Fouling Our Nest

“Fouling one’s nest” is an old metaphor, originally in reference to birds that excreted in their nests, and applied by extension to humans who failed to keep their environments tidy. The thought that led me here was about helium balloons used to help promote events such as weddings and open houses, cut loose after the event to come down wherever. And they will come down, and, when they come down, they cause problems for birds and other wildlife. People think about the immediate benefit of using the balloons to highlight an event without considering the after-event consequences of disposing of . . . → Read More: Fouling Our Nest

Artificial Intelligence

If you are old enough to have seen 2001: A Space Odyssey, you doubtless remember the computer, the HAL 9000. HAL malfunctions and does everything it can to kill off the crew. The last astronaut standing is appropriately named “Bowman,” perhaps foreshadowing my own difficulties with artificial intelligence. At least I wasn’t in space….

My challenges were more down-to-earth. My DVR had started making an annoying buzzing sound when I paused and restarted something I had recorded, and the “cable” button on the remote had become extremely difficult to use. I requested new ones from my local provider, Charter . . . → Read More: Artificial Intelligence

Future History

I borrow my title from one of my favorite science fiction authors, Robert Heinlein, whose books captivated me during my adolescence. A number of them have been made into movies (including The Puppet Masters, Starship Troopers, and . . . → Read More: Future History