10.27.2018

A time-traveler from the past encounters a New Yorker cartoon

In the 'toon, a robot escorts a young woman out of a building. An elevator door is visible in the building's lobby. In the woman's arms is a cardboard box filled, one assumes, with personal possessions.


The cartoon's title: "2046: Final human job replaced by robot."


A century before that date, in the late 1940's, when I was in junior high school and my deep sci-fi period, all the wonders of the future were reserved for the 21st Century. We would have flying cars and space travel and robots to wash the dishes, mow the lawn, and dust under the bed. I figured with a little luck I might live long enough to see it.


I did. I didn't find flying cars but semi-self driving and/or crashing cars; not space travel but intercontinental ballistic missiles; and robots. The robots are freaking everybody out.


Because if the robots do all the work, what about you? (This doesn't disturb me, of course.) If you don't work you don't have money; if you don't have money you don't have Netflix. Somehow, nobody thought of that.


Well, actually, somebody did, about the time I was in junior high school. Nobody cared.


Sooner or later somebody will have to.

10.26.2018

Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Search Words by First Known Use Date

"Super-duper" is a phrase that was first used in print the year I was born. Also "spymaster," "socko," and "soap opera," among the s's.

Have a look for yourself a this super-duper Merriam-Webster site.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler

10.25.2018

We need robocops

Here's what happens when police pull over a driverless car - The Washington Post


https://wapo.st/2RiHdz9

[Trigger warning: Paywalled site.]

Don't tell me this isn't just a little bit spooky

This Thermometer Tells Your Temperature, Then Tells Firms Where to Advertise - The New York Times

"Amazon has submitted a patent application, recently granted, outlining how the company could recommend chicken soup or cough drops to people who use its Echo device if it detects symptoms like coughing and sniffling when they speak to it, according to a report by CNET." 


[Trigger warning: Link is to a paywalled site.]

If at first you don't succeed…

Titanic II Will Set Sail in 2022 on Same Route as First | PEOPLE.com


http://bit.ly/2Ra78Jc

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are not included on the passenger list.

10.23.2018

And now, as a public service…

CDC warns against dressing up pet chickens for Halloween - ABC News


Bear note

I went out to measure the height of the neighbors' bird feeder this morning and I'm thinking that bear that visited us last evening, standing on its hind legs, was about 6'5" to the tip of its nose.

So big enough to be, you know, biiiig.

Be honest: Does the idea of being "wooed" by the "White House" turn you on?

The White House is wooing tech workers to do tours of duty in government - The Washington Post


https://wapo.st/2OKPWgw

Also, I'm not sure having a parade of short-term high-nerd quotient Silicon Valleyites cycling through government agencies is a capital (or capitol) idea.

But maybe that's just me.

10.22.2018

Bear goes for the neighbors' bird feeder

Who knew there was so much nature around?

Is discord vegan? (asking for a friend)

Russian Woman Charged With Interference In US Midterm Elections


Elena Khusyaynova, 44, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors said she managed the finances of "Project Lakhta," a foreign influence operation they said was designed "to sow discord in the U.S. political system"…

They're sowing a lot of it these days if the newspapers are any indication and you've gotta believe, with a discord glut will come lower prices in the checkout line. Me, I'm planning to stock up.

I wonder if you can freeze it.

10.21.2018

Just be grateful you're here and not there

How perfect is this?

I was reading the other day that Mark Twain thought U.S. Grant's memoir was better written even than Lincoln's, and was instrumental in getting it published. I seemed to remember having downloaded Grant's book once, possibly from the Gutenberg Project, but couldn't find it in any of the usual places in my computer. So I searched for it using Spotlight, Apple's system-wide search facility.

I typed "U.S. Grant" into the search box. Spotlight opened the Maps app and pointed to Grant's tomb.

OK. Answered that.