with David Watson

Tech Tuesday: Thought Provoking Energy Stories

The Golden Triangle (A Short Story)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION

The Golden Triangle

 

A young woman in her early-30s attempts to reach out to a friend in Minneapolis whom she’d been visiting the week before. She accidentally connects with some old guy in Duluth. For some strange and improbable reason, they keep chatting. 

As it turns out he’s a writer, she’s a high-end, international jewelry dealer from Hong Kong, now living in L.A.

 

As they talk, they discover that each shares a common dream: Is there any possible way that one person alone could solve all the problems in the world? How much can one person accomplish if they have unlimited resources and a half century to do it in?

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Here's one possibility of how it plays out on the silver screen.

The movie opens with the Hong Kong woman, now very old, receiving a Nobel Peace Prize. In her acceptance speech, or maybe it's a press conference, she acknowledges someone who opened her eyes to the possibilities and responsibilities that come with wealth. 

 

As the movie’s opening credits finish rolliing, she is young again and the story begins.

 

It’s an amazing story because together they rally the human race to work together, to put an end to poverty, hate, violence, etc.  

 

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In an alternate version, he’s the billionaire. He's also a retired secret agent, and she is the creation of an A.I., with intentions initially unclear. As it turns out, the contact wasn't an accident at all but a ruse. He's an avid art collector. The AI's objective is to acquire his two Vermeers and a set of original Da Vinci sketches that no one knows about, but which the AI discovered by deconstructing the details of his life. The Vermeers both turn out to be fakes. The sketches are anatomical studies, both delicate and daring. 

Tension in the story is generated by the AI's quest to carry out the art heist without a body. The backstory question is this: did the AI initiate the heist on its own? 

Should the crime be solved by an AI detective, an AI version of Columbo or an algorithmic Hercule Poirot? 

   

Almost Wordless Wednesday: More AI Art Shenanigans

And now for something completely different.

This is the original illustration, which 
I called, "The Scream."

Making selections using various prompts 

produces different effects. Notice the way

outcome models the visual information 

while creating completely different results.

Here are the same three images, expanded.

That's All, Folks!

Tech Tuesday: Seven Stories from This Week's EV News

Photo courtesy J Dean via Unsplash

My comments in italics

TESLA VEHICLES GET A RECALL
Tesla is recalling almost all of its electric vehicles in the U.S. for a software fix as it faces heightened scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

When you read the details regarding this recall, it seems the recall involves something incredibly petty, though it will require Tesla to notify every car owner and schedule time to make the adjustment for each car. Is the government trying to disincentivize Elon Musk from selling cars to Americans? Did Ford or GM put a bug in the ear of the NHTSA? 

EVs Are Too Heavy to Be Stopped by Guardrails 
Results from crash testing in the US have raised concerns that electric vehicles may be too heavy to be stopped safely by guardrails on roads.

EVs must be heavier than we realized.... or guardrails flimsier. Is replacing guardrails part of the infrastructure plan?

Building EVs Impacts the Environment, Too
"As the world embraces electric vehicles as a solution to carbon dioxide emissions, there is too little discussion of the environmental harm associated with the metals needed to build them, says one of Japan's foremost researchers in the field."

This story from Tokyo draws attention to another side of the EV coin. In theory they are better for climate impact considerations, but there are other problems that the mining of rare metals exacerbates.

GM Went All In on EVs. Dealers Say Buyers Want Hybrids.
Some auto retailers worry GM is missing an opportunity to nab buyers who aren’t ready for EVs

This is what happens when there is a government-generated mismatch between supply and demand. Will GM need another bailout in a few years? 

More automakers are being forced to rethink their EV plans

EVs have been the shiny new toy in the auto industry, albeit an expensive toy, but the demand has not yet been generated for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest is the hassle of re-charging the batteries.

77% of Americans have homes, but only two-thirds of these have a garage. Finding re-charging stations can become massively annoying, and even moreso when travelling. One recent study found that 40% of all charging stations in California were broken. (or maybe it was in L.A.)

Why Americans Don’t Want Electric Vehicles

Not long ago, pundits were telling us that gasoline-powered cars would soon vanish from the streets, replaced by sleek, space-age vessels powered by electricity. But consumer demand for electric cars never matched the hype.

Why? Again, charging stations are a hassle. And in cold weather, it takes even longer.

Keep Politics out of the EV Debate and Listen to the People

People in Connecticut want to know the details of a plan: where will we get the extra electricity to power the thousands of new EVs, how will the transmission line infrastructure be built, who will pay for it all (your electric bill is already too high), where will people charge them throughout the state, will there be enough operational charging stations where people live and work, and will EVs be affordable? 

This last was a letter to the editor of the CT Examiner. Many questions. I drive by our university paking lots and see a thousand cars, but only a half dozen charging stations, if any. At UMD Saturday I only saw one Golf utilizing a charger. Will we one day have a totally electric transportation fleet? Maybe, but probably not in my lifetime.

A Few Snapshots from the 64th Arrowhead Regional Biennial along with Everything & Nothing

The Arrowhead Regional Biennial is a juried show that has been organized and administered by the Duluth Art Institute (DAI) for more than a century. The Biennial is a juried art show featuring painting, prints, sculptures and drawing. This year's event was curated by Awa Kawaguchi, and hosted by the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of UMD. 

This year's Biennial conincides with a major event in the life of the DAI. This past year a decision was made regarding their home at the Depot, which will now be called their "former home" in a few months. In short, the DAI is in a time of transition as it seeks a new location while striving to seamlessly maintain its commitments to the local arts community. 

This past Saturday I was happy to be present for the closing of the 64th Biennial. UMD's annual Art & Design Faculty Staff Exhibition was also on display. Aptly titled Everything & Nothing, the Faculty/staff show never disappoints.  

What follows are some of the images I captured to share here. First, selections from the Biennial.

Examples of work from 

Everything & Nothing

This was on a wall leading to another section of the gallery.

Meantime, Art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Steven Cade and the Giving Guitars Foundation: A Patchwork of Challenges and Triumphs.

In January a friend introduced me to Steven Cade, founder of the nonprofit Giving Guitars Foundation. Like many people, at a certain point in his life he wanted to use his gifts to make the world a better place. So begins the story of his Giving Guitars Foundation. 

"We bring hope to homeless families, foster children, at-risk youth, domestic abuse victims, and veterans by bringing brand-new guitars to shelters. We have been to 83 homeless shelters for families and youth, donated over 150 guitars across 16 states, impacted 1000s," Cade said. "And we started in October of 2021."

Steven Cade is a Nashville-based, award-winning, modern country artist and singer-songwriter who has won the Grand Ole Opry's Modern Country Artist of the Year Award and has been inducted into California Music Hall of Fame.

EN: When did you first get serious about a career in music and what, at that time, inspired you?

Steven Cade: I got serious a couple of year out of High School, and having my first manager be Floyd Rose helped me be inspired to want to be the best songwriter, performer and musician possible.

EN: What were you doing before you got involved with Wyland's Water Conservation Awareness Tours? 

SC: Before the Wyalnd Tours I was still the lead singer of a pop rock band in Southern California. We were touring the country, writing and creating music and performing.

EN: You mentioned that over a period of two years Wyland had done a West Coast and East Coast road show. Can you describe what those events were like?

SC: Those events were summertime festival-like shows that took place on the coasts. I would perform while Wyland would paint. We did that from Seattle to La Paz, and then from Maine to Key West.  

EN: How were they publicized? 

SC: Mainly though Wyland's Foundation

EN: What was your role and what kind of impact did they make?

SC: I was singing while Wyland was painting. Music and art together are a powerful combination and it got a lot of people excited about Wyland’s push to raise awareness for clean oceans.

EN: At the end you came down with encephalitis meningitis and spent 10 years in recovery. What lessons did you learn through that experience?

SC: My turning point came after a tour in Mexico where I faced the challenging ordeal of encephalitis/meningitis—a harrowing experience that nearly claimed my life. In the aftermath, a transformative journey led me to give my life to Jesus Christ, marking a profound shift in my perspective. I learned that in the end I was not in control of my own health. It made me want to surrender to Jesus as my Lord and savior. I wanted to change my life and follow Christ.

EN: You grew up in Southern California. When did you come to Nashville and why?

SC: I actually grew up in Houston, Texas and moved to California for high school and college. I had been wanting to move to Nashville for quite some time to collaborate with the best songwriters in the world.

EN: After becoming a Christian you wanted to do more than just make music. What prompted you to create your Giving Guitars Tour?

SC: After giving my life to Christ I began to lead worship in churches, but I knew that God wanted me to do even more than that and bring Him glory even outside of the church. Having compassion for those in need led us to Giving Guitars. There are a lot of people without homes, no food, abandoned and hurting in our country and all over the world. I know God gave us music for a reason. I wanted to use my gift to give back and that is what we are doing.

EN: Is it entertainment or a ministry? 

SC: It is a combination of both. There are songs that I will play at the shelter, but I will say over the microphone that Jesus Christ is my savior and talk about that.

EN: You've performed at more than 80 shelters. What kinds of shelters and how do these events come about?

SC: We visit homeless shelters for families, men, women, foster homes, domestic violence centers, drug addiction centers, at-risk youth and even help veterans. The shelters are starting to learn about what we are doing and they are requesting us to come and visit.

EN: Homelessness is a major societal problem today. What insights have you learned from visiting homeless shelters around the country? 

SC: Homeless people need to have voices too. They have feelings, emotions and even dreams. They need hope and inspiration. They love music and people who take a minute to hear their stories and just listen.

EN: For people who want to follow what you're doing or be part of it, where can they go to learn more?

SC: They can go to GivingGuitars.org. We would really appreciate the support.

Contact Info:

∙         Website: www.stevencade.com

∙         Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevencadecountry/

∙         Facebook: www.facebook.com/stevencademusic

∙         Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevencademusic/

∙         Twitter: www.twitter.com/stevencademusic

∙         Youtube: www.youtube.com/stevencademusic

∙         SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/stevencademusic

To read more about Steven Cade's work and his musical journey, visit the Canvas Rebel website.  

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Related Links

Wyland: The Marine Michaelangelo

The Giving Guitars Foundation

The Sheep and the Goats