Pop Culture

OK Human, Put The Phone Down!

During the pandemic many things were delayed or cancelled, among them was Weezer’s still upcoming album Van Weezer. So it was a pleasant surprise when they just announced their album “OK Human” would be…

During the pandemic many things were delayed or cancelled, among them was Weezer’s still upcoming album Van Weezer. So it was a pleasant surprise when they just announced their album “OK Human” would be released next week. The full album will be released on January 29th but they dropped the first single “All My Favorite Songs” today and opened preorders for the full album on CD and Vinyl. The Vinyl Album comes in a few limited variants including Weezer Flesh, Alien Green Slime, Test Tube Clear, and Black. It will be available to stream on all the major streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify. There will also be a “Control Room Chaos Splatter” edition that is only available at indie record stores.

For myself I will be getting the Alien Green Slime Vinyl, luckily I snagged it early this morning as they are all sold out except for black. Preorder and Listen

The album was recorded during the pandemic using only analog technology and is thematically speaking about making real human connections with each other. Something that is quiet difficult right now with social distancing and quarantine restrictions. But it’s also more important now than it ever has been, technology is controlling and consuming our lives. Weezer had this to say about the inspiration for the new album:

“OK Human was made at a time when humans-playing-instruments was a thing of the past. All we could do is look back on ancient times when humans really mattered and when the dark tech-takeover fantasy didn’t exist. We used our instruments to connect to the 1960s and 1970s and, with the orchestra, back to the 18th and 19th centuries. We had no click track or loops or hi-tech sounds. Not even an electric guitar.”

– Weezer

In the video for “All My Favorite Songs” we see lead singer Rivers Cuomo completely enamored with his Google phone and even starts the video by saying ” hey Google, record a video.” We then see them start recording the new track and transition to a teen on a computer trying to talk to a girl. “All my favorite songs are slow and sad” the song starts as we see the boy watching the girl he likes through her social media. Eventually we see the girl staring back at him through her screen and she climbs through the screen to meet him in the flesh. Through this song and video we see how our lives are utterly consumed by our phones and social media. Right now its not always possible or safe to meet friends and family in person but we can’t forget about that human connection. When this pandemic is over we have to remember how to be social in real life. We need to get our head out of our phones, live our lives and enjoy the beauty of the world around us. There is some irony that you are probably reading this on a smartphone right now and I’m trying to get you off your phone. Mobile devices are tool and they are amazing, but there has to be more. Listen to this song and watch the video, next week I’ll review all the songs on the album and discuss the message behind them. Do something analog, read a book, make an actual phone call instead of text. Make a connection with the world and people around you, just be kind and be safe.

Current Events

I Have A Dream…

On August 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I have a dream” speech. These words that he delivered to over a quarter of a million people are still just as relevant today.…

On August 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I have a dream” speech. These words that he delivered to over a quarter of a million people are still just as relevant today. The work that Dr. King made great stride in civil rights, but unfortunately there is still a long way to go to make his dream a reality. The world needs more people like him. Some day his dream will come true and we can live together in peace. Love always will triumph over hate. We must learn to celebrate our differences and not them divide us. John Lennon sang “imagine all the people, living life in peace.” There is no race except the human race. As a people we can never have peace and live in harmony until this is realized. Live with love and kindness in your heart and the dream can come true.

Future Tech

CES: Flying Taxis, Electric Cars & Huge Infotainment Screens

A big part of the show floor at CES every year is always monopolized by automakers demonstrating home much tech they can fit into their vehicles. GM, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and many others aren’t letting…

A big part of the show floor at CES every year is always monopolized by automakers demonstrating home much tech they can fit into their vehicles. GM, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and many others aren’t letting the lack of a show floor stop them from stealing the show. This year brought flying drone taxis, new electric cars from GM and Cadillac, the next iteration of BMW’s iDrive and a 56-inch infotainment screen. It’s not quite the flying cars that the future promised but it’s still exciting nonetheless. Let’s run down some of the cool concepts and future production vehicles that manufacturers brought to the virtual show.

GM & Cadillac

While it’s more similar to a giant drone than a flying car, GM’s Cadillac eVTOL (electric vehicle take off and landing) concept gives a peak at a possible future method of travel. It isn’t so much designed to park in your driveway as it is to take you from rooftop to rooftop. Relying on electric motors and a 90-kwh battery the vehicle can sail the skies at around 56 mph. It won’t be ideal for your daily commute, but might help you get to that meeting across town super quick with no traffic aside from the birds.

Aside from its eVTOL concept, GM had a bevy of electric cars to talk about and preview. Cadillac showed off the Lyriq which will be available in 2022 and previewed the Celestiq which is targeted for 2025. Powering these new vehicles is GM’s new Ultium Battery System, a brand new modular system that is the future of all of GM’s electric plans. This new system can power vehicles for up to a 400 mile range and drive front, rear and all wheel drive vehicles. With their innovative new battery system in hand, GM is poised to bring a whole fleet of electric vehicles over the next few years. Below is a sneak peak with the new GMC Hummer EV front and center, flanked by the Cadillac Celestiq and Lyriq. Also in the shadows is an electric truck and a few unidentified SUVs, the future is definitely electric for GM and all its brands.

Read more about the new Ultium Battery System over at GM

Mercedes-Benz

While they didn’t show off the upcoming EQS Luxury Sedan but they did show off the Hyperscreen which is the centerpiece of the second generation MBUX “Mercedes-Benz User Experience. This 56-inch screen is actually multiple touchscreens all built into one solid piece of glass that spans the entire dash. The three main areas of the Hyperscreen are the instrument cluster, center infotainment console and a passenger facing screen. MBUX uses what Mercedes calls “zero layer” so you don’t have to scroll through endless menus or learn voice commands. It utilizes AI learning to know what apps and setting you use most and presents them when needed, even the passenger get their own custom area. With this amazing technology in the dash it will be exciting to see what other tech they put in the next generation EQS sedan.

Read more @ Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-EQ. MBUX Hyperscreen

BMW

Over at BMW they are trying to reinvent the wheel again, at least the wheel that is at the center of their iDrive system. This year marks 20 years since its introduction and the new iDrive is a revolution that has an AI assistant that you actually give a name to. BMW says its about bridging the gap between the car and the driver to create and emotional connection with the car. They actually partnered with internet personalities iJustine, Supercar Blondie and a roll reversed interview with iDrive. Along with these videos BMW also produced a short film that saw the new BMW iX meet and an old BMW 7 Series and shenanigans ensue.

Head over to BMW’s CES hub for some more videos about the new iDrive

More To Come…

Thats just a few tidbits from what the automakers showed off this week at this virtual CES. Look for a part 2 coming soon for more tech for your car to keep you in your little bubble and entertained while on the road.

Future Tech

CES: The Razer Smart Mask Nobody Asked For…But I Kind of Want

Every year Razer brings some crazy concepts to CES and they are always the talk of the show. Even with this years All Digital CES they still have some awesome tech to show. The…

Every year Razer brings some crazy concepts to CES and they are always the talk of the show. Even with this years All Digital CES they still have some awesome tech to show. The nature of being virtual has actually given them the freedom to go a little further since they don’t actually have to show a physical product. With the ongoing global pandemic, Razer has brought a concept for the world’s first Smart Mask called Project Hazel. Of course it wouldn’t be a Razer product without it’s signature Chroma RGB lighting but Razer didn’t just slap some LEDs in a mask and call it a day. What they’ve done is actually pretty interesting by putting a built in mic and amplifier inside in order to side step the normal muffled speech you get wearing a mask. They also made the whole thing clear so you can express yourself and make it easier for the hearing impaired to read lips. To improve on this even further they also built in lighting for a low light mode, so even at night you can communicate effectively.

Obviously we are all optimistic that an end to the pandemic is in sight but if we are going to have to wear masks we might as well be comfortable and stylish. For now this is just a concept but it’s not hard to see at least some of the ideas put into a real product by Razer or someone else. With the design and features it kind of gives off a futuristic, cyberpunk feel in a post apocalyptical world. It’s not hard to see that these may be useful even in a post pandemic world, like doctors or other workers that may need protection from environmental dangers. What do you think? Would you wear a smart mask if this is a peak at our future?

Check out the full press release for more info on this and Razer’s other news from CES.

https://press.razer.com/product-news/razer-unveils-smart-mask-and-gaming-chair-concept-designs-at-ces-2021/

https://youtu.be/FvWiCclESL8

Future Tech

CES 2021: The Virtual Tech Expo

Once a year the big tech companies gather in Las Vegas to show off their latest innovations at CES: the Consumer Electronics Show. This year however the global pandemic has dictated that they go…

Once a year the big tech companies gather in Las Vegas to show off their latest innovations at CES: the Consumer Electronics Show. This year however the global pandemic has dictated that they go completely digital and have a virtual show. Even with this limitation many tech companies are still bringing their latest tech to show off to the world. Here are just a few of the highlights from the first two days.

Verizon Touts 5G Partnerships

The show kicked off yesterday with Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg who touted new partnerships with big companies like NFL, The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Live Nation and many others. With these companies partnered with Verizon they look to mash the speeds of 5G and Augmented Reality (AR) with sports, arts and entertainment.

NFL

Along with promising to bring 5G to 28 NFL Stadiums, Verizon will allow fans with certain 5G devices to immerse themselves in the game with 7 different camera angles and AR Player Stats.

The MET

A new AR gallery called TheMetUnframed that lets visitors explore the amazing works from The Met right from their smartphone.

5G Music Clubs

Live Nation Clubs will utilize 5G to bring fans in to the front row virtually and in person, along with tools to manage crowd flow and other venue elements.

For the rest of the news from Verizon’s CES keynote read the full press release. That’s just a little taste of what day one of CES brought to the table. Come back tomorrow and I’ll go more in depth with some of the other exhibitors like Razer, who had a very interesting Smart Facemask concept and GM who showed off a Cadillac air taxi along with some new electric vehicles.

Current Events

Social Media, Mass Media, and The Truth

If you were to take a survey about how people consume the news you would get a lot of different answers. But it’s a good bet that most news is consumed on a mobile…

If you were to take a survey about how people consume the news you would get a lot of different answers. But it’s a good bet that most news is consumed on a mobile device or home computer. With the prevalence of social media and advancement in mobile technology, it’s now easier than ever to stay connected with the headlines. Whether it’s a mass media outlet like CNN, your local news station, or a social media site like Twitter, all of it is available with the tap of a finger. So what can you trust and what is a sensationalized headline just trying to get your attention? How do you know what you can trust and what is the real truth behind the headlines? These aren’t easy questions to answer and I’m sure greater writers than I have certainly tried. The only real way to know the truth is to actually be there when news happens, obviously that’s impossible. So we have to take everything we see and hear with a grain of salt. Don’t take everything the news presents at face value. Check the sources and see what other news outlets report on the same story.

“You are young yet, my friend,” replied my host, “but the time will arrive when you will learn to judge for yourself of what is going on in the world, without trusting to the gossip of others. Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”

Edgar Allen Poe

There are two priorities that run the news media: presenting current events and getting high ratings. Usually the later is the driving factor behind most headlines. A good samaritan helping feed the needy is not going to grab attention and ratings like a political scandal. Therefore you will see the scandal story at the top of the news and the good news story might air on the 6am news when most people are still sleeping. Big media companies like Fox, CNN and NBC are all after the juiciest headlines that will give them the best ratings which turns into more ad dollars. So often times the story will be skewed to make it more attention grabbing and facts will be omitted or not presented. You may think this is only a problem with the big networks and your local networks aren’t as crooked. However in some way they may be even worse because of the companies that are actually behind these local news affiliates. One such company is Sinclair Broadcasting which owns 193 local stations around the country. In the past several years they have been under scrutiny because of their increasingly conservative bias and how they force their stations to slant their stories in favor of the views that they wanted to convey. One example of this was what they called “must run segments,” which were essentially propaganda messages that were distributed through their networks. Below is a story from HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” where he shows some of the segment that these networks were forced to air.

The other side of this coin is social media like Facebook and Twitter. With these sites anyone can spread stories across the world in a matter of seconds. With the accessibility of professional quality video editing and a 4K camera in everyones pocket, suddenly everyone can be a journalist and present their version of the truth. Before there was TV and the internet, all stories were spread through word of mouth but you know what happens when a story is repeated through different people. The facts get changed or omitted and by the time you hear it the story may be completely different. That is how social media works, someone posts a story, it gets shared, somebody adds a comment and eventually this story has been completely skewed in a different way. This is the danger of citizen media, there is no journalistic integrity, no producers or editors to fact check the stories.

With everything going on in the world currently it’s important that everyone is involved in the story and keeping up with the headlines. It’s impossible to know the whole truth with everything going on, not even the parties involved know the whole truth. The best thing anyone can do is look at facts and try to make logical sense with them. Check other news sources and see if they corroborate the same facts and present the story the same way. With the news just as in life you have to be your own advocate, you decide what you believe and don’t let the media or anyone control your beliefs. More important than anything is to remember to be kind to others with different opinions or beliefs. It’s our differences that make us unique and special. Don’t let politics or the news get between you and the ones you care about.

Current Events

What Is Freedom Of Speech?

When the Constitution was written over 200 years ago it was impossible to foresee all of the mediums we now have at our fingertips. Any Karen will be happy to invoke her “First Amendment…

When the Constitution was written over 200 years ago it was impossible to foresee all of the mediums we now have at our fingertips. Any Karen will be happy to invoke her “First Amendment Rights” but few actually know the true purpose and history. The freedom it gives you is not unlimited and does not give you the right to incite violence or spread unfounded facts. This also does not apply to social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. They are open to the public, but still private corporations and reserve the right to remove any users or content that they deem objectionable. When you sign up for these services you have to agree to their terms of service, even though most people have never read them and just blindly accept. Everything that is posted on these services is subject to these terms and if they are seen as a violation they will be removed. It doesn’t matter if you are just an Average Joe or the leader of a country, even though we should probably hold our leaders to a higher standard. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussions or consequences. Lets dig a little deeper and see what the First Amendment does protect Americans from.

After fighting and winning our freedom from the British in the Revolutionary War in 1781 a new government was founded. In the years following, the USA was recognized by the British as independent and the Constitution was ratified. Ten years after the end of the war, the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. The amendments created many of the laws and freedoms we have today, including freedom of speech. This first amendment of the Bill of Rights provides certain freedoms, but leaves much room for interpretation of what exactly is included as part of these liberties. Needless to say this was a much different era than now. People were much more respectful and actually thought about their actin and the consequences. I’m sure that there was still 18th Century Karens, but they probably would be arrested or worse if they said or did the things people do these days.

The following is the exact verbatim of Amendment I. in the Bill of Rights:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Freedom of speech is often used as an excuse to say anything, any place, at anytime. Which was never its intention. Over the years there have been several court cases that have helped set precedent for freedom of speech. The following is an excerpt from the uscourts.gov web site. Click the articles for each case and you can dig deeper in to what these cases entailed and how they unfolded.

Freedom of speech includes the right:

Freedom of speech does not include the right:

Even with all these examples, its still not super clear what actions are protected and what are not. One thing that is abundantly clear is speech that incites violence is not protected. What is protected is peaceful protesting in front of a government building. However once you illegally enter a federal government building and destroy property, that is now rioting and not protesting. Freedom of speech ends when it becomes violent and destruction of federal property occurs. It also ends when you are inciting and organizing violence. This also extends to services that accommodate these terrorist groups such as Parler, which is a social network geared towards conservatives and being utilized by domestic terrorist groups. Google has removed the app from its Play store and Apple will probably follow suit soon. Some see this as a censorship act, but its merely a move by these big corporations to try and distance themselves from these groups. Its akin to kicking someone out of your house for threatening you or committing a crime, if you don’t kick them out you could be complicit.

Essentially if you don’t own a newspaper, TV channel, social media platform, or blog — you are subject to the terms of the platform you are using and your content can be removed. Also for those Karens out there, freedom of speech does not give you the right to run your mouth. It is after all a free country, and it is my right to tell to respectfully shut up. As always, be kind to each other and love another.

Life

ABK: Always Be Kind

Another not so easy day, makes it easy to fill your mind and heart with negative thoughts. But no matter what life brings, just remember those 3 letters: ABK, Always Be Kind. It’s not…

Another not so easy day, makes it easy to fill your mind and heart with negative thoughts. But no matter what life brings, just remember those 3 letters: ABK, Always Be Kind. It’s not an easy thing to do, but that just means it’s worthwhile.

Everyday there will be struggles and there will be challenges that will make you feel like giving up. Just slow down, take a deep breath and look at the situation from the outside inwards. What will anger or frustration do to the situation? What will kindness do? Kindness will always make the situation better, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time. Anger and frustration will just make the situation worse and make you feel worse, that is a guarantee. These feelings are just our fear taking over our thoughts and actions. Don’t let fear take you over, don’t let it consume you. Take that fear and make it your power, use it give you strength. Use that strength to be kind and in turn that kindness will make you happy.

“Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.”

– Yoda

May the force be with you and stay away from the dark side. Every day wake up and make it your mission to be kind and spread kindness. At the end of the day as you fall asleep think about your day, did you accomplish your mission? If not, what could you have done differently. That’s my daily ask to everyone, Always Be Kind. Let the force of kindness run through you and give you strength.

Life

Strange New Worlds

In 1966 Star Trek first aired on TV and gave us a glimpse at the future. Every episode we saw Captain Kirk and his crew exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations. This vision…

In 1966 Star Trek first aired on TV and gave us a glimpse at the future. Every episode we saw Captain Kirk and his crew exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations. This vision that Gene Roddenberry created gave us an idyllic future to aspire towards. A big part of this was the diverse crew, made up of a black woman, an asian, a Russian and an alien. The crew of the Enterprise showed us that these people from all different backgrounds could not only coexist but work together as a team to fly across the galaxy. They didn’t just cooperate despite their differences, they celebrated them and showed how we can all be better as humans (even if you happened to not be human.)

We are living in a strange new world and everyone we interact with is akin to a new civilization. We may all be the same race but we all have different experiences that make us almost alien to each other. So when you meet a new person it’s almost like making first contact with an alien race. In Star Trek they have strict rules for first contact situations, in real life not so much. Sometimes we are too quick to judge based on appearance or other factors and dismiss a person before trying to understand them. In the Star Trek Universe they have the United Federation of Planets, a coalition of planets and species that have come together to spread peace and explore the galaxy. Without communication, kindness and understanding the Federation could never exist. In our world far too often we are missing those qualities.

Now here we are in 2021, over 50 years after Star Trek first aired and we have come a long way as a society and a species. We have made many amazing technological advancements that were at least in part inspired by Star Trek but we haven’t come nearly close enough to the utopian society that Roddenberry envisioned. If we want to ever get close to that we must put aside our difference and instead celebrate our similarities. Be kind to one another, be compassionate and empathetic but most of all just communicate and listen.

“In a very real sense, we are all aliens on a strange planet. We spend most of our lives reaching out and trying to communicate. If during our whole lifetime, we could reach out and really communicate with just two people, we are indeed very fortunate.”

— Gene Roddenberry

Pop Culture

What To Watch: The History Of Swearing

Have you ever wondered where your favorite swear words come from? Well now there is a six part documentary special on Netflix about that exact topic. Acclaimed actor Nicholas Cage, whom apparently will just…

Have you ever wondered where your favorite swear words come from? Well now there is a six part documentary special on Netflix about that exact topic. Acclaimed actor Nicholas Cage, whom apparently will just take any role that is offered to him hosts alongside interviews with other celebrities, comedians and writers. The first part of the series is focused on what is considered by most to be one of the worst words — fuck. It seems like they definitely missed an opportunity to have Samuel L Jackson in this. Nonetheless it was pretty entertaining and interesting. If you are tired of all the seriousness of 2021 already, then its definitely worth the 22 minutes to watch.