Take a short, fast trip to Paris via hyper-lapse

By spocko, on March 23rd, 2016%

I went to Paris a long time ago. It’s all a blur now, but thanks to modern technology I can relive that blur in HD in 2 minutes!

I tried to watch in full screen in 4K, but my local modern technology couldn’t keep up. Try it at 2K if you also have a slow connection.

One of the first things I ever saw on the World Wide Web were photos from the Louvre. Look at art you could never visit in person! People were in “It’s like TV, only on a computer” mode because they didn’t know how to use it yet. Just like TV was “radio, with moving pictures” at first.

Just for fun I went to the actual Louvre website today. They still have photos, but in a crummy slideshow format. They aren’t even high resolution–although I’m sure you can buy some in the gift shop.

They have two online media “virtual tours” were you were allowed you pan around a bit. They also have a mobile app, which might be nice, but it’s only for Apple products.

How we interact with the world via our devices has changed as the technology has gotten better, but . . . → Read More: Take a short, fast trip to Paris via hyper-lapse

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How dark money infects American minds

By spocko, on March 10th, 2016%

I recently listened to two interviews with Jane Mayer on her book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.

During the interviews she explicitly pointed to the power of the Koch Machine to change the public opinion and attitudes with their think tanks, universities, and media.

They push a idea that the climate problem doesn’t exist, or–if it does exist–there is nothing we can do about it.

Marketeers and messaging gurus from the fossil fuel industry have invested 100’s of millions in a narrative that rejects science and human governments’ ability to act. They want to destroy the hope that we have the ability to make changes.

They throw doubt into scientific successes (“Blank can never replace coal/oil/gas”) while killing legislation that supports other forms of energy

In the superior interview Mayer gave on The Majority Report with Sam Seder she talked to an audience who knew of the Koch brothers and understood the damage they have done that goes beyond elections.

The Koch network’s influence extends into academia, media, state and local politics. This influence will continue no matter who is elected President this fall.

In the interview on . . . → Read More: How dark money infects American minds

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In the face of a dark future, there’s hope

By spocko, on March 10th, 2016%

I really enjoyed the recent GOP debate. It had the highest LPMs (Laughs Per Minute) of any Presidential debate in history. But after the laughs, it must have been depressing to see your fellow humans campaigning to get rid of environmental protections and your EPA.

Science News, photo by Todd McInturf/The Detroit News via AP

If my human emotions ruled me, I would be very depressed about the future of America right now. Fortunately my rational, logical, activist side is in control, so I’m fine.

When I see tiny humans being poisoned, with no urgent steps taken to solve the problem, I wonder, “What is wrong with you humans?” Even the Borg protect their babies!

A healthy baby Borg. Resistance to its cuteness is futile.

Fortunately, there are humans who are working to solve your problems and help others. Some of these people have a more optimistic view of the future than others, so when dark headlines fill my tricorder, I find them to listen to, read and watch. One of them is Hugo awarding-winning author Charlie Jane Anders.When you poison your own people, deny the science that shows the problem and then don’t race . . . → Read More: In the face of a dark future, there’s hope

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